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Computer troubles

1st: Did this system work with XP and all these components before? How much RAM are you running? Generally speaking you need AT LEAST twice what Microsoft claims is the minimum

There are a few things I would try (see links below for additional info) Open the PC case and reaffirm the jumpers are reset to Master (some drives require removal of pins). Do not use Cable-Select.

Physically remove and replace ALL cards, unplug and reconnect all power and data cables (I know this sounds silly but it had done the trick before more than once)

Do NOT hook up printer/scanner/etc cables. You can worry about them later

Make sure your modem and/or Ethernet card are properly installed.

Plug in and power up your PC. Access your BIOS. Reset your BIOS to the default settings (this is usually a choice) and set your hard and floppy drives to AUTO Select. Reset your Boot Sequence to CD first. Shut off the machine (rebooting is usually sufficient but sometimes windows does not clear itself)

Start the PC and Boot to your Win XP Pro Installation Disk. Do NOT use a boot disk you made some time in the past or that someone gave you.

If your computer will not boot to the XP Pro Disk be sure to let us know and we can explore other options. We are assuming at this point that all components are in working order and there is a 'software" problem

During the installation I generally remove all existing partitions You may create just the primary partition and load all you programs and data there.

What I prefer is to create the boot hard drive as 2 partitions. The boot partition is relatively small and ONLY contains the computer programs and the large partition contains all the DATA files. In event of a virus/worm/etc. your DATA will be protected. For example on my 80GB drive my C: partition is 15GB and the D: partition is the rest. This is more complex and is NOT required. It can always be done later, I use "Partition Magic" in that case

Reformat your drive in NTFS format (there may well be a debate on the benefits/drawbacks on this newsgroup but we will ignore that for now)

Install XP Pro according to the program directions. On your computer it may well take a couple hours. I then do the Microsoft upgrades. This should be no problem if you own your copy of XP Pro. Service Pack 2 is a large upgrade and may take several hours on your PC via broadband.

formatting link

Reply to
Billy Ray
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Yes, it worked until I put the HD in another machine as a slave and reformatted it. It was ssslllooowww because the processor was taxed to 100%. I have 384Mb DDR Ram.

The jumper is set as original.

Nothing outside the machine is connected, except the mouse, keyboard, and monitor.

I did these things. I turn the machine completely off, as opposed to using the Reset Button.

My Win XP CD isn't a boot disk, apparently. I thought it was. One of the other posters helped me get to the point where I can boot from a floopy, but there aren't enough instructions on the floppy to find the other drives. I get an Invalid Drive Specification message. I am booting to the CD, then the Floppy, then the HD.

I was making the same assumption. I told the BIOS to rebuild the table that it was checking, now I'm over the Verifying DMI Pool Data message that I first posted about.

Are you saying that if a virus comes to visit, it'll stick to Drive C, and you can reload the OS and save your data?

I'm using NTFS.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

Service Pack 2 is a large

Oh no! Not Service Pack 2! Everything, but that! I actually went back to 2000 Pro because of issues with XP.

Reply to
Frank_v7.0

The only problems I had with Service Pack 2 was with programs that weren't "XP Compatible". Generally those just required some tinkering to get them running or perhaps a new driver from the manufacturer.

I did have to get rid of my Canon Laser printer. When I contacted Canon they told me the no longer supported printers that old. I did not ask when it went into service as I bought it used and then used it another 10 years.

Reply to
Billy Ray

If you can get an image of a bootable version that may take care of your problems. If you use your own serial number it will still be registered to you.

Yes, Generally speaking... It is fastest when the drive is fairly empty as there is little data to move but this partitioning can be done anytime.

You reload the OS (WinXP), and your software (Office, quicken, Nero, Palm, etc) You will have to "tell" the new install where to find the data via "Open" the first time and then you are set.

All your Data should be safe becuase the PC 'thinks' the partition is a completely seperate drive. Now..... if you get hit by lightening you are screwed

Reply to
Billy Ray

Well I'm stil using my Canon LBP-430. At least 10 years old!

Reply to
Frank_v7.0

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