PC Pals Forum
Technical Help & Discussion => Self Building, Upgrading & General Hardware Help => Topic started by: mistybear on January 06, 2011, 11:24
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This has been happening to my Medion for a while now, but I couldn't be bothered fixing it.
It has been booting from the CD okay, till I took the CD out to put another one in for the printer. I did an XP repair and lost a few things.....
I took the printer CD out and closed the ROM door, forgot about the booting problem, now I can't get the damned door open again and it won't boot without it.
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Isn't there a 'paper clip' release hole in the drawer front, Kate?
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You're a life saver, Rik. Thank you.
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Paper clips are my speciality, Kate. :)
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Luckily we had one, now it's part of our PC repair kit.
Michael had just arrived home and he was declaring it ....... well, shall we say, much like our cricket team.
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:)
I shall fill in the blanks mentally. ;)
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:hehe:
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no need 644 says it all really :-D
We could try and help you fix the boot disk failure too if you like?
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Did you say "we", Sam? ;D
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I did.
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I bet Sam's plan has installing Linux mentioned somewhere. ;D
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Installing Linux ALWAYS works :)
Steve
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I feel outnumbered, Steve. ;D
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I think Sam and Steve will get along well. ;D
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:laugh:
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Installing Linux ALWAYS works :)
Steve
indeed.
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I bet Sam's plan has installing Linux mentioned somewhere. ;D
it would have, yes
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:laugh:
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I might as well install a new OS, as everytime I restart my computer, it has to use the CD .
And when I turn it off, as I have just done, it installs of the updates that it downloaded, again.
If I had a gun, I'd shoot it! >:(
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Can't you re-install XP, Kate?
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What exactly IS the boot problem? It may be an easy fix :)
Steve
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indeed it might be, especially if its an mbr issue.
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Is that short for member, or Kate in this instance, Sam? ;D
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Just to show how clever I am - Master Boot Record. :smart:
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Why would Kate need a record of her master's boots? :D
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:sigh:
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:laugh:
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If she knows where his boots are, she knows where the master is :o:
Steve
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Dangerous talk around here, Steve. :devil:
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simply -argh.
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:peepsofa:
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But if you can help with the boot disc failure, you might just get away with it. ;D
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Can't you re-install XP, Kate?
Getting back to the actually topic.
I think my HDD is on the fritz, has been for a while. I ended up doing a XP repair the other day, hence all of the updates.
It seems to have made it a little better. Doesn't take forever to shut down now.
Michael has given me his external HDD for me to use as back up, but I don't know how to transfer my stuff over to it. I have several user accounts on the PC and I don't know how to transfer the different files over.
Michael also gave me his old 500GB HDD from his Medion computer. He reformatted it and I'd like to use it as well, but I don't know how to boot to different HDDs.
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stick the external drive in and if you are an admin user you should be able to copy over the whole drive. There are probably tools todo this but windows file manager should allow you todo this easily. Once you have made you backup copy I'd take out the old disk stick in the 500GB internal drive and reinstall XP but on that, then you are done. Or something like that. I know that makes it sound simple and a 5 minute job but I can give more specifics if you like. The first step is to get the external drive working, no point doing anything without a backup - maybe that's my paranoia.
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I also think you need to simplify your system, Kate. Why have multiple user accounts when it's just the two of you? It just makes things more complex than they need to be.
Once you've backed up, I'd partition the 500Gb drive before installing Windows. 80Gb should be fine for the Windows installation and programs, then you'll have the rest free for storage.
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Even better, a small HD for the system files only...
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I also think you need to simplify your system, Kate. Why have multiple user accounts when it's just the two of you? It just makes things more complex than they need to be.
Once you've backed up, I'd partition the 500Gb drive before installing Windows. 80Gb should be fine for the Windows installation and programs, then you'll have the rest free for storage.
sounds like a plan, but as Rik said another HD would be better. Especially if you have old small drive knocking around.
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Or, and I don't hesitate to say it, download and burn one of the live Linux distros. Pop the new HD in the machine then boot the live CD. You can then use Linux Live to transfer all the files that you want to keep from one drive to the other without worrying about administrative privileges.
Steve
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Sounds like a plan too!
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stick the external drive in and if you are an admin user you should be able to copy over the whole drive. There are probably tools todo this but windows file manager should allow you todo this easily. Once you have made you backup copy I'd take out the old disk stick in the 500GB internal drive and reinstall XP but on that, then you are done. Or something like that. I know that makes it sound simple and a 5 minute job but I can give more specifics if you like. The first step is to get the external drive working, no point doing anything without a backup - maybe that's my paranoia.
Thanks Sam, I'll give it a go tomorrow, then back up bit that is.
The other 500gb is an old Medion HDD which still has XP already on it.
I also think you need to simplify your system, Kate. Why have multiple user accounts when it's just the two of you? It just makes things more complex than they need to be.
Once you've backed up, I'd partition the 500Gb drive before installing Windows. 80Gb should be fine for the Windows installation and programs, then you'll have the rest free for storage.
I need extra user accounts to isolate cookies, it's an ebay thing. :o:
I just asked Michael if he had formatted the other HDD, can't remember..... bloody hell! ::)
I'll assume he did and reinstalled XP.
Even better, a small HD for the system files only...
We don't have a small HDD, just the 2 old 500gb medions.
How do I check if either of them are going to Australian cricket heaven. :bawl:
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If you go to the manufacturers' web sites, you will find test tools you can download, Kate. Device manager will tell you who the manufacturers are.
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Thanks Rik.
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Or, and I don't hesitate to say it, download and burn one of the live Linux distros. Pop the new HD in the machine then boot the live CD. You can then use Linux Live to transfer all the files that you want to keep from one drive to the other without worrying about administrative privileges.
Steve
*that's what I would do* but wanted to avoid being the Linux evangelist for once.
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Not feeling well, Sam? ;D
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I need extra user accounts to isolate cookies, it's an ebay thing. :o:
if you do this, instead of different user accounts use different profiles in the web-browser...
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Not feeling well, Sam? ;D
no, just don't like to bang on about it all the time.
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Linux is definitely growing fast, Sam. In one year, we've gone from lumping it in with Windows, to opening a Mac board and putting it there, to giving it its own board. I can only guess, but my gut feeling is that Netters has gone from being a 95% Windows-based forum to about a 60% Windows-based forum in two years. Similarly, networking has gone from being a way to share an ADSL connection to quite sophisticated home networks.
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if you do this, instead of different user accounts use different profiles in the web-browser...
I'm not sure how to do that? Does that isolate all cookies?
Oh, I did try Opera, I quite liked it.
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it will just create new profiles, in the firefox menu there should be an option, and yes it should isolate cookies.
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no, just don't like to bang on about it all the time.
People forget that, as well as being a viable alternative to Windows, Linux is also a very useful tool for repairing Windows when it goes wrong. Everything from data recovery, through partitioning, backup and even virus removal. It's handy to have a current LiveCD knocking about, even if you never intend to install it.
Steve
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indeed. Though I wouldn't be without the operating system actually being installed. Back at the office in Brum using Debian right now, just feels right.
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Any links to download a standby LiveCD?
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take your pick: http://www.livecdlist.com/
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knoppix is one of my favourites... http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html
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That's often the trouble with Linux. Too much choice.
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or ubuntu of course - bit heavy for a livecd though, great OS IMO.
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That's often the trouble with Linux. Too much choice.
oh of course.
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For new users, Mint is about the best. http://www.linuxmint.com/
For more experienced users, LMDE (Debian edition) from the same place (my current OS of choice).
For a quick and easy rescue disk, try Puppy Linux http://puppylinux.org/main/Overview%20and%20Getting%20Started.htm
Steve
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Otherwise, get a copy of Which Linux? from your local newsagent. ;D
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indeed Linux Mint is quite nice, ubuntu with some more stuff installed.
And Rik - indeed not a bad place to start either. bit pricey though, what is it 6.99?
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A lot of ice cream? :o:
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For new users, Mint is about the best. http://www.linuxmint.com/
Downloading the DVD now. At last, a legal use for torrents! ;)
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It's the one I went for. v10?
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Yup.
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I had a quick look at the live CD then Xmas overtook me.
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It overtook you? How far back did it leave you behind? :)
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About 10 days. ;D
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Downloading the DVD now. At last, a legal use for torrents! ;)
You should have no problems with Mint - pretty much everything just works (including media).
You'll be pleased to know it comes with Transmission bit torrent client, so you can get back to illegal downloading pretty quickly ;)
Steve
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;D
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Oh, I'm not going near it, Steve. It's just for emergency uses, unless I get bored with hacking forums. Oops, shouldn't have said that... :blush: :scoot:
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In that case, you may want to make a note on the disk of the AV - ClamAV, which is not a part of the standard distribution (you can "install" in a live environment should you need it - it just won't be there after a reboot). Other tools such as gparted (partition editor) are included as standard, and data recovery where Windows simply won't boot doesn't need any special software, just the built in file manager.
Steve
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Ouch! :stars:
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Update on the dead HDD, it is dead! :bawl:
But a friend of Michael's managed to get the data transferred to an external HDD.
So I bought a new HDD and it has been formatted and I think XP has been installed. I think, means that this is what I requested, but not necessarily what was installed. ::)
Now the new problem is that when trying to install the drivers for the GFX card it blue screens and goes in to memory dump????
I have been informed that I can use it, but..... the graphics may look a bit strange.... ':|
Apparently this problem is beyond the boy geniuses who have tried to fix it.
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Hi Kate
Is there an error code being displayed when it blue screens?
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Hi Rik, how have you been?
I have no idea about the error message. I did ask ask, but was informed that it was just the blue screen then the memory dump.
I do seem to remember that it was doing similar before the HDD died.
Attention to detail isn't there strong point. ::)
Just thought there might be something obvious, as I haven't looked at it myself.
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I'm fine thanks, Kate, how about you?
Without any substantial information, it's going to be hard to help you. I don't think either of us know exactly what they've done. The most obvious test, at this point, would be to try a different graphics card.
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I'm good now that summer is finally over.
The graphics card is fairly new ATI 4350.
Besides the new HDD, it is the newest part of the PC. Michael thinks I should be looking at a new PC, I'd rather fix it. (It's cheaper)
Perhaps I should wait till I can have a look myself.
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I guess (with the emphasis on 'guess') there could be a compatibility issue with the new graphics card and the motherboard, or maybe the PSU isn't big enough to power the graphics card?
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Hi Simon. :)
Guess is about all I do these days.
They know that it's a hardware issue, and that's as far as they have gotten.
I did ask if I needed to get a new MB, Michael suggested a new computer.
That would make it a lot easier to fix. ::)
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Hopefully, a new computer wouldn't need fixing! ;)
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Very true, but his suggestion lacked financial backing.
Oh, and I should mention that at the end of May, a large group of Aussies are headed to London. Michael will be one of them.
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Hope he has a good visit!
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Should we take any precautions, Kate? ;D
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Lock up your daughters!
Oh, in case Clive, your grand daughters. ;D
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:haha: I'll bear that in mind Kate! I really hope he has a great time here.