I got a "Stummper"

garance12000 · Joined: Aug 26, 2007 Posts: 35

I have done "Repair Install" of XP on my system many times,Now my wife's system went down today,she not a happy camper !! !

This is the problem:

I boot from XP CD,No problem...

Then I get to ...
To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.

To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R.

To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.

I press "ENTER" as usuall

Then I get the "Loading Drivers etc...."

Then I get "Searching HardDrive 345,876 mb location0 something eles0 and something0"

This is all the farther it gets,it's like stuck on stupid or something lol

I have tried this 10 times and also let it run for an hour before trying again

The only thing I can think of is the HD is bad?? it's 1 1/2 YR old as is her system.

Windows XP SP2-3 on a Dell XPS 700

Anybody got ANY ideas?? this one has me totally stummped

Thanks Garance

garance12000 · Joined: Aug 26, 2007 Posts: 35

Update:

And no she does not back up her system,other wise we would not be here..lol, Now I think I can convince her to do so! ! ! lol

And Yes I do Back up my system 2-3 times a week Smile

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

Whatever brand HD, be it seagate, western digital, or whatever, has a downloadable diagnostics that fits on a floppy. Try running that on the system & see if your HD bit the dust. You can download & make the floppy on your computer then run it on hers. -
If no floppy drive, I DO believe there are CD versions as well, or if you know how you can make your own.

BTW: the HD going bad is my first guess as well. But without seeing the exact error, not sure. But this program will know.

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 2240 Location: Central FL, USA

Garance,
Is that HD an IDE or SATA?
On that D'hell, is it just one lone drive or a two-drive RAID setup?

If we've typed the word "Backup" once in this very forum, we've typed it a thousand times, over the past years that this forum has been in existence.

For drives that exhibit errors and cannot be easily fixed, I've taken the drive out of it's case and hooked it up to my own PC as a slave.
(I can do either IDE or SATA on my system, but NOT RAID drives.)

With it connected as a slave, I can use diagnostic software on my PC to diagnose/repair the drive.
Many times, just running CHKDSK /R on the drive will repair it and make it bootable once again.

In extreme cases I have to use "SpinRite 6" on the drive to find and block out bad spots. That program is NOT free, however. I think I paid almost $100 for my copy, several years ago.
It's still available from www.GRC.com for less than I paid for it, years ago.

NO drive with bad spots on it should be kept in continuous service. Once a drive starts developing bad spots, it's time to replace it ASAP.
It will just get worse and worse till it won't run at all.

Sir, if your wife won't do backups, then maybe you should volunteer to do them for her. Wink

"Backup" is a word that's just not in most woman's vocabulary. (Sorry Girls!) Wink

The subject of doing backups to additional HD's or DVD's has been almost worked to death on this and other help forums. So it's certainly NO Secret.

Good Luck with your problem drive,
Doc Cool

garance12000 · Joined: Aug 26, 2007 Posts: 35

I went out and bought her 2 brand new SATA 500GB HD..and I put a new fresh copy of XP on and then I started to add her crapp on it.

Doc..it WAS a SATA and yes you are the reason that on my system I have 2 HD the 2nd one just for Mirror Images Smile

Now I think I have convinced her to start doing backups..after all the hell she 's put her husband "me" thru redoing everything. lol

Now this is the 3rd time this computer has crashed,and I have had to redo everything on her system...And as I supspected long ago is that her HD was going down..Auto CkDisk etc...this time I am having a new problem..below.

OK,Here we go...Her system is Wireless off my system..about a foot away thru the wall. Problem..To set up wireless,,take adapter card out of system then install software..shut down..install wireless adapter card in system...boot up..then it should finish up with the Wizzard installing the card..but it just won't come up..so I click on the CD and it start to uninstall the soft ware again.

Adapter card is a RangeMax Wireless PCI Adapter WPN311 all by NetGear and thru this prossesher CD/DVD player is also shot so I hooked up External DVD ram to her system..is this why the software will not compleate install??

zlim · Joined: Mar 11, 2005 Posts: 2747

garance12000 · Joined: Aug 26, 2007 Posts: 35

Oh yes i have tried that too..should have said 1st time, my bad for some reason now her dvd in system works now Smile

When i open up the Netgear CD i see 3 setup things 1 says autorun 2 say set up.. now I have tried to open them all up to look at the goodies inside but all 3 will start up the set up.

That just leads to the software to uninstall, it's like I cant get to the second part of the download, and yes I click on the desktop Icon and in the All Programs to try to get it to start.

Also on their web site I tried the end prosses Wlancfg.exe but that does not help either.

Right now there is a big pile of hair on the floor for me pulling it out of my head lol

Any sug's would help

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

Here's what I've had to do in the past (since win95) when things act up like that.
Copy the i386 folder to the HD & boot from a floppy.
Run the install & at some point it will want the rest. (but the necessities are loaded)
At that point you can use the CD to get it (or whatever source will work)

Not sure if this will help here or not (should) but worth noting. Because in MOST cases I had, there was no CD drive to use on said machine to begin with or it just plain was trashed. (again, early or pre - XP days but still works as a workaround)

Also, if you have a network & can connect to another computer you can add/upgrade things to a computer that has a bad (or no) CD drive by sharing a drive off another computer & connecting to the shared drive. ---- But in this case, I don't think you have anything to connect with so this is just an FYI for everyone.

As for the hair, start pulling from some place else. Wink

garance12000 · Joined: Aug 26, 2007 Posts: 35

I said screw it Idea

Just got back from WallyWorld..Bought a 5 way Hub, 14' of ethernet line and a 3/4" drill bit...Now guess what come next??? Cool

Like I said b4..Her system is a foot from me thru a wall,I finally convinced her to let me hook her up Hard Wired Razz

Tommarow "had enuff for today" I will drill a 3/4" hole,run the e-cable thru the wall,get rid of the Wireless Adapter and Modum, Hook up the Hub run to my system & hers and be done with it..lets hope

Is there anything i missed?? I have never set this up b4 but it sounds really easy..then maybe we could network

And last but not least, Embarassed

Get Ghost on her New HD's and Do some mirror images of her 1ST brand new HD, onto her Brand New 2ND HD, Plus another Brand Spanking New XP sp2-3 install 1st..again lol

Being the tec'ie in house can have it's rewards heheheheeee Shocked

I'll keep ya guys updated on my progress...TY

alphanumeric · Joined: Jun 02, 2004 Posts: 651

You may have a hard time sharing your INTERNET thought a hub. To put it simply a hub is a stupid device. It has no smarts as far as networking goes. It's just a repeater. If you connect your INTERNET connection to the hub and then to your two PC's your PC's will get there IP address from your cable or DSL modem. Both PCs will get public IPs and be exposed to the world wide web. That is if your ISP will let you have more than one public IP. If they won't only one of your PCs will be able to connect to the INTERNET at a time. A switch is better but you will still be limited to getting you IP addresses from your modem. A router (maybe even wireless) would have been a better choice. IT does NAT (network address translation) and that gives you a hardware firewall between all the PC s connected on the LAN side and the world wide web on the WAN side. With NAT the router gives out private IPs to your PCs and gets one public IP for itself from your modem. A much better setup IMHO.

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

I'm assuming, since he said he has wireless already that it IS a wireless ROUTER. All he has to do is shut off the wireless part (if not needed at all) & plug his hub into that router. Will work just fine & his ISP will ONLY see the one connection. - OR - if the router has ports in it just plug the computers into it.

I have this PLUS the wireless here & it works well although the wireless gives me fits as neighbours add new wireless ports of there own. (shouldn't but for some reason, does) - but the WIRED portion works FLAWLESSLY.

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 2240 Location: Central FL, USA

Garance,
I too, have my Satellite Modem and Wireless router in the next room, from this my main PC. Just 2' away....more or less.

But I'd never do wireless when a cat5 cable will fit thru a 3/4" hole.
Actually my hole in the wall is 2.5" wide, since I used to pass Parallel printer cables thru it. The hole is right down at floor level where it's not seen by anyone.

CAT5 is much faster than wireless and as you've already seen, a lot more reliable. Get the Drill !!!

You may not think so now, but your wife will love you for it, in the long run.

While typing this response, my Satellite ISP went out, due to a random afternoon thunder storm. I disabled the network connection and fired up my dial up connection. I'm on that Dial-up ISP now.

It never hurts to hedge your bets, with a backup system.

Backup! Backup! Backup! "Git'er DONE!"

More on that later,

Cheers mate!
The Doctor Cool

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

Backup! Backup! Backup! "Git'er DONE!"
(how may times has THAT been mentioned?)

<<REDUNDANCY is my HERO!!!>>>

alphanumeric · Joined: Jun 02, 2004 Posts: 651

He said "Her system is Wireless off my system" so I assumed add hock or maybe ICS. I probably should have asked what the setup was before going into my big blurb about hubs versus switch versus router though. Wink

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

garance12000 · Joined: Aug 26, 2007 Posts: 35

I'm so stupid...Now, I gots to take back the Hub to WallyWorld..cuz if I would have just thought a little harder..I have the WireLess Router..Just need Ethernet cable.

I hook up my system to one of the ports on the back of the Wireless Router..there are 5 of them.. worked fine.

Then She ran wireless off the Wireless Adapter to the Router...

Now "this is where I slap my head against my desk"

All I needed to do was hook up her new cable thru the wall, up to one of the ports in back of the Wireless Router like my system is. DUHH

Everything is Good now..Internet that is. But One more Question...

I tried to download My Ghost 9.0 to her system and got only good for couple days..Now if I call up Norton can I buy a licence for 9.0 Ghost for 2 more systems, I'm getting a new one in a week and 1 for her's and buy it for Ghost 9.0 cuz I don't want their new version of Ghost 12 or 14 what ever it is..I like 9.0.

And for the Back up flack i'm getting..I back up several times a week, now getting my wife to do that was like pulling teeth..But now it think she understands..loosing all her stuff..pic ..etc.. I really think she has got it this time..That why I have the question about Ghost 9.0

Thank Guys ,Garance

garance12000 · Joined: Aug 26, 2007 Posts: 35

Everything is Great now but just Wondering,??

Both systems are HardWired to a WireLess Router..Are people able to get Internet if they sit out front of my house?? cuz I have no way to Wep security it now or do I have nothing to worry about???

garance12000 · Joined: Aug 26, 2007 Posts: 35

As for Networking..Can we now do that...I have tried many,many times in the past with no hope..I think cuz her's was WireLess and mine Hard Wired up??

Now were both off that router, Can we Network?? and of course the "HOW"

Any helps would be Appericated

Thanks again,

Garance

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

Not sure what you got going on the ghost but you ONLY have to install it to make a BOOT DISK, once you have that you do not need ANYTHING loaded on a computer. Just run the boot disk & go. Everything you need is on it.

garance12000 · Joined: Aug 26, 2007 Posts: 35

Weird..I Bought Ghost9.0 about 4-5 years ago..This is how I use it.

I make a Mirror Image of my C drive on to my D drive,Then when I need to reImage my C drive..I put the Origanal CD in to my DVD ..reboot..press any key to boot from CD...Then I get into Ghost recovery..Tell it to Reimage my C drive...MBR and stuff..then 1/2 hour I'm back to alls good. I have been Doing this for alittle more than several years now. Am I doing Something Wrong?? Is the A better way?? and for making a BOOT DISK?? I thought the Orignal Ghost 9.0 CD was that..Thats what I do..Hummm, Is I doing this the wrong way??

Thanks Garance