jbennet, try it. Download the fresh install before you do so if you want to be safe, or install Firefox or the equivalent alternative browser. Take a look at what the component section says about...

jbennet, have you ever tried that? I haven't used that because it says it does the same thing for IE that it does for Messenger: "Adds or removes access to Internet Explorer from the Start Menu and...

Alright, let's make sure you don't get caught without a browser ... first, if you are using Internet Explorer 7, there is an uninstall in the Add/Remove Programs list, and it will put you back to IE...

XgizmoX, thank you for the pointer on Hitachi DFT. I've used it and still have it, but only have used it on Hitachi drives. I will give that a try. I typically use each manufacturer's own software...

Let me start by saying that your post is unclear on a number of points: first, which machine are you now trying to use the drive in -- the original, or the other one? Second, did you try to use it...

Your advice is good, jbennet, and I can confirm that a USB floppy will do the trick -- but have it plugged in before you start up the PC.

Chuck

Alright, at least we now know that the FSB is no longer an issue. I have my doubts about reapplying thermal compound ... when did this cpu ever have the time to heat up, never mind overheat? ...

You're welcome, and I'm looking forward to hearing you say, "all is ok!" :)

Chuck

Hmmmnn ... have you tried? I'm only asking because maybe it's the very next step in the boot that causes the shutdown ... or it could be a BIOS incompatibility itself (such as the FSB).

Even if...

Well, if it is compatible, then maybe you need to slow the processor's FSB down in BIOS to match up with the motherboard's FSB.

Well, without any new input from Ybotski, we may never know ... let's hope he gives us some feedback. For all we know, he may have solved it already, or his friend bought a new system and it doesn't...

Yes, it is using a default XP icon since it doesn't have an association. Change the icon to whatever you want, if you want to, but don't worry about it.

I'm not positive on the finalizing, but I think when you burn an ISO, it's an image, so it's most likely going to be automatically finalized. And regarding the appearance of the icon, that depends...

Alright ... and we are curious -- do let us know what they say.

Chuck

Ok, first a reminder: download the ISO again to make sure you have a good copy.

Open CDBurnerXP Pro. Choose the top choice in the initial dialog box that opens up. Once you see a layout on the...

Do you know how to go into the BIOS and set the system to boot from CD first? Your system may be set to boot directly from the hard drive without looking at the CD first. Also, you could test the...

That result you gave about it shutting down even when you remove everything else is also a symptom my customer had (although on his, it didn't shut down with only one cpu installed, but it would as...

This is really quite easy to do. First, leave the ISO file alone! It is a bootable image of the GParted Live CD. All you need to do is burn it to CD ... as is. Open your CD Burning program. If...

This will let you repartition your hard drive, shrinking one partition, creating or growing another, and formatting it to FAT32, NTFS, or various Linux formats: GParted Live CD. You download and...

Well, I'm still hoping to get some more answers on which commercial diagnostics tool kit to get. So far the vote is one for PC Diagnostics, two for something else (and if your vote is for a...

Alright, this might be a stretch, but I have seen your symptom once before:

A dual processor motherboard and a set of cpu's that weren't compatible. A customer purchased them on his own, then...

Have you tried using a different browser? That is, if you already have more than one. If not, get a friend to download and burn you a copy of Mozilla Firefox or something similar, and then try...

Well, it may not be your specialty, but your shared knowledge will be useful to me, now and in the future. I do need to up my level of Linux expertise, though. I'm very limited in that regard ... I...

Thank you, jbennet. I will use that tool. I already have memtest 86+ as a stand-alone boot CD, and I have bootable HDD diagnostics from Seagate/Maxtor, Western Digital, Hitachi, Samsung, and I get...

So far, with no explanations, I have one vote for PC Diagnostics, one for something else (what do they recommend, I wonder?), and one for not spending the money. Since I do plan to buy one, and I...

Ok, Wendy,

Let's start by turning off the System Restore, so the bad guy can't cheat his way back in:

Right click on "My Computer", then click "Properties".
Click the "System Restore" tab....

Here is something you should examine ... especially if your friend wants to keep his data, whether on an old or new PC ...

I would identify the brand hard drive, then go to the manufacturer's site...

I don't know if this will solve your problem or not, but a quick Google search makes me think this is a Visual Basic error. Lots of programs incorporate VB nowadays, so perhaps installing the latest...

Wendy,

After a quick glance, I didn't see any major bad guys (but a few things to remove anyway). First of all, in my experience, Logitech Desktop Messenger is an unnecessary overload. Get rid...

Ok, here is another, and as I look at the code, I see it covers both folder and execute behaviors (although I don't see search). But perhaps it will put those two back to their defaults, which is...

Alright, there is another possibility: XP needs a registry edit. See the instructions on this web page:

http://www.theeldergeek.com/restore_missing_cd_or_dvd_drive.htm

There is a chance it's a...

Because your access to the internet involves an address ... that address on the web is the equivalent of your home address, like the postal service uses, except this is an electronic address. All...

Yep, it sure sounds like it is ... so unless you absolutely have to have an internal CD/DVD drive, the cheapest replacement (by far) is an external USB (or firewire) drive. Not quite so portable of...

Ok, I think we shall continue with a different fix from Kelly's Korner, and let's give thanks to thunderstorm98 for pointing us to their registration fixes in the first place. This one fixes the exe...

Good! I'm glad that worked for you.

One other thing you can try, which if it does work is quicker than finding a paper clip:

Open up My Computer.
Right click (the right-hand side mouse...

Yes ... either delete the original, or else change the original to the correct setting and delete the new one.

Would you mind commenting on why you voted for that one? Do you use it? :?:

I looked up that value in my Registry, and it is already set to "none", so if yours isn't, then thunderstorm98 may have solved your issue. In my Registry, it's a string value, the text name is...

One thing you might try right away, is to right click the file. Then you should be able to chose "Open" instead of "Search". Of course, this is just a work-around ...

... and you've lived with...

Try a paper clip ...

Straighten out a paper clip. Now, with the laptop turned off, look for a small hole on the CD Drive itself. It should be just the size to accommodate the paper clip. Push...