Posts by Chaky

Try disableing LAN from BIOS setup. Faulty LAN may be causing the crash while Windows installation program is looking for the installed LAN hardware.

Looks to me like you have damaged partition on your HD. There isn't much you can do except delete the partition, create new one and install the windows.

If the HD is to blame (hardware faliure) it will eventualy happend again, possibly HD will die for good.

That sounds more like a hardware or BIOS setup related issue.

May be that your HD developed a bad sector in bood area of HD. You would also have random time delays when accessing files. To rule this out run scandisk with all options checked (takes a lot of time to complete, but will first run the surface scan in boot area).

Also can be a CMOS battery failing (occures when PC is turned off for a long period of time), making your bios look for a HD using wrong settings (not the settings that were previously saveed) upon boot. Possibly displaying "corrupt CMOS" or "media failure" error.

Superman

I say a dead mobo.

The sounds you usualy hear are HD(s) CD(s) and fans. If the HD(s) are not spinning, that is a good sign that the mobo (IDE controller to be precise) has gone. If the HD(s) died, you would get alot more than just a shutdown. All those things that make sounds are plugged in the mobo, and dead mobo can simply NOT turn on any of them.

Ai

PSU is giving the variety of voltages. Le light uses one voltage, while others can be dead.
If the CMOS battery was to blame, you would hear the HDs, fans, and there would be video output too.
If the BIOS was to blame, you would hear beeps and system would try and boot from FD (without video output).

If your mobo is still covered by waranty, I suggest you use it to eliminate the dead-mobo possibility AND new PSU.

What you are doble-clicking is the shortcut to a program. If the program file is missing (uninstalled) that doesn't necessarily mean that the shortcut is removed too. Usualy the programs are installed in such manner that an "uninstall" icon is placed right under a progeam icon in a "programs" group and can be uninstalled by mistake. My suggestion is to try and uninstall the programs in question and install them again.
The 2 infected files should not worry you. It is probably a spywaer or an adware. To get rid of them disable the virus shield (right click on the BitDefender icon in a tray) and manulay delete the 2 files. If you can't delete them this way, that means that they are being used by the system. Ctrl-ald-del will open a task manager. Click on te "processes" tab, click on the "Image Name" column header to sort the processes by name and use the file names of tfose files to figure out which proccess is to be manualy ended (right click on that process and select "End process"). It could be 1 or 2 proccesses. Usualy, the file name is the Image name also. After processes have been ended, delete the files and reenable the virus shield.

One more thing about BitDefender. The newer updates are availabe on the hourly basis, so the manual update every now and then is adviced regardless of automatic update setting.

What is BIOS?
It is Basic Input Output System. That is a back bone software that is implemented in your motherboard in a form of replacable chip. It is used to run the motherboard and everything on it like ide/sata/raid/scsi controllers, PCI/AGP/PCI-e slots, memory, CPU, and anything that is implemented on the motherboard (like LAN, Soundboard, Video...)

How to get to BIOS setup?
If F12 don't get you to bios setup screen, try del key or F2. It usualy displays on the post screen which key is used to enter BIOS setup.
There you need to navigate and find something that sounds like "boot sequence" or "boot device priority". Make 1st CD/DVD and 2nd HD. After setting this (disregard that message about cache you posted - disableing that reduces the system performance) exit and save the changes.
Insert Windows CD, and your system should start with windows installation.

Your problem probbably lies within a driver.
Check in device manager if the label of the dvd burner driver is same as the actual burner.
Also check if the DMA mode is enabled (BIOS settings and Device manager/IDE controller).
Also you can flash a newer version of dvd burner BIOS. Older BIOS versions usualy have some bugs that are discovered after the manufacturers start to sell products. Newer versions are, actually, bug fixes mostly.

Anyway, someone is playing with me here. Just got added and substracted on the same post in this thread. Total of 11 points?

I'm confused.

Try www.driverguide.com
Registration is free, and they have several Toshiba sattelite drver sets for you to try.

Sounds like a dead PSU to me.

Have another Q about rep points.

When my first post got rep points I got 10 points.
When second post got rep points, total remained same.
Same with the third and fourth.
Now I have total of 4 posts that "recived" rep points and total is still 10.
How come?

Most probbably the ram chips got fryed for one raeson or another. You should try some ram chips that you know that work.

Problem is that windows need a 8 mb hidden partition that is showing as unpartitione space, and that is not covered with any disk cloning tools. Disk cloninng or imaging are not "disk" but "partition" cloning or imaging tools. Anything outside a partition is not cloned nor imaged. So you'll have to get a Windows installation disk to install windows, and later use the recovery disk to get the "legal" copy of windows on your system.

You need to go (if possible) to the repair console (booted from Install CD and select -r option)
There you can run CHKDSK.
If that can't help, or be done, You will have to take the HD to some other machine to save the files you need.
There is possibility that the partition is damaged and can not be accessed or can be accessed but some files can not. If the partition is unaccessable, you'll need to remove, create and format the partition in order to access it. Formatting is not WIPING the disc. The data is still there, but it is second to impossible to find. Only chance there is disk utility such as Hexworkshop. I used it to recover some files from the damaged partition my self but it is a time consuming process and possible only if the files are not large and/or fragmented.

That happends when changing resolutions and/or frequencies. You set the pic to fit the screen, and after the resolution change, it is offset or shrinks. All monitors do that (except LCD), but not the same way. That is not a malfunction.

Old mobos can get "moody". Some faulty solder or something can cause this, or bad connection of the memory or PCI/AGP slot. Try pushing in the chips and vga card. Also can try starting with 1 memory chip at the time.

Unless you have some other CPU or motherboard with same type of slot, you'll need to take the machine to repairshop. No way of telling what is it this way.

That's a good news.

Sorry for the doe, though.

P.S. Nowdays an USB - option is a regualer thing in drive boot selection.

You'll have to disable RAID in you BIOS.
Also, if the drive is brand-new, it has no partitions.
Via disk managment you can create a partition.
That partition needs formating. Via disk managment or explorer.
But the problem is the disk change.
You'll need to install windows all over again. The core system files are unaccessible normal way and only accessible via repair mode console. It is too much of the work (manual copy file by file) and installing xp again is easier and simpler, but one problem there is possible: You said that you're not familiar with sata. Neither is XP. You will need (old XP version) a floppy disk (and a floppy drive) with so-called F6 drivers for the sata controller. That you can get and make with mobo bootable CD. I had quet a hassle with my asus a8n sli mobo and xp installation.

Maybe you can bypass the f6 drivers if you format the HD now and then switch them.

I had a seagate 'bout 10 ago (860 mb size) and it did have a beeper. Beeped on me couple times before it died. I'm not sure what the beeps mean exactly.

You get monopoly.

I put in a jail.

Spacecraft --> broadsword

(http IS Hyper Text Transfer Protocol)

You'll have to be more specific about problem.

Are you using Windows xp or ..?

What did the message in the blue screen say?

END Of STORY!

239

Yeah, for the mentaly challenged.

You get Intel.

I pu in AMD.

HTTP-->Hyper Text Transfer Protocol

Really original. Supposed to be word ASSOCIATION.

Hyper Text Transfer Protocol --> Hyperspace

237

This is like a special olympics categry.

By the way, Chaky's not a crook.

Like Richard Nixon.

Goes without saying.

You don't need HD to flash the bios. A floppy will sufice. If there is no floppy drive installed, you will need to install one. Simple procedure, 2 cables, Led light stays on if you manage to plug it upside down, must have in mind that unlike HD, floppy cable can not be plugged upside down on the both ends.

That link I provided you takes you to the page where you select EXACT MODEL of the mobo. For each model there is an bios exe file that have to be copied on bootable floppy. That you will need to do on other machine (sence you can't use the problematic one) and boot the one in question with that floppy and run the program.

You can access device manager by righ-click my comuter icon, select properities. Click on the device manager or advanced tab (dunno what win you're using). Select the floppy drive controler and press properities button. In the window opened, click on resources tab and see if the resources have been set. If not, well I solved it by reinstalling windows (restoring will not help with win98).

Correction on my previous post.

Now:

Answer song names with song names

(vending machine game is back to normal)

If system32 directory is corrupted then it is the cause of your problems.
Instead of step 2 try typing "CHKDSK" to fix the HD errors.
After it has done proceed with step 2 and forth.
If you still get the same message, try typing "CD WINDOWS" (where the "WINDOWS" is the name of the directory where the windows are installed) and the step 2 and forth.

If all that fails, you definitely need to reinstall the windows.

If you don't have any valuable data on your HD, I suggest formating the HD (C drive). If you do have data you can't afford to lose, when prompted, select the "leaving the file format intact (no changes)" option. And make sure you use SAME windows directory as the previous installation. Only windows system files will be overwritten, leaving oater files untouched.

You will have to reinstall additional software you need, service packs and updates all over again.

To REinstall the windows you need to boot from windows instalation CD. To boot from CD you need to change boot sequence in BIOS settings. Don't need to be able to got in to a OS, hell, don't even need to HAVE one.

If the system has been working for 2 years without reinstalling XP, it's no wander that windows chrushed totally. What you need to do is reinstall the windows. Your last post make it sound like windows-related issue. Maybe corrupted registry or vital system file or wrong driver beeing loaded.

226

two steps forward - one step back... two steps forward - one step back... two steps forward - one step back...
Catchy, isn't it?

I would say 2-3 days before this thread was started.

That woul be may 20. or 21.

(110% mental strain - tryin' my best to help)

Thread subscriptions only. I'm not subscribed to any forums, though.
It used to be:
3 word story
vending machine game
counting lessons for the slow among us
your favorite quotes

now

vending machine game
your favorite quotes (my case)

Never came from:
this one
threads I've started
all the treads outside geek's lounge (trou. dead machines, windows..)
PM's

Started... you asked that before. It's a vBulletin thingy.

Dani, read my posts here, I've seen a pattern. and aprox. starting time, but my short-term memory is failing me (too many dead neurons I think).

Join the club (6 is the record)

Obvious reason it didn't turn on (before) was the lack of CPU cooling.
It needed time to cool down before it could be started.
CPU obviously suffered some damage. If anything is fryed there, it's CPU.

Only thing left for you to do is remove the fan and heat-sink, clean both, remove any old thermal paste (bottom of the heat-sink and CPU's surface, apply thin layer of thermal paste and install the heat-sink (must be TIGHT) and fan.

If that doesn't do it, CPU's dead.

If it does, you should think about some serious cooling solutions. (bigger, better quieter)

(If still valid)

You need to get yourself a nice NEW fan. Bigger - better. All separately sold fans are much quieter than retail ones and do buch better job. The on that was replaced, obviously failed resulting your CPU lock-up. (overheating - automatic lock-up to prevent damage).
You had some BAD service on DELL's behalf there and should call them back, but this time you provide the service man a new thermaltake fan or something. Let him mandle with installation. While you're at it, Video card cooling also can be upgraded (trickier to install, though - don't think that the service man will want to do that for you).

... I did notice that the bios listed shadowed..

Don't get it.

Do you mean the list in the BIOS settings window (on the screen) is shadowed?

If you mean memory shadowing, that does have much to do with the booting.

Select tools/options/dvd

There click "defaults" button and change "Audio language" to "Title Default"

Click OK.

Now click "Advanced" button.

(presuming you didn't install any audio plug-ins on the side)
Choose correct speaker configuration.
In "Handle formats" box check all.
Set PCM output at 16 bit (unless your sounboard supports 24 bit playback)
Uncheck "mute" (doh!)
Also uncheck "error concealment"

You will have to list the configuration.
BIOS version, mobo EXACT brand/model/version, memory (brand/model) CPU (CPU-ID if possible) psu (W) VGA (Brand/model/bios version) and so.

Also any messages. (try entering safe mode and viewing the logs in event viewer)

Is it newly built and buggy or did it work fine before?

Crushing at BIOS settings exit makes me suspect of hardware incompatibility. Need more info.

Oh well

Give ME $500 and I will find you one ($50 worth tops).:cheesy: