Help

The Fool · 02-07-2005, 22:08

Hello to the forum. A friend mentioned I may get some help. My computer appears to be totally done for. Two years old and windows xp. It all started when the mouse would not work properly. I changed the batteries and it was usually be ok after a reboot or two. In the end it became constant, and I even tried a different mouse. The upshot of it all was that I tried to use the restore disks and pressed the 'reinstall windows' option which worked for all the first disk but about half of the second one where it encounterd a 'cannot read file' error. Now I am stuck with a situation where I get the machine to bootup to the part where you get the option to choose 1 or 2 to reinstall windows or boot from a floopy etc. I choose the reinstall windows option and am given the warning for either Y or N to proceed. When I press the Y nothing happens but if I press the N it goes onto a "a:>" prompt. I just don't know what to do now.

Paul K · 02-07-2005, 22:11

Welcome to the forum

Sounds like a corruption or a damaged CD. Make sure the recovery CDs are clean for starters. Next we'll need some info about the PC, make, model, specs etc.

MovedGoalPosts · 02-07-2005, 22:12

to Cable Forum

I'd be suspicious as to whether your hard disk itself has failed.

Once you have got to the a:> can your type c: and [return] If so do you get a c:> prompt?

When you are trying to restart the PC, do you have anything in the floppy drive? If you leave it empty and have the Windows XP master disk (or the restore disk supplied bny the manufacturer) in the CD drive, what happens?

nffc · 02-07-2005, 22:14

Your restore disc sounds screwed (technical term!)

Try reinstalling with a proper MS disc. borrow one, buy one, steal one... whatever.

Angua · 02-07-2005, 22:25

Had you installed anything new on your computer just before the mouse started acting up?

The Fool · 02-07-2005, 23:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by MovedGoalPosts

to Cable Forum

I'd be suspicious as to whether your hard disk itself has failed.

Once you have got to the a:> can your type c: and [return] If so do you get a c:> prompt?

no - nothing happens - its as if the keyboard isn't working, but if you press other keys you get a beeping sound. I may get a friend round tommorow who is a bit more techy and get him to bring a windows cd. I thought the two in my restore kit were xp cds but apparently this is not the case?

Paul K · 02-07-2005, 23:12

Nope probably restore CDs which contain an image of what was on your PC when it shipped from the factory. Use a copy of XP that will work with your license key but you may need your restore CDs to get drivers from. If you can't get your drivers from the CD you can run post the PC make and model on here and we can look for you.

The Fool · 02-07-2005, 23:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul

Nope probably restore CDs which contain an image of what was on your PC when it shipped from the factory. Use a copy of XP that will work with your license key but you may need your restore CDs to get drivers from. If you can't get your drivers from the CD you can run post the PC make and model on here and we can look for you.

ok - will do that. So you don't neccesarily get given a windows xp disk when you buy a machine that has windows xp? Is this right?

Paul K · 02-07-2005, 23:16

Nope, some people don't even get restore CDs. A restore CD will only return a PC to a fresh from factory state so any documents or changes you make are lost. With a proper XP cd you can do a repair install which which leave files intact on the system apart from the main Windows folder which is removed and replaced with new files. This gives you a "clean" windows install without the loss of documents and files that you may have on the computer.

The Fool · 02-07-2005, 23:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul

Nope, some people don't even get restore CDs. A restore CD will only return a PC to a fresh from factory state so any documents or changes you make are lost. With a proper XP cd you can do a repair install which which leave files intact on the system apart from the main Windows folder which is removed and replaced with new files. This gives you a "clean" windows install without the loss of documents and files that you may have on the computer.

hmm - seems a bit unfair that. Especially when I thought that about ÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£100 or more of the price I paid for the machine went to Bill Gates and so on. I seem to recall I had the same issue with a windows 98 machine - all I had was a cr*ppy packard bell cd pair to sort me out. Even so I will try to obtain such a disk

Paul K · 02-07-2005, 23:27

Please don't mention P****** B***, my first PC lasted 6 months before it met my wheelie bin, guess what it was (this was back in 95

)?
Anyway, unfortunately you have to be careful when you buy computers these days as you aren't guaranteed a full copy of the OS unless it is stated in the specs etc.

The Fool · 02-07-2005, 23:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul

Please don't mention P****** B***, my first PC lasted 6 months before it met my wheelie bin, guess what it was (this was back in 95

)?
Anyway, unfortunately you have to be careful when you buy computers these days as you aren't guaranteed a full copy of the OS unless it is stated in the specs etc.

If I get a Foghorn Leghorn machine, or whatever the new version is called, I will insist on being issued with a disk that actually contains it. I should have thought this through when I bought this bugger

Paul K · 02-07-2005, 23:37

As long as you have a valid and legal license key you have ways around their penny pinching. Personally I wouldn't buy another PB if someone offered me a brand new top range model for a fiver.

Angua · 02-07-2005, 23:43

1st PC I got 13 years ago was a PB, never got another one.

The Fool · 02-07-2005, 23:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul

As long as you have a valid and legal license key you have ways around their penny pinching. Personally I wouldn't buy another PB if someone offered me a brand new top range model for a fiver.

the one I am having probs with now is an Emachine. But I waived the insurance cover on it so am on my own now, I guess, now that the machine is nearly two years old