OT-Geek Help, Again!-OT

[randroid]

Gents,

I need to reinstall WinXP again. I did it with no problem a few weeks ago but got a conflict wherein the computer recognizes both my DVD-RW and CD-RW (D & E, with E being the one it likes best) but won't recognize a disk in either drive. After three weeks of uninstalling\reinstalling programs and flipping switches in individual programs without finding the problem I'll opt for the dubious pleasure of once again formatting the HD and starting from scratch. There are no programs installed that were not there when it worked just fine last Fall but I'm still rebounding from that worm my AV let through and just want to get back to "normal".

The logical thing would be to simply buy Windows 7 because support for XP is going to stop next month, but I don't have the money for Win 7, and with Win 8 looming on the horizon I don't think such a move would be prudent.

The problem I'm encountering is that when I try to boot from the XP CD it starts then switches to A: drive, which leaves me with a blue screen. It seems logical that if I were to write a batch file to a floppy for A: that directed the computer to go back to E: things would work out, but I also don't doubt the capacity of Windows to screw-up at it's first opportunity so I want to ask here first.

Anybody have any good ideas?

-Randy

[TodFitch]

...

Anybody have any good ideas?

-Randy

Ubuntu 10 (a Linux distribution). A big download but pretty painless to install. Has OpenOffice so you can access files sent to you by people on Windows machines and has Firefox for the browser.

Typically Linux distributions run fairly well on older hardware, which I assume you have if you have been running XP.

[Plymouthy Adams]

gee Tod, guess that puts me just one up on cave paintings with my Windows ME...but did go to Firefox browser since MS is no longer supporting any of the old stuff..works much better..but still has a few glitches even at that..but I can live with it...

[randroid]

Tod,

I looked into Ubuntu and it seems interesting. Are you using it and can you get on this forum with it, or would I use it as a method to erase Windows for a re-installation?

-Randy

[JerseyHarold]

Ubuntu 10 (a Linux distribution). A big download but pretty painless to install. Has OpenOffice so you can access files sent to you by people on Windows machines and has Firefox for the browser.

Typically Linux distributions run fairly well on older hardware, which I assume you have if you have been running XP.

My son is into computers (he's graduating from a specialized high school computer academy next week, and will be a Software Engineering major at RIT in September) and is also a fan of Linux. He has nothing but unkind words for Microsoft products.

[randroid]

Gents,

I think I'll d\l Ubuntu for no reason other than to look at it and see what I can do with it because I, like most folks who must associate with MS, am disgusted with it.

Back to the original question, I'll try my hand at remembering how to write a batch file and see if it works. I'll let you know.

-Randy

[randroid]

Gents,

Windows wouldn't allow my clever little trick with the bat file so I'm back to square one.

Suggestions?

-Randy

[TodFitch]

Tod,

I looked into Ubuntu and it seems interesting. Are you using it and can you get on this forum with it, or would I use it as a method to erase Windows for a re-installation?

-Randy

At work I have a Ubuntu 10 computer for software/firmware development and a WinXP Pro laptop issued by IT for general stuff. The only thing I use the WinXP box for is to access the Exchange server for email and calendar stuff. Everything else, including opening and editing MS Office documents, I do on the Ubuntu box.

Well, that's not quite true. The embedding debugging tool only runs on WinXP, so when I'm checking out the firmware on the target hardware I use a very specific program on the WinXP box.

For web access I use Firefox on the Ubuntu machine. And there is a little forum surfing "during lunch".

At home I use Linux for the telephone system and also for the firewall. The desktop/laptop computers are all Macintosh. The "smart phone" is Android (which actually has a Linux kernel in it). And we are looking at getting an iPad 2. No Windows in this house.

"or would I use it as a method to erase Windows for a re-installation?" .. Deep six the XP and install Ubuntu on the box.

[randroid]

Tod,

Thanks, Tod, I'll do that today. After all there's a good chance for rain this PM and I wouldn't want to ruin fresh paint on the fence to which I'm supposed to be attending.

-Randy

[randroid]

Gents,

I have Ubuntu saved to a flash drive but this computer is still so screwed up I can't edit the bios to get it to start in anything other than C: or A:. Back to square one:

If anybody needed to write a batch file to open drive E: what commands would you give it?

Thanks,

-Randy

[Dennis_MN]

Usually there is a F key to push during startup that allows change to the start sequence, normally the choices are a,c,carom

Sounds like your computer is old enough that it doesn't have the cd choice.

Let alone the e-drive. I have um Ito. (funny, I'm typing this on a IPad and it won't let me spell out that version of unix) anyway I have it on cd if you want it send me a pm

[randroid]

Dennis,

Thanks, I may take you up on it. My computer is only about three years old but when I built it I put it in an old Gateway box so if anybody broke in they'd hopefully think it wasn't worth stealing. I have the option of booting from a CD but when I do that (there are two ways to do it) it will start the CD then switch to A: drive, which is why I've been asking about a batch file to direct it back to the only CD drive that's even part way functional, which is E:.

The last time I wrote batch files on a regular basis was when I was using DOS 6.22, although I have found places in XP where I could use one. I just want some way to direct the computer's attention to E: and keep it there long enough to get the ball rolling, unfortunately I live near a busy street and there's always something shiny going by to distract it.

-Randy

[Plymouthy Adams]

sounds like it is about time to download 00 Buck onto the computer..

[randroid]

Tim,

I'm getting to feel that way too but I have five months left on Kaspersky AV, the bastage that let in the trojan in the first place, and I'd kinda hate to lose the investment, lol.

-Randy

[Eneto-55]

I don't understand why it is switching to the A: drive, so maybe this won't help, but have you gone into the bios setup and set the boot order? (It sounds like you have done that already.)

[randroid]

Eneto,

Thanks for the suggestion but yes I already tried that and it didn't help. I've tried everything I can imagine, everything I can find, and everything that's been suggested here at least twice each, with the exception of Tim's idea of downloading 00 buckshot. I've put over ten hours into it today and so far nothing so needless to say I'm getting frustrated. Hell, I'm out of beer and think I should just quit for the day.

We get paid again in a few days and maybe I can find a shop that can format the hard drive for me for less than an arm and a leg but they won't get off their butts around here for less than $100. Even at that price I still haven't found one that will do what I pay them to do so I believe that option is out.

Thanks for trying.

-Randy

[randroid]

Gents,

I GOT IT!

I built this computer as much as any layman can build a computer and I just couldn't let it go, so after nearly an hour of trying to read a book and watching some over-dramatized ghost TV show, I calmed down and came back in to give it one more shot. With all the excellent advice you've shared and having tried everything I could imagine I had no idea where I was going to start so I went to Ubuntu home page and started looking around. That's when I found their installer. After all the hoops I've jumped through and all the time and thought you have shared, there's a bleedin' installer. It work very well other than a couple of times I needed to get stern with it ("Yes you will install that now, and I don't want to hear any more about it!") it installed flawlessly. I've already gone to my Yahoo home page and played with the mail, but I'm not going to try to learn anything more tonight.

Thanks again.

-Randy

[ptwothree]

get a mac and be happy!

[TodFitch]

...t so I went to Ubuntu home page and started looking around. That's when I found their installer. After all the hoops I've jumped through and all the time and thought you have shared, there's a bleedin' installer. It work very well other than a couple of times I needed to get stern with it ("Yes you will install that now, and I don't want to hear any more about it!") it installed flawlessly. I've already gone to my Yahoo home page and played with the mail, but I'm not going to try to learn anything more tonight....

Since I'm the first to mention Ubuntu on this thread, I do hope it works out for you.

get a mac and be happy!

I have been using Macs since 1985 and they are my preferred choice for a laptop or desktop computer. And if you are in a market for a new computer, I'd suggest looking into it. But they make it very, very difficult to install Mac OS on anything other than an Apple built computer. So if you want a current operating system to go on older hardware it is not really an option.

Ubuntu is a little funky now and then and if they had to make a user interface choice they typically leaned toward a Windows style operation rather than a Mac style one so there is probably a little easier learning curve for moving from Windows to Ubuntu than from Windows to Mac.

[StayFrosty]

Good luck with Ubuntu. I run nothing but Linux at home and recommend Ubuntu to people starting out in Linux. I generally suggest people use the "LTS" or "Long term support" release so you don't have to upgrade as frequently to stay supported (Support cycle is every 3 years.)

[TodFitch]

Gents,

I GOT IT!

I built this computer as much as any layman can build a computer and I just couldn't let it go, so after nearly an hour of trying to read a book and watching some over-dramatized ghost TV show, I calmed down and came back in to give it one more shot. With all the excellent advice you've shared and having tried everything I could imagine I had no idea where I was going to start so I went to Ubuntu home page and started looking around. That's when I found their installer. After all the hoops I've jumped through and all the time and thought you have shared, there's a bleedin' installer. It work very well other than a couple of times I needed to get stern with it ("Yes you will install that now, and I don't want to hear any more about it!") it installed flawlessly. I've already gone to my Yahoo home page and played with the mail, but I'm not going to try to learn anything more tonight.

Thanks again.

-Randy

It's been a couple of weeks now, I'm curious how Ubuntu is working out for you...

[randroid]

Tod,

It took the mass extinction of everything on the HD and several runs at both Windows and Ubuntu to get things arranged properly but I'm becoming more comfortable using Ubuntu every day. The installation problems with Ubuntu were because I had faulty downloads of it and didn't realize that, and problems with Windows were due to it being Windows. For example, Windows still thinks my hard drive is F: and I can change that but am going to let it go as a subtle reminder of what it is about Windows that sucks.

I was able to D\L a free CD burner for Windows that allowed me to burn a decent copy of 11.04 from Ubuntu's web site, got a clean install the first try, and I haven't looked back yet. Ubuntu isn't as easy to learn than a fresh copy of Win7 might be but it's a lot easier than the DOS 2.2 I learned on 20+ years ago so I'm taking my time and gleaning information as I go. It is easy for me to envisage a day in the not-too-distant future when I'll be shed of Windows.

Thanks again for the heads-up on Ubuntu. The learning curve is very gentle and the questions I have are easily answered.

-Randy