For those

[Chronuss]

okay, here's an idea...if you're getting PF errors...it may mean your RAM is getting eaten up too quickly there's not engouh virtual memory to swap out the information...perhaps increasing the page size might help or it might not.

 

[cfr]

Now I've had a couple of people tell me that if I install xp then it will wipe out everything that's on my computer, is that true? I've also had a couple of others along the way say they hated xp. Also, if I decide to purchase xp do I have to go out and buy the full version or can I go out and get the xp update version? I seen both in the newspaper ads this morning where the full version is 260 and the update is 90. I don't want to over spend if I don't have to. Thanks for the help. :asian:
Jason

You will need to backup the stuff you want saved. Applications can be reinstalled, personal files cant. My home "backup" is to send evrything I want to Hotmail/ Yahoo accounts as those emails arent stored locally.
Do those people hate XP because its unstable/ crashes or just because they like other products? Have you checked EBay for the cost of XP. Hell, I'll burn you a copy of Win2K Pro if you want.

 

[Sarah]

Jason how is that computer coming????

Its not the same on MSN with out you.

 

[jfarnsworth]

I still couldn't get my computer to work for me. Anytime I try to do anything with the IE it tells me that it's pending a reboot and application will close. I've turned it on and off more times in the last week than the last 2 months. I talked with HP support again and they told me to uninstall and reinstall my earthlink as he said there's a broken link between them. Well i tried that! Earthlink wouldn't completely uninstall then when I reboot to reinstall it stopped midway and said there were problems during the installation. So, I said heck with it I'm tired of changing these things in/out. This weekend I will be copying all files to disc and taking it somewhere or buying my own new windows program. :idunno:

 

[OUMoose]

So MSN is where all you people hang out. To think I've been on Yahoo looking around.

Anyways, windows ME is the debil. DON'T use it. If you want to upgrade, go to XP pro or 2000 pro. Little tip, go visit a college town. 90% of the time you can get "student priced" software which is a fraction of the price of retail.

Without a OS disk, most of your problems are going to be very hard to fix. I would suggest wiping the hard drive clean and starting from scratch. It's always safer that way. As far as using one of the "upgrade" discs, don't. If you have a problem, you'll still have the problem and unfortunately still not have a weay to resolve it.

Hope this helps. Grab me on yahoo or MSN and I'd be more than happy to help ya.

 

[jfarnsworth]

OK, thanks.
Maybe I'll take you up on the yahoo messenger. My old jilopy computer has that and aol. I tried twice to download the msn but for some reason it wouldn't install. :idunno: I guess my best bet is getting to the computer repair guy in town and having him clean it then reinstalling windows. He charges 60 bucks and that's probably going to be worth it in the long run.

 

[OUMoose]

OK, thanks.
Maybe I'll take you up on the yahoo messenger. My old jilopy computer has that and aol. I tried twice to download the msn but for some reason it wouldn't install. :idunno: I guess my best bet is getting to the computer repair guy in town and having him clean it then reinstalling windows. He charges 60 bucks and that's probably going to be worth it in the long run.

WARNING!!! Check your prices. Is he going to be installing windows? If so, is he using a legit key? He might be talking $60 for service, and the normal retail rate for the windows software (~$200). So, just make sure you have all the facts. Perhaps I misread your statement, but it put-up a red flag for me. :asian:

 

[cfr]

I guess my best bet is getting to the computer repair guy in town and having him clean it then reinstalling windows. He charges 60 bucks and that's probably going to be worth it in the long run.

In addition to the other warnings you recevied on doing this which I definately agree with, does that 60 give you the software? Wouldn't you rather have your own CD for future stuff? If you need more done, will you need to pay more? All versions of Windows are very easy to install for even beginner computer users. You can probably pick up legal copies on ebay for very cheap. You can also go to the link I provided earlier for free support on most issues. Good luck.

 

[jfarnsworth]

The same guy did some work for me before at a reasonable rate and I recently sent 3 people to see him. The guy that sits across the room from me had his hard drive wiped then he reinstalled a windows program, spy sweeper, and an ad-aware program and he was charged 60 bucks. One of the other people said the same thing after his computer was taken to this gentleman. When I phoned him earlier this week he said that he would wipe the hard drive then reinstall windows for 60. :idunno: We're not in a big metropolis or anything maybe it's about the going rate here :idunno: ?

How does one wipe the hard drive clean?
Also, sometimes I was having problems with a low memory pop up. I have only used slightly over 4gig of my hard drive which has 14gb drive. 4 would hardly be enough to fill the memory up or would it? Currently there's 2 128 chips in it and according to HP all I can get is 256 max. in it. Should I get a bigger hard drive? Like 40 or something would that take care of that error message?
Sorry that I sound dumb but there's quite a few things I just don't know or understand about computers.

 

[Bester]

Windows is a pig.
With 95/98 it was suggested that you do a clean install annually.
ME is just pure crap. It is a MS orphan, with good reason.
NT is dead.
2000 is the most stable
XP has so many issues I could be here all day, especially with SP2.
Then again, thanks to SP2 techs have alot of paying work these days.

To wipe a drive clean:
Back everything up. Once you do this, there ain't no goin back.

insert you boot disk and reboot the system.
Follow the normal setup info for your OS.
You should be prompted for an option to format your drives.
Do it.
You now have a clean field to build upon.
Finish installing the OS, and then start reinstalling all the special device drivers you need. (You did remember to download your modem/nic/video drivers before you wiped everything out right?)

As to memory, Windoze is a pig.
95/98 - minimum of 128MB, but no more than 512MB. More than 512 was a performance hit.
ME - don't know.
2000 - 256 Min, 1GB+ best
XP - 512 Min, 2GB best. Unfortunately many systems came with 256MB and weren't expandable due to poor design. Sony was notorious with that.

$60 for a full wipe, reinstall and driver setup sounds fair IMHO.

 

[jfarnsworth]

I was just on ebay and seen 3 pages just on windows 2000. 2 of the items kinda stuck out towards me. Two different individuals were selling 2000 pro unopened factory sealed containers. Hopefully to everyone this will be my last question or next to last question(s) Question is I think I stated before that my pc didn't come with any disc's. Can't tell you how it didn't but it didn't. If I don't have a boot disc will all of my computer torcher be in vain?

 

[Chronuss]

the low memory popup more than likely had to do with RAM. I'd definately ask the guy to make you a boot disk when he reformats the hard drive for you. or you could do it if you went out and bought a Windows OS CD.

 

[Bester]

Many vendors ship without disks today. You may be able to find a utility that will generate them for you on your system. If not, definately ask the guy you have do the work about it before you start the wipe.

 

[jfarnsworth]

Well it's been going horrible. I read those who said ME was the worst but I tried to get this fixed myself. ME was the only disc I could get my hands on. This morning I took everything I could off of the PC and installed ME. Everything seemed to run ok until I tried to install earthlink. After trying to install it I received kernel32.dll errors then I received shell32.dll errors then earthlink wouldn't load. I tried to go through the windows installer to see if I could fix anything that may have been left out but again it said my I.E. was still pending a reboot. So apparently my promblem must have carried over during the installation of ME. Is there anything else I can possibly do?
Desperate now.
Jason

 

[bignick]

explosives?

did you update to ME or did you reformat everything and reinstall?...if you just updated thats where your carryover problem came from...

 

[jfarnsworth]

Well apparently I guess all I did was update it. How do I reformat and reinstall?

 

[bignick]

i believe it was covered earlier in this thread...

 

[cfr]

I know for sur ethat if you pop in a Win2K cd and begin the install, it will eventually ask you if you want to reformat. I would assume xp would be the same. If you want a copy of win2k, lemme know.

 

[jfarnsworth]

I seen the post from Bester on the other page. I don't have a boot disk and when I was installing the ME disk it asked to put in a floppy to make a boot disk. I put 2 different floppy's in and they didn't format. I skipped that step and I thought it was replacing all the files with new ones :idunno: .

 

[cfr]

I seen the post from Bester on the other page. I don't have a boot disk and when I was installing the ME disk it asked to put in a floppy to make a boot disk. I put 2 different floppy's in and they didn't format. I skipped that step and I thought it was replacing all the files with new ones :idunno: .

For win2k, you can create boot disks. Go to Start/ help/ index/ type in boot... it will give you instructions on how to do this. I would assume ME would be the same on these types of things.