reload Windows XP on Emachine computer

[djkwik]

Questolo,

I started a new thread as you asked:

I was having a problem with going into Documents and Settings.  Everytime i would go into it, no matter what "user" I would click on (admin., all users, etc.) A window would pop up stating "IE has encountered a problem and needs to shut down" and when I hit OK, it would close it all out and put me back at the desktop.  If I tried more than two or three times, my desktop would freeze up, turn pale blue/white and some message about resetting active desktop would be on it, but off-center and up in one corner, not being able to see the whole thing...I'd have to shut the computer down and restart it.  After stumping you with this problem, you finally suggested I just create a new user as you beleived my orignal user account had become corrupted.  It worked for a short time, but in the past few months, the new profile I set up has become corrupt again: when I go into Documents and Settings and go to that new profile, I get the error message "IE has encountered a problem and needs to shut down" yet again. As well as any of the other users (all users, administrator, etc.  I do not have any other actual user profiles on this piece of crap).

I am completely convinced that I just need to save everything I can save onto a flash drive and then do a complete clean re-load of my Windows XP. I am even willing to go and purchase a legal version of Office XP so I can get the security updates for Word. However, I was searching this forum and found a post from someone that wanted to do this and you recommended two different sites to go to to learn how to do this. I went to those sites myself and in reading the instructions, I came across a potential problem: Some people have experienced a problem with BIOS and cannot get their Windows XP to install because they cannot get their drive to format. The suggestion is to go to the computer manufacturer's website and update their BIOS. I did some more checking and found a forum where someone with an E-Machine computer ran into this very problem, went to E-Machine's site to update their BIOS but apparently E-Machines does not offer updates and recommends buying a new one (whatever that means). I am pretty much technology-challenged when it comes to opening my computer and messing around with the components. It took amazing courage for me to make the changes to my registry that you suggested long ago to fix some spyware problems I had been having.

I seriously want to wipe my computer completely and re-load my Windows XP. I know this will take a lot of time with all the updates, etc. from Microsoft, and am perfectly willing to do so, but now I am terrified that if I start the process, this piece of crap E-machine computer of mine will not allow me to do it and render this computer useless. Do you have any suggestions? Does anyone else out there have an EMachine and succesfully clean reloaded Windows XP?

[guestolo]

Can you supply exact model of computer

It's not that terrifying reinstalling, things can go wrong, that's why we backup  http://images.thetechguide.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\'\' />

By the way, can you supply a fresh hijackthis log
Let's ensure it's clean

[djkwik]

[quote name=\'guestolo\' post=\'422647\' date=\'Feb 26 2008, 08:16 AM\']Can you supply exact model of computer

It's not that terrifying reinstalling, things can go wrong, that's why we backup  http://images.thetechguide.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\'\' />

By the way, can you supply a fresh hijackthis log
Let's ensure it's clean[/quote]


Well Questolo, I guess the point is moot now.  Apparantly, the motherboard of that piece of excrement Emachines I had fried!  http://images.thetechguide.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mad.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\':angry:\' /> big surprise there  http://images.thetechguide.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\'\' />  (sarcasm is one of my best friends).

So, now I am using my ancient 1998 no-name brand pc with Windows 98 on it just to get emails and come to this website and see about retrieving the info on my HD from the computer that died.  This computer only has a 3G (yes, count them...three whole gigs) HD on it.  I tired to install the 80G HD from the one that fried just so I could still save all my files to a flash-drive.  I've tried making the 80G HD a master, but the 3G is set to CS.  There are no "master" "slave" denotations on the board, only CS, DS and P-somthing, so I thought perhaps just removing the jumper from the 3 G altogether, that did not work.  The only thing I have not tried yet is removing the 3 G from the whole system and have only the 80G be the CS drive.  The problem with that idea is that my BIOS is from 1998 and most likely will not recognize the 80G HD.  I just spent the past 3 hours Googling about this situation and have been reading worst things than what I started this thread with (reloading WinXP).  I've read there is a way to force this old computer's motherboard to read the new drive with an "overlay" but I have read that can also ruin things to the point of no return.  I am buying a new PC regardless...actually found that you can still order a brand new Dell with XP on it instead of Vista...haven't found that in any SuperStore (Best Buy/Circuit City, etc).  I want XP so I think I will go with a cheapie Dell, but still need to retrieve info from the dead computer's HD.

I have a request in now to get a flash to update my BIOS, but it is an Award BIOS and although everyone writes that you can't get an update for it via Pheonix, I went to the website, clicked on the link for an Award BIOS, and they claim they will be emailing the flash link to me soon.  I'm also reading a lot of posts (not here, but through Google searching) that sometimes fails and also renders the BIOS useless.  I do NOT want that. http://images.thetechguide.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\'\' /> I also don't know if this old computer's drive can take too much new stuff.  The reason I got the Emachines to replace this computer is this computer got a virus that starts eating away unused sectors of the hard drive...everytime I've run a defrag on it, it turns up more and more corrupt sectors, so I am using this thing on borrowed time as it is!

I suppose it may be possible for me to ask a buddy with a newer computer to add my HD as a slave long enough for me to get the files off of it.  Is there ANY other options??

[guestolo]

If your buying a new computer
Can you put the 80 gb in as slave to the new one and pick off the files that you want?

The reason I got the Emachines to replace this computer is this computer got a virus that starts eating away unused sectors of the hard drive...everytime I've run a defrag on it, it turns up more and more corrupt sectors, so I am using this thing on borrowed time as it is!

Is that the 80 gb disk?
Are you sure it's a virus or just a failing harddrive?
It sounds like it may be the latter

Can you put the settings back in the old comp. back to original
Slave the 80, boot up with Knoppix or similiar Linux distro and find the files that you need?

[djkwik]

[quote name=\'guestolo\' post=\'423007\' date=\'Mar 2 2008, 10:36 PM\']If your buying a new computer
Can you put the 80 gb in as slave to the new one and pick off the files that you want?



Is that the 80 gb disk?
Are you sure it's a virus or just a failing harddrive?
It sounds like it may be the latter

Can you put the settings back in the old comp. back to original
Slave the 80, boot up with Knoppix or similiar Linux distro and find the files that you need?[/quote]


No the 3gb on the computer I am currently using is the one that is messed-up...I kinda figured it was just that the drive was soon to crash and I am using this one on borrowed time.  It is also forever freezing up on me between applications and I have to do a hard shut down and reboot to use it again.  I do not know how to boot up with Knoppix or similar Linux distro.  If it involves a large download, this 3gb only has about half of it open.   Also the thing is that the computer I am using with the 3gb drive has Windows 98 and the one I want the info off of is XP.  How else would I get at the info other than booting up with that one first, saving everythin I can onto a flash drive, then uninstall the 80gb?  I'm still back to my problem of this computer's mother board not recgonizing the 80gb drive at all so I can get to it through BIOS.

I would rather not have to open up a brand new computer and try to deal with installing the 80gb drive into that if I don't have to...thats why I'm trying to use this old computer to get at them.

[djkwik]

[quote name=\'djkwik\' post=\'423032\' date=\'Mar 3 2008, 09:29 AM\']No the 3gb on the computer I am currently using is the one that is messed-up...I kinda figured it was just that the drive was soon to crash and I am using this one on borrowed time.  It is also forever freezing up on me between applications and I have to do a hard shut down and reboot to use it again.  I do not know how to boot up with Knoppix or similar Linux distro.  If it involves a large download, this 3gb only has about half of it open.   Also the thing is that the computer I am using with the 3gb drive has Windows 98 and the one I want the info off of is XP.  How else would I get at the info other than booting up with that one first, saving everythin I can onto a flash drive, then uninstall the 80gb?  I'm still back to my problem of this computer's mother board not recgonizing the 80gb drive at all so I can get to it through BIOS.

I would rather not have to open up a brand new computer and try to deal with installing the 80gb drive into that if I don't have to...thats why I'm trying to use this old computer to get at them.[/quote]


I wanted to add that I finally got avg on this old computer, also updated spybot S&D.  Spybot found 4 items...2 gators and two registry changes to windows media player.  DO I need to fix the media player registry changes?  The AVG virus scan turned up an outlandish list of trojans and 10 entries that all list the virus "win32/Hantaner.A"

I downloaded and ran HiJack This, but when it goes to save the results, my computer gets stuck in some sort of loop...the "file download" prompt just keeps popping on and off the screen and seizes up my system.  I have to do the hard shut-down to get it to stop.  How else am I supposed to save the report so I can post it to you?  I want to buy my new computer online, but want to make sure there are no more hidden viruses before I put my credit card number on anything.

[guestolo]

Can you try the following,
Download Hijackthis Installer from [color=\"#FF0000\"]HERE[/color]
For an alternate download location, you can try HERE
SAVE it to your desktop
Double click on HJTInstall.exe to run it
Choose Install

Hijackthis v2.0.2 will open

Under Main Menu, Select
Do a system scan and save a Log file
A log will open in Notepad
Copy and Paste the Whole log back here to the forum

See if the above steps help in posting a log

[djkwik]

[quote name=\'guestolo\' post=\'423086\' date=\'Mar 3 2008, 09:32 PM\']Can you try the following,
Download Hijackthis Installer from [color=\"#FF0000\"]HERE[/color]
For an alternate download location, you can try HERE
SAVE it to your desktop
Double click on HJTInstall.exe to run it
Choose Install

Hijackthis v2.0.2 will open

Under Main Menu, Select
Do a system scan and save a Log file
A log will open in Notepad
Copy and Paste the Whole log back here to the forum

See if the above steps help in posting a log[/quote]


I installed from the site you posted and got the same end result...when it gets done with the scan, it just gets stuck in that rediculous loop that seizes up my computer.  I give up.  I ordered my new computer and it arrives tomorrow, so I will have a clean slate to work with.  I'm still at a loss for how to recover whats on the C drive from the computer that died.  Another tech-friend of mine told me about a box you can buy that converts hard-drives into external storage devices that plug in via USB.  I haven't looked online to price them, but if its whats necessary to get at all my documents, I guess I just have to bite the bullet and get one of those kits.  Just after spending $700 for a new computer, and now having to buy parellel to usb adapter for my monitor and a usb hub since everything on the new computer is usb only (except the monitor connection), I am eating through money like crazy!  Do you know where I can find an adapter to run my old computer's speakers by a usb port?  I've seen only 2 places so far online, but I'm also sick of having to pay $6 or more for shipping and handling for something that doesn't even weigh an ounce!  Online shopping can be such a rip-off!  I found the parallel/usb adapter for my printer at Best Buy, but even that is kin-of high priced.  Instead of a whole new cable, why the hell don't they just make an adapter plug that has a usb "male" on one end and the parallel "females on the other end so I can just use my existing printer cable on it?!  The whole technology field is geared to suck as much money from you as possible.

[guestolo]

Can you try something else
Download [color=\"#008000\"]Deckard's System Scanner (dss.exe)[/color] to your desktop.
Close all applications and windows.
Double-click on dss.exe to run it and follow the prompts.
When the scan is complete, two text files will open; main.txt, which will be maximized and extra.txt, which will be minimized.

Post back just the Whole contents of Main.txt and Extra.txt

Which new computer did you order?
Make and model and what Operating system will you be running on it?

[djkwik]

[quote name=\'guestolo\' post=\'423829\' date=\'Mar 11 2008, 05:48 AM\']Can you try something else
Download [color=\"#008000\"]Deckard's System Scanner (dss.exe)[/color] to your desktop.
Close all applications and windows.
Double-click on dss.exe to run it and follow the prompts.
When the scan is complete, two text files will open; main.txt, which will be maximized and extra.txt, which will be minimized.

Post back just the Whole contents of Main.txt and Extra.txt

Which new computer did you order?
Make and model and what Operating system will you be running on it?[/quote]


I ordered a Dell Inspiron 530s (slim) from Dell.com.  It was the only place I could find a new PC with Windows XP on it instead of Vista.  I have read so many negative reports about Vista and have several friends that have dumped their vista in favor of reloading XP on their new computer.  Now, here is one for all your readers:

When my brand new factory built to my specs Dell arrived, I attached my peripherals and turned it on.  Nothing showed up on my monitor.  I called tech support and after the FIRST hour with them, the tech instructed me to open the tower up and check to see if the video card had come loose during shipment.  As soon as I opened the side panel, I was quite literaaly shocked at what I saw...the main CPU fan with the heat sink attached to it was NOT EVEN ATTACHED TO THE MOTHERBOARD!!!  I don't mean that it simply was not plugged into the board, I mean the whole damn unit was loose inside the tower...clunking around during shipment.  I told Dell that this was not only outrageous but totally unacceptable!  I wanted to know how this thing could have even left the factory in that condition!  No amount of jostling during shipment would loosen the four bolts that attach this thing to the motherboard!

So, here I have to wait for up to 8 more days for them to build a new one and ship it to me (expedited at least) but the customer service rep at Dell was unwilling to offer any kind of compensation for this situation (a discount perhaps or at the very least throw in some free speakers or SOMETHING to make up for the fact that they shipped me a unit that was not even assembled properly!)  I got the company programmed response that amounts to "We at Dell perform several quality checks on every system that leaves the factory.  I cannot understand how this happened." and in response to my wanting a discount or some other incentive, all I got was "We at Dell do not do that sort of thing."

I am waiting for the new unit now.  At least they agreed to expedite and ship the new one BEFORE I have to ship back the defective one.  With the techs permission (so as not to void the warranty) I was told to install the cpu fan, double check the video card (which was slightly loose) but still got nothing.  I am sure that 2 pound fan/heat sink units pounding around against the motherboard during shipment must have damaged some of the other components on the board if not scratched up some of the board's circuitry...the computer was totally useless.  After a few minutes of it being on, the hard drive would not even activate, no BIOS screen or anything, then it would power itself off completely!

I swear, there is just no such thing as a quality product any more, and as for customer service...the entire ordeal took over 2 and a half hours of my time on the phone trying to sort the mess out!  If the new unit does not perform satisfactorily, I am of course going to send it back, then send a letter to the Better Business Bureau about the incident.

I'm not even going to try to do anything more to this 10 year old dinosaur I am using at this moment.  The fact that I have to do a ctrl/alt/delete (twice) to reboot this thing after just about every application I try tells me it is not long for this world.  I go into my email, then exit and it freezes up.  After nearly every single webpage I go to and then close out of, it freezes up.  I am sure that as soon as I post this reply and close out of this website, it will freeze up and I will have to c/a/d again to reboot it.  The cdrom device refuses to work as well.  As soon as the new computer arrives, I will be first checking windows update, then I will install avg, then spyware blaster, then HJT and post the results here to see what you think.  The system I ordered is not top of the line...the basic pentium dual-core 2160 (1MB L2,1.80GHz,800 FSB), 250GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cacheâ„¢.  The only upgrade I opted for was the ATI Radeon HD 2400 PRO 256MB video card so I could get the digital capabilities of my LG Flatrom wide 20" lcd monitor (which was a replacement for the 19" LG lcd monitor that died on me after only a year of use).  I also had them preinstall MS Office student/home so I have a legal version of MS Word.

As you can see I seem to be cursed when it comes to computers!   http://images.thetechguide.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\'\' />  When I bought the Emachine that this Dell is supposed to replace, 6 weeks after buying it, the main power supply component failed on it (the computer kept shutting itself off and on).  I got that one at Best Buy and of course since I had it for more than 30 days before the power supply problem, I had to ship it back to Emachines for repair.  When I got it back, my brand new computer looked like they dropped it on some gravel and kicked it around...the entire outside of it was all scratched to hell, the cdrom drive button was broken/loose, etc.  I had to ship it back to them yet again!  If I could afford it, I would buy an HP and be done with it, but I can't afford to spend $900 for a computer that I really only use for email, word processing and the occasional online shopping.  I don't download movies (I have a big lcd projection TV to watch movies on), or do online gaming or any gaming for that matter (I'm 41 years old...video games are for kids or adults that refuse to grow the hell up).  I just get the occasional $.99 song from Napster Lite (about twice a month if that), so a simple bare-bones system is all I really need.

Hopefully I can get at least a couple of years worth of service on the Dell without having to come here with a litany of problems every other week.  As stated before, this whole tech industry is purposely designed to be outdated two months after you buy something so they can just keep sucking money out of your pocket!  Oh well, I will soon reach the point where I become a complete technophobe and eliminate all of this electronic [censored] from my home permanently. http://images.thetechguide.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mad.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\':angry:\' />

[guestolo]

Sounds like you have had some bad luck  http://images.thetechguide.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\'\' />
I've bought from Dell a couple of times and always had good luck
Sorry to hear you had to experience that

What do you want to do about the files on the drive you want to save?
Were you able to back them up?

[djkwik]

[quote name=\'guestolo\' post=\'424195\' date=\'Mar 15 2008, 04:49 PM\']Sounds like you have had some bad luck  http://images.thetechguide.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\'\' />
I've bought from Dell a couple of times and always had good luck
Sorry to hear you had to experience that

What do you want to do about the files on the drive you want to save?
Were you able to back them up?[/quote]


Not yet.  When I get the new Dell and it actually works, a friend of mine has a converter that turns hard drives into external usb storage devices (like a flash drive).  He'll let me borrow it long enough to get the files off the dead computer's HD and directly onto the new computer.  Then I can do a good file cleaning and back-up everything saved on a flash-drive.  At least that is the theory/plan.  I don't want to HAVE TO hard-install the old drive onto the new computer if I can do anything at all to avoid it.  We'll see how it goes.  

Yeah I was kind-of thinking of Dell's reliability-for-the-price factor when I chose to buy one.  I hope that was just a one-time fluke that happened.  Although I've been reading a lot of people having fan-troubles with their Inspiron 530 models.  A whole host of problems that seem to be centered around an incorrect BIOS update version and/or just plain bad hardware.  I hope DELL solved that problem before building my next unit.  I'd hate to be limited to the time I spend on the thing just because its too loud to be in the same room with. http://images.thetechguide.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blink.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\':blink:\' />

[guestolo]

You could also experiment with a cd such as Knoppix and see if you can boot the old computer with it
You will have to wait till you get the new computer to download and burn knoppix to Cd

Boot up the old comp with it and try and save the files to usb drive, etc...
Or even online storage
Do you want to try this route?

[djkwik]

[quote name=\'guestolo\' post=\'424227\' date=\'Mar 16 2008, 09:07 AM\']You could also experiment with a cd such as Knoppix and see if you can boot the old computer with it
You will have to wait till you get the new computer to download and burn knoppix to Cd

Boot up the old comp with it and try and save the files to usb drive, etc...
Or even online storage
Do you want to try this route?[/quote]


its something I could try if the hd to usb converter does not work.  I have my new Dell and am working on it right now.  The biggest question I have is regarding speakers.  I had to plug my old computer speakers into the headphone jack in the front to get them to work.  i don't know which speaker jack in the back to use or those jacks will only work with a 5.1 system.  I have a lot of work to do to get this thing to where I want it. Dell didn't even get any of the XP updates or anything.  Also...the latest version of Spybot Search and Destroy is doing something it never used to.  When I go into my yahoo mail, just about every time I click on anything, I get a prompt to allow or deny a bad url or something...only the allow button is not activated, only the deny button.  I never saw this before with S&D.  Have any idea of how to stop that?

[guestolo]

Is there an audio out on the back of the computer for speakers
Should be light green in color

the latest version of Spybot Search and Destroy is doing something it never used to. When I go into my yahoo mail, just about every time I click on anything, I get a prompt to allow or deny a bad url or something...only the allow button is not activated, only the deny button. I never saw this before with S&D. Have any idea of how to stop that?

Let's try the following
Disable TeaTimer
Open Spybot and click on Mode and check Advanced Mode
Check yes to next window.
Click on Tools in bottom left hand corner.
Click on Resident icon.
Uncheck Teatimer box.
Close Spybot

After you disabled Teatimer, download ResetTeaTimer.bat
http://downloads.subratam.org/ResetTeaTimer.bat
to your desktop. (In case you use Firefox, rightclick the link and choose "save as").
Doubleclick ResetTeaTimer.bat and let it run.
This will only take a few seconds.

Reboot the computer
Go back and reenable TeaTimer, any help?

[djkwik]

[quote name=\'guestolo\' post=\'424299\' date=\'Mar 17 2008, 09:38 PM\']Is there an audio out on the back of the computer for speakers
Should be light green in color

the latest version of Spybot Search and Destroy is doing something it never used to. When I go into my yahoo mail, just about every time I click on anything, I get a prompt to allow or deny a bad url or something...only the allow button is not activated, only the deny button. I never saw this before with S&D. Have any idea of how to stop that?

Let's try the following
Disable TeaTimer
Open Spybot and click on Mode and check Advanced Mode
Check yes to next window.
Click on Tools in bottom left hand corner.
Click on Resident icon.
Uncheck Teatimer box.
Close Spybot

After you disabled Teatimer, download ResetTeaTimer.bat
http://downloads.subratam.org/ResetTeaTimer.bat
to your desktop. (In case you use Firefox, rightclick the link and choose "save as").
Doubleclick ResetTeaTimer.bat and let it run.
This will only take a few seconds.

Reboot the computer
Go back and reenable TeaTimer, any help?[/quote]

It turns out that it was the S&D Helper that was still active (I disabled the teatimer before thinking that was the problem).  I guess it is trying to block all those active-X based ads that are all over several yahoo pages.  Should I turn the teatimer back on and leave the url-blocker off or should they both be on?

The external hard drive adapter failed on me.  I plugged in the hard drive, power supply and main power cord, the computer reads the new hardware and tries to install it, then I get error code (10) telling me that there was a problem installing the device.  I can hear the drive wind up and run, but the new computer can't "start" the device.  I tried to update the driver for the converter and still got nothing.  Suppose you can guide me step-by-step on the other options I can try to salvage whats on this drive?  I hear all the time that there are ways of retrieving files even on drives that people think have completely crashed.  I don't want to go through some data-retrieval service due to the confidential nature of some of the files, but I really hate to think I have lost all those letters and camera photos that can't be replaced at all. http://images.thetechguide.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\'\' />

PS:  The computer has 5 speaker jacks in the back.  Through trial and error, I finally found the jack that supports a 2-channel speaker set-up (the computer is designed for 5.1 surround if I want that).  With the printer...finding a usb/cm36male cable is proving nearly impossible.  I finally found something that has a usb male on one end and a db25 FEMALE on the other end so it effectively adds a printer port to my computer, I can use my current printer cable with this product to get my printer to work.  I didn't realize this HP LaserJet 1100 had a non-standard connection on it. Its very old but still prints perfectly and I will keep it until it dies.

[guestolo]

It turns out that it was the S&D Helper that was still active (I disabled the teatimer before thinking that was the problem). I guess it is trying to block all those active-X based ads that are all over several yahoo pages. Should I turn the teatimer back on and leave the url-blocker off or should they both be on

You can reenable TeaTimer if it wasn't the problem
Also, reenable S&D Helper
In the older version of Spybot, there was an option in the program itself to block bad pages silently under the Immunize section

It's been moved in the newer version
In Internet Explorer click on TOOLS>>SPYBOT-SEARCH AND DESTROY CONFIGURATION
In the drop down list select "Block bad pages silently"
Ok it

Are you able to boot the old computer?
What operating system do you have on it?
Can you put a different harddrive in and install XP, make it MASTER
Put the old drive back in as Slave AFTER you have installed XP
XP should read Windows 98 and you can grab the files you need

If that is not an option

Do you want to try knoppix to retrieve your files?
Here's what I posted to another user a while back

If you don't have any software to burn image files
download and install
[color=\"#0000FF\"]burnatonce>>bao0995.exe[/color]
Onto a working computer

I'm assuming you have high speed internet, you'll need it
Go to the following link
http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html

At the link, you can read the info about knoppix if you want
Click on the DOWNLOAD button
Next page you will want to choose a mirror to download from
Just because a location may be closer to you, it may not always be the fastest connection
I find that the download location from
ftp.kernel.org   [rsync]   [ftp]   [http]   Kernel.Org (California, USA)
is very good speeds if your in North America>>You may get faster results some other location

You can select it by Clicking  on ftp as eg..
At the new page click on ACCEPT
This will bring you to an Index of what you can download
Scroll down to KNOPPIX_V5.1.1CD-2007-01-04-EN.iso and click on it
Choose SAVE TO DISK and OK
Select the location to download, such as desktop

After download is complete you will want to burn the ISO as is

Fire up Burnatonce, put a blank CD into the drive
In burnatonce, select Setting>>Device Settings, this will show you the options
Ensure the speed of write is correct, you can lower it a bit to ensure a good burn
Afterwards, click on the WRITE button or FILE>>New Image
Navigate to KNOPPIX_V5.1.1CD-2007-01-04-EN.iso
and double click on it to Select it
Then click on the WRITE button again
Let it complete the burn process, after it is successful you are ready to try it in the nonbootable computer

[djkwik]

[quote name=\'guestolo\' post=\'424435\' date=\'Mar 20 2008, 08:14 AM\']You can reenable TeaTimer if it wasn't the problem
Also, reenable S&D Helper
In the older version of Spybot, there was an option in the program itself to block bad pages silently under the Immunize section

It's been moved in the newer version
In Internet Explorer click on TOOLS>>SPYBOT-SEARCH AND DESTROY CONFIGURATION
In the drop down list select "Block bad pages silently"
Ok it

Are you able to boot the old computer?
What operating system do you have on it?
Can you put a different harddrive in and install XP, make it MASTER
Put the old drive back in as Slave AFTER you have installed XP
XP should read Windows 98 and you can grab the files you need

If that is not an option

Do you want to try knoppix to retrieve your files?
Here's what I posted to another user a while back[/quote]

Now I'm really confused.  Am i supposed to put the knoppix cdrom into the computer that died to see if it will boot up?  I don't even know if it was in fact the mother board or the hard drive itself that is causing the old computer not to boot up at all.  Also, how am I supposed to get the cdrom into the computer before turning it on?  When the hard drive was still in that computer, my friend unplugged the hard drive cable (wide gray flat cable) and it spun up right away, but since it was not attached to the motherboard, of course the computer would not boot up.  I get absolutely nothing, no bios screen or anything on that computer...that is why my friend assumes its the motherboard that is shot.  That computer has XP on the hard drive I am unsucessfully trying to get the files off of.  Should I reinstall the hd into that dead thing and try the knoppix to get the thing to fire up?  The even older computer is pretty much useless...it has windows 98 Plus! (as opposed to 98 SE) and will not read the larger hard drive no matter how I configure the bios.  Is THAT the computer you want me to try to us the Knoppix on?  If so, that will not work since the cdrom drive on that old thing is not working properly either, despite a diagnostic telling me that it is functioning properly, it refuses to read any cdrom I put into it.  I think I am just going to have to accept the fact that I lost everything on that damn hard drive and quit worrying about it.  All this tech-crap is making me crazy!  Again, I know there are ways that geniuses have to be able to pull almost anything off a bad hard drive, but I am not one of those people.  Christ if I knew how to do all of this stuff, I would have just built my own computer.

[guestolo]

Why not give the XP drive to your friend, I think you mentioned this before
Let him slave the drive on his computer
Backup your files if he can read from the drive

[djkwik]

[quote name=\'guestolo\' post=\'424491\' date=\'Mar 21 2008, 02:40 PM\']Why not give the XP drive to your friend, I think you mentioned this before
Let him slave the drive on his computer
Backup your files if he can read from the drive[/quote]


that was going to be my next step since I have to return the usb converter to him anyway.  He is going to see if he can't get the converter to operate the drive on his computer first.  if that fails, then i will see if he is willing to install the drive on his computer and try to reach it that way.

I reenabled the S&D functions and was immediately inundated with pop-up windows about registry changes that force me to either allow or deny the changes.  I had to make a choice or I couldn't get rid of the damn pop-up windows!  I am really hating this new version of Spybot S&D.  I've installed my digital camera program/drivers as well as my MP3 player's program and drivers today, but a few of the pop-ups from Spybot I did not recognize and decided to deny the changes.  What exactly does that "resident" do and why is it a necessary part of S&D now?  Its now an icon in my tray and starts at boot-up.  I did a HJT scan and the results are below.  What do you think?

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 3:04:39 PM, on 3/21/2008
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16608)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\CLI.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\RTHDCPL.EXE
C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD DX\PDVDDXSrv.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgcc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Creative\MediaSource\Detector\CTDetect.exe
C:\Program Files\Digital Line Detect\DLG.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgemc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTsvcCDA.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\KodakCCS.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ScsiAccess.EXE
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\cli.exe
C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe
C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = www.google.com/ig/dell?hl=en&client=dell-usuk&channel=us&ibd=3080314
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,Default_Page_URL = www.google.com/ig/dell?hl=en&client=dell-usuk&channel=us&ibd=3080314
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = localhost
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Spybot-S&D IE Protection - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: Browser Address Error Redirector - {CA6319C0-31B7-401E-A518-A07C3DB8F777} - C:\Program Files\Dell\BAE\BAE.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATICCC] "C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\CLIStart.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RTHDCPL] RTHDCPL.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Alcmtr] ALCMTR.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PDVDDXSrv] "C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD DX\PDVDDXSrv.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [dscactivate] "C:\Program Files\Dell Support Center\gs_agent\custom\dsca.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Creative Detector] C:\Program Files\Creative\MediaSource\Detector\CTDetect.exe /R
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SpybotSD TeaTimer] C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'Default user')
O4 - Global Startup: Digital Line Detect.lnk = ?
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: Send to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: S&end to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Spybot - Search & Destroy Configuration - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {02BF25D5-8C17-4B23-BC80-D3488ABDDC6B} (QuickTime Object) - http://appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net/co...ex/qtplugin.cab
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://www.update.microsoft.com/windowsupd...b?1205790549942
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG E-mail Scanner (AVGEMS) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: Creative Service for CDROM Access - Creative Technology Ltd - C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTsvcCDA.EXE
O23 - Service: Kodak Camera Connection Software (KodakCCS) - Eastman Kodak Company - C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\KodakCCS.exe
O23 - Service: ScsiAccess - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ScsiAccess.EXE
O23 - Service: stllssvr - MicroVision Development, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\SureThing Shared\stllssvr.exe

--
End of file - 6758 bytes