Computer Support (please help me?)

[JBL]

Hi everyone.. as many have noticed.. I was inactive.. mainly for 2 reasons.. I was very busy and over that.. I tried to format my computer and now I can't re-install windows xp...

First off, I thought it was due to my cd.. but now I'm not quite sure anymore..

I tried to re-install it and it didn't work.. in fact it was installed but corrupted or something, the installation couldn't be completed.. I used a cd that I downloaded and burned myself so.. I'm pretty sure my cd doesn't work (btw, I have a legit serial.. that's not the problem)

So.. a good friend of mine told me I could install Ubuntu and then re-install XP.. so that's what I did (I'm on Ubuntu right now.. running in 800x600 because I can't find the mother F***KING DRIVER FOR STUPID MOTHER F***KING LINUX!) and now.. with his cd, I tried to re-install XP.. but it doesn't work... sometimes the cd doesn't even boot.. and when it does work.. well.. it says some files are missing or corrupted.. so I can't install XP at all...

So that's my problem... I want XP on that computer... please help me..

Thanks a lot.

[moobox]

Sounds like you just have a bad CD. Download a new ISO for XP from a torrent and burn to disc. Then try reinstalling.

Ubuntu is awesome though, keep it :P

[JBL]

Sounds like you just have a bad CD. Download a new ISO for XP from a torrent and burn to disc. Then try reinstalling.

Ubuntu is awesome though, keep it :P


So both my cd and my friend's cd are bad? what a coincidence.. I'll download a new iso and reburn it and retry with that..

Yeah Ubuntu is pretty awesome.. however.. I need windows (not even mac) for many softwares that I use to make music...

and.. my Ubuntu is not that awesome in 800 x 600... lol I can't have it larger.. I can't find a driver that works with linux... this is so weird.

anyway... thx I'll try to get a new iso and burn it

[Fenix]

Maybe you have a bad CD reader? I had that issue on my old laptop.

[Joneagle_X]

Actually, two CDs going bad isn't at all unheard of. In fact, it's fairly likely.

OS boot disks are notoriously weak. One scratch could botch the whole works.

I would take the above suggestion and download a new ISO, burn it, and then try the install.

Don't forget you have to burn it AS an ISO image, not as a collection of files. :D

Ubuntu should get you through for now, though.

Also, what brand of computer? Dell?

[JBL]

Tried got a new ISO, burned as image, of course, and it acts like the 2 others.. I'm thinking it might be the cd reader but it always worked perfectly until today... it took me a few tries to reach the windows setup blue screen and then a file couldn't be copied..

nah it's not a Dell, it's an Axess.. I think it's made by SPM Micro.

anyway.. I'll try to run it via my cd/dvd burner.

[Joneagle_X]

Well Ubuntu runs, so the problem CAN'T be your CD drive....

I'll do a little research for you, but only because you're my best bud :D

Okay dude, can you give me some specific file names that it says are corrupted??

Also, where did you download your ISO file from?

[JBL]

Well Ubuntu runs, so the problem CAN'T be your CD drive....

I'll do a little research for you, but only because you're my best bud :D


Hey... you are right.. I installed Ubuntu with that cd drive... hmm then what is it?

the 3 cds can't run correctly... It's even hard to boot them...

and for now.. ubuntu is in 800x600... can't find (and don't know) my graphic card name and I can't find the driver for it..

The internet needs a website that tells you your hardware and finds the drivers for you.

[Joneagle_X]

OKay I'm pretty sure your problem is that the CDs aren't burned correctly.

You need to burn them AS ISO IMAGES!!!

Use MagicISO and select "burn as ISO image"

Try it and let me know if you need more help. My AIM is J0neagle

MSN: PT_Joneagle@hotmail.com

And if you don't know your video card type, tell me your computer type and model number.

If it's stock I can find it from that. :D

[JBL]

added your msn.

and hmm I'm pretty sure I burned the cds correctly.. I know how to burn a iso..

and remember that you can't use magiciso on ubuntu... however my software to burn cds can burn images.

my cd was burned correctly.. it loads like 1/10th of the time.. but when it loads.. I see the windows setup screen.

[moobox]

Try running this in Ubuntu:

lspci -v

That should give you information on everything connected to your motherboard.

[JBL]

Try running this in Ubuntu:

lspci -v

That should give you information on everything connected to your motherboard.


Hmm this didn't work....

[tweakismyname]

i wouldent burn a disk, id try to mount the image, usualy works better.

also what does it say the 1/10 of the time it does work? when it tells u missing/ corrupt files does it give a list or say what type of files? (ex. something.dll, NTLDR, so on.) if so what files? would really help me diagnose.

[Joneagle_X]

Lol tweak, good luck mounting an image when you're trying to install an OS. :P

[moobox]

Well here is the best way to find out. Turn off your computer, unplug from wall, remove the side panel of your tower, touch a piece of metal on your computer (NOT on a key component) to get rid of any static electricity you may have built up on you and just look at the card and find out. If you cant make sense of all of the information, write it all down and post any manufacturers, models or serial numbers you can find and I'll pinpoint your graphics card for you.

[JBL]

That sounds very logical.. I'm so confused right now.

[Joneagle_X]

It's true that Ubuntu can run on ONLY your system RAM (yes, linux is THAT good) but I get the feeling that you're actually installing stuff....

Once again, if you could tell me the specific files its telling you are errors, I might be able to help more.

[Protosscommander]

I hope i can help :)

[BirdofPrey]

I had this kind of problem once after a bower outage during a defrag corrupted my system. Windows didn''t want to work until I had reformatted a few times and reset my BIOS

[JBL]

I found this 4th disc of mine.. which came with the computer.. it's a recovery media and it has windows XP Home on it..

and it boots really well, unlike the burned cds.. but when I'm trying to install windows.. it ends up saying it can't be installed because of some softwares or w/e already on my computer.. i get that blue screen that says "if you see this message for the first time, reboot, if not, follow these indications:"

the indications are telling me to uninstall softwares and stuff...

do you think this could be caused by linux itself? because i think this cd could work.

[Joneagle_X]

Yes. You have found a correct CD which CONFIRMS that your CDs were burned wrong. Sorry.

Remove linux completely and do a complete reformat BEFORE you insert the Windows disk.

Looks like you've found your solution. Let me know if it works.

[JBL]

Yes. You have found a correct CD which CONFIRMS that your CDs were burned wrong. Sorry.

Remove linux completely and do a complete reformat BEFORE you insert the Windows disk.

Looks like you've found your solution. Let me know if it works.


When I saw that it wasn't working because of a software I thought that if I remove linux it might work.. .. but I'm not sure and.. hmm how the heck do I completely remove linux and do a complete reformat BEFORE inserting that window disk?

[Fenix]

When it's booting, hit F2 or F8, can't remember which one. Takes you to the set up screen. Should be the "Format Hard Drive" option somewhere. That should kill you Linux too.

[Joneagle_X]

Fenix hit the nail on the head.

Lol, way to unnecessarily quote ya big bad mod ;)

You need to COMPLETELY wipe the drive. So using fdisk like Fenix stated would work.

And don't try to install on an existing partition. DELETE IT ;)

[Fenix]

Unless you have a god-sized hard drive, like 500gig

[Joneagle_X]

I'd better get a powerup for this.... ;);)

[JBL]

Yeah I didn't want to power up anyone before the problem was fixed.. but now I'm pretty sure I found my solution.

[Joneagle_X]

LOL Nice subtitle JBL, I always knew you were freaky what with the crazy dancing man (please tell me it's not you) in your signature. :D

I'm glad your computer is (semi) fixed. Let me know if I can help with anything else. Operating Systems are a b*tch in general.

[moobox]

Operating Systems are a b*tch in general.


Well, anything by Microsoft, anyways ;).

[Joneagle_X]

Anything produced by anyone.

Only open source has a proven track record of success.

Don't talk like Apple is all high and mighty. They suck too.

[JBL]

Ok.. I'm not back.. 100% fixed and it runs much smooter now.. I'm very happy.. I can't wait until everything is installed just like before.. but everything will go faster.. I need to make more music..

thanks to everyone who helped me.