Killed my PC!

[moakesr]

Hugh,

It seems we all take this a bit too seriously sometimes.

Let me be plain, no sarcasm, no ambiguity....

I have no problem with anyone having a different point of view to me, I am in no way arrogant enough to think I am right about most things in life. I must also say you have at no point been rude to me, or I to you.

I did get brow beaten in another thread about Linux, and I weakened and found a thread where a person using windows was having problems quite amusing and engaged in some schadenfreude, which on reflection I should not have, and for that I apologize to the original thread starter.

I enjoy debate, it's how we learn and move forward, as Malcolm knows, I am brutally honest about my successes and failures when posting about my DIY exploits on another forum, sometimes its uncomfortable admitting you have broken something, but if it prevents someone having the same problem, then it's worth that moment of discomfort.

I can't speak for Dragon, but I would like to draw a line under all of this, I have my beliefs about computing, and others have strongly held beliefs to the contrary, which I accept, but would rather not be hectored until I go away.

Let's all move on please?

 

[ckember]

You are wrong. If you use the Knoppix version of Linux it does not use any of your disk space to load it up. It loads up from a CD to your PC memory and from there you can remove viruses and copy files but then you have to use Unix/Linux commands to copy files over to your stick memory or floppy disk.

I beliee there are cd's like the knoppix ones with XP on so you can boot the computer from that and try to restore from there.

 

[moakesr]

I beliee there are cd's like the knoppix ones with XP on so you can boot the computer from that and try to restore from there.

Indeed there are, one is the Bart disk http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ I have used it many times with great success.

 

[ckember]

there are many different distros of linux around, which can offer some consumers a free alternative to windows or mac OS software. Many linux operating systems will run your common internet/email and word proccessing much faster than the microsoft equivalent on the same hardware.

Just try the free openoffice program as a starter. available for mac/windows/linux

What i think Dragon was getting at is the following, for those that dont know already, for every one else sorry.

Linux was developed as a free alternative to the available operating systems in the early 90's, it is based on Unix which IS one of the oldest operating systems(OS) around, DOS and then Windows came about in the 80's ,windows was an attempt by Microsoft to out do the Mac operating environment which was graphics driven. At this time IBM was also trying to use its own OS2 software.

The problem today is that Microsoft found itself in the position to puts its software on pretty much every business machine available in the late 80's and when the home market took off they had the ability to convince people that had used windows at work to buy the PC's with Windows on them. Rather than people buying the more expensive Mac's at the time which is a nicer interface(Not everyone will agree). This means they have a bigger world wide installed base then anyone else

Now we have Mac hardware that can use both OS's Mac are seeing a bigger piece of the market, albeit slowly. but they are selling faster than PC's.

Now IBM , the father of the modern PC are investigating running on Mac Hardware and Software. The Mac software is actually a version of Unix/Linux

So it is possible that in a few years time Linux machines are more common place than they are now.

I use Linux/Unix/Windows and Mac machines and they all have there place in todays world.

Back to the orignal post. I would use and have done, use the £25 hard drive to reinstall a clean copy of windows. Or buy a USB adapter and plug the old disc into another computer after it has booted up. and then use a dvd-rw drive to get the data off, or another usb drive, which ever is easiest to get hold of.

Good luck with the recovery

 

[Dragon]

Buy or use a valid copy and pay your taxes that what made this country rich. The police are watching you. Or..............use freewares -not only it free, taxfree too. :bannana: :bannana: :bannana:

 

[andy_k]

Now we have Mac hardware that can use both OS's Mac are seeing a bigger piece of the market, albeit slowly. but they are selling faster than PC's.

On which planet?

They may be selling more than they used to (particularly laptops) but to claim they are selling faster than PCs is a bit far fetched

Andy

 

[Sp!ke]

I'm really having to bite my tongue in this thread.

 

[Benzowner]

Overall view of the thread

I'm really having to bite my tongue in this thread.

Its nice to be ignorant and not know what all the fuss is about , you guys sure you are not arguing both ends against the middle, for and against seem to balance out.

 

[Dragon]

On which planet?

They may be selling more than they used to (particularly laptops) but to claim they are selling faster than PCs is a bit far fetched

Andy

Nah. Apple Mac are PCs because they ditched their own designed processors and use Intel instead. The only different is the OS.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Along time ago (5 pages ago on this very thread - no really, this thread! ) I had a problem with my PC, ive now pretty much fixed it - thanks to the people who helped out!

The only problem remaining is that I can only boot from the CD drive after I changed the BIOS to do it.

Now its impossible to access the BIOS as when the PC is booted up, it only says "Insert a valid System disc and press enter"

If I hold down F2 as soon as the machine is switched on, the same thing happens again. Any ideas guys?

 

[Dragon]

Along time ago (5 pages ago on this very thread - no really, this thread! ) I had a problem with my PC, ive now pretty much fixed it - thanks to the people who helped out!

The only problem remaining is that I can only boot from the CD drive after I changed the BIOS to do it.

Now its impossible to access the BIOS as when the PC is booted up, it only says "Insert a valid System disc and press enter"

If I hold down F2 as soon as the machine is switched on, the same thing happens again. Any ideas guys?

Go back and configure the BIOS setup by pressing the F2 repeatedly. (Are you sure it F2 not F1 or F12?-refer to your PC owner manual).

You haven't fixed your hard drive. Your hard drive is still corrupted else you may be able to boot from it. Before you reformat your hard drive retrieve as many files as you can by copying to another media like your memory stick. Then use the MS XP(or whatever)installation disk to reformat your hd and install the OS afresh.

 

[andy_k]

Can you reset the BIOS using the jumper on the motherboard? It should be in your motherboard manual, if it's not don't try guessing search the net to find out which one it is.

At least that should then prompt you to enter the system setup.

I'll disagree with Dragon here, it's entirely possible that you've fixed the hard drive problem - the reason you can't boot is that you've probably not set a "second boot device" in your BIOS

HTH

Andy

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Thanks for your replies!

Im writing this on the previously knackered PC

As far as I know, I have fixed the problem, its just that I cannot access the BIOS. - Would removing the BIOS battery on the motherboard reset it and return the system to the default?

I was able to access the BIOS with F2 the other day, thats why its booting from the CD - I set it to.
Come tomorrow when SP3 is out for everyone, im going to back up everything and do a clean install - stort out everything once and for all

 

[Dragon]

Thanks for your replies!

Im writing this on the previously knackered PC

As far as I know, I have fixed the problem, its just that I cannot access the BIOS. - Would removing the BIOS battery on the motherboard reset it and return the system to the default?

I was able to access the BIOS with F2 the other day, thats why its booting from the CD - I set it to.
Come tomorrow when SP3 is out for everyone, im going to back up everything and do a clean install - stort out everything once and for all

No. Try pressing F2 repeately during booting not hold F2 down.

If this still doesn't work then you need to identify the motherboard you got or least the model number and make of your PC by opening the panel. I bet you never done it before then it full of dusts.

Then go to the website or if you are provided with the PC owner manual(hardly any PC you buy nowadays provide) and you need to remove a jumper and align it to another position to reset the RAM. Power up the PC for a couple of minutes then power it off again and replace the jumper to the original position. If this still doesn't work then your BIOS is corrupted(which is unlikely depending what you did to the PC) you need to download the BIOS from the motherboard website and replace it.

 

[HughJarse]

I like others am finding this hard not to disagree with everything a certain person is saying.
You may find that it is the del button, or esc.
You do not need to power up the pc once you reset the bios jumper and the bios is ROM not RAM - I would expect someone with so much experience to know that. You do not need to open your case to identify the motherboard ( whether its dusty or not) use this http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
or this
http://www.sisoftware.net/

and to answer your question, removing the battery would do as you say and reset everything back to deafult.

 

[fredfloggle]

I like others am finding this hard not to disagree with everything a certain person is saying.
You may find that it is the del button, or esc.
You do not need to power up the pc once you reset the bios jumper and the bios is ROM not RAM - I would expect someone with so much experience to know that. You do not need to open your case to identify the motherboard ( whether its dusty or not) use this http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
or this
http://www.sisoftware.net/

and to answer your question, removing the battery would do as you say and reset everything back to deafult.

Generally the BIOS battery will have a capacitor in parallel, it may be necessary to discharge this too. To be pedantic as ever , normally EEPROM, but hey, what is two E's between friends?

As for the other thing, he isn't the only one who posts tosh, why worry?

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Thanks,

Its deffo F2 - its always been from when I built it, until when I set the boot mode to CD last week.

I will let you know how I get on?

Whos taking tosh!?!

 

[HughJarse]

As for the other thing, he isn't the only one who posts tosh, why worry?

Aye youre correct; I need to chill... wheres the strong coffee.

Back on topic, its a funny one that you cant get to the bios though.

Now I know this maybe a daft thing to say, but your keyboard is plugged in? It is the original and not a usb addon ( Im thinking maybe...just maybe the keyboard isn't functioning until windows kicks in)

 

[fredfloggle]

He is, I am, we all are.

 

[fredfloggle]

Aye youre correct; I need to chill... wheres the strong coffee.

Back on topic, its a funny one that you cant get to the bios though.

Now I know this maybe a daft thing to say, but your keyboard is plugged in? It is the original and not a usb addon ( Im thinking maybe...just maybe the keyboard isn't functioning until windows kicks in)

Hold down a key during boot, you will get a stuck key error on POST.