instalation of IE8 killed XP machine HELP!

[Soundguy]

here's a question.. I know on that pc ( it's a compaq ).. it did not come with a xp cd, but rather had it pre-installed, and there is a hdd partition that lists it as a recovery partition.. am I correct in assumming that's where I would look to repair the system?

I do have access to a xp pro cd.. but the pc is home edition.. not sure that is of any help.. when I get home tonight I'm going to copy a few more files off the hdd to my old clunker dell optiplex.. just so I have them archived.. then I'll toss the hdd back into the hp and see what i can make her do. I vaugely remember making some system restore cd's 'way back when' .. not sure if those are any different than the recovery partition?

to answer an earlier question.. no weatherbug.. in fact no programs thay stay connected to the internet.. this pc was originally on dialup.. and only the last couple years got dsl.. etc..

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

here's the latest.. I believe I have backed up all the data I can't live without off that hdd.. will try a windows repair when i get hom if I can figure it out from the recovery partition.. or if I really do have those disks I made ( i think I made? ).

one of the most important things is I was able to setup my palm pilot software at least on my work computer so I can still use my pda untill I get my home pc straightened out.

next question.. my work pc is vista.. it doesn't show me file extensions.. just shows the name.. none of the .xls .exe .. etc is there a setting I can use so I can see the file extension after the name? I use quattro pro spreadsheet software and it wigs out if I don't name a file .xls.. but when I copy the file, I see it is named 123xyz.xls.xls If I remove one of the .xls quattro pro no longer will open the file.. weird...

soundguy

 

[MossRoad]

here's a question.. I know on that pc ( it's a compaq ).. it did not come with a xp cd, but rather had it pre-installed, and there is a hdd partition that lists it as a recovery partition.. am I correct in assumming that's where I would look to repair the system?

I do have access to a xp pro cd.. but the pc is home edition.. not sure that is of any help.. when I get home tonight I'm going to copy a few more files off the hdd to my old clunker dell optiplex.. just so I have them archived.. then I'll toss the hdd back into the hp and see what i can make her do. I vaugely remember making some system restore cd's 'way back when' .. not sure if those are any different than the recovery partition?

to answer an earlier question.. no weatherbug.. in fact no programs thay stay connected to the internet.. this pc was originally on dialup.. and only the last couple years got dsl.. etc..

soundguy

We have a few Compaq and HP machines that have a recovery partition on the hard drive. I think you have to hit F11 or something to get into it at power up. That partition usually restores the machine to factory condition ad will most likely wipe the XP partition and roast all of your data and programs, but I could be mistaken. I do not know if it is the same thing as a repair from an Xp installation CD. We do not use it very often as we usually use Norton Ghost to restore custom images to most of our machines.

We also have several Compaq and HP machines that did not come with a recovery partition or recovery CDs. It had instructions to make CDs when you first turned the machine on. I am currently fighting an 11 disk restore of a laptop that does not like disk 7. Basically, I am rumpled. The restore CDs are worthless (my favorite word today) if they are not made correctly. There is no option to check them when they are made. Ouch!

 

[MossRoad]

...
I do have access to a xp pro cd.. but the pc is home edition.. not sure that is of any help.. ...

That may not work. XP can be pretty picky about which operating system it can restore from and to. It may come up right away and tell you the disk is not the same as the OS on the machine. You will have to try it and see. We do not have XP home on any of our machines here at work (or at home, either).

 

[MossRoad]

here's the latest.. I believe I have backed up all the data I can't live without off that hdd.. will try a windows repair when i get hom if I can figure it out from the recovery partition.. or if I really do have those disks I made ( i think I made? ).

one of the most important things is I was able to setup my palm pilot software at least on my work computer so I can still use my pda untill I get my home pc straightened out.

next question.. my work pc is vista.. it doesn't show me file extensions.. just shows the name.. none of the .xls .exe .. etc is there a setting I can use so I can see the file extension after the name? I use quattro pro spreadsheet software and it wigs out if I don't name a file .xls.. but when I copy the file, I see it is named 123xyz.xls.xls If I remove one of the .xls quattro pro no longer will open the file.. weird...

soundguy

I have never installed or used Vista. My guess is it hides file extensions and types to prevent hacking. From what I have read, Vista is a security pig. In XP you can choose to show or hide file extensions and hidden system files. Don't know about Vista.

 

[Soundguy]

I have never installed or used Vista. My guess is it hides file extensions and types to prevent hacking. From what I have read, Vista is a security pig. In XP you can choose to show or hide file extensions and hidden system files. Don't know about Vista.

I think you are correct on that. In xp, I remember turning on the file extension in 'view' I think.. in vista.. I see no such capability.

oh well.. quattro pro seems able to open a file named .xls.xls with no bugs.. so i won't mess with it.

will reply to your other messages under seperate messages to keep thread straight.

(thank you for the help - all of you )

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

yep.. I know I keep refering to my machine as an HP.. though it is branded compaq.. pretty much same thing though.

in any case.. yes.. i do see a f10-recovery option on the bios screen.. I'm guessing that's what starts the recovery partition.

I also -think- I have a 6 cd set I made at startup when i got the pc.. had one chance to make them I believe.. if I have them.. you think it's any better to use them.. or the recovery partition?

at this point.. I will have or will be able to backup any data files i need to my old dell optiplex ( 25$ school sale special.. cheap pentium 4 pc.. got it at school auction.. had monitor and keyboard and mouse.. basic.. but I can get on the internet with it while my other old pc is down! ).. in any case.. I've already archived about 11g of data.. and will give one mor elook before i throw it back in the compaq... at this point.. even if it wipes and resets it back to xp sp1 and ie 6.. I'l be ok.. I can download new video card drivers I'm pretty sure.. and otherwise.. not much else matters.. had a game or two on there I never use anyway... now have the files and #'s to reinstall my palm pilot software too.. .. so should be able to get her back operating.

will email any questions I have... will not try the xp-pro disk.. sounds like issues will result..

thanks

soundguy

We have a few Compaq and HP machines that have a recovery partition on the hard drive. I think you have to hit F11 or something to get into it at power up. That partition usually restores the machine to factory condition ad will most likely wipe the XP partition and roast all of your data and programs, but I could be mistaken. I do not know if it is the same thing as a repair from an Xp installation CD. We do not use it very often as we usually use Norton Ghost to restore custom images to most of our machines.

We also have several Compaq and HP machines that did not come with a recovery partition or recovery CDs. It had instructions to make CDs when you first turned the machine on. I am currently fighting an 11 disk restore of a laptop that does not like disk 7. Basically, I am rumpled. The restore CDs are worthless (my favorite word today) if they are not made correctly. There is no option to check them when they are made. Ouch!

 

[aczlan]

I have never installed or used Vista. My guess is it hides file extensions and types to prevent hacking. From what I have read, Vista is a security pig. In XP you can choose to show or hide file extensions and hidden system files. Don't know about Vista.

Here are reported directions for Vista: Vista: Show or Unhide File Extensions they worked for me on Windows 7, so they should work for Vista.

Aaron Z

 

[Soundguy]

menu was a lil different on my side.. but it worked.

thanks

soundguy

 

[California]

FWIW -

1) Compaq's hidden 'restore' partition only could do one thing the last time I used it: flush the machine to a as-delivered pristine XP install. All your data goes away.

I used this before donating a Compaq to a school. I assume 'restore from hidden partition' is intended for just that, to flush a machine before re-assigning it to a different user, or before retiring it. It's not data recovery! And it sounds like your Compaq is from the era I'm talking about. Maybe the newer ones added a 'restore and save your data' option.

2) My wife's Vista/Fry's laptop just failed same as your XP Compaq. Boot is a flash of the power-on light, a momentary grunt from the HD then one from the CD ... then nothing.

About one time in ten I can get into the bios, where I set boot order as CD first HD second, everything else Default. This didn't help. Boot from the provided 'system restore' CD has exactly the same results. And the CD only contains a 'flush everything' restore option.

And occasionally I can get the boot choices screen, then boot into Safe Mode. I restored the earliest System Restore Point which was just before a major Microsoft automated maintenance download; maybe that included IE8.

While it will occasionally show the boot choices screen then accept non-network Safe Mode, normal Windows boot continues to fail 100%. Safe Mode will continue running as long as you like, so it doesn't seem to be an overheating or damaged HD issue.

I suspect the Automated Update from that background Microsoft weekly update download is what killed it.

Is anyone else experiencing what Soundguy and I encountered after installing Microsoft's latest and finest?