instalation of IE8 killed XP machine HELP!

[MossRoad]

about 10hrs lost time..

That's the one that bakes my biscuits... If you wipe a PC and reload from scratch, you have to reload the O.S. and all service packs, which can take hours. Then you have to reload all of your programs. Then you have to load your data that you religiously back up every time you change it (wink wink).

At work it is no big deal, because we have ghost images of all of our configurations and the data is on the servers. 5 minutes and we are usually back up and running as good as new.

But for home users, it is extremely important to keep all of your data backed up on a different machine with off-site backups in case of disaster (a few CDs in the safety deposit box at the bank can be priceless after a disaster) and keep all of your software disks backed up in a safe place, too. The worst thing about rebuilding a home machine is locating all of the software you loaded on the thing over the years.

That's why I asked about bringing the machine back to life by doing a repair of the XP installation. It may have brought you back to a bootable point in about 10 minutes and then you could have uninstalled the culprit.... or it may have failed, too. But it is always worth a shot VS the 10 hour shift.

Anywho, glad you got things working again.

 

[2manyrocks]

I had an IT guy tell me to get a small hard drive to keep the OS on so it could be periodically wiped clean and to use a larger drive to keep data on.

My personal opinion is that MS is a huge pain for me to reinstall--especially compared to Linux or Ubuntu -----if you can disregard all the patches and stuff required in linux just to get a printer to work or to get some applications to work.

I'm still use MS on my primary PC because I use Paperport which requires Windows, but I have a PC loaded with the Linux based AristX ubuntu system I use to experiment with. Recently, I had to split a DVD file to work on some audio problems--and was able to split it with one of the free programs that came on the ArtistX disk. Also, I prefer KDE software for burning multiple CDs.

I agree with /pine that there are real benefits to having one of the linux disks on hand--PClinuxOS or AristX--they are super cheap and you never know when you might be able to do something in linux that you need to get done.

If you just need something to use on the internet, especially on an older PC with limited resources, then linux is a real winner. It's fast, stable, and very, very quick and easy to install.

 

[Soundguy]

got another question..

I'm on ie 8 now.. I use it on 2 other systems.. and am used tot he tabbed browsing. on my other 2 systems.. when i click a new link.. it opens another tab.. both machines do it.. but on this machine.. no new tabs.. all explorer links I click open int he same tab.. any idea how I can get it to make a new tab for each link I click?

thanks

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

would have loved to find a 'repair' option.. though couldn't.

DO now have my data backed up on a networked pc.. should be able to maintain that... also.. I'm installing a spare drive into this machine this weekend.. and will start keeping my data files on it.. and let the os have the primary drive... in the event of another windows burp.. at least my data files should be safe on the other drive.... drive is a leftover from a machine at work that lost it's motherboard a couple weeks ago ( also my machine.. which was a pain.. as I just had to set another pc up at work!!.. so in the last few weeks.. I've had to setup 2 pc's.. ARGH )

soundguy

That's the one that bakes my biscuits... If you wipe a PC and reload from scratch, you have to reload the O.S. and all service packs, which can take hours. Then you have to reload all of your programs. Then you have to load your data that you religiously back up every time you change it (wink wink).

At work it is no big deal, because we have ghost images of all of our configurations and the data is on the servers. 5 minutes and we are usually back up and running as good as new.

But for home users, it is extremely important to keep all of your data backed up on a different machine with off-site backups in case of disaster (a few CDs in the safety deposit box at the bank can be priceless after a disaster) and keep all of your software disks backed up in a safe place, too. The worst thing about rebuilding a home machine is locating all of the software you loaded on the thing over the years.

That's why I asked about bringing the machine back to life by doing a repair of the XP installation. It may have brought you back to a bootable point in about 10 minutes and then you could have uninstalled the culprit.... or it may have failed, too. But it is always worth a shot VS the 10 hour shift.

Anywho, glad you got things working again.

 

[cowboy357]

I,m not sure what you mean by the tabs opening automaticlly Soundguy , But I just click to the far right of the tab & open new tabs for each different link I want open . I doubt that helps any. . Glad to here You got it going though . Bob

 

[Soundguy]

if i have my windows mail program open and click on a link in an email, if there is no ecplorer window open, it starts one and puts the link in the first tab.. if i click another link it opens another tab.. etc.. etc.. that's how it works with 2 of my machines.. this machine, it keeps re-using that first tab and won't open others beside it.. I can manually open a tab and browse.. and if i click a link, the link opens back in that first tab instead of making new tabs... I'm trying to get them all working the same..

soundguy

 

[MossRoad]

so in the last few weeks.. I've had to setup 2 pc's.. ARGH )

soundguy

hee hee hee

I'm responsible for 50 servers, 50 support PCs and about 300 desktops, and maybe 50 laptops. I love weeks when only 2 have problems!

 

[MossRoad]

. I'm installing a spare drive into this machine this weekend.. and will start keeping my data files on it.. and let the os have the primary drive...

You will find that a pain in the neck. Here's why. Almost every program you install will want to install into c:\program files by default. Those programs then want to store the data in c:\program files\program name or c:\program files\program name\data or something similar. You will have to change the default file location for each and every program that you install. On some programs, like Word or Excel, the default place to store data is My Documents. You will have to change those programs as well or choose d:\my documents each time you save data. If you ever want to install, update or uninstall those programs, many of them will fight you because they will look in the default file locations from the factory, ignoring the place you chose to install them to. All kind of problems pop up.

My suggestion is to just install the programs to their default location and keep your data in c:\my documents. Then, on a regular basis, back up c:\my documents (and any other places you store data) to your D drive. That way you have your data on two physical drives. If one barfs, you still have it. Just be sure to make CDs or DVDs for disaster recovery once in a while, too. Disaster means fire, flood, hurricane, theft, etc... where the box is destroyed or stolen.

You can write a simple .bat file to copy the contents of your data locations to your D drive and then schedule a task to run the .bat file on a regular basis.

Another good backup option is Norton Ghost or a similar program. There are some free ones out there for disk cloning. Every time you add or remove a program from your machine, make a ghost image of it to your D drive. If your C drive barfs, just install a new C drive, pop in the Norton CD and boot from that. Then restore your Ghost image to your new C drive. It takes a couple minutes to restore and you are off and running again. No need to re-install anything.

 

[/pine]

With the size (capacity) of modern hard drives...by installing software (programs) on a separate partition...a partition of 10 gigs or less is all that is needed for the O/S (Windows)...this will allow a savvy user to partition the remaining capacity into several other drives (partitions) for programs and data that will not be effected if the "C:" drive becomes corrupted and requires formatting...

This also decreases the time it takes to defragment the c: drive

by leaving the (program) installation files on a separate drive (partition) should the C: drive and O/S need to be reloaded it makes the re-installation of programs much easier.

[just a heads up]
when shopping for a new hard drive always check the warranty...many of the cheaper drives only cary a 12 month warranty...the better quality drives have 5 year warranties...also if you leave your system run 24/7 it can it is advised to have your drives spin down after 15-20 minutes of inactivity (do this in the power settings)

 

[MossRoad]

With the size (capacity) of modern hard drives...by installing software (programs) on a separate partition...a partition of 10 gigs or less is all that is needed for the O/S (Windows)...this will allow a savvy user to partition the remaining capacity into several other drives (partitions) for programs and data that will not be effected if the "C:" drive becomes corrupted and requires formatting...

This also decreases the time it takes to defragment the c: drive

by leaving the (program) installation files on a separate drive (partition) should the C: drive and O/S need to be reloaded it makes the re-installation of programs much easier.

[just a heads up]
when shopping for a new hard drive always check the warranty...many of the cheaper drives only cary a 12 month warranty...the better quality drives have 5 year warranties...also if you leave your system run 24/7 it can it is advised to have your drives spin down after 15-20 minutes of inactivity (do this in the power settings)

The caveat there is "savy user".
And, using partitions does absolutely nothing to protect against hard drive failure.