please help before i throw my pc in the bin!

chardonnay_2

loaner wrote: »

i edited last post, you are checking that the copy has worked.

dir c:\windows\repair\software
dir c:\windows\system32\config\software

they should be both identical if the copy worked.

first command pc says - the system cannot find the file or directory specified

banger9365

try it loaners way first has a new psu costs money
i think it could be two thing
weak psu
or a bad copy of windows (the disc)

chardonnay_2

loaner wrote: »

post 29 suggested it was there?

cd \windows\repair
dir software

it says 07/15/08 07:23p -a

---

8716288 software
1 file<s> 8716288 bytes
153888727040 bytes free

chardonnay_2

could it be the xp disc/ software. i had xp in my pc but don't have or didn't get a disc when i bought it, but i have the serial number certificate of authenticity etc. when the pc first crashed last year a friend downloaded a copy of xp to reinstall it. should i buy real xp software? just annoys me when i paid for it originally with my pc but microsoft won't help as it wasn't a seperate software purchase

gaming_guy

chardonnay wrote: »

could it be the xp disc/ software. i had xp in my pc but don't have or didn't get a disc when i bought it, but i have the serial number certificate of authenticity etc. when the pc first crashed last year a friend downloaded a copy of xp to reinstall it. should i buy real xp software? just annoys me when i paid for it originally with my pc but microsoft won't help as it wasn't a seperate software purchase

as long as you use the license key (on the C.O.A. sticker) that was supplied with the computer, you should be fine

chardonnay_2

gaming_guy wrote: »

as long as you use the license key (on the C.O.A. sticker) that was supplied with the computer, you should be fine

it never asks me for a licence key i think the download is cracked so it automatically finds a valid key - but not mine

fwor

gaming_guy wrote: »

as long as you use the license key (on the C.O.A. sticker) that was supplied with the computer, you should be fine

But the OP says "a friend downloaded XP" - presumably from a file sharing network, so it's quite likely that it's either corrupted or - more likely - had a rootkit helpfully added in by the originator of the download.

When it was described as "bought off Ebay" I (wrongly) assumed that it was an original CD.

I'd suggest you throw it away and buy/borrow an original CD, as you can never tell what malware has been added to a shared copy.

chardonnay_2

loaner wrote: »

is the date and time of the software file in the 2 directories identical?

if it is, you may as well reinstall or do a repair install.

you can use any legit disk, using your serial no, but you may have to install a few extra drivers to get it working fully. Then it will need some AV software, and patching at www.windowsupdate.com

Why this happened in the first place is difficult to diagnose after the event. If you do a full (not quick) format of the drive, that should rule out a hard disk problem, and you can run drive diagnostics as well to further check.

okay will do how do i do drive diagnostics?

banger9365

i need to ask some questions
do you have a legit code for windows ?
are you using a freinds copyed disc of windows ?
have you ever put you code into windows when using your friends disc ?

they all should be yes and if the last one is no you have a bad copy of windows,that mite be you problem


you need to borrow an orginal windows disc and install with your code
you need to get rid of the naff copy of windows before you can diognose any other problems and trying to fix the bad copy could be a night mare,even for some that know what there doing because you do not know whats corrupt and whats not and the file siezes will show the right sieze

fwor

banger9365 wrote: »

i need to ask some questions
do you have a legit code for windows ?
are you using a freinds copyed disc of windows ?
have you ever put you code into windows when using your friends disc ?

they all should be yes and if the last one is no you have a bad copy of windows,that mite be you problem

You don't need to ask those questions.

The OP has already said "a friend downloaded a copy of xp to reinstall it" and "it never asks me for a licence key i think the download is cracked so it automatically finds a valid key - but not mine".

As every legitimate copy of XP asks for a licence key, it can't be a genuine copy, and has been "fiddled with" in some way. IMO it's highly probable that it has a rootkit pre-installed which is causing the problem.

You're right to say that the OP needs to obtain/borrow a genuine Windows CD and use their licence key with it.