please help before i throw my pc in the bin!

chardonnay_2

to clarify - i originally got xp already installed on this machine when i bought it and have a c.o.a but no disc.

the pc first crashed and as it was out of warranty. microsoft wouldn't help as the software was preinstalled and not bought seperately.

i grudge paying for another xp when i have already paid for it.

a friend downloaded a copy of xp for me to boot the system as at the time this pc was our only pc but it never asks for any code it automatically installs.

none of my friends have an xp disc i could borrow as their systems came preinstalled like mine plus they all now have vista.

as the pc suddenly started crashing more regularly (about 3 times in last week alone). we tried to look for solutions - one was to buy a boot disc from ebay to try to repair xp - doesn't work.

i have no idea what a rootkit is?

basically i have reinstalled the xp disc but no idea if/when the pc will crash again. i would be grateful if anyone could tell me what to do / how to check for problems to try and stop it happening again other than buying another copy of xp as i can't afford it at present.

is there any chance the manufacturer would supply a boot disc if out of warranty?

chardonnay_2

loaner wrote: »

start, run, devmgmt.msc

find the disk

the error message sounds like a corrupt registry (could you tell us the full message), which is usually a logical corruption and not a faulty hd.

okay under drives i have 2 drives called samsung sp1604n i take it i just go to samsung and go to support?

fwor

chardonnay wrote: »

is there any chance the manufacturer would supply a boot disc if out of warranty?

Sorry, but no, your contract is with the person who sold you the PC - the manufacturer has no obligation to you at all if you didn't buy it directly from them.

A rootkit is difficult to describe in simple terms. Essentially it's a way to produce a "backdoor" into Windows that is ~very~ hard for antivirus programs to detect.

More info here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootkit

Your easiest solution may be to go onto Ebay and get yourself a genuine XP install disk and then use your licence key with it. Make sure you get one that's the same version (e.g. XP Pro if that's what you have a licence for).

And yes - your drive is probably a Samsung Spinpoint, so you should have no trouble finding their diagnostic tools.

Leopard

To be honest, finally "throwing your PC in the bin" would be the wisest and most enriching thing you could possibly do.

What has all this demonstrated to you?

You only have to read through your own thread to realise what a nightmare the whole PC/Microsoft/virus/clunkiness experience is.

The briefest of glances at the forum front page displays the fact that over 99% of those battling with computer problems of horrible complexity are using PCs.

Be honest. How many people here are complaining about problems with an Apple computer? Virtually none.

Have you the courage and independence of mind to turn your back on the whole ghastly Microsoft mess and buy a Mac?

Probably not.

But if you did, your life would be transformed. Apple makes the hardware, Apple writes the software, Apple knows what it's doing and it all just works - properly, reliably and straight out of the box. Nor do they suffer from any virus problems. How many hours of your life have been spent battling with those?

Needless to say, this advice will get ruthlessly attacked from the hordes of people out there who get their rocks off by revelling in the whole complex and unnecessary battle with technology that using a PC involves.

But who needs it?

Psyche yourself up and just dump the thing. Dust your hands and walk away from it all, avoid PC World absolutely and go buy a Mac.

If you do, you'll never regret it.

This could be the best thing that's ever happened to you, computer-wise, if it prompts you to do that.

A whole, new problem-free computer experience awaits you if you have the strength of spirit to ignore the "experts" and just go for it.

chardonnay_2

fwor wrote: »

Sorry, but no, your contract is with the person who sold you the PC - the manufacturer has no obligation to you at all if you didn't buy it directly from them.

A rootkit is difficult to describe in simple terms. Essentially it's a way to produce a "backdoor" into Windows that is ~very~ hard for antivirus programs to detect.

More info here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootkit

Your easiest solution may be to go onto Ebay and get yourself a genuine XP install disk and then use your licence key with it. Make sure you get one that's the same version (e.g. XP Pro if that's what you have a licence for).

And yes - your drive is probably a Samsung Spinpoint, so you should have no trouble finding their diagnostic tools.

pc was from pc world an advent - think it's their own brand.

i went on samsung support and enterted the model number and it came up with about 5 technical downloads but no info about what they do - i'm scared to download them in case i make it worse. i am now going to do the malware guide on this forum to help in the meantime.

i downloaded crap cleaner last night and went to registry and it found loads of issues including 3 system 32 errors and fixed them.

thanks for the tip on what to look for on ebay will check out the prices.

[Deleted User]

Leopard wrote: »

To be honest, finally "throwing your PC in the bin" would be the wisest and most enriching thing you could possibly do.

What has all this demonstrated to you?

You only have to read through your own thread to realise what a nightmare the whole PC/Microsoft/virus/clunkiness experience is.

The briefest of glances at the forum front page displays the fact that over 99% of those battling with computer problems of horrible complexity are using PCs.

Be honest. How many people here are complaining about problems with an Apple computer? Virtually none.

Have you the courage and independence of mind to turn your back on the whole ghastly Microsoft mess and buy a Mac?

Probably not.

But if you did, your life would be transformed. Apple makes the hardware, Apple writes the software, Apple knows what it's doing and it all just works - properly, reliably and straight out of the box. Nor do they suffer from any virus problems. How many hours of your life have been spent battling with those?

Needless to say, this advice will get ruthlessly attacked from the hordes of people out there who get their rocks off by revelling in the whole complex and unnecessary battle with technology that using a PC involves.

But who needs it?

Psyche yourself up and just dump the thing. Dust your hands and walk away from it all, avoid PC World absolutely and go buy a Mac.

If you do, you'll never regret it.

This could be the best thing that's ever happened to you, computer-wise, if it prompts you to do that.

A whole, new problem-free computer experience awaits you if you have the strength of spirit to ignore the "experts" and just go for it.

What a ludicrous post. This is a software or simple hardware problem that can be solved, and if nothing else is also a lesson for the OP and advancement up the learning curve, but instead you want someone to go out and buy a completely new system that could up upwards of £1,000. It's a typical Apple zealot approach to things.

Whole ghastly Microsoft mess? Could you care to explain that to me in technical terms, infact as technical as you need to get your points across.

Any operating system is only as ever secure as the pink fleshy thing that uses it.

[Deleted User]

fwor wrote: »

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.

From what the OP describes, it's more likely to be a version of XP that's been configured with the unattended installation options, which would explain the lack of having to enter a serial key in etc.

fwor

be_alright wrote: »

Any operating system is only ever as secure as the pink fleshy thing that uses it.

Great phrase!

Leopard's post isn't quite as ludicrous as you suggest, in that I don't think anyone would dispute that Apple's current OS is intrinsically more secure than Win XP. But you're right that the suggestion doesn't make a lot of sense in this context.

To the OP: I ~think~ that PC World will provide a Win XP installation CD, if you still have proof of purchase from them, for a "nominal fee". IIRC it's not quite as "nominal" as you'd expect, but still cheaper than buying retail. May be worth giving them a call.

be_alright wrote: »

From what the OP describes, it's more likely to be a version of XP that's been configured with the unattended installation options, which would explain the lack of having to enter a serial key in etc.

Possibly. But the point is that if you download something on a file sharing netork that you suspect has been "cracked" - as the OP's friend apparently did - then you simply have no way of knowing.

[Deleted User]

fwor wrote: »

Great phrase!

Leopard's post isn't quite as ludicrous as you suggest, in that I don't think anyone would dispute that Apple's current OS is intrinsically more secure than Win XP. But you're right that the suggestion doesn't make a lot of sense in this context.

PFTI is a common acronym in our team to refer to how much a damage an end user could do to one of our programs unknowingly. Pink Fleshy Thing Impact

I did mean in the context of the thread. Almost like telling someone who's put Diesel in an Unleaded car that they should just go and buy a Prius instead, doesn't help the matter at hand.

Possibly. But the point is that if you download something on a file sharing netork that you suspect has been "cracked" - as the OP's friend apparently did - then you simply have no way of knowing.

I agree that it's very much a game of russian roulette, it's hardly worth chancing when you can buy XP OEM for £60.

jaydeeuk1

Has Steve Jobs hacked in to Leopards MSE account!?