jaclaz

Yes, as long as you can boot . But don' t worry you are set in such a way that you can always boot *something* with any of the two bootsector codes in effect. And even in the case of Murphy's Law events, like (say) a power outage in the exact split millisecond the code is being written to the disk, there is always a way back by booting to the Windows 7 DVD, or to a USB stick, etc. jaclaz

The issue is not only that they all look alike, they additionally have NO MEANING whatsoever . Download the image, and print it in several copies, once "as is" and many more after having removed the explicative text. Then try giving one of the copies without text to anyone you happen to meet and ask them to write below each of them what they think the icon/pictogram represent. You will have on average 4 or 5 "correct" answers (correct in the sense that they will express the same concept of the original text). Another good question could be: What happens when a "live tile" crashes/loses connection? Possibly jaclaz

You still seem to be not fully "convinced" or have fully grasped the concepts, trying to be more explicit. You can run bootsect from either of XP or 7, as long as that drive is the one which gets the letter C:. As a matter of fact, there is NO WAIK for XP (and if it were it would not contain bootsect.exe), bootsect.exe was evidently developed AFTER XP (because all NT based systems up to XP/2003 ONLY used the "NT52" bootsector code) in order to fix the possible issue that Vista (which is the first NT based OS using the "NT60") install may cause. By pure chance the bootsect.exe that you got (from the Windows 7 WAIK) runs as well in prior systems (both Vista and XP), but it was "designed" to run under 7. Since now when you boot you get to the BOOTMGR->\boot\BCD choices, you have NOW the NT60 bootsector and you want to CHANGE that to the NT52 one, so that instead when booting you get to the NTLDR->BOOT.INI choices. To recap, if you run: bootsect /NT60 C: NOTHING will change as the command will re-write over your current bootsector code an identical one. if you run: bootsect /NT52 C: the bootsect.exe will replace your current bootsector code with the one invoking NTLDR (which is what you want). jaclaz

Strange that it is not in Home Premium There is no "real" need to install and not even to download the "full" WAIK, just for the record, it is possible to often get "parts" of it, but it is more complex. You can do with another tool, bootpart: http://www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm Unzip the bootpart.exe in a convenient path, let's say C:\bootpart. Boot to the XP. Open a command prompt and navigate to c:\bootpart (or whatever). issue the command: BOOTPART (without parameters), you should see a list of the drives, then run: BOOTPART WINNT BOOT:C: No WAIT, your volume is NTFS, right? Then bootpart will not do. You'll need to either download the whole WAIK or use the httpdisk driver, see: http://reboot.pro/topic/13049-extract-files-out-of-waik-without-downloading-whole-waik-first/ http://reboot.pro/topic/13049-extract-files-out-of-waik-without-downloading-whole-waik-first/?p=114118 jaclaz

Yeah, sure, do you remember how much that floppy drive did cost at the time (and how much the floppy disc was)? (and no, mass production has little to do with costs in this case) In those floppy disks you could actually align the heads (last ones I disassembled had not any provisions for that), they weighted, they were "sturdy", etc., etc. jaclaz

A floppy cleaning disk should clean the heads. I doubt that the surface of a 3.5" disk is dirty. The innovation (at the time) was the automatic shutter to prevent dirt to enter it. It is more likely that the floppy drive is clogged with dirt/dust and everytime you insert a disk in it some of this is carried to the heads. My advise would be to clean the inside of the floppy disk drive first thing, then get a (new or anyway "disposable") floppy disk and format it, write some files to it, re-read them etc.. There are serious risks that by putting the "good" floppy with software in a dirty or defective floppy disk it will be ruined for good. It is also possible that the original floppy lost some of it's magnetic "strength", but the steps above won' t make any harm anyway, whilst attempts to clean the actual floppy surface have good chances to make it unreadable. jaclaz

No. Meaning that *something*, *somehow* needs to "listen" to the keyboard checking if by any chance the user actually pressed the F9. This can be set to be the least "intrusive", but you have anyway to "pass through" a "special" MBR or a bootmanager of some kind. Sure, why not, a SSD is hard disk like device, only faster. No problems adding to the mix a Windows7. jaclaz

No. Drive letter assignnment may vary depending on which system is booted, it might be the same in your configuration, but you need to make sure that the "right" partition gets the "right" drive letter under the OS under which you will run bootsect.exe (which is the Windows 7), or alternatively change the C: drive letter in the suggested command to the one assigned to the (hd0,0), or, still alternatively, run the command from the XP (it should run as well but you will need to either copy to the XP the bootsect.exe program - which comes with Vista and Windows 7 but that is NOT included in the XP - or run it from a command prompt after having navigated to the Windows 7 System directory). To recap: there is NOT a bootsect.exe in XP it should run from XP alright nonetheless you need to run it (up to you deciding if running it from XP or 7) with the RIGHT drive letter (the one that is assigned to that partition under the booted os under which you run the tool) jaclaz

Sorry, but you got it wrong. The "icons-with-meaningless-initials ®" are reserved to the Japanese, Korean and Chinese editions. All western editions will use pictograms instead. Now, since the number of envies were not enough and not enough cross-linked, they will use as "creative base" for "free inspiration" the CLEAR design Ubuntu has recently adopted (without the English text, of course): jaclaz

No, it's the other way round. The new install of Windows 7 ran ("virtually", what was actually ran was another program): bootsect.exe /NT60 C: the result is that the bootsector is currently of the "NT60 type" that consequently loads BOOTMGR (and from it \boot\BCD). To "revert" you need to run (from the booted windows 7 and AFTER having verified that the C: drive letter belongs to first partiton of first hard disk, aka the (hd0,0) you got from the grub4dos command): bootsect.exe /NT52 C: the result will be a bootsector of the "NT52 type" that consequently loads NTLDR (and from it BOOT.INI). Before running it, do read the related articles on technet, though the good guys at MS managed to have an "older" article with a "higher" number and mixed (as usual) the minds of 3/4 to 4/5 of readers by using the (completely wrong) adjective "master" talking of the partition boot record code, do read the comments to this article: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749177(v=ws.10).aspx and further mixed mattters with the "7" version of the article (since the new switch /mbr was introduced): http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744577(v=ws.10).aspx jaclaz

Wow a calculator! What's so special about a Metro Calculator? Are they going to remove calc.exe? Or would they brag about selling an OS with 2 different calculator apps? And... Sound Recorder. If that ends up being true... and it is similar (or the same, yeah right) as SoundRec from Win9x, I know a lot of people would be happy with its return. Maybe they think that people remembering Windows 3.1 and all the way up to XP are all dead or became senile and forgot , I guess their next move will be to (re-)introduce the Object Packager, listing it as "new feature", it would probably be renamed "Content Integrator" or maybe "Modern merger". I wonder how they will manage to create a flat icon for the "box", though . jaclaz

Maybe you are not very familiar with the theory and operation of booting a NT based system. Brief "crash course" : All "MS" Operating System are quite "arrogant". When you install them they give you NO option but "automagically" take possession of your hard disk and do to it whatever they see fit. The standard booting sequence (for windows NT up to Server2003) is the following: BIOS->MBR->active primary partition bootsector-> NTLDR-> BOOT.INI choices -> loading of the NT OS The BIOS just reads the MBR (first sector of first disk in boot sequence). The MBR contains CODE (that normally only loads the first sector of the active primary partition in the partition table) and DATA (the partition table, the Disk Signature, the Magic bytes) The PBR (Partition Boot Record) or VBR (Volume Boot Record) or bootsector is the first sector of the partition loade dby the MBR. It contains as well some DATA (the so called BPB or Bios Parameter Block containng info on the volume, the filesystem, etc.) and some CODE (the code for a NT system load or chainloads NTLDR, we will call this code "NT52" you'll understand later why). With Vista (and following, like 7) the booting sequence remained the same BUT the actual files involved changed: BIOS->MBR->active primary partition bootsector-> BOOTMGR-> \boot\BCD[1],[2] choices -> loading of the NT OS The MBR uses slightly different code, but to the SAME effect (simply loads the first sector of the active primary partition in the partition table) The PBR has different code that loads BOOTMGR (we will call this code "NT60", you'll understand later why) [1] Normally when you install Vista or later over a disk that has already a BOOT.INI the choices in there are "imported" automatically in the \boot\BCD, but it depends on the exact way the install was performed (on what was actually "visible" during the install) [2] The BOOTMGR doesn't read only the \boot\BCD, but also (if existing on the same partition) the BOOT.INI, BUT it "discards" each and every entry involving an arcpath (like multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect) and ONLY reads those pointing to a file (like C:\grldr="grub4dos") There is an utility bootsect.exe that can be used with parameters: /NT52 <- this will re-write the PBR CODE (leaving the PBR DATA "as is") with one pointing to NTLDR /NT60 <- this will re-write the PBR CODE (leaving the PBR DATA "as is") with one pointing to BOOTMGR Most probably when you re-installed 7 you have hidden the partition where XP was or however the previous XP installation was not detected and was not added to the \boot\BCD. The PBR CODE was re-written anyway pointing to BOOTMGR. The "i only get a black and white menu with option of loading Win7 or grub4dos." is likely a "merge" of the contents of the \boot\BCD (ONLY the Windows 7) and of the BOOT.INI (only grub4dos, since arcpaths entries are ignored). It is easy to verify this, just add to the BOOT.INI a line like: C:\afakeentry="A Fake Entry" and see if it is added to the "black and white menu with option of loading Win7 or grub4dos". If you can re-cap your current situation of disks I might be able to provide specific instructions on how to solve the problem , in the meantime you can try selecting grub4dos in the choice you get, then press c to get to command prompt and at it: grub> type: root chainloader /ntldr boot pressing [ENTER] after each command. You should be able to boot to XP "as before" (i.e. see all the choices you have in BOOT.INI. When you run the "root" command, grub4dos should provide you with the disk/partition number, like (hd0,0), and when you run the "chainloader /ntldr" it should provide info like "Will boot NTLDR from.....". Please jolt down these info before issuing the "boot" command and post them. jaclaz

@Asp Try doing this: Or more simply. Go to Start/run and try starting command.com. In it run: SET Go to Start/run and try starting cmd.exe. In it run: SET You will see how the environment variables are different. As an example I have an old DOS program that I need to run from time to time that (Clipper based) and I have a variable CLIPPER=F253 ONLY when running command.com (and NOT when running cmd.exe), it is possible that EMS behaves differently, but it would be strange. jaclaz

Yes and no. Meaning that it depends if command.com is started or cmd.exe is. By default cmd.exe is started, I am not sure if when a dos app is started directly (like form Start/Run) this also happens. But if you open a command.com prompt and from it run the DOS app you should need not a .pif If you prefer, the cmd.exe command processor ignores config.nt and autoexec.nt, whilst the command.com command processor reads them. More: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314106/en-us

Sure , but the program produced config.nt and autoexec.nt @Asp WHY was config.nt copied as config.sys? You have to somehow provide environment parameters to the NTVDM: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_DOS_machine running 16 bit apps, don't you? JFYI: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324767/en-us http://home.earthlink.net/~infernosadventures/configuringdosemulation.htm jaclaz

Yes, that means "success" (in connecting only) . The adapter is OK, then. If you re-check the very first post of this thread, the "original" was to access the thingy with the PCB completely detached and then, at a given point, reconnect it, place screws back in their holes and tighten them while still "live" . Of course it is more risky (and you need to be more careful) than the later found trick of the cardboard (no risk of screwdriver slipping, screws falling and shorting anything on the PCB, etc.). An alternate way (which was never used/tested specifically on these drives but that has been used on other devices needing a "live" re-connection) is to make a cardboard mask of the "top" of the PCB, with just the screw holes "punched through", this way when you put back the PC and place and re-tighten the screw there is no risk of making shorts. But still the cardboard trick "between PCB and disk" has always worked, the matter is just that for *unknown reasons* for some people the head contacts were the one to insulate, for other they were the motor ones. It is very possible that your previous failure at connecting was a "glitch in the matrix" and if you try again you will connect alright. Double check the connections on the Tx/Rx pins, and if needed "tighten" them. No prob, you have all the time in the world (and even more) though I hope you are not attempting to do the unbricking on a bus or on a train . "unbricking on the road" and "juggling unbricking" are entirely new frontiers . You are welcome . Keep us posted of progresses/results. jaclaz

Strange, if it was an error, you should have something *like*: LED:000000CC FAddr:0024CDC9 RST 0x20M (P) SATA Reset Which TTL adapter did you get/use? Are you sure it is a 3.3V one? Can you try it with another drive? Is it properly grounded? See: BTW it is very possible that the drive is gone, but if now it spins (and it spins correctly) the spindle seizure should have not caused any kind of issue to the "firmware". The procedure you used to free it may well have damaged (further) something, but still you should have a "more verbose" kind of error. There is no such thing as "the card under the PCB", there is: card under the PCB head contacts card under the PCB motor contacts (if you tried the first, try with the second and viceversa) jaclaz

A nano-battery should be able to provide enough power to a nano-drone to fly it for a few nano-seconds. In the spoiler there is an image of an AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA sized prototype . jaclaz

But what do you have in the "plain" System Properties? http://www.sqldbadiaries.com/2011/03/01/disable-unsigned-driver-installation-warning-in-windows/ jaclaz

@Kel Reality check. You walk down the street and find a baby crying loud. What do you do? Try and find what makes him cry so loud and remove the cause (JFYI it is a thorn in his left foot) . Call 911/Assistance . Gag him before calling 911 or trying to find the cause. Behead him. Other (please specify) jaclaz

Don't try to be smart , the one in the photo is obviously the prototype of the hard disk drive support designed by Galileo Galilei in 1633 . The project started in 1632 to transform the tower of Pisa into a data farm is little known : (the idea was to use the wind going through the arches to cool the servers ) But hard disks manufactured before around 1700 needed to stay horizontal, hence the need for the inclined support.... jaclaz

In Italian there is a common saying (mocking a Law article), often used when there is a dispute, to mean that whoever has in his possession the money (or property or *whatever*) already won, will win anyway: Liberally translated into English (to try and keep the rhyme): I guess that it's time to replace "money" with "data", when referring both to the "cloud" and to the "prism" surveillance. jaclaz

Re: Windows RT Not really news: http://bgr.com/2013/03/07/windows-rt-criticism-362860/ http://bgr.com/2013/05/10/microsoft-windows-rt-analysis/ Almost news: http://bgr.com/2013/06/03/microsoft-windows-rt-licensing-fees-cut/ So the amount of (less) money is seemingly not only connected to just the device poor sales but also to the OS itself being licensed to less OEM machines or for a lower price... jaclaz

Do those mini PC's sport 4 little circular/cylindrical pieces of rubber on the top (one near each corner)? Seriously now, maybe they have been poorly or wrongly assembled by mistake, it is uncommon that a disk is not mounted in such a way that it is: horizontal with the label on the top side (and the PCB on the lower side) but see below, it is entirely possible. In "all in ones" the disk is generally mounted vertical, with the label facing outwards. It's several years that the disk drive manufacturer "allow" mounting disks "every which way you can", so no, it's not an evil plan to have those drives have a shorter life. http://www.howtogeek.com/128397/does-hard-drive-orientation-affect-its-lifespan/ On most laptops they are mounted "the right way", but there are more than a few that have them "upside down". I presume that the decision is made at design time depending on the expected airflow in the case. Can you provide make/model of those PC's and laptops? jaclaz

Not really. It is like reducing the numbers of fans which suction or blowing effects may interact and produce in the end a worse airflow than you would have with less fans. It is more like closing the windows of your car to get more speed. Not necessarily applying to your case, but concepts like turbulence and laminar flow applies to fans and computer cases: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbulence http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laminar_flow jaclaz