horsecharles

Sorry i don't have an answer, but you've got me thinking: I thought anything but a 4k cluster size for ntfs was not advisable for optimal performance? I wish you a prompt solution... and I'd be grateful to hear your take on cluster size once your dilemma is solved. Good luck!

Oh, no Hoppy the only other thing i could think is temporarily slowing down the cdrom speed..... sorry to hear that......

Great, Dobby! Can i use that plugin in win9x... AND would that allow dumping Quick? Thanks.

2-3 years ago i went that whole route on 98, tried all those related progs-- it does use up resources. But maybe with a real modern system, unofficial service pack(and say 1gb ram as the new settings would allow), ME2SE, tihiy's almost finished 32bit icon support.... things could well be very different...... only one way to find out.....

I've not used zipped version in eons..... would it prompt you to download a missing plugin? If so, you could then trick it by answering yes, allowing it to redirect to quicktime site, & cancelling the download. This will generate an error message from Firefox stating the download or install failed, would you like to do a manual install-- answer yes, it will prompt you to browse to local location of install file; whereupon you would point it to your Quicktime ALTERNATIVE setup file & just re-run / overinstall that plugin. IF....big if..... the zipped version behaves in such manner, i'd almost guarantee this would solve your issue.........

can you be more specific: besides os, for what kind of file specifically, desktop shortcut, the icon shown in explorer ,,,,,,,,,,,???????????

I wouldn't pay all that extra money for the T1..... also IF your cable isp is seeking business agressively, they should have a business package for about the cost of the T1 line and say 8-12 down, 1-2 up.... OR: i'd much rather add a second web connection, usually for @50% extra, and just use load balancing & dual modems.....

I think 32bit to 64bit will just make too huge a difference-- esp w/ the subsquent versions of pci xpress & even grid processors / grid ram that don't need a bus. Imagine what Longhorn & a 64bit processor(or two or three) addressing a few dozen gb ram will be able to do.... i think this jump will be tons bigger than 16bit to 32bit. This may not be too apparent at first if Longhorn comes out with any significant flaws AND until apps get re-tooled for this. I think we're on the cusp of a major 'revolution" between that & 1gb broadband-- i remember the stone age days of dos and 9bps baud modems, & what we do today will soon seem like that. as an aside: most next-gen stuff like: the announced processor 10 times faster than athlon64, fits in a cellphone, 4/8 gb flash memory, grid technology, 1 terabyte cd's, etc. are all outside the ms/intel/amd camps... in particular ms & intel are on their way to irrelevancy. Look for Google to eventually supplant & dominate... Apple has a chance to hitch along if it's smart about forming relevant alliances....

Good luck== and don't discount your ram as a culprit, nor processor bios settings, even though partitioning seems the obvious culprit......

zprog: agree w/ everything except for maybe the 2mb download? Seems to me that at quite a bit of sites i can download 4-6??

Patio: It's taken me awhile to snoop around-- i'm still not sold on SP2 enough to install it: I would try the following varied cures I've seen to that issue(s): 1. Temporarily slow down your cd rom speed(as much as you want / can), clean the cd, burn it to another cd & try that, burn to hard drive & try from there... 2. Swap out each & all ram sticks, flash bios, temporarily use fail-safe settings(even & especially those for the processor itself) AND slow down your bus speed-- say to 100 from 133. (no high internal temps anywhere inside, SMART report for hard disk ok?) If not due to problem ram / processor-- once installed/repaired/updated, the settings can be restored & Windows has been reported to run ok...... The second point'll get me on a mini-rant: while there's wonderful technology coming out of Asia, there's also a lot of cheap/shoddy hardware-- Ram for one i'm seeing quite a bit more incidents w/ all over the net: (i'm becoming real dubious when not from known maker, esp. one offering lifetime guarantee).. there's a lot of flakey, unreliable memory-- it's just too tempting for unscrupulous persons to fiddle w/ the numbers, etc... msfn member erpdude8 i think would concur...... 3. The common & numerous issues re SP2: MSMVP MICHNA Windows XP Service Pack 2 Troubleshooter HTH....

some more thoughts, if you're still at it: PCHell-- How to Troubleshoot and Fix Limited or No Connectivity Error Message After installing Windows XP Service Pack 2 among other things mentions this MS patch for such problems: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...&DisplayLang=en at MSMVP MICHNA Windows XP Service Pack 2 Troubleshooter scroll down to: The Service Pack 2 firewall, Networking problems after installing Service Pack 2, etc., etc...... http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/bo...message.id=4588 List of fixes included in Windows XP Service Pack 2 (applicable network items highlighted) Good Luck, happy sloughing through all that while next to the fireplace & with a spiked eggnog in hand...............

That doesn't happen to me.... Try EditPad Lite -- very recommended also..... anything but original Notepad pls also getting mentioned often: Edxor & Notepad+ MDGx Freeware Notepad Replacements List Mentions PFE......& lists many others.....

btw If they offer new dsl service in your area with much-higher speeds, say comparable to your cable or above, it may be worth it-- likely it'd have fiber the last mile: bandwidth'd be solely each line's-- no concerns w/ heavy node usage lowering anyone's throughput.....

Have you been here yet: http://www.techspot.com/vb/archive/index/t-6762.html try Patio's fix. good luck

Computer stops responding (hangs) during setup when you install updates or when you add new hardware Article ID : 281967 Last Review : November 19, 2004 Revision : 11.1 This article was previously published under Q281967 On this page SYMPTOMS CAUSE RESOLUTION SYMPTOMS You may experience any of the following behavior: • When you try to upgrade your computer to Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me), your computer may stop responding (hang) during setup. • When you try to install a Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 service pack or a Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, your computer may stop responding when Setup is 70 percent complete, or you may receive the following error message: Error 52: Setup could not finish opening a file on your destination disc. • When you try to add new hardware, the Add New Hardware wizard may stop responding, or when you start up your computer after you add new hardware, your computer may stop responding when Plug and Play detects that a new device is installed or attached to your computer. • When you install critical updates from the Microsoft Windows Update Web site, your computer may stop responding. • When you install an update to the Microsoft virtual machine (Microsoft VM), your computer may stop responding. • When you install Microsoft DirectX 8.0 or higher, your computer may stop responding. CAUSE This problem may occur if too many device driver INF files (Oem*.inf) exist in the Windows\Inf folder. The Oem*.inf files can be created by Windows Update, Internet Explorer Setup, and any other program that uses the Microsoft Setup APIs if a disk utility program currently has a volume lock on the drive. Microsoft programs and third-party utility programs such as ScanDisk, defragment programs, and other system utilities must get a volume lock on the drive to control access by other processes to the volume. RESOLUTION To resolve this problem, apply the fix that is described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article: 301540 CreateFile improperly returns ERROR_ALREADY_EXISTS if the Drive is locked and the file did not exist To work around this issue, delete all the Oem*.inf files in the Windows\Inf folder whose size is 0 kilobytes (KB). To delete all the 0 KB files, follow these steps: 1. Set Microsoft Windows to show all files. To do so, open Microsoft Windows Explorer, on the Tools menu, click Folder Options, click the View tab, click Show hidden files and folders, and then click OK. 2. Click Start, point to Search, and then click For Files or Folders. 3. In the Search for files or folders named box, type oem*.inf. 4. Verify that the Look in box shows the Inf folder. Typically, the path to this folder is C:\Windows\Inf. 5. Click Search Now. 6. In the Search Results window, click the header of the Size column to sort the files by size. If you cannot see the Size column, maximize the Search Results window. 7. Select all the files whose size is greater than 0 KB to a temporary location. To do so, follow these steps: a. In the Search Results window, click the first file that has a size greater than 0 KB, and then press and hold down the SHIFT key as you click the last file that has a size greater than 0 KB. b. On the Edit menu, click Copy. c. Right-click an empty space on the desktop, point to New, and then click Folder. d. Type an appropriate name for the folder (for example, type Oeminf), and then press ENTER. e. Right-click the new folder, and then click Paste. 8. Remove the 0 KB .inf files. To do so, follow these steps: a. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then click MS-DOS Prompt. b. At the command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after you type each line: cd \windows\inf del oem*.inf exit Note This process can take several minutes, depending on the speed of the computer and on the number of files that are in the Inf folder. On older computers with a large number of files (40,000 or more), this process can take up to an hour to finish. 9. Quit the command prompt by typing exit, and then pressing ENTER. 10. Open the Oeminf folder that was created on the desktop, click Select All on the Edit menu, and then click Copy on the Edit menu. 11. On the desktop, double-click My Computer. 12. Locate and then double-click the Inf folder. Typically, the path to this folder is C:\Windows\Inf. 13. On the Edit menu, click Paste. 14. Verify that the files from the Oeminf folder have been successfully copied to the Inf folder by comparing the two folders. 15. Close all open windows. 16. Disable all disk utility programs, and then install the Windows Millennium Edition (Me) updates. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APPLIES TO • Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition • Microsoft DirectX Software Development Kit 8.0a • Microsoft Greetings 2002 Standard Edition • Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer 4.0 • Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 Service Pack 1 • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 • Microsoft Money 2002 Standard Edition • Microsoft Money 2003 Deluxe Edition • Microsoft Money 2003 Standard Edition • Microsoft Money 2003 Suite • Microsoft Office 2000 Standard Edition • Microsoft Office 2000 Professional Edition • Microsoft Office 2000 Premium Edition • Microsoft Picture It! Express 2002 • Microsoft Picture It! Photo 2002 1.0 • Microsoft Picture It! Publishing 2002 Platinum Edition • Microsoft SideWinder Precision Racing Wheel • Microsoft Age of Mythology • Microsoft Age of Mythology: The Titans • Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2: WWII Pacific Theater • Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 3: Battle for Europe • Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 Standard Edition • Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 Professional Edition • Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: Century of Flight • Microsoft Freelancer • Microsoft Halo: Combat Evolved • Microsoft Impossible Creatures • Microsoft Links 2003 • Microsoft Links 2003 Championship Edition • Microsoft MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries • Microsoft Rise of Nations • Microsoft Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots • Microsoft Train Simulator • Microsoft Zoo Tycoon • Microsoft Zoo Tycoon: Dinosaur Digs 1.0 • Microsoft Zoo Tycoon: Marine Mania Expansion Pack • Microsoft Money 2004 Deluxe Edition • Microsoft Money 2004 Premium Edition • Microsoft Money 2004 Small Business Edition • Microsoft Money 2004 Standard Edition Top of Page

Before I go repairing the wrong cause-- anyone suffering this(after applying service pack or ME replacements): clicking the arrow to open Address Bar dropdown menu freeezes/locks IE mid action..... only a hard task bar close exits this dilemma (freeze does not affect other open IE sessions, but the task manager close shuts all them down, even though listed separately).... thanx.............

Updates re opening message: On bootup desk icons appear quickly but load their image very slowly. Fixed-- load instantaneously now. Sometimes the QuickLaunch Bar disappears(taking with it systray/taskbar & start button)-- if you click open any desktop icon, it re-appears. btw i've dragged mycomputer icon to the top, creating a thin, vertical bar(width adjustable by you) on top: gives immediate access separately to any drive, disk, & some system folders-- less clicks than using explorer/mycomputer/start buttons. still happens, right-clicking, selecting properties, closing also restores it(calling up any menu / dialog box & closing it, or only opening any app, makes it re-appear(the whole line of start/quicklaunch/systray). My Briefcase not listed separately outside C drive in Save to/Browse to Dialog Boxes. fixed. If you have MyBriefcase open and simultaneously start a download AND your downlad settings are either to use it as default OR to the last saved location(which was coincidentally MyBriefcase): you will get a message that it's being used by another computer & get prompted to use a different download location. still occurs-- likely a default behavior.......... Web Folders icon not in My Computer anymore, this not changed by applied MS WBFLDRS update listed on MDGx site. still true. CD drive is listed as compact disc in explorer/mycomputer. Speaking of these: in View/Choose columns/ extra features you can choose. No way to get around though, after having booted out of safe mode, these & other folder settings have to be re-enabled. Also can't seem to get around some of the icons in both quicklaunch bar & favorites don't stay where one wants them: mini-groups of these get alpha sorted, others stay random....... all still hold, except for when coming out fo safe mode-- this after applying the option to view all folders like the present one. Start/Documents: that recent shortcut view, default & max 15 in w98, can be 0-to whatever now-- X-Setup has a setting tweak for this, & i posted reg change earlier somewhere. MaxRecentDocs is the Dword value. Worked for awhile with a higher number(set to 30)-- not anymore: only shows win98 max of 15 Search... seems to auto/default also do a text search inside windows cabs/inf files w/o needing to use the text search line directly beneath. Not true anymore.

I agree, stuffie699-- it's not like everyone else is on win9x & one's stubbornly clinging to Dos for doing everything. Now, 2/3 years into Longhorn release(barring any major problems / re-designs), the speed differences will be so great, that most will naturally migrate to it..... And it's not like the price differences are insignificant-- when a fairly nice system can be had for not a lot more than the retail price of XP.... Same w/ an lcd monitor-- i'd rather have dual crt's for the same money....

I'd look up WD's warranty period-- 4/5 years is about the upper limit for most-- they have a nice online diagnostic: anything shows up off, they'll rma it for you(do register it first though, as well as image everything off it)

The bent pin is something to look at--- what might happen in that case is the serial # reported for the hard drive would be off by a digit or two. If you happen to have it handy, you could quickly run Belarrc Advisor..... Alternatively, your Mfg's online registration / diagnostic would hiccup due to unrecognized / unknown serial #. I wouldn't hesitate to use them if i were you-- even if you've not registered it, most have a long warranty: 4 years? & will RMA it(copy everything off, you'll likely get a blank replacement). This is not likely, but if by chance you see any other issue, such as corrupted downloads and/or zipped archives, then i'd look at the ram as a culprit... One thing i harp on continuously, is hard disk temps: most of us monitor case, cpu, gpu temps: extra fancy heat sinks / blowers go on those-- but few of us even notice the usually empty & covered up front fan slots that could be blowing nicely on the dis©ks....... Good Luck......

OH, i'm on record to how good it's running-- tons faster: pages load so quickly, screeens refresh so quickly for the OS itself, not just explorer & IE.... more apps can be run concurrently... better recovery when low on resources..... I have nothing but good things to say..... & no bad tradeoffs to have to swallow..

Hey, Rob00GT... you're not the only one. I fixed mine(with ISP tech support) by uninstalling my firewall and spyblockers(assume you've got xp firewall disabled too), then installing isp software again(disabling firewall & spy apps & installing connection software wasn't enough). Others have fixed it with an app like this: edit-- this is probably easiest & most-likely fix http://www.snapfiles.com/get/winsockxpfix.html And here's MS article(have patience, ms site loading slowly during changeover): http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=842242 Good Luck!

azagahl: thank you kindly for your answer! MDGx you know for years i followed your autoexec/config advice: i began w/ Qemm standalone, then shifted to Umbpci/hiram/cloaking/cloaked mscdex & mouse, etc.... fell 6K short of matching you-- tried everything: disabled all ram/rom shadowing/caching, used emmexclude, a patched command.com... The one thing that was needed back then & nobody ever came up with publicly: that modded win.com from 4dos(win34?)-- if that could've been made to work better w/ msdos, cloak, load high.... Now ask me if i understand anything of what i just wrote.....

erpdude8... how do you rate MemTest86.... somewhere in between those 2?