DbLH3liX

Thank you both for the replies So the laptop's drive, when I use it as an external drive using win10 show (I think it was) 4 partitions, however Recovery and what I assume is the OS (the biggest partition) are not readable, ie I couldn't get a list of the files/folders IN those two partitions. Does this mean I have bad sectors on the disk? SMART tells me that the drive was used for 269 days (not long,eh?) so I assume it wasnt correct, but who knows lol If I DO have bad sectors, and I clone the drive then try to repair the OS now on the clone, won't the bad sectors area on the original drive be a blank area on the new drive? Also what app could I use to restore the OS? (You mention USB programs to do this.) I was thinking that the mbr was damaged and needed rebuilding, but on the original drive my live boot cd couldnt read the files to copy over and repair the boot sector. I'm hoping to repair, rather than factory reset for now as my father has since passed and I'm hoping to recover any photos etc on the drive, if at all possible. Dad pretty much only used the laptop for emails and some online shopping and sometimes my mum would skype relatives and play some bubble bursting game (!), so it's unlikely he'd installed any dodgy apps...the laptop just refused to boot one day, and so I suspect that the mbr was damaged. Thanks again for your help. I'm willing to take the time to restore the OS without factory resetting/reinstall if at all possible. And yet again we learn the value of creating recovery disks .. (which he didnt do).

I have a Toshiba P200 with a crashed (no longer booting) hdd. It had Vista, and the OEM key label is on the bottom. I know that Vista is no longer around, but what exactly is and OEM release? While it wont boot in to windows, I can see there is a recovery partition on the HDD if I view it as an external drive connected to another pc. I know it's now an older laptop but when my dad first got it he was so chuffed and it was so ahead of it's time compared to the desktops we had, and a lot more expensive lol. I couldnt find the recovery disks (assuming it came with some) and assume this OEM key is for a specific version of Vista, or is this not the case? Any help would be lovely, thx

Thank you @luweitest and @w2k4eva for your replies. I'm only just catching up on this update journey so no, I haven't yet applied the POSReady patch and to be honest I'm not really sure what it does but I wanted to be as up-to-date as possible before researching it any further. As for the folder of the package installer, I do have C:\WINDOWS\system32 (like everyone else with a 32bit XP) but I don't have that folder at all so perhaps you are right in that I need that update (to install that folder) before the others can install, which I think I'm going to go ahead an do manually if they're not installed by WU again. I assume the list in WU via my popup is the order of importance because when I checked out the update catalogue the dates for the updates weren't in order, so therefore I should install them manually in the order they were offered. Is this the case? Updating IE6 to IE8 seems to have been the "trigger" to re-activate WU. Is it WMP11 that takes away the ability to play all files? Currently I have WMP9 and am happy with it. It plays most files and the ones it won't, I use VLC to play anyway. I'm not sure I really want to mess with media player since it's not broken...unless it was a "critical" update ..?

Thanks for the info @luweitest It's interesting that when I reboot, I'm offered 94 updates via the systray popup but if I close it, the WU shield will still sit in the systray this time with only the above update being offered. After reading about each update offered on reboot, on the next reboot I chose around 40 of them to be installed and all appeared to be going well however the only one that was going to be installed was again this same KB898461. So I cancelled it. Like I said in my H3llo thread, I'm not sure what I did but I seem to have broken IE8 somehow. System properties says XPpro 2003 SP3 and winver says MS Windows Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp.080413-211 : Service Pack 3) if this helps.

I think I've done something wrong. I installed IE8, at last, then the rest of the files as listed in my previous post and the exe to do the certificate update. IE8 is not connecting to windows update. If flashes between with the header bar "Microsoft Windows Update" and the following site: http://fe2.update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us The loading bar is full, but the page just loops and goes nowhere. What did I do wrong? Before doing this I had 93 updates in the little shield in the systray so I thought I'd go manaully get them through windows update this way. Still, something is obviously not right. Thanks in advance.

Awesome! Thanks @Mr.Scienceman2000

So I can't do a clean install and use the win7pro key? These pc's don't have their original HDD's. Unless I can install win8.1 with the 7pro key I'll have to hunt down a win7pro iso then. Thank you @Mr.Scienceman2000 and @Mcinwwl for replies and being for patient

Okay so since I can't access anything on https://imgur.com (still in Chrome 49 for now btw) I thought I'd start the update process today. I set a restore point and then went to install IE8. I got the splash screen asking me to install the malicious software tool and updates, but since I wasn't sure about either, I uncheck it, clicked next. It appeared to be installing but then I got an error that it can't be installed, to restart to undo changes and on reboot it offered to send an error report which had appcompat.txt in it. The link the failed install left on my desktop leads to a page no longer found. Was I supposed to uninstall IE6 first? Interestingly on reboot my IE6 now does indeed connect to the internet . It has errored for years, but I don't use IE so didn't bother with it. On launching IE6 by accident (went to press the desktop button) it opened, connected to Google (my home page) and in the options I now have several more TLS's which are checked. Also on reboot I got another windows update popup with a TON of updates listed. Of course I will go thru this list and decide whether or not to install them. For example, many of the first ones listed are .NET framework 2.0, 3.0..etc and updates to those Do I still need IE8 or was that the purpose of installing it (get winupdate to work again)? Did I start the update process in the wrong order? So far I have (and yes, I numbered the order to install in my files : 1: 001_IE8-WindowsXP-x86-ENU.exe (soooo...I just went to open my list of files, and have just realised maybe it failed because I unplugged the drive that has IE8 on it, maybe that's why...duh) 2: 002_POSReady_updates(install_BEFORE_IE8_CU).reg 3: 003_windowsxp-kb4019276-x86-embedded-enu_(update_for_POSReady_2009).exe 4: 004_ie8-windowsxp-kb4316682-x86-embedded-enu_(CU IE8_POSReady_2009).exe 5: 005_install after IE8 CU.reg Thanks for everyone's help

Thank you for the replies So if they key is for win7 professional, which equivalent version of win8.1 and win10 would they be?

Backstory: I was gifted three desktops so long ago that I don't remember their history. Today: I dug out these desktop towers which have all had their HDD's removed, but have win7pro key stickers on their cases. Would I be able to use those keys to activate either Win8.1 or Win10 pro? The only hardware that will change in their current setup will be the addition of a HDD to install the OS on. I know SSD's would be better but that's an option for a later time (ie I dont' have a spare laying around). I have Win8.1 on a laptop - I like it more than win10 but not as much as XP . However Win10 seems to be a necessary evil to run specific software, now that I'm into VR but I'd like to install win8.1 on at least one of the desktops. Also, since my Win8.1 is on a laptop I don't have the install media (it's a Lenovo laptop). Would someone be so kind as to link me to offline installation media (iso) for 8.1 please, since I'm sure it's out there, I'm just having trouble finding it. Offline install is preferred due to my limited data allowance, so that I can make an install dvd and then of course keep for any future reinstall/repair. (Pretty sure they don't have wifi cards atm either.) Thanks in advance

Oh, man, I just posted this in my H3llo post. I forgot I'd already asked, sorry. Well, good news! You did indeed get to me on time, coz it's still waiting patiently in my systray. Thanks to not a lot of trust in updates, I didn't install it yet without asking advice. I'm so terribly worried that one wrong click on an update will just lock me out forever! This is quite a daunting journey I'm on right now. I didn't follow your links because I didn't install the update, but I'm assuming they're fixes (that I won't need..yay). It's been soooo long since I even had WU turned on that I don't know how to get it to stop offering me that particular update - other than install which I see now is not the best option. Thank you for your response

Got locked out for a day, but I'm back now Thank you again, @Mr.Scienceman2000 On a side note, I recognise the site that that file links to. I have "spoken" to that site owner via youtube comments recently, before finding MSFN. Lovely man, very fast to reply and very helpful In other news: I turned on WU a few days ago, and curiously woke up the next day to this nag in my systray: critical update for winxp: KB898461 Details from the WU nag box: Size: 477 KB This update installs a permanent copy of Package Installer for Windows to enable software updates to have a significantly smaller download size. The Package Installer facilitates the install of software updates for Microsoft Windows operating systems and other Microsoft products. After you install this update, you may have to restart your system. More info from update catalogue site: Description: This update installs a permanent copy of Package Installer for Windows to enable software updates to have a significantly smaller download size. The Package Installer facilitates the install of software updates for Microsoft Windows operating systems and other Microsoft products. After you install this update, you may have to restart your system. Architecture: X86 Classification: Critical Updates Supported products: Windows XP 25/3/2008 Is this an updated msi? I hope it's not a DRM. Is it indeed "critical"? Should I install it now, or should I wait until I've "finished" updating the current version of XP that I have (never really finished tho eh? ) And yep, that's the ONLY update I've been offered Tho I'm well aware that XP's EOL was lonnnnng ago. (But I'm still offered this one? Weird.) Thanks again, friends.

The second link you gave me leads here: https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/ScopedViewInline.aspx?updateid=a44a5d21-93f4-4d05-8028-461efb2f2de9 but it's an update for IE8 (Cumulative Update for Internet Explorer 8 for WES09 and POSReady 2009 (KB4316682)) I'm looking for IE8, but for XP it seems to be gone from the update catalogue. I did find this one: https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/ScopedViewInline.aspx?updateid=fbd8316c-68b4-47c3-8059-b826cc72efc6 Internet Explorer 8 for Windows Server 2003 Last Modified: 8/24/2009 Size: 16.1 MB (KB944036) But the more info button leads into nothingness with a bad gateway error. Sorry for all the n00b questions, hopefully I'll be able to pay it forward when someone else is new

I've recently turned on auto updates after years of having it turned off and today I have an update notification for KB898461. The details say package installer: Update for Windows XP (KB898461) Last Modified: 5/23/2008 Size: 476 KB (Gosh remember when updates really were this small? ) I prefer to download updates manually and in there entirety then install offline at my leisure. I'm wondering if this will change WU into a DRM? I'm also unsure what exactly POSReady2009 is. I'm currently XPproSP3, IE6, Office 2007, and no doubt in need of a couple of updates which have been mentioned in another thread, however since this one popped up natively I'm wondering if this is the installer (4.5) that you are discussing...?

Thank you @Mr.Scienceman2000 for leading the way. I can see many restore points being made in the coming weeks Hopefully I don't break anything I don't use an email client, again from the days of never downloading mail, but reading it online paranoia. Pretty sure that option saves me a little data too, since I don't download what I don't read. Thank you everyone, for making me feel welcome.

I'm not sure how I've irritated you, and I'm sorry for that. I'm not a die-hard for Chrome, as I mentioned in the other post FF broke for me using winXP at around 3.1 and had it not constantly crashed on me, I'd have stuck with it. IE was never an option coz, well, it's IE. Chrome has worked the longest for me, but no longer working well, so time to move on and hopefully importing bookmarks, history, passwords etc won't be too painful.

Later on? Why? Does Explorer 360 have a bit of a learning curve? That was what I downloaded, but yet to install I think I stopped using FF at 3.1 when they added the app cache(??) It didn't play nicely with XP. Thank you for the welcome (and the review of my posts lol)

Oh the irony of not being able to follow your links

I checked junk in outlook mail, there were none from msfn. I used the "contact" button and never heard anything either. Okay, thanks.

Thank you @Tripredacus and @hpwamr for the warm welcomes Sadly, yes, it's still true that WU breaks things, but I'm hoping for some fixes Just trying to figure out where to start.

I've been lurking for a couple of days due to not being able to register with my main email (msn/hotmail account). I don't have an ISP, I have a mobile phone with a hotspot hence the msn account from centuries ago. I'm using my preferred OS: WinXPproSP3 32bit. I was a die-hard for WinME and it took a lot of convincing for me to move on up to XP, back in the days of mega paranoia where we just did not update, or WU broke things. I'm really tired of ppl taking the micky for my love of XP but I think I've found a supportive crowd here, by the looks of what I've seen while not being able to verify (again, lurk mode lol). Most of my updates were from long ago. My Windows Update looks antique now and I just get the msg that it needs to connect to internet. Well I'm obviously connected, tho WU can't see that. Despite getting there through Help & Support, it looks similar to an IE that us diehards stopped using as soon as our WinXP was up & running. (IE6 is the one I have installed but only ever used it to download a better browser.) I don't know where to start :-\ I'm using Chrome to browse and it's on v49 and will no longer get updates. I come across many many sites that I cannot view because the site is insecure or some similar message, and if I really want to browse whatever those sites are I have to break out my Win8.1 laptop, or view the google cached version (in which case I can't follow links on the page for the same reason that I had to view it cached). I'd much rather use XP..and Win10? urgh I don't like it at all. I believe my issue may be with TLS and the fact that I don't have 1.2, but not really sure. There is sooooo much information on this server that I'm kinda stuck with where to start. EOL for XP? Um not according to this server lol and thank you to all those keeping it alive! If someone could point me to the right door to begin my update journey that would be awesome! I also have two Vista laptops. Gifted. One is 32bit the other 64bit. And 3 recently gifted socket 775 desktops without HDD's so they'll be fun projects too. I already mentioned the Win8.1 .. and there's the gaming rig with win10 that's stuck in a bootloop lol fun times. So anyway...Hello!

I can confirm this. I've been trying to register for two days with an msn/hotmail account and despite resending the activation many times, I never got it. Are msn accounts blocked? Like the OP I had to use a gmail account to log in, but I check that like once a year, so how can I use my primary account here? msn (hotmail) account?