TheFlash428

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It just started recently. I have not touched the BIOS. Where do I find memtest? Having a little trouble figuring out this forum so if I mess up, sorry. Thanks What kind of computer is it? I've had this problem happen to several Dell laptops before with no solution ever working (including re-install). Seems to be more hardware related.

LE4 (modified) is one of my favorites. Given only the originally installed options, definately Windows classic. Luna, to me, still looks like "My First Operating System". (My apologies to those who may not remember Sony's "My First..." line of products--but they were electronics marketed for use by smaller children with oversized multi-colored buttons and knobs).

Yes, this is 100% normal.

I have to agree...Norton (symantec) seems to be a lot better at telling me I'm infected than actually preventing it, but I try to use good practices anyway. (Forced to use symantec corp ed at work).

Here's what my steps would be: (I'm assuming this is a WIRED connection). 1. Check router -- use 2nd computer if available. If it connects, router is OK. 2. Check cable -- use 2nd computer if available. If it connects, cable is OK. (goes along with step 1). Once you can eliminate these two sources, on to the computer. 3. If IPCONFIG shows an IP of 0.0.0.0, this is strange, but probably means that the NIC device is at least turned on, but I would check that in device manager anyway. 4. A simple DHCP failure will usually result in a 169.x.x.x address, not a 0.0.0.0 address, which may indicate that the NIC is not detecting the connection at all. Are there connection lights on the device where the cable plugs in? 5. Did you check the TCP/IP settings to make sure that a static IP hasn't been set? 6. If you've done all of this (and everything else sugguested in other posts) and it still doesn't work, post your findings to these steps here. Also, see this.

Yup--I'm guessing you installed the "Vista Sidebar" at some point...

Check out TheDate! (Just kidding! -- "Similar Topics" claims another victim!)

If this is just an issue with boot order, here's an easy way to fix it. First, as Ponch said, when you reboot, don't press any keys when the "Press any key to boot from CD" message appears. If you don't get that message or if that doesn't work, try this: After the first setup stage is finished and you get the 15sec. timer before the reboot, eject the XP disc before the computer reboots. Once the computer boots to the Windows XP splash screen, re-insert the CD before the 2nd phase of installation starts. If that works, you may have to eject the CD once again AFTER the second phase finishes, or it is possible it will boot from CD once again, taking you back to the original windows installation screen. Just eject the CD and reboot. If that doesn't work, then you probably have a different problem--post what occurs here.

Yes--you have to create your own custom management console though. Start --> Run... --> mmc File --> "add/remove snap in" Add... Choose "Event Viewer" and ADD it, close the Add Snap-in dialogue box. Click OK. You have have a custom "Event Viewer". Choose the options you want, then save the console. When you open it, your setting will be restored.

Hmm...this is a pre-RTM SP2 file. (Plus, it's not available anymore). Is there a way to patch the existing termserv.dll?

Wow! OK, few things first... First, if I read you correctly, what you're ultimately trying to do is create an exact copy of your hard drive's current configuration (image), so that in the event that you have to do a restore, you will be able to apply this backup and save you from having to install all of your applications and updates again? This is called "restoring from image"--the "image" being the copy of your hard drive. Like most things computer related, there is not 1 single best way to do this--it all depends on what you have and what resources are available to you--but since you've taken the time to provide so much info, I'll try to help as best I can... In order to do this, you will most likely need some software. Symantec (Norton) Ghost and Acronis True Image are two well known disk imaging applications out there, but there are many others as well. Given the software you listed in (2), I'm not sure what "Disk Image" is, but you may want to look at that. Any software should come with instructions on how to use it to create your backup image. Second thing is to consider what you're going to be writing this backup to--another HDD, a separate partition, or possibly CD/DVD media. Keep in mind that you'll need enough space to backup your entire drive; if you have a lot of stuff on your primary HDD (C:\), then the image of that drive could be considerably large. For the average person trying to back up a home computer, DVD media is often the most convenient way to go. For you SP question, NO, if you have already downloaded and installed the update via Windows Update, then you do not need to download the service packs again. If you backup your drive to an image, you're basically making an EXACT copy, so all the installed update and services packs remain in the same state as when the backup was created. Same goes for drivers. The issue with drivers you discuss would be required if you were going to reinstall XP from a brand new source disk (which you do not have)--you are trying to make a backup image to reinstall with. It's good you already have a backup of your personal files and programs--you should do that regardless before starting this process. It *may* also be a good idea to delete any personal files (esp large ones like movies or music libraries) before making image, since you've already backed them up elsewhere--this will reduce the overall size of the backup image. So, to summarize: 1. Backup important personal (non-system) files on HDD...I believe you've already done this. 2. Choose a disk imaging software. Follow instructions provided. If you can get this far, you should be able to ask much more specific questions that will be much easier of us to answer.

Is this the same TCPIP.sys from the SP2 version of XP, or is there a new one for SP3?

Your english is just fine (better than some who claim it to be their native tongue). How were you able to determine this? I have a computer at home that is has the same configuration (nLite, SP3, ran July patches yesterday). I will check for you if mine has suffered the same fate.

Yeah, I have to agree that I'd be a bit more concerned about the "disappearing" applications. When you try to open the file, does it actaully say that the computer can't figure out what program to use to open it, or are you getting some other type of error? To just "disappear" would be VERY STRANGE behavior, and if true, would be indicative of a much more serious problem--so you may want to let us know some more details about that. That aside, I second the recommendation of Open Office as an alternative the the Microsoft Office suite.

SP2 was released in August 2004. So basically you haven't updated your computer in almost 4 years? Personally, if I was running on a fully patched system, I wouldn't worry too much about SP3, but given the fact that you state that you haven't run any updates since SP2, it might be a good idea to update. Of course, you would want to completely back up your system before applying a major update like this, and only you know what may be best for your system. As far as the WGA, the only reason to really avoid it is if your running a non-legit copy of XP, otherwise it's pretty harmless (IMO).

How 'bout not hiding in the first place, since that kinda defeats the purpose... /Sorry--not trying to be rude, but no, I don't think there is a way to do that. I've been proven wrong before.

Please nrever spread bad or incorrect information... nLite does a better job at everything than MS could ever even imagine doing. Don't hate. In fact, the slipstream method MS recommends isn't even used for making a CD (since, obviously, MS never wants people to burn a Windows CD), it's used to "update" an "installation share". nLite does a better job at actually making it a CD. edit: That KB article you linked ISN'T EVEN RELATED to the post you wrote... but it's probably the solution to this problem... could you at least have said that instead of dissing nLite? OK, so to update this even more, I just looked on the nLite website, and as long as you are using at least v.1.4.5 you should be OK, as nLite claims the problem was fixed. Note that it says that if your using Vista as your host and your using an RTM version (aka "gold"/aka no service packs), you must slipstream SP2 first before slipstreaming SP3. If you've done all that and still have issues, you may want to check the nLite forum, or try to make the CD using an XP host.

Yes--there have been documented errors concerning slipstreaming SP3 on a host box running vista. I thought that nLite had fixed that, but maybe not. I've never tried to do it on a vista computer before.

Thanks for replying, Joe. To a large extent, I was waiting to see what options Windows would provide before deciding exactly how to use the second drive. Having said that, I guess the main purpose is to use it as a back-up facility. Cut & Paste will work, of course, but I'm surprised I can't send stuff direct to the 2nd HDD by right-clicking on a file and choosing "Send To" - after all, I can send stuff to the CD-RW this way. Using Cut & Paste does seem rather primitive. I hadn't thought of installing apps on the 2nd HDD, I wonder how Windows is going to allow me the option of 'pointing' to the 2nd HDD if I can't send a text file there? John Latter / Jorolat Images of Dover Basically, the second hard drive is simply added as an extra storage device for you to use. I'm not why there is no "Send to..." option, but that really just a shortcut to copying files anyway. If you want to use it as a backup, you can also scedule backups of your system drive to the new hard drive that will automate the process for you. There is software available that can do this, or just use the builtin Backup software included with XP. (Start --> All Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> Backup).

Yeah, I've created my own MMC consoles for many things in the past, so I should have thought to suggest that, but it still bugs me that the builtin managment consoles won't save the view settings.

Sadly, I have never found a way to get this to work.

From the start menu, go to "Run..." and type "msinfo32.exe" Choose the export option to save the report. You can attach that file to your post. No, internet will not work in standard safe mode as the network devices will be disabled.

not to my knowledge,but after you install it you can go to start /run and type or copy this into run . compmgmt.msc ,and go to disk manager and click on the c drive and right click it and go to change drive letter , i have never done this so im not sure what will happen ,good luck It won't allow you to change the drive letter of the partition XP is installed on. At least not from my experience.

+1. I'm sure whether the mods you've made to the windows appearance are your problem or not (and if so, I wouldn't know how to resolve it), but I agree with eyeball.