PC Problems? I am a PC TECH.

[sailove]

Thanks for the replie, I have another question I would like to ask. A while ago I got a virus. My antiviral software did nothing to help. (Nortons) The only solution I found was to reload windows xp, the old copy is still on my computer taking up space on my hard drive. When I start my computer I have a choice of 2 different installations of windows.I guess my question is: is there any easy way to delete this extra copy of windows or any easy way to wipe everything off my hard drive and just reload 1 copy of windows ? I still have my original disc with product code. Your help would be appreciated.

Originally Posted by johndowe

HI there.

You don't give me much to go on, so i'll give you a generic ansewer.

MOST of the time when a web page fails to load completely it's the web site's host that can't fill the demand and a time out occurs and the page doesn't download completely, there isn't much you can do since the problem isn't on your end but at the other end, all you can do is to refresh the page it sometimes works, or try later, also the problem can be poor site maintenance, and there too there isn't much to be done since again the problem is at the other end.

JohnDowe.

[johndowe]

Originally Posted by sailove

Thanks for the replie, I have another question I would like to ask. A while ago I got a virus. My antiviral software did nothing to help. (Nortons) The only solution I found was to reload windows xp, the old copy is still on my computer taking up space on my hard drive. When I start my computer I have a choice of 2 different installations of windows.I guess my question is: is there any easy way to delete this extra copy of windows or any easy way to wipe everything off my hard drive and just reload 1 copy of windows ? I still have my original disc with product code. Your help would be appreciated.

Hi there.

Any anti-virus will stop older well known viruses, but not all anti-viruses are kept up to date to stop the newest viruses.

How the intivirus works, is first it checks for older viruses in it's database, then ith checks the "behavior" of the programs, and if it does something it deems not "cosher" then it stops the process and flags it, but the line between well behaved programs and viruses is not all that well defined so some viruses may defeat this and infect your CPU.

This beeing said, when you installed the second copy of win you made a little mistake, you had to delete the partitions and re partition the drive with only one copy of win, but what is done is done.

Trying to erase the first copy of win can be problematic, Microsoft in it's infinite wisdom (ah ah ah) has probably used some of the files from the first win in the second one also it has a virus, so to be safe i would do a back-up of your most important files check 2 -3 more times to be sure and wipe everything and start from scratch with a reformated re installed win XP.


I am thining if i shouldn't do a post on installing win in detail and with all or most of the software you need to get up an running without having to allways look for programs you used to have or you should have...


JohnDowe.

[johndowe]

Originally Posted by no1000

You are a life saver! Ok how do i reformat my computer if I don't have my windows xp cd? The computer currently has windows vista but I like xp better. Anyway I can download it?

also...

any spyware/malware/virus remover I can download for free???

Hi there.


You know the old saying, you get what you pay for?

Well there you go with the free anti-viruses.


But about your CPU, if it came with vista, there may not be any XP drivers, so without the proper XP drivers you could do basic computer functions like most of the programs that come with win, but if you want to play music, videos, games and other more complex software you WILL need proper XP drivers, otherwise forget XP, try 7 instead, it is much better than vista.

JohnDowe.

[sailove]

Once again, thanks for your reply, and I like your idea of a post to install windows, but my problem is not in the installtion but in wipeing my computer clean and starting again I don't mind looking for and reinstalling programs I use (except for sound drivers, that can be a bitch) it gives me something to do besides viewing porn LOL. I guess my question is : Is there any good resource material(book) that will give me detailed info (on wipeing my comp clean for a new start) that you can refer me to ? Thanks again

Originally Posted by johndowe

Hi there.

Any anti-virus will stop older well known viruses, but not all anti-viruses are kept up to date to stop the newest viruses.

How the intivirus works, is first it checks for older viruses in it's database, then ith checks the "behavior" of the programs, and if it does something it deems not "cosher" then it stops the process and flags it, but the line between well behaved programs and viruses is not all that well defined so some viruses may defeat this and infect your CPU.

This beeing said, when you installed the second copy of win you made a little mistake, you had to delete the partitions and re partition the drive with only one copy of win, but what is done is done.

Trying to erase the first copy of win can be problematic, Microsoft in it's infinite wisdom (ah ah ah) has probably used some of the files from the first win in the second one also it has a virus, so to be safe i would do a back-up of your most important files check 2 -3 more times to be sure and wipe everything and start from scratch with a reformated re installed win XP.


I am thining if i shouldn't do a post on installing win in detail and with all or most of the software you need to get up an running without having to allways look for programs you used to have or you should have...


JohnDowe.

[johndowe]

Hi there.

Wiping everything is VERY easy, when you go through the process of starting to install windows, and you are at the select destimation disk drive for installation, you read and select the "c:" particion and you enter d to delete it, win will ask you to confirm and you do so (with all the partisions), and then you select the unpartitionned space (the whole disk) and you do a FULL format, it takes longe but it erases everything and it rewrites the whole disk in effect doing a good job of checking it, and you follow the rest of the win installation.

DRIVERS...

Drivers aren't a bitch to find as you seem to think, unless of course the manufacturer of your PC's main board is out of business.

Brand Name PC's: Ex: DELL Optiplex GX280.

You go on to the internet to www.dell.com and look on the page for "support or driver download".

Then you enter the model name & Number; Optiplex GX280

Then the OS Win XP

and you D/L the Audio, Video (not Monitor), Chipset, Lan, if you have a modem and other interfaces you will need to D/L them too.

Then you install them one at a time and reatart as they require.



JohnDowe.

[sailove]

Thanks once again for your reply, I'm going to try it tommorow, so if you don't hear from me it didn't go well. LOL

Originally Posted by johndowe

Hi there.

Wiping everything is VERY easy, when you go through the process of starting to install windows, and you are at the select destimation disk drive for installation, you read and select the "c:" particion and you enter d to delete it, win will ask you to confirm and you do so (with all the partisions), and then you select the unpartitionned space (the whole disk) and you do a FULL format, it takes longe but it erases everything and it rewrites the whole disk in effect doing a good job of checking it, and you follow the rest of the win installation.

DRIVERS...

Drivers aren't a bitch to find as you seem to think, unless of course the manufacturer of your PC's main board is out of business.

Brand Name PC's: Ex: DELL Optiplex GX280.

You go on to the internet to www.dell.com and look on the page for "support or driver download".

Then you enter the model name & Number; Optiplex GX280

Then the OS Win XP

and you D/L the Audio, Video (not Monitor), Chipset, Lan, if you have a modem and other interfaces you will need to D/L them too.

Then you install them one at a time and reatart as they require.



JohnDowe.

[johndowe]

Hi there.

Sorry, i wanted to include this part to my previous post but i spaced it.



If your CPU is a clone the startup screen may identify what brand and board number if you are lucky, otherwise you may have to open the case (you only need a medium phillips + screwdriver) and look for the p/n, many are like this:

P4PE

or

P5S2-ATI Rev1.1

Then you go to the manufacturer's web site ex "asus" @ www.asus.com and fund the driver d/l page enter your bord # and OS and download all the drivers and install them.


Then do the same for all the other cards that are in the CPU A flashlight might be usefull.



JohnDowe.