Bl@@dy computers

[EskiBrew]

Yesterday morning my laptop started hassling me to do a reboot because it had installed a Windows update - I was going out to visit a customer so I decided to shutdown and restart when I reached the customer. Bl@@dy thing would not restart properly - would boot into windows but keyboard and mouse were dead with processor time almost 100% on DPCs (deferred procedure calls).

All worked ok in safe mode so I was fuming with Microsloth assuming that their update had messed up a device driver. After live booting Ubuntu and backing up recent data, I spent hours restoring to different points before Windows finally refused to boot at all.

Today I reformatted the hard drive and spent hours reinstalling XP + SP2 + SP3 + ...
only to find exactly the same problem - arghhhhhhh :evil:

After considerable googling I finally came across an unlikely solution - remove the battery!
Thinking it would do nothing, I tried it and all is now well again :party: :evil: :party: :evil:

New battery ordered and I am now reinstalling all my software - grrrrrr

 

[unclepumble]

XP is dead long live Windows 7

Sorry to hear your woes EB

UP

 

[Kyral210]

XP is dead long live Windows 7
UP

Here here!!!

As a techy, I have this to say. Most errors in computers is not caused by the OS, but my the hardware. When I upgraded to Windows 7 (on day 1 of the release) my graphics card kept causing errors. SIX MONTHS of errors followed. This was right up until NVidia released a new driver specifically for Windows 7, and suddenly 100% of the errors just stopped. That story has happened countless times on other systems.

Moral of that story, always get the latest drivers for your hardware. Having said that, if the hardware itself is dodgy, you will get errors after errors no matter what drivers and OS you have running.

Now onto the OS. Yes, Windows 7 kicks XP into the dust. It is so wonderful compared to XP! Personally I prefer it to OS-X from Apple, but that is just my taste. I actually also prefer Ubuntu than OS-X, but again, just my personal taste. One thing I know, Windows 7 works great and is fun to use, but only if your hardware is good and you have good drivers.

P.S - I am using Windows XP SP3 and Office 2007 on my work laptop to write my PhD...

 

[evanvine]

You don't even need a new batt EB.
The removal and replacement did it all.

 

[screamlead]

Nvidia and ATI are renowned for bad drivers for any new OS released on the markets.
Laptop Batts never do what they say on the tin either.

I had to go out and buy a new splitter and router yesterday as the wild storms wiped out them out the other night.
Minst you i can still use the old one as a four port switch!
Still running XP SP 3 32bit here too not gone to Win 7 yet but played with a few and networking on Win7 basic and home is pants! ie. Win xp to Win7 but as ever theres a google solution to workaround it! lol :party:

 

[hairybiker]

Ahh the trials and tribulations of M$ OS's :lol:

At least you had a Live CD to recover your data. :thumb:

I just bought a new sata/ide -> usb dongle thing. Plugged into my Mint install no issues. Thought I will try it on my old XP l/t ...

What a new device - hmm - Nope no driver available
It DOESN'T NEED A DRIVER
From manual -
Under M$ ME/2000/XP/Vista, the system will find and setup the "USB Mass storage Device" automatically. :hmm:

Mind you the manual doesn't mention Linux, but as usual "It just works" :drink:

 

[jonewer]

Yes, Windows 7 kicks XP into the dust.

Whats so great about Win7?

 

[unclepumble]

Yes, Windows 7 kicks XP into the dust.

Whats so great about Win7?

It knocks XP into the dust, I used to fix a lot of home computers for people, in my spare time, I have noticed less and less calls from the people I have fixed PC's for when they have switched to Windows 7, because it just works, and does most things for you. (they haven't gone to another techie either)

I network at home on it and find its really easy to set up and use across 4 PC's

 

[CptnCrackoff]

Hi guys, as this is a bit of a tech-guy thread i thought i'd add my problem and see if anyone could throw a suggestion at me.....I have a freecom external hdd - 250gb.

It was formatted for mac when i had our imac.

It has 29gb of video footage and pics of the kids..baby pics etc etc.

Will i have to format the hdd again to use with windows??

my imac doesnt have enough spare memory to move the data to.

Is there anywhere online for mass storage of data??

I will be murdered in cold blood if i loose the data.

cc

 

[hairybiker]

Depends on what you formatted it to on the imac. I think the default is/was HFS+ do you may have to look for a driver to let you see the files.
If you can access the files on the imac and plug in another drive formatted to FAT32 then copy them over then they should be readable on virtually anything modern.

As to online storage for 29Gb... expensive and the time taken to upload it :shock:

Alternatively you could try a Linux live cd and boot your pc using it, it will see the HFS+ data and your NTFS drive and allow you to copy them over.

 

[Springer]

I will be murdered in cold blood if i loose the data.

Had a mate who was a few minutes away from this, as his microshaft windows had fallen out. As HB says a boot from linux, solved the job, used Puppy Linux, naff all size on a stick, to say the day.
Still can't fault my Ubuntu 10.10, dogs whatsits, and its free, as is all the extra software. Its come a long way, don't know why more people don't use it. :?

 

[Aleman]

Still can't fault my Ubuntu 10.10, dogs whatsits, and its free, as is all the extra software. Its come a long way, don't know why more people don't use it. :?

Ubuntu . . .Swahili for "Can't install Debian" :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[EskiBrew]

You don't even need a new batt EB.
The removal and replacement did it all.

Unfortunately not Jim - if I plug it back in then the PC grinds to a standstill again - the battery still holds some charge but the charging circuit must not like it up it.

Still can't fault my Ubuntu 10.10, dogs whatsits, and its free, as is all the extra software. Its come a long way, don't know why more people don't use it. :?

Agreed - it has come on immensely since I first tried it years ago - I have an old laptop with Ubuntu on for my lad to play with Gcompris etc. The amount of free professional quality software is staggering and most of the popular stuff has precompiled packages so it's uncommon to have to "roll your own" and then fight dependencies - well done to the open source community :clap:

I recently convinced my neighbor to try Ubuntu 10 on a laptop he had which would no longer run windows (i.e. it was entirely clogged up with crap) - he was skeptical as he is not that PC savvy however he came back the next day and said "it found my wireless and just worked".

Unfortunately most of my customers want programs written for Windows so that is what I end up developing on.

 

[artyb]

we have bought a few mac powerbooks on ebay for very little [ £150 - £200] ..a joy to use, and no faffing about... :party:

 

[Kyral210]

just to add more fuel to the fire, Windows 7 kicks ass because 1) it just works, 2) has a lot of clever stuff in managing the actual computer, file management and stuff that is just not there in Xp, but you never really see, it just gets things working, 3) the user interface is simple, intuitive and enjoyable.

 

[gsidford]

Ubuntu . . .Swahili for "Can't install Debian" :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I used to use Sidux which was a great distro based upon Debian Sid, that was until the Sidux group fell into arguing with each other and got tired with it (move on .. this isn't the distro you are looking for). Having a play with OpenSuse at the moment, seems fine but I am sure I will be back with Debian soon.

 

[Springer]

Been with Unbutu for a couple of years now and as E said there is loads of good software out there ready packaged up, used to be a fight all the time eight or so years back, installing new software.
It all just works now. I use the "normal" office stuff, photos, music etc, citrix to link into work which was up and running with 10.10 in a minutes, Qcad professional drawing package which is first rate, I actually decided to pay for this :) cos it was so good and had a few features that the community version was missing.
For "ordinary" users, no techie expertise needed now, don't know about games capability though ?, but for above uses very highly recommended.
S