Win XP Woes

[johnm]

Folks -

Okay, I'm going to call this an SB problem, and it is, in a very broad sense.

We are running XP and for several days the machine was running slow. I ran all the usual anti virus/spyware checks and everything came back clean. Now, upon booting up, the machine hangs up and will not get past the initial Win XP start up screen.

On booting, I can jump into f8 and start in safe mode, but have very limited use and DO NOT want to use the machine, or try to use the machine in any SB applications. When I first went into safe mode, I got a dialog box with the option to go back to a restore point. I did that, and the machine chugged along, finally giving me a message saying that everything had been set to the restore point and everything was okay. But, true to form for MS, everything WAS okay, except that it didn't work - the machine failed to boot up and on restart, and I was right back where I was.

We live in a small town and the two choices we have for local computer shops are not good. One outfit is worthless, and the other, which we have used, gave nothing but troubles after we had a larger hard drive installed last year.

We can make due for now by using another computer, but have tons of files on the one that is giving us trouble. I know, I know...

Some of you folks are Gods at this stuff, and I'm hoping you'll indulge me as to what the trouble might be or how severe it could be/is. If we have to get it to a shop, fine, but it would easily eat up a day of time to get it there, then back, plus the inevitable hassles.

Any ideas?

John Moorhead
Lakeport

[paco]

My best advice for a such situation and considering your level confidence (don't take it bad) would be to make what you can to backup everything that is important to you on either CDs, USB hard drive or LAN connection (other HD). Once you have it all safe, take this opportunity to re-install Window CLEAN AND LEAN. You'll be very please to run SB3 on a clean and lean computer. Before you re-install XP, make sure you have the very necessary hardware drivers handy though XP generally can live without 'em until you find 'em on the Web (that is using your other PC for Web surfing).

FYI, you'll do much better with friends help and advice than from any vendors and or "support" provider... keep that money in your pocket!

If you ever cannot get to backup your files from this messed up PC and can afford an expense, get a new (not too large) hard drive re-install XP on it then temporally connect the old hard drive to browse it's content and copy all you need from it. That would be my last resort advice. Good chances are that this hard drive is OK but it's just Windows that all at it lost and corrupted. You might want to consider one of those USB enclosure that make this old HD a backup drive...

Good luck!

[dvanr]

Hi John

Just had exact same problem with a customer in the print industry. Take a look at the MB in your Computer and see if it has caps that look like the ones in the following article.

http://www.siliconchip.com.au/cms/A_30328/article.html

[hespj]

There's always "System Restore" if the problems only a few days old.

[luke]

The true detail of your problem cannot be effectively diagnosed without hands on investigation. That said the most obvious problem you are having is a virus infection. Depending on the virus, going back to an earlier restore point most likely will not work. For around $400+ Geek on wheels can solve your problem.
I would try this first. On your other working computer perform following. (Be very patient some steps take several minutes.)

1.

[cnc_works]

John, I'm going to make a couple of assumptions and if they are true then your choices are a little limited.

1. You do not want to or are not "geeky" enough to work with the hardware in the box.
2. Drivers are something you use on a golf course.

If these assumptions are close to true, your options are limited, but the lesson learned from this may stand you in good stead for many years.

If this computer performs well enough for you, then you should consider sending it to a recommended (trusted) repair outfit with the instructions to re-install XP and transfer your shopbot files and other data to the new hard drive. They are almost surely intact and transferable. I do this for people several times a week. If it were in my shop, the cost would be $70 to install XP and all of the appropriate drivers and $25 to transfer the data from the old hard drive to a CD disk prior to re-installing XP.

As to learning from this event.

1. Never use your control computer for anything but controlling the SB. No surfing, no email, and, if at all possible, no design either. No internet - no exposure to virus or spyware (which, nowadays, is much more of a threat to your computer than a virus). No design software, or any of the usual support software means less potential for XP to be corrupted.

2. You must learn how to back up your data. From time to time (whatever time lapse you are willing to lose the data from) copy the data that you have created to another media. My favorite is to CD, but even duplicated on an external USB hard drive is better than nothing. Your computer is a gadget and gadgets break.

In the meantime, you may well be able to get through the immediate downtime by buying or borrowing an inexpensive computer, loading the SB software and using it until your good one is back from the repair station.

Moderately long post, but I hope it helps. If you want a friendly voice, email me for a phone number and I'll do my best.

Donn