Topic: Need P/C help (Read 7033 times)

E_Look · « **Reply #20 on:** February 22, 2004, 04:19:05 pm »

Quote:

Try downloading updated versions of Format.exe from Microsoft. Dell might have provided a "non standard" copy to prevent people who don't know better from formatting the C: drive.

Ha! Memories!

I DO recall typing, "format *.*" trying to clean out a floppy and instead wiping out my oh, so big! 30 MB MFM HD on my old Leading Edge Model D2 (Daewoo 80286 processor; hey, that was a sweet computer; I wish everything was STILL command line)! It took me a couple times of doing that before I learned my lesson!

Fortunately, only thing that was on there were a few word processor files and some Generic CAD diagrams; no games, of any kind!... which were backed up on my, oh, so big! 720 kB 5.25" floppies! (I didn't even get a mouse, math chip (80287, natch), nor 3.5" floppy drive 'til much, much later! But by then, even I knew better than to use "format" without specifying the drive! Ah, da skool o' hard noks.

JMM · « **Reply #21 on:** February 19, 2004, 03:56:59 pm »

I'm waiting for Win98SE to arrive in mail, but for right now I'm stuck with WinME. Now, when I check for errors it takes forever and never gets anywhere, and yes, the computer I'm using has Norton A/V. If I reinstall Windows on this machine, do I lose all programs and such that were on it already? I'm trying to get this machine squared away.

I miss my Sony Vaio, I would be playing RDSL right now.

Khalee · « **Reply #22 on:** February 19, 2004, 04:18:12 pm »

Yes you lose everything and you will have to reinstall everything after you reinstall windows unless you have a means of backing them up first.

And why are you useing win98 should be useing win2000 at least.

Gambler · « **Reply #23 on:** February 19, 2004, 04:22:21 pm »

If memory serves, ME is not very friendly. I believe that getting rid of ME pretty much rquired doing an FDISK and totally wiping the drive. Going to 2K at least allowed you to *upgrade* and save most things.

Lurker · « **Reply #25 on:** February 20, 2004, 01:18:33 pm »

Re-installing Windows doesn't usually require a format of the drive, (can't remember if your given the option or not), so I don't think you would lose all your programs. You will use all your shortcuts to them however, plus your drivers and some other bits and pieces. I've done it before with Windows 98, (not ME though), and most games and programes would run again after an operating system re-install but not all. It did mean digging through directories to remake shortcuts and sometimes CD splash screens would ask me to re-install games, (using the new shortcuts got around that obviously).

I guess it depends on the program and how much it is intergrated in the operating system.

JMM · « **Reply #26 on:** February 20, 2004, 02:02:51 pm »

Thanks Lurker, I went ahead and reinstalled, put my sygate, adaware, spybot, and norton 2004. Guess what norton 2004 found? Viruses!

Mexican cable cannot even compare to Roadrunner, yet I pay the same 40 bucks for this POS. Under fair trade you would think Time Warner could compete here, but noooooo, politics and rich businessmen have to be jerkoffs.

It saved all my programs, but my next question is this. When a fellow forum member ships me Win98SE will it get rid of all traces of WinME? WinME worked great on my Sony Vaio, but on this Dell P3 it is not so hot.

I have to see how finances are. I may want to get a new motherboard. Are most motherboard standard sizes and have same bolt on patterns? I'm currently using a Dell Dimension L933r. If you are wondering why I did not bring my P4 Sony it's because I will be back in Texas in a few eeks and that P/C is a must for my wife's college homework and other things.

Thanks for the reply man.

JMM · « **Reply #27 on:** February 20, 2004, 02:06:54 pm »

I did not see the extra posts, thanks to all of you!

You are wrong K, it does NOT wipe out your programs, it simply reinstalls the O/S. You are correct in a way though, as my Sony P4 has master disks and does an automatic format before reinstalling everything as if it was brand new out of the box.

BTW K, you still not have kept us informed of your situation, I take it then that things improved? You have any problems getting social services you let us know, write your reps, and give us their e-mails. This is one vet that will take the time to write your reps as well on your behalf.

Lurker · « **Reply #28 on:** February 20, 2004, 04:45:11 pm »

I forgot about "recovery CD's", where the OS is shipped with a pre made computer and deletes everything on your computer starting you from scratch. They are the devils work and must be destroyed and replaced with a pure OS disk.

Motherboards generally fit into any generic case on the market and usually will have lots of different holes on the board, (sometimes screws and spacers too), giving you many different mounting solutions. Dell, (also being the devils work), are kind of notorious for supplying cases and PSU's that are not standard making upgrades difficult in an effort to force you to buy more Dell products. At a pinch you could always buy a new PSU and case, they're really cheap compared to most of the bits in your system.

JMM · « **Reply #29 on:** February 21, 2004, 02:13:08 am »

Agreed Lurker, I hate this Dell with a passion, but it is all I have to work with right now. At least I can access the net, but cannot play RDSL for some reason, keeps telling me I have a firewall or I'm not online, yeah right, I'm not THAT computer illiterate!

I guess I will have to wait until I get my appts with VA in El Paso and buy a bare bones kit, then bring it back to C.C. and have someone take the parts out of dell and transfer to the new case, power supply. and M/B. Regarding the Sony and the master disks, I really had no complaints whatsoever, almost 3 years and not one single problem.

Stupid question, but the only stupid question is the one you never ask (ex military talk). How can I find out what memory this Dell uses? I guess it being a P3 the nanoseconds would not match a new P4 motherboard anyway, right?

Capt. Mike · « **Reply #30 on:** February 21, 2004, 05:55:37 am »

If you put a P4 in, you'll need DDR, as it won't accept the SDR that's in you Dell. Another problem with Dell's and Compaq's is they use a specific brand of memory, not generic, to get you to buy thiers. I don't know if you'll be able to use the Dell power supply, too. But, if you like to Ebay, I built a P4 system for my wife for Christmas, just being patient and only bidding at the last couple of minutes..got her MB for 48, processor for 30, memory for 26, case I bought locally for 60, and it came with a 350 watt supply. Had an old Matrox 64 Meg AGP card lying around, and took everything else out of her old comp. All in all took about 3 weeks (with shipping)..its only a 2 GHz processor, but she uses it for her home office and internet access.

Mike

Lurker · « **Reply #31 on:** February 21, 2004, 07:52:17 am »

What Mike said, plus:

I'm not getting a lot of info from Google regarding your motherboard, (Dell Dimension L993r). To help download a utility called SiSoft Sandra, ( Here ), this is a great program that will analyise your system and tell you what's in it. If you double click on the mainboard icon it will tell you what exact make it is and what memory it should be able to take.

There are many different processors and memory types out there and obviously it would be impossible for motherboards to support them all, therefore if you upgraded your motherboard to the latest you would have to upgrade your processor and memory as well. A better option may be to find out what your processor and memory types are, (you already said it was a P3), and find a motherboard that supports those so you wont have to buy more stuff. To be frank though I'm not sure if you'll get much of a performance boost if your just replacing your motherboard with one that is similar to one you already have. If you then decide to upgrade at a latter date you would have to buy another motherboard which would be a shame.

I've heard that Dell use power supply units that have non-standard connectors to the motherboard so you might have to fork out more money. Use SiSoft Sandra and let me know what it says about your motherboard and can assess some clearer options for you.

JMM · « **Reply #32 on:** February 21, 2004, 01:11:07 pm »

I made a boot disk, I'm so sick of this machine, even single player OP gets stuck for a few minutes then goes about it's merry way. Is there a format disk command somewhere in WinME? I'm gonna clean this machine out and start from scratch!

We have an office depot here in Chihuahua City, probably Spanish though

Capt. Mike · « **Reply #33 on:** February 21, 2004, 02:21:47 pm »

Your basic problem is going to be if your hard drive is formaed FAT or NTFS...if it is NTFS, it can never go back to FAT...win98 requires FAT, even though it recognizes NTFS...

So...if it is a typical install, it's NTSF...only way to get around it is to put a new HD in, disconnect the other drive, make the new one the master, and install WIN98, and set the other hard drive to slave...this can be a hassel, you should format the NTSF hard drive so there are no system files on it, BUT...some versions of windows won't let you format a primary system drive...it's a catch-22...you really need a 2nd computer and a patient geek to get it done (I've done it, after many tries)..can take hours, or minutes...just depends on ????

I'd almost tell ya to build a new system, put a new hard drive in, get it running then install the old one as a slave, reformat the slave, and hope for the best...but then I've been running XP Pro for quite a while, and only managed to crash it twice..better than I can say for 98.

Mike

JMM · « **Reply #35 on:** February 21, 2004, 06:47:04 pm »

You are correct C.M. The dumbarses at Dell made this thing so that you CANNOT format the hard drive! It's FAT format but when I go to the format disk prompts it tells me that it is not allowed on that drive. Good thing I'm not at home in Austin where the calls are local (Dell is right up the highway) otherwise I would call and really let loose with the chain and ball cannonfire!

Guess, it will be either save up for a new VAIO or buy parts and try my hand at building one.

Capt. Mike · « **Reply #36 on:** February 21, 2004, 09:44:31 pm »

Got an old DOS 6 floppy set? I've fooled them before by booting of the floppies and performing an FDISK...but this can be dangerous...if you don't set the partitions correctly, your hard drive will show an incorrect amount of space..fortunately, if you're patient, you can work through the variations until it works...just don't use the Dell disks to install the OS.

Best I can offer other than removing the hard drive and formatting on another machine, then reinstalling it,,,I've done that also.

Mike

B2Media · « **Reply #38 on:** February 22, 2004, 01:07:53 am »

JMM, look up your specific computer on google, there probably will be a site that will tell you how to rewire the front panel connector to work with standard motherboards. They also sell Dell to ATX power adapters for like $5 on several sites.

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Capt. Mike

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Topic: Need P/C help (Read 7033 times)