Computer help please

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Duke
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Computer help please

Post by Duke » Mon May 02, 2005 8:41 pm

If you are working as a Microsoft executive, stop reading at this point.

I have been trying to install WinXP on my new standard computer but havent been successful with the cracked serial numbers and cant seem to get passed that activation thingy.

Now, I have sweettalked our IT guy the whole day and he just cracked like 5 minutes ago (it is 10.30 pm here) so he will send me the original installation CD the corporation uses with the original corporate key so the poop will be legit.

What I need to do is to completely blank out the computer so I can start from scratch. How do I totally format the harddrive so that no traces from my old bootlegged version doesnt "linger" and mess it all up?
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Brykovian
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Post by Brykovian » Mon May 02, 2005 8:56 pm

FDISK ... followed by FORMAT C: (assuming it is the C-drive you're dealing with) ...

-Bryk

p.s. Warning: I am not a lawyer. ;)
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Post by Brykovian » Mon May 02, 2005 8:56 pm

Brykovian wrote:Warning: I am not a lawyer. ;)
Or a techie for that matter ... :?

-Bryk
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Post by Allister Fiend » Tue May 03, 2005 1:16 am

When I installed mine over my Millenium edition, I used the "Press alt-ctrl-del to enter setup" configuration when your system boots up.

Once your in there, just find the "boot from cd" function and follow the instructions.

Once it was installed, it asked me on restart if I wanted to remove all former files associatd with Millenium. It didn't like two versions of Windows to be there.

I said yes, it deleted everything it wanted too and after that the rest was a cinch.

Took like an hour to reformat but it works fine.


That's how I did it.

But I am certainly no wizard, but I got the job done. :wink:
Oh no!!! I'm out of those important papers.......

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Post by Duke » Tue May 03, 2005 6:35 am

Yes....maybe I should have been a bit more precise.

I started off with a completely blank desktop computer. I downloaded a XP Pro with serial number from the net on my laptop, burned it and installed it in my new desktop. Everything was peaches until it started asking for an activation. That I couldnt give it. So, I downloaded a new version of XP that was suppoused to be a corporate edition that wouldnt need activation.

I went through the installation again and chose to format the disk like you did AF. However, this time it never asked for the product key, hence, I still need to activate my software before 30 days.

Now I am getting the good stuff from my IT guy at the office. So what I want is to make sure that none of my old parafanilia (sp?) that I downloaded ILLIGALY from the net is anywhere to be found. Since what I am installing the next time is legit (well...) I will be able to get automatic updates and everything. I am sure that Microsoft somehow will find even the smallest little file from my old versions unless I completely wipe them out.

I've tried a bunch of things that I remember doing from waaaay back in the day in school (ctrl+b) during startup but none worked. I cant seem to stop windows from opening. Once I am there I cant format C: since it is being used by windows and needs to be closed down before formatting.

Moment 22.

Go Mullog, go Korexus, go Prancer, go Thin King or anyone that is staying in front of his computer while his friends are in bars getting hooked up. :wink:
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Post by Saladin » Tue May 03, 2005 9:30 am

When you put the legit windows xp cd in the drive and you boot up the system it will ask you if you want to boot from cd. Once you boot from cd you will get the windows xp setup and you can choose to install a new windows version on one of your partitions (don't forget to make several partitions one of which is your windows partition). If you let it install windows xp on your C partition it will warn you that it will format that whole partition (which is what you want) and will install the new (legit) windws xp version on there. :D
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Post by Duke » Tue May 03, 2005 10:01 am

That is actually what I did the last time when it didnt ask for a product key. I might have been using a re-installation disk. I cant tell since I downloaded it but nevertheless since it formatted the c drive I still should have had to enter the key, right?

Why do I want more partions?

Oh, and get rid of that stuff about coming over to Australia and take me away will you? :wink:
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Post by korexus » Tue May 03, 2005 10:23 am

Installing Windows:

The truth according to Mullog. - What? Why would you want to do that, install linux instead.

The truth according to 'Morph. - Install linux, but make sure it's a really obscure version because that's more fun.

The truth according to YK. - I had three copies of windows on my computer at one point, never did me any harm.

The truth according to korexus. - Just give it a go, you never know it might work out alright. If not, try hitting it with a hammer.


Partitioning the hard drive:

The truth according to Mullog. You have to do this, because otherwise it's hard to get at your 300Gb of baby films.

The truth according to 'Morph. Only 300Gb? I have a friend that...

The truth according to TK. If you do put Windows onto a seperate partition, make sure you leave it more space than it needs, otherwise you'll keep getting out of disk space errors.

The truth according to korexus. My computers have always come with a partitioned hard drive, it's easier to leave it like that than change it. Also it was pretty handy when my laptop kept dying because I only ever lost the data on drive C...



The opinions expressed here are not necessarily the opinions of these people, I'm just bored...


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Post by Polymorphic » Tue May 03, 2005 10:42 am

Duke, just put the CD in and install from it.

If it then doesn't work, come and tell us what happened...

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Post by Duke » Tue May 03, 2005 11:27 am

Ok will do.

I was hoping for a great easy solution here guys. You are all dissappointing me.

Somthing along the line of Well if you press § and the secret button on the backside of the keyboard with your left hand while swinging your Johnson in a 360 motion with your right hand then the Magic Menu will appear. All you do there is press "Go" and it will be 100% spiff

*thinking*

I might try that anyway. Sounded fun :)
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Post by Duke » Tue May 03, 2005 11:29 am

Do you want pictures of that btw?
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Saladin
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Post by Saladin » Tue May 03, 2005 12:25 pm

Well you want at least two partitions. One with Windows and all your programs (and maybe games) on it. And one partition with all the documents, pictures, pron, etc. you want to keep save. That way if Windows dies (and yes it will some day) you only lose the programs and games, which you have to re-install anyway and you don't lose any of your pron...erm...documents.

Plus if you want to make sure you don't lose your documents, add a second hard disk and use that to have a copy of your documents on it.
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Post by Duke » Tue May 03, 2005 1:00 pm

Ahh, I see.

Well the pron (?) is safe. I burn it on cd's and stick it to the bottom of my desk with chewing gum.

I am in that case more worried about all those nice movies tha Bittorrent will provide for me.

Linux? Oh that funny Mickey Mouse program that finnish guy made.
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Post by Duke » Fri May 13, 2005 9:49 am

I've installed Win XP and it works like a charm.

I've also installed Panda Antivirus. I got it from a magazine and it is suppoused to give me 3 months free upgrades.

Anyway, the current problem is that I've had three little incidents since I got the system up and running (like a week and a half ago).

I leave the computer on 24/7 and once when I checked it a system error had occured (blue screen, white text). Didnt think much of it. I simply restarted it all and I couldnt find anything wrong.

I download stuff with BitTorrent and once when I checked, all programs were closed. Nothing looked odd or wrong it was just that I had at least 2 or 3 IE windows opened and the BT downloader when I left it and now all I saw was the desktop. Wierd. Again, I chose to forget about it.

Now, just an hour ago I was talking to a friend over the messenger and from nowhere the computer rebooted.

Again, I cant find a problem anywhere.

Now, these are all one-timers in themselves but three wierd errors in less then two weeks? On a new computer? Something must be afoot here.

The only thing that doesnt look normal is in the Device Manager.

On "Other Devices" there is something named "Video Controller (VGA Compatible)" and I cant seem to find a driver for it ever if I use the XP CD. Is this the source? I am installing a GeForce card next week. Would this override the thingy?

C'mon geeks. I know you have it in you.
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Post by Saladin » Fri May 13, 2005 10:20 am

Ok, lets see.

The Video Controller...Do you have a video card installed right now? And if so did you install it's drivers?

It's usually under other devices if it's not been installed properly.

What does it say under Display Adapters? Your video card should be listed here.

If you are planning on installing a new video card next week i would think that the new card will have the drivers with it and after installing them there shouldn't be a problem. Though there might not be a problem now of course. :P

The fact that your computer now and then does weird stuff is normal...it's a Windows computer after all.

If you want to make sure that you don't have any programs loaded that don't belong there, you should download HijackThis (http://tomcoyote.org/hjt/hjt199//hijackthis.zip) and run it. It will make a listing of all the programs running, registry entries and such.
Then just copy/paste that list here and we'll have a look at what's not supposed to be there and how to get rid of it. :D
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Post by Duke » Fri May 13, 2005 10:33 am

I seriously doubt that anyting funny would have made it into my computer without me finding it.

To check for what is causing this behavior I have checked.......a hot chick just knocked on my neighbours door..nevermind....eeeh oh yes, I have checked with Spysweeper (registered), Ad-Aware (freeware) F-Secure (registered) and Panda (Trial version). Either one of those should have found at least something.

It could simply be the Gates-factor at play but so soon? And that often?

I havent made partions yet. 160Gig on one drive with NTFS shouldnt be acting up already, or?
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Post by Duke » Fri May 13, 2005 10:33 am

Oh, and no I have no videocard installed yet.
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Post by Saladin » Fri May 13, 2005 2:36 pm

BTW making partition will also speed up your computer (hard drive access). The problem with all those spyware programs is that they're always lagging behind and not a single one defends or finds all the spyware. You'll be amazed at how easy it is to catch spyware/addware these days. Just visiting sites without doing anything else can get you infected and no it's not only shabby sites that will get you infected.
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Post by Polymorphic » Sun May 15, 2005 10:46 am

Saladin wrote:You'll be amazed at how easy it is to catch spyware/addware these days...
The three rules of computer security:
1. Do not own a computer
2. Do not turn it on
3. Do not use it

Personally, I haven't seen spyware or viruses in about a year and a half... ;)

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Post by Duke » Sun May 15, 2005 1:22 pm

Isnt it funny that it is now the 15th but my Panda virusdefinitions are dated the 17th of May 2005? Makes you wonder doesnt it. :?
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