Computer Problems,Need Help Please....

[Hammer]

Ok,here is whats up...

I tried to log into here about 4pm tonite with my home PC and as it went into checking my password it went haywire and sent my system crashing BIGTIME!. I have had to go borrow my sons laptop to try and get a hand getting the old Home PC up and running again.



When the system crashed and rebooted itself it goes thru its normal memory and drive scan,which all check as normal,then whe it starts to boot the Windows ME its tells me "Invalid System-Disk Replace the disk,then press any key-Boot from ATAPI CD-ROM-Failure". So Iguessed I need my hardware disks and have tried about every trick I know to reboot this thing but its not doing anything but getting me closer to a sledgehammer repair job. I found a bootdisk online at bootdisk.com(a place I have used before for other things when needed) and that didn't even allow me to get it restarted.



I am lost now and can't figure it out. The system internals are Windows ME,1g of Ram,P3 933,a 80g hard drive with the OS on and 2 100g storage drives behind it. It has Avast Anti Virus and a Zone Alarm firewall package. The system was cleaned and maintenced this morning-scan disc run,defragged,anti-virus scan done and cleaned by Ad-Aware,Spybot and Crap Cleaner.



So,does anyone have any other ideas except scrapping the main drive and buying a new one and doing a complete reload. I would hate to have to do this as alot of data will be lost as will numerous pictures from my racing photography days. I am about dug out of my hole from being out of work for 6 months and was hoping to bide my time until I could get a newer system and away from Windows ME. Any help is greatly appreciated... ... ..... Andy

 

[B KIRK]

Hammers new avatar: #ad




Sorry, couldn't resist.



Brad

 

[Hammer]

Thank You!!!!!!!... . gggggrrrrrrrrrrrrr. . arrrrrggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh



I really hate computers... ... ... ..... Andy

 

[B KIRK]

Your welcome.

Just trying to help out a fellow member.



So did the XP install work out?

Or is it in pieces on the floor.



Brad

 

[Hammer]

Its not all apart YET... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!



However,after calling you last nite I just about got to the point of the avatar above by banging my head against the wall one to many times. XP install went smooth UNTIL I got to reinstall my Xerox machine and found out its not XP compatible and no drivers for it are available for XP for it. SO,I am going to just go get a friggin new one and add it to the basement table full of parts and use it on one of the other older antique spares my daughter uses for her school homework.



It seems alot smooth in operation so far and I lost my low resources issue I had with Windows ME,however time will tell. Thanks Brad... ..... Andy

 

[Eventer]

Hammer, You might try the following since you are getting an invalid disk error.

Find a Windows startup disk with fdisk on the floppy or CD. Type "fdisk /mbr" at the prompt. Remove the floppy and reboot. This may fix your problem if the Master Boot Record became corrupt.

 

[Rams-n-Hogs]

Andy,



Don't know if it will work, or not, but try loading your Xerox machine software using the compatibility feature of XP.



Jim

 

[Hammer]

Lydon,

I tried that and got no response. I was kinda lost atwhat was actually going on with this old thing. Nothing I did worked with my Windows ME disc or floppy,it wouldn't recogonize it at all. It had me baffled all the way up to the point of me just reformatting it and starting over fresh. . I lost all that was attached to the main drive which amounted to most all of my videos and Diesel related stuff. It has made me rethink what I will do from now on and so I added a external HD and got one big enough to do my storage.



Jim,

I tried that with the Xerox machine and nothing came up. I ended up emailing them direct and was informed that that machine was not supported in XP so its now downstairs on the homework machine.



I appreciate all who helped ... ... ... ... ... ..... Andy

 

[Royk]

OMG!!! How do I copy that animated . GIF in Brad's message so that it animates? That is so funny I almost peed in my pants laughing! And it's appropriate to my feelings right now if you look at https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147709



I must have that animated . GIF!



Roy

 

[Paychk]

Right click it, save as.

 

[Royk]

That's what I did (from home), but it wouldn't animate. I tried it again at work just now and it did work. Go figure.

 

[B KIRK]

Roy.

Try right clicking on it and then properties.

The URL address will come up.

Copy and save it if you want to use it in a post.



Would like to try to add a sound file to it. :-laf



Brad

 

[Royk]

I sent it to my coworker yesterday after he sat on the phone with the Helpless Desk for 2. 5 hours. He said "Where's the sound?"



Roy