Anyone good with Windows XP? Setup related...

[Andy1845c]

I know this isn't a computer help forum, but I know alot of you know about computers too. Just though maybe somone can help me.

I replaced the modem in my computer at home about a year ago. Then I tried to reinstall XP and setup hung on the step where you give you computer a name. After talking with tech support, I found out there was a way to get an alternate setup screen that allowed me to skip that step for the time being. It was really easy, but I can't for the life of me remember. Anyone know what I am talking about and how to do it?

 

[Marks256]

During that part of the setup there should be a "skip this step" button down at the bottom of the screen.

If not, then take out the modem during setup, and put it back in after setup is done. Are you sure the modem is the problem? It sounds like it, but you can never be too sure.

 

[Andy1845c]

Nope, skip hangs it too. I have tried with no modem and it still hangs. I wanna say I had to hold down F somthing or other and a whole differn't set up screen came up. Just wish I could remember.....

 

[picasm]

Perhaps you did a "repair" install last time -
Pressed F8 to skip the EULA agreement then R to do the repair install?

The repair install is just that. It is not a full re-install, it just tries to fix any corrupted files etc that may have caused windows to fail.

see this guide:
https://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=1647&page=8

 

[hentai]

when u reinstall the os make sure u back up ur data from that partition and format the partition and then reinstall.

 

[justDIY]

take the modem and any other non-essential componets out, install windows, then install the components back in.

 

[Marks256]

If it still is hanging, just redo the install. I would also suggest repartitioning the drive (or at least formating it again).

What are the specs of the system?

 

[Andy1845c]

Hey everyone, Thanks for the replys. I did get it working by installing the old, original modem. It got damaged by lightning back when I was still using dialup. Now I have DSL so I don't need it, but the computer sure seemed to miss it.

Marks, its a Emachines computer, so I don't have a regular Windows CD, I have all that bundled crap. I assume thats why it wants to look for a certin modem, but I really don't know.

It does still have a minor issue at startup, but I'll have to dive into that tomarrow. As far as partitioning the drive, I'll have to read up on that, as I havn't done it in years.....

 

[Hero999]

Partitioning your drive is an excellent idea, store your OS on one partition and all your personal files on another so if your OS goes down you still have acces to them.

 

[eng1]

When I bought my new computer, I added a hard disc from an old one. When I need to re-install the OS, my documents are in the safe place I've also used two OS's on the same machine, for example WinXP detects an older installation of Win98 and allows you to choose (double-boot).

 

[Hero999]

The only trouble is Windows 98 can't read NTFS (XP) partitions, of course you could use a FAT32 (95/98/ME) partition but NTFS is more reliable.

Luckilly there are ways of recovering files from an NTFS partition even though Windows is broken, you could put the hard disk in a friend's computor or boot from a live Linux CD and copy all the files to a USB stick, CD or DVD.

 

[eng1]

Yes.. I had to use FAT32 file system on both hard discs with Win98 & WinXP. Now I have WinXP only and I'm using NTFS file system.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Word of warning! - if you're using an external USB/Firewire drive, I would suggest using FAT32 and NOT NTFS - at least on the external drive box I've got, NTFS trashes the drive everytime you shut down.

 

[Hero999]

It also provides compatability with computers running operating systems other than Windows.

 

[Marks256]

its a Emachines computer

That is your problem right there...

 

[kchriste]

its a Emachines computer, so I don't have a regular Windows CD, I have all that bundled crap. I assume thats why it wants to look for a certin modem, but I really don't know

If you want to dump the crap you can look at making a slipstream CD from the files in your i386 directory on the HD or recovery CD.... Google for slipstream xp emachines....

 

[spuffock]

Mother-in law has a machine with bundled software crap. Trying to replace the software with something useful, I find the drivers for usb controller and sound to be unspecified/ proprietary/ unavailable on internet.
Is this a common thing? Should we boycott the sellers of this junk?

 

[Marks256]

Slipstreaming is great. I had a not-so-legal copy of xp pro w/ sp1, and i slip streamed sp2 in it, and it worked great. I wish i could remember the name of the software i used, though. I know that it was a very nice multi-purpose program (slipstreaming, ripping, burning, and even ISO ripping)...

 

[HiTech]

Mother-in law has a machine with bundled software crap. Trying to replace the software with something useful, I find the drivers for usb controller and sound to be unspecified/ proprietary/ unavailable on internet.
Is this a common thing? Should we boycott the sellers of this junk?

That's the problem when you deal with Dell, HP and other companies as well as the retail stores. They think they're doing the masses a big favor by installing a bundle. Actually, it's much easier for their productivity, cheaper to produce a recovery disc to get things going again and other software companies vie to have their crapware included (like AOL).
If you deal with a private computer store or design and build one yourself, then you can customize as you like. I'm doing that right now with 4 PCs I'm working on. The only thing they came with was the BIOS. Nothing like having only the software that you deem as necessary... minus all that other frilly crap that loves to reside in the tray and slow the boot-up time!!

 

[Marks256]

Especially when the frilly crap likes to generate popups! Damn symantec...


I built my computer from scratch, as hitech is currently doing, and i only have about 6 icons in my tray (4 currently visible, 2 inactive); AVG, LAN, WIRELESS, and SOUND. When i turn my computer on, i only get 1 popup per day, and that is avg. No "SUCH and Such update is available" or "Click here to register this blah blah blah", or, in bundled computers cases;

"Click here to register this piece of software that you didn't even want in the first place, but we included it anyways, just so we could kill your boot time, use up all of you hard drive space, and reside in memory so you can't do anything useful on this computer! IT IS FREE!!!!!!!!! (except for the $50 activation fee...)"