Windows XP: Reinstalled Windows XP, but I'm still getting BSODs and other troubles?!
- 8/14/09 11:40 AM
Your solution, Thomas, shows HOW WRONG Microsoft is about...
by JeffAHayes - 8/16/09 5:34 PM In reply to: Black SOD vs. Blue SOD by Thomas Katertrying to FORCE, by DEFAULT, all document folders to exist on the BOOT drive. I absolutely DESPISE this default Windows setting, which automatically pops up the "Documents" folder every single time I want to save ANY file I'm either creating OR downloading from the internet UNLESS I've already saved to a different folder in the same session from the same source.
I've yet to find ANY WAY to customize default folders other than "Documents." I got my first external drive for my XP Media Center computer in 2004, I've not saved ANY DATA to the BOOT DRIVE. The BOOT DRIVE is reserved for the OS and PROGRAMS ONLY. It keeps it cleaner and running faster, and in the event it DOES crash, I haven't lost anything I don't have original installation software for. External USB, firewire and eSATA disks have gotten SO inexpensive, it's ridiculous NOT to use them to store all data. For that matter, for all my PRIMARY data storage (photos and anything I'm sure I don't want to lose), I have two drives that are IDENTICAL -- I back up one to the other at least weekly. Both are 500 GB Seagate Free Agent drives with 5-year warranties, and they were $99, each, and that was a year or more ago. You can probably get 1 TB drives for that now.
These computer makers selling systems with increasingly LARGER boot drives are therefore selling a "bag of goods," since anything more than 250 GB is way more than anyone needs for all the software they'll ever install. They'd be MUCH better off getting it with a single 160 Intel SSD for a little more money (although few makers offer that), or, instead, a 250 GB primary, and then a 750 or 1 TB secondary drive for data storage, and then they can get an external to back THAT up.
Jeff Hayes
Exactly right...
by JCitizen - 9/17/09 12:46 AM In reply to: Your solution, Thomas, shows HOW WRONG Microsoft is about... by JeffAHayesAlthough you should have easily found an off boot drive, filing solution on Google. Even applications have been spread across separate drives for some years.
It is all a matter of creating the folder on the separate drive, putting it on an NTFS format, with either logical or dynamic under pins.(look on Google). Then the main thing is to take admininstrative control of the folder before or after(I can't remember which), you right click the "My Documents"(XP) folder to change the path of the folder.
From then on all documents, movies, piotures, music, ect. will be saved automatically to the secondary drive. You can even do this with multiple user accounts, creating a folder for each account.
I've had many OS drive failures, with this system, by the usual reasons clients always lose drives, and the data has ALWAYS survived! Of course the addon drive was always, newer, bigger, and usually also held an image of the operating system drive. This really turned out well. I always replace the original factory OS drive with an identical one so the drive geometry will match the image that was placed on the back-up drive. This usually ends in satisfaction for the client. This has always been succesfull!
For clients that didn't listen to me,there is always an expensive data recovery!$$$ Ching! Ching! $$$
Same Idea, Different Method. (Plus a plea for help!)
by black069 - 9/24/09 7:24 PM In reply to: Your solution, Thomas, shows HOW WRONG Microsoft is about... by JeffAHayesHi Jeff.
I completely agree with your comment. I recently did a fresh install of Windows XP on my Dell Dimension 4550 bought ~Oct. 2002. (It came with an Intel 4 CPU, 256 MB RAM, a 32 MB ATI video card, 140 GB HDD, etc.). When I bought a new monitor in Dec. '07, I had to buy a new graphics card to support it (ATI Radeon 9700; 256 MB), and because RAM was so cheap, I upgraded to 2 GB RAM. (I'm using Windows XP Home SP3.)
Anyway, I had never reinstalled an OS; I didn't know it was necessary unless having major problems. (Now I hear folks say they do it every 12-24 months whether it's having problems or not.) My reinstall came out of necessity as my system just started to have every problem imaginable. As I read over the countless guides for reinstalling Windows out there, I would say only the minority of the ones I found recommended separating the data files from the system files and programs.
I decided to create one 20 GB partition during the reinstall phase and to leave the remaining 120 GB unformatted/unpartitioned. Then once everything was up and running, I created a second partition and formatted it (NTFS, as I did with the first partition), and then downloaded my saved data files from my external hard drive to the second partition.
So my method was similar to yours except that I have everything on my internal hard drive (with my OS and programs on one partition, and with all of my data on the second partition.
I have found that it has run a lot more smoothly and quickly. And now all I have to do is back up everything on my "E" drive onto my external hard drive.
I did have a couple of questions for you based on your experience (or anyone who has knowledge about this). Based on the fact that I have a 140 GB hard drive, do you think that 20 GB for system & programs plus 120 for data is ideal, or would you have chosen a different allotment?
Secondly, I’m a bit confused as to which partition to place certain items, for example:
1. System Restore Points (?\\:System Volume Information)
2. Registry Setting Saves
A. ERUNT
B. SpywareBlaster (when “Create New Snapshot”
C. CCleaner (prior to fixing registry issues)
3. Paging File (for virtual memory; I also don’t know how much RAM (initial & maximum) should be given to each of the partitions. Note that the Virtual Memory set here is the TOTAL amount of memory for the paging file on all the drives.)
If you, Jeff, or anyone can help me out, I would greatly appreciate it and send a chorus of praises your way…
Thanks,
black069
Too qick to reinstall
by sirpaul1 - 8/14/09 7:08 PM In reply to: People are too quick to reinstall Windows by WatzmanExcellent! This article should be a popup on every Windows computer after the P.O.S.T.
Yes! What I do first is...
by HRS2005 - 8/14/09 7:14 PM In reply to: People are too quick to reinstall Windows by WatzmanWhenever I get a BSOD in my desktop, I open up the case and blast everything with compressed air. (Dust bunnies can cause tiny contact-to-contact shorts that will generate BSODs.) Invariably there is a small dust storm that results. The same techique would apply to a laptop using the ventilation openings.
In any system that had previously been running stably, this has always solved the BSOD.
BSOD....Let's be REALISTIC!
by cnetwesser - 8/16/09 9:27 PM In reply to: Yes! What I do first is... by HRS2005If you're experiencing a BSOD, there are 3 easy steps to follow:
1) Clean your PC of debris...good job on that answer!
2) Go to a Certified Technician with real diagnostic equipment...AND..
3) STOP GUESSING for HEAVEN'S SAKE
There is not a magical answer to the BSOD question. The problem is that everyone would like to think so. Just because something works for one individual doesn't mean that you should follow it. The TRUE problem is that Operating Systems do not display consistent error codes for each manufacturer. The true answer to the problem is good equipment and a good education and understanding of the value of the computer versus the cost of a repair. A class in ethics for many technicians would be a good solution to the BSOD issue. Also, anyone who claims to have all the answers has ego problems. The only one answer to all problems is buying a new computer.
Not true
by msgale - 8/16/09 10:12 PM In reply to: BSOD....Let's be REALISTIC! by cnetwesserThe BSOD is a function of the of the Windows Operating System. You do not get a BSOD on Linux. Therefore the error message are consistant. I have work as a software engineer for many large3 companies, the last two were Computer Sciences COrporation and Verizon. I used PCs on both jobs, the were hunbderedes of them, No one ever bothered to open the case and clean anything.
BSOD
by mblack2360 - 8/15/09 11:03 AM In reply to: People are too quick to reinstall Windows by WatzmanOften you can get a hint to resolve the issue by reading the error message included with bsod. I've had reasonable success googling the codes.
Reinstall windows?Why?
by julesov - 8/22/09 6:27 AM In reply to: People are too quick to reinstall Windows by WatzmanWell Windows XP and other versions seem to be be charged with manny dll's of programs,also registry is afected by this settings,create an bug's or not,win 32 and other folders given more dll's,exhaustive temporary data stored in C: partiton,lost manny parts of HDD.Update Windows with more programs and settings [kb45637859946758967etc],create an chaos on the stable PC's,solve some security problem,but create other problems.Viruses can be an motive , becouse affect win 32 and also registry,given an inoperable system well.Backup all data from C: partition may be a way to restore data early point ,but from my knolege,it will not solve all problems.Only way to have a great full backup , is to create an clone with some programs from DOS,after due reinstall Windows and you will solve settings well.Good luck from RO.
BSOD
by toker53 - 8/7/09 6:37 PM In reply to: Reinstalled Windows XP, but I'm still getting BSODs and other troubles?! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
BSOD is fairly unususal with XP. What are the other messages and what other software have you installed. any utilities like BlackIce or Norton AntiVirus Utilities? Also by your description I am assuming you have a notebook.
BSOD's
by Watzman - 8/7/09 9:58 PM In reply to: Hmm, not really... by TreTipiIf you get BSOD's "all the time" you have a problem. Hardware or software, but I go YEARS between them (I won't say that my system doesn't ever lock up without a BSOD; but even that is a once-every-90-day or so event (XP Pro). Windows is not as unstable as the Apple commercials would have you believe. Anyone who is having BSOD's or lockups regularly, or more than even once a month, has a problem. Hardware, software, malware, whatever .... they have a problem, one that can be and should be fixed.
BSOD
by MadJoe - 8/14/09 7:52 PM In reply to: BSOD's by WatzmanMaybe I just don't use my computer all that much compared to the rest of you, but I have had my laptop for 3 years now, running Window's XP Home, and have NEVER had a BSOD, blue or black. I routinely leave it powered up, only restarting it for updates, or if it starts to get sluggish.
I also have a desk top, running XP Pro, which would occasionally experience a BSOD when the RAM I installed had a bad spot in it, and even that was, maybe, once a week. Sadly, after having that desktop for more than 5 years, and less than 10 total BSOD's (all of which were caused by that bad RAM stick), a lightening storm spiked, and then dropped out my electricity during boot up... and that was all she wrote for that computer. Anybody need a fancy paperweight?
I was told by a friend, who makes a lot of money working with computers, that the majority of the damage to your computers software, specifically OS stability, occurs during boot up, so booting up as infrequently as possible is best for it. Might explain my luck with avoiding all colors of SOD's.
paper weight
by jaegermonster2009 - 8/15/09 12:54 PM In reply to: BSOD by MadJoeIf you are serious about the paper weight, yes, I could use a paper weight. Seriously though if you want to get rid of your bad desktop just let me know what i have to do to get it shipped to me. My name is Justin, my email is jjaeger110@email.itt-tech.edu thank you in advance.
you run into a format flaw that NTFS causes
by magnusfl - 8/7/09 6:46 PM In reply to: Reinstalled Windows XP, but I'm still getting BSODs and other troubles?! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
most people found this interesting flaw when they switched to XP which is formatting a drives does not restore a drive to a totally clean like new state what you need is a low level format tool which sadly is specific to each drive manufacture so you need to find out who made your hard drive and then go to there site and look up there low level format tool for WD you can use there lifeguard tools to write zeros
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