Win Xp re-install - any advice?

[Timo]

Windows XP Service Pack 3 is now officially online. Hit Windows Update, or here: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ to take a peek.

[Timo]

If you don't download a lot of files and never open stupid things in your email, and you don't go web surfing the underground, you should be fine without a virus protector.

I would absolutely never do that! Viruses can spring upon you when you least expect it, from a source that you don't expect.

I've never wittingly downloaded something that resembles a virus (exe files, email attachments, etc.), but I've still been attacked by several, as they used techniques to make it look like they were something relatively benign. Effectively trojans. And I'm very picky about what I select to download. I never open spam mail, or visit dodgy underground sites, etc.

And the thing is, without anti-virus software, you'll never actually know when you become infected! Until it's far too late.

Internet + music partition - virus-protection = deadly.

Prevention is MUCH better than cure, imho. Anti-virus software takes little CPU use these days. And you can still disable it when doing music production.

[JonSolo]

If you are worried about trojans Spybot S&D is one of the best. Viruses simply don't "attack" you. If you have a firewall installed and are running through a router, unless you download something, you are pretty straight.

Jon

[ausser]

Hi Guys - from my Nuu XP Re-install.
How did it go?

Well, initially after wiping the wrong drive - which luckily I had most of the stuff - f an old 6-GIG drive I never use - XP re-installed to this drive by mistake.
Which in a way - was a good thing as it left my old OS system still running in my main drive.
However some, well what I would call non-immediatly-critical stuff was lost.
I wouldn't call it a disaster - but the rule is - always always always - back up your stuff before a major PC job - even if you don't think you will be touching a certain drive.

Aside from that - it all went fairly smoothly - downloading the XP updates - IE7 SP3 etc took awhile,but the difference to the start-up speed and the stability of XP is - well - there is no freeking comparison to my old system...
which lumped along and which took about 1/2 an hour to shut down after refusing to install XP security up-dates.

Im also now reluctant to install any anti-virus software - if it slows donw the machine then why bother?
I have Spybot - to do the odd check-up.
If I thought that I could turn Avast off - and that it wouldn't spoil my new breezy system - I might install it.

Ok staying away from dodgy websites - like this one - is one thing, but I am a gamer and do like the odd mod y'know - and here is where the danger lies I rekon.

Still, I think I'll chance it without annoying Norton for a while.

=================================
I have only 2 real problems regarding my new XP re-install and I hope you guys can help...

1. It seems I now have to have the XP Back-up disk in my DVD/CD drive everytime I fire up windows..
Before re-install it just booted up on its own - but since re-install, if the Back-Up CD isn't in the drive - I get [xyyyy.dll missing reboot computer]

Also - as there are now 2 OS on my PC - one Re-install in the old 6gig - and the main one in the 160gig - at boot-up it asks me to select which of these I wish to use.
I'm getting rid of the 6gig drive anyway - the accidentally wiped one - to make room for some things and take the strain of the powersupply and Fan I hope - so I presume this will negate the OS choice - or should I just delete that windows folder..?

2.The re-install has also changed my drive letters around - which I don't like - as C - used to be my main drive - but its changed to D now.
Try as I might I can't find out how to change the drive letter - so any pointers appriciated.

3.This is by far the most annoying problem - I'm sure its fairly simple - but I haven't a clue how to change it.
My keyboard is a bit wonky - ie. certain symbols appear to be in the wrong place.
It is a Microsoft Keyboard.
For instance, above the digit 2 on the number line across the top - are the quotation marks ".
However - when I shift access the quotation marks I get the @ symbol.
And vise versa.
Also, my sterling sign is now a #
And my Alt Euro - doesn't work.

I presume this is some setting to do with the keyboard - which worked fine on my old OS - so any pointers greatly appriciated.
It isn't a driver thing as I checked Windows update which says I have the latest driver for the keyboard.

-----------------------------
Good News.

Roxio runs like a dream on my new Re-install OS.
Everything works.
Tritex4, I did notice Automatic updates install those specific Net Framework packages you mentioned.
As my old OS screwed up updates fo some time - I guess it didn't install those then.
But Roxio is a dream now..

Then main thing I notice about this re-install is unquestionably - the startup time and the major major reduction in shutdown time.
All worth the hassle.

Many thanks again gentlemen for your encouragement and help.

Peace
Ausser.

[tritex4]

Hi Ausser

1. It seems I now have to have the XP Back-up disk in my DVD/CD drive everytime I fire up windows..
Before re-install it just booted up on its own - but since re-install, if the Back-Up CD isn't in the drive - I get [xyyyy.dll missing reboot computer]

A couple of questions.

1. After the installation, from the Bios setup, did you reset the computer to boot from the hard drive, instead of the CD-Rom?
2. Did you make sure that the drive that's going to be the boot drive is set as the primary, and not as the secondary drive?

2.The re-install has also changed my drive letters around - which I don't like - as C - used to be my main drive - but its changed to D now.
Try as I might I can't find out how to change the drive letter - so any pointers appriciated.

Changing the drive boot order, should fix this problem. The drive that's going to be the boot drive should be set as primary,
instead of secondary.

3.This is by far the most annoying problem - I'm sure its fairly simple - but I haven't a clue how to change it.
My keyboard is a bit wonky - ie. certain symbols appear to be in the wrong place.
It is a Microsoft Keyboard.
For instance, above the digit 2 on the number line across the top - are the quotation marks ".
However - when I shift access the quotation marks I get the @ symbol.
And vise versa.
Also, my sterling sign is now a #
And my Alt Euro - doesn't work.

Is it a plug and play keyboard, or did you have to install drivers?

[Timo]

Hey Ausser.

Im also now reluctant to install any anti-virus software - if it slows donw the machine then why bother?
I have Spybot - to do the odd check-up.
If I thought that I could turn Avast off - and that it wouldn't spoil my new breezy system - I might install it.

I would heartily recommend a dedicated anti-virus application. Spybot is a advert/malware/trojan detector, not a stand-alone anti-virus.

You can disable/activate Avast easily. I have it on my music PC with no problems when toggled off (full 24-bit 1.5ms ASIO latency over firewire, and 5-11 µSeconds DPC latency. Zero pops/clicks.)

Avast is still ok activated - until you want the latencies very low and then it causes clicking/popping. So toggling Avast off when using low latencies stops the clicks/pops. Easy as right-clicking on the Avast systray icon and selecting "Stop On-Access Protection".

Still, I think I'll chance it without annoying Norton for a while.

Everyone I've spoken to have never had a good word to say about Norton stuff, other than Norton Ghost (disk imager). I'd stay away from pretty much everything else Norton wise. Their system suites and various programs are like leeches and cripple performance.

1. It seems I now have to have the XP Back-up disk in my DVD/CD drive everytime I fire up windows..
Before re-install it just booted up on its own - but since re-install, if the Back-Up CD isn't in the drive - I get [xyyyy.dll missing reboot computer]

I've experienced this problem in the past and I didn't trust that the OS had been installed correctly, so I ran a thorough hard-disk check for errors, formatted the disk, and then re-installed the OS from scratch again.

It really shouldn't ask for DLLs literally straight after being installed.

However, you might like to try looking on one of the DLL sites.

http://www.dll-files.com

Search on that site for the DLL names, and download and copy them to your windows System or System32 folders. I've done that several times with success in the past for DLLs that were not found on my system, so long as it was only one or two DLLs at most that were missing.

Also - as there are now 2 OS on my PC - one Re-install in the old 6gig - and the main one in the 160gig - at boot-up it asks me to select which of these I wish to use.

That's effectively because two OSs are installed (effectively a dual-boot configuration) at the same time.

I'm getting rid of the 6gig drive anyway - the accidentally wiped one - to make room for some things and take the strain of the powersupply and Fan I hope - so I presume this will negate the OS choice - or should I just delete that windows folder..?

Is the 6GB drive an actual drive, or a partition on another drive?

If you remove the drive it shouldn't give you the OS menu anymore. However, you can always edit "boot.ini" on your main Windows drive to get rid of the other choice, without having to disconnect the drive (you can format it and use it for other stuff).

How to edit boot.ini:- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/289022

6GB is usually too small to be used as an XP operating system drive thesedays anyway! There would be massive performance benefits for choosing a larger, newer drive. If the 6GB drive has been used a lot, then it may also be nearing the end of its life so I would be a little cautious in putting valuable stuff on there. My two oldest drives failed, given time. I've gone for hard-drives that are normally used for servers since then, as they're much more robust and I value the data on them, given they are so large!

2.The re-install has also changed my drive letters around - which I don't like - as C - used to be my main drive - but its changed to D now.
Try as I might I can't find out how to change the drive letter - so any pointers appriciated.

Start > Settings > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management.

You can change drive letters using that.

HOWEVER, I'm not sure whether this would TOTALLY mess up the OS drive as other programs may still reference files on drive D which have since become non-existent as they are now on drive C.

Tread with extreme caution and maybe look for possible alternatives, methinks.

3.This is by far the most annoying problem - I'm sure its fairly simple - but I haven't a clue how to change it.
My keyboard is a bit wonky - ie. certain symbols appear to be in the wrong place.
It is a Microsoft Keyboard.
For instance, above the digit 2 on the number line across the top - are the quotation marks ".
However - when I shift access the quotation marks I get the @ symbol.
And vise versa.
Also, my sterling sign is now a #
And my Alt Euro - doesn't work.

I presume this is some setting to do with the keyboard - which worked fine on my old OS - so any pointers greatly appriciated.
It isn't a driver thing as I checked Windows update which says I have the latest driver for the keyboard.

Try:

Start > Settings > Control Panel > Regional And Language Options

... and explore all the options. Make sure all the settings on those three tabs are set up correctly.[/quote]

[JonSolo]

Before telling you to not worry about removing the 6gb drive, I must inform you that you will be booting into your OLD OS, without ANY updates and in the same condition you left it if you simply remove the 6GB drive. The WINDOWS folder that is getting the updates is the current one you installed on...which if I read correctly is the 6gb drive.

1. seems like that has been covered ok
2. can be done through Admin tools in your Control Panel
3. sounds like you have the proper keyboard installed but for a US keyboard...not a European one. Above my 2 is the @ symbol which is likely different on the European model as you describe. That is also changeable via the Control Panel.

Jon

[ausser]

Jon - just to clarify
The new primary OS is now on the 160GB drive - the newer one - as indeed I did discover that I was running out of space fast on the 6GB.

Timo - I think I will give Avast a try since I can disable it without problems. I am a bit nervous without anti-virus software installed.
That 6GB drive is certainly old now - about 10 years or so - so it will be going shortly.

Tritex - I will examine the bios settings to see if anything looks like it might be changed in the way you've suggested.
Recently - on boot up - its saying something else - not a .dll - can't remember off hand

Also, I have a new fancy gamers backlit keyboard (kept reaching for the handcuffs instead of the pepper spray - lol)
and there is a driver CD with that - so I'll try that first.

Timo - I will tread cautiously regarding that Drive letter change for indeed the reasons you've stated
Traditionally my main drive is 'C' - so I'm concerned about forgetting that some evening and messing up my storage somehow.
I'm not too far gone with new app installs however, for it to be a load of hassle, if I need to have one more go at a clean XP install.....

Again gentlemen,
Megathanks to you all - and I'll report back how I've got on since.

Peace
Ausser.

[ausser]

ok - just a small update,

I got the keyboard thing figured out - as you suggested Timo, it was simply the regional settings in the control panel.

I'm now trying to get the PC to boot without the XP disk.

I've tried altering the boot sequece in the Bios settings as Tritex suggested - however - my ability to access the BIOS (by pressing DEL) seems to be hit and miss for some reason.
When I did get into the BIOS I tried to reset the boot sequence giving priority to the Harddisk - 2. to the CDROM 3.FLoppy etc..
Thats in the advanced settings - there are other priority settings in the standard cmos settings - priority settings for the 2 harddrives and the DVD - the DVD seems to have the priority there also -
However I'm a bit reluctant to mess with those - they look a bit complicated or I'd need to jot down more information.
As I say - DEL to BIOS seems abit hit and miss with my PC for some reason..

Anyway - the message I get - when I try to boot the PC without the XP install disk is this:

Verifing DMI Pool Data...........

NTLDR is missing......

Press Ctrl-Alt-Delt to restart.

NTLDR - seems to be the thing thats missing - or must be on the XP install disk.
haven't a clue what it means.

Peace
Ausser.

PS:
Just to clarify - I did reset the priority for the HD over the CDROM in one of the bios settings - but still get the same NTLDR missing message.
There is another section in the BIOS that prioritizes things - ie The DVD/CD seems higher than the others...I'd need to try to get into BIOS again to write down what it is...

[Timo]

Accessing the BIOS is always a little tricky as it's not immediate. I just keep holding the delete button down all the way through the POST (power-on self-test) routine until the BIOS screen finally shows.

What is actually on drive C at the moment? I know your main is on drive D and your 6GB drive is F, but what is on C?

Maybe it's trying to find the NTLDR file on drive C (the default), but if C is not a bootable drive, or if it doesn't use the newer NTFS format (instead of FAT32), that might cause the problem.

You could also try looking at your boot.ini file, mentioned earlier, to make sure the operating systems are set up and pointed to the correct drives.

Otherwise it's a corrupt install, and you'd be best wiping it and starting again (if that's viable).

[Edit: Actually you could try these: http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000465.htm

It mentions repairing XP, specifically:

"Windows XP users

Insert the Windows XP bootable CD into the computer.
When prompted to press any key to boot from the CD, press any key.
Once in the Windows XP setup menu press the "R" key to repair Windows.
Log into your Windows installation by pressing the "1" key and pressing enter.
You will then be prompted for your administrator password, enter that password.
Copy the below two files to the root directory of the primary hard disk. In the below example we are copying these files from the CD-ROM drive letter "E". This letter may be different on your computer.

copy e:\i386\ntldr c:\
copy e:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\


Once both of these files have been successfully copied, remove the CD from the computer and reboot. "