Thread: Severe Laptop Issues

That's one way of doing it - but why would you want to partition into 3, you don't actually achieve that much.

If you re-set it up with a single partition - the errors or problems that can occur with partitioning are eliminated.

To get through the initial problem I - personally - would - as you say use a boot disk with fdisk on it - delete all the existing partitioning - re-boot that just set one partition for the whole disk.

Then when everything is up and running well - then - if you feel you must have more than one partition use one of the propriatry programs, Partition Manager, or the like to add/change the partitions.

One other thing that could have an issue - some bios have a security setting which stops writing to the boot area - check that as well.

it helps with preventing fragmentation and in the event of drive failure (virus kills master boot record or windows falls over again) you have half a chance of saving the later partitions.

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

it helps with preventing fragmentation and in the event of drive failure (virus kills master boot record or windows falls over again) you have half a chance of saving the later partitions.

Yes agreed - but get the thing up and running first - then go through the grief.

Plus I have just checked my bios - in there in advanced bios features there is a section on Bios Sector Protection - this needs to be diabled - you can re-enable it later which solves one of the suggestions above

.............just my opinion but if you keep it simple first get the system up and running - then fiddle and f**t around with all the extras at your own leasure.

At least you are a little more relaxed and less likely to make a mistake or disembowel small children who switch bloody things off - Dave you met Tim my son - he nearly didn't make it to 3 for just the same problem - last five mins into what was then a Win 95 install and he presses that bloody button

The version of XP Pro is the full version.

It didnt come with a recovery CD, thats what the partition is supposed to be for, i will let dad know. We may have to ring Compaq and have them send one out. Matt

Originally Posted by incisor

any why is going to xp pro considered an upgrade ?

you cant network with home, i am just using the term windows does when you install pro over home.

I personally hate partitioning, its a PITA, i would much prefer to have the one whole thing and then back up data that i cant do without in the event of a failure. Matt

Originally Posted by Ace

you cant network with home,

you can, up to 5 computers with home in a workgroup....

Originally Posted by Ace

The version of XP Pro is the full version.

It didnt come with a recovery CD, thats what the partition is supposed to be for, i will let dad know. We may have to ring Compaq and have them send one out. Matt

Ok if it's a full version - and you don't like partitions - then it's easy.

1. Put the XP Pro disk in boot up the machine, but when it asks you if you want to install XP Pro - cancel

That should bring you back to a C:>

2.The XP Pro disk should have fdisk on it, so run that - delete all the existing partitions, then re-boot, then cancel the xp install again if it asks (it may just take you direct to partitioning) but if not get back to C:>

Re-run fdisk - partition however you want it, 1, 2 or 3 whatever.

Re-boot then install XP Pro

Check that the Bios advanced bios protection feature is disabled as well

Ladas

Hi Ace

This turned into a long post but please read it all.

A couple of things first, your 8mb partition that was deleted, that is normal for XP and in future should never be deleted, it's where it stores information about your hard drive.

XP home can be networked quite happily, just not to a network with a domain controller, (read: big corporate network).

I doubt very much that you will be able to "recover" you laptop as it was before you started if you were not supplied with a restore CD and you have no other access to the original install files, (which you probably won't).

So the bad news is what ever info you have on the laptop now will be lost, (unless you want to spend $$$$$$$$ on specialist data recovery).

The good news is it's pretty straight forward to install XP pro, and it will most likely install the drivers you need as well.

If you follow the advice below you will install XP and get you laptop working BUT YOU WILL LOOSE ALL DATA that is on your laptop. If you are OK with this do the following:

First (very important ! ) crack a cold beer before you start, sit down and take a deep breath, then

Make sure you have the XP pro CD and code/cd-key, (long code with about 6 groups of 5 characters or there about)
Boot laptop from XPpro CD

Eventually you will be asked if you want to install XP (and/or possibly repair XP as well). Select install

It will ask which partition you want to install XP onto and it will offer you, (I am assuming here) two partitions.
DO NOT install at this point.

Delete ALL existing partitions, (cant remember exact keys but read the screen it will tell you).

Create a new partition, (if you want more than one partition now is the time to do it).
If you want to make it easy as possible just create one partition.

Once you have created the partition install XP to that partition.

It will ask if you want to SLOW or QUICK format, select slower (full) NTFS format.

Sit back relax, and finish your beer, in fact have two it will take a while.

Good luck mate, just remember you are dealing with software so what ever you do with you XP CD if it’s wrong you just start again. You can’t physically brake your computer doing this.

If this doesn’t work PM your email address I’ll send you my home number and talk you through it. It’s long distance though as I’m in WA.
I wouldn’t be able to do that till Friday evening at the earliest.

Steve