My computer's dead and I'm at work

[Minnie_the_Minx]

My laptop died last week.

I get something to do with win32 (I think, but can't remember) and system and something else and file missing or corrupt.

My friend says reinstalling Windows 2000 might work but it's quite possible it won't help at all. Obviously I don't have a Windows 2000 disc and even when I do get one, if it doesn't fix my computer, I may have to take computer to Ireland.

 

[quimcunx]

Well I've missed you, minnie.

How ironic that you haven't been able to regale us with your techy problem on account of your techy problem.

Was it the paint fumes?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Well I've missed you, minnie.

How ironic that you haven't been able to regale us with your techy problem on account of your techy problem.

Was it the paint fumes?

I'm sure you're the only person who has missed me *sniff*

Don't know what killed it. After I'd finished painting I was able to log on here and then the next day, it just suddenly wouldn't let me in.

Can't even get in in safe mode

 

[kained&able]

be useful to know what the error message/missing file was really.

You might be able to just stick a windows 2000 disk on your drive and do an automated recovery thingy.(if windows 2000 has one i can't remember)

You might have to format the drive and reinstall windows.


dave

 

[Sunray]

Sounds like the hard disk is corrupted. The thing about disk corruption like that is that its usually caused by something. Perhaps you got a virus or something else is slightly faulty.

Forget windows 2000, its 9 years old? I'm assuming you were running XP. Does the laptop have a recovery CD or recovery instructions. Be careful with those though because they often just reformat the disk and restore it like when it was new.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

be useful to know what the error message/missing file was really.

You might be able to just stick a windows 2000 disk on your drive and do an automated recovery thingy.(if windows 2000 has one i can't remember)

You might have to format the drive and reinstall windows.


dave

Can't remember what the error was exactly but friend explained it that a car won't start without an engine and my problem with laptop is equivalent

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Sounds like the hard disk is corrupted. The thing about disk corruption like that is that its usually caused by something. Perhaps you got a virus or something else is slightly faulty.

Forget windows 2000, its 9 years old? I'm assuming you were running XP. Does the laptop have a recovery CD or recovery instructions. Be careful with those though because they often just reformat the disk and restore it like when it was new.

Yep, think that's what friend says problem is. Asked if I'd had any viruses and told him I didn't know.

I have Windows 2000 not XP

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Will I have lost everything?

 

[Sunray]

Yes if the disk has broken, I can't remember if windows says "NTLDR is missing" if it can't find the boot sector of the disk. Which usually means that the disk has died. If its not and its just got corrupted then I expect the data is OK. JUst need to reinstall the OS. Need to get a Windows 2000 CD from someone.

Your laptop must be ancient if your using Windows 2000.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Yes if the disk has broken, I can't remember if windows says "NTLDR is missing" if it can't find the boot sector of the disk. Which usually means that the disk has died. If its not and its just got corrupted then I expect the data is OK. JUst need to reinstall the OS. Need to get a Windows 2000 CD from someone.

Your laptop must be ancient if your using Windows 2000.

I think b/f's brother just installed Windows 2000 as that was what I was used to at work

Waiting for him to send disk over from Ireland

Leaving work now so have no computer 'til tomorrow. Toodles

 

[kained&able]

Can't remember what the error was exactly but friend explained it that a car won't start without an engine and my problem with laptop is equivalent

poor metaphor! Windows is never the engine.


dave

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

poor metaphor! Windows is never the engine.


dave

I know, but he probably couldn't think of another way to describe it to a non techie person

Anyway, had another look at the error message and it's:

"Windows 2000 could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

\WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEMced startup options for windows 2000"

 

[Sunray]

Hmm needs a re-install.

You can reinstall windows without having to format, you will lose all the installed application, but you can just reinstall them all, its not usually a huge task for most people. (My work laptop takes me 2 days)

You disk data should still be fine.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Im dead and my computer is at work.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Hmm needs a re-install.

You can reinstall windows without having to format, you will lose all the installed application, but you can just reinstall them all, its not usually a huge task for most people. (My work laptop takes me 2 days)

You disk data should still be fine.

So will I or will I not have lost all my photos? They are saved on to the C and D drives

Will I have to reinstall all my other stuff again, ie. my PDA, camera/printer software etc.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Im dead and my computer is at work.

How are you posting then?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Its my computer (at work), I have set it to make a selection of posts at preset times based on how I expect posters to reply to my previous preset posts.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Its my computer (at work), I have set it to make a selection of posts at preset times based on how I expect posters to reply to my previous preset posts.

Stop talking nonsense

I was merely stating that I was at work in case people wondered how I could be posting from work on a Sunday

IYSWIM

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Stop talking nonsense

Sorry, I have been out all last night (no sleep) drinking (and still am - 9.30pm here) am going a bit nuts I think, though have reached a point of clarity where I am somehow able to use a computer (but alas am not able to be funny).

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Sorry, I have been out all last night (no sleep) drinking (and still am - 9.30pm here) am going a bit nuts I think, though have reached a point of clarity where I am somehow able to use a computer (but alas am not able to be funny).

Talk as much nonsense as you want

Just don't expect me to understand it

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

OK thanks. I think I need to wind down. I didnt know it was possible to drink yourself sober.

Maybe I have just steadyed out.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

OK thanks. I think I need to wind down. I didnt know it was possible to drink yourself sober.

Maybe I have just steadyed out.

No point getting sober now, a couple of hours it'll be home time and time to start again

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

No point getting sober now, a couple of hours it'll be home time and time to start again

Its ten here so I am already at home. Yes. I think I will go upstairs and finish myself off though.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Yes. I think I will go upstairs and finish myself off though.

Now now, it can't be that bad

Shall I call the Samaritans for you?

 

[mhendo]

So will I or will I not have lost all my photos? They are saved on to the C and D drives

If the hard drive is still physically OK, and if the only problem with your computer is with the Windows installation itself, then your files (including all your photos and such, should still be there waiting for you.

Here's what i would do, if i were you:

Before trying to find a Windows disc, i would download Ubuntu Linux and burn it to a CD (get a friend to help you if you don't know how to burn a disc image).

Then, pop the disc into your computer's CD/DVD drive and boot from the Ubuntu disc. It will take a few minutes to start up, but once it does you should be able to navigate to your files, and copy them over to a external hard drive. If you copy all your files before messing about with a Windows disc, you're less likey to lose something.

Also, using the Ubuntu disc is a ood test of what is wrong with your computer. If Ubuntu loads OK, and allows you to view and copy the files on your hard drive, then it's most likely that the hard drive is fine, and that Windows is the only problem with your computer. On the other hand, if Ubuntu starts but can't read or copy your files, then it might be the hard drive.

Will I have to reinstall all my other stuff again, ie. my PDA, camera/printer software etc.

Probably.

I think that it is sometimes possible to do a repair installation that leaves all your programs intact, but sometimes they get nuked and you have to reinstall them. It's been such a long time since i dealt with a repair install of Windows that i can't remember, and i don't know much about Win2000.

 

[Sunray]

If the hard drive is still physically OK, and if the only problem with your computer is with the Windows installation itself, then your files (including all your photos and such, should still be there waiting for you.

Here's what i would do, if i were you:

Before trying to find a Windows disc, i would download Ubuntu Linux and burn it to a CD (get a friend to help you if you don't know how to burn a disc image).

Then, pop the disc into your computer's CD/DVD drive and boot from the Ubuntu disc. It will take a few minutes to start up, but once it does you should be able to navigate to your files, and copy them over to a external hard drive. If you copy all your files before messing about with a Windows disc, you're less likey to lose something.

Also, using the Ubuntu disc is a ood test of what is wrong with your computer. If Ubuntu loads OK, and allows you to view and copy the files on your hard drive, then it's most likely that the hard drive is fine, and that Windows is the only problem with your computer. On the other hand, if Ubuntu starts but can't read or copy your files, then it might be the hard drive.Probably.

I think that it is sometimes possible to do a repair installation that leaves all your programs intact, but sometimes they get nuked and you have to reinstall them. It's been such a long time since i dealt with a repair install of Windows that i can't remember, and i don't know much about Win2000.

To have windows 2000 on a machine because its whats at work and when told that the data is probably fine, to ask 'are my photos lost' suggests that doing the above isn't going to happen.

Next time back up your photo's, preferably to somewhere to like smugmug or flickr. Because once they are gone there isn't any way back.

Yes your photos are probably fine, but to make sure can you get someone who really knows what they are doing to install windows, preferrably windows XP rather than 2000. Windows 2000 can just die like yours did from time to time.

Window XP generally doesn't.

 

[mhendo]

To have windows 2000 on a machine because its whats at work and when told that the data is probably fine, to ask 'are my photos lost' suggests that doing the above isn't going to happen.

Huh? I don't even understand what you're trying to say here.

Either the hard drive is fucked, in which case she's going to have trouble getting her data off, no matter what method she uses. Or the hard drive is fine, and Windows is fucked, in which case using an Ubuntu disc will work just fine to get the data off.

If you're suggesting that Minnie might not be technically savvy enough to do it, you might be right, at least for now. But it really is a quite straightforward process, and i would be happy to guide her through it. I'm sure there are dozens of other people here who could help her. Burning and then booting and using an Ubuntu CD does not take any special talent, especially if you've got someone helping you out.

Personally, i think it's a safer route than fixing the Windows installation. With a Linux boot disc, you can't fuck anything up on the hard drive. There's basically no chance of losing or accidentally deleting your files. Windows repair installations, on the other hand, have been know to go wrong and lose data.

There's nothing to lose, and everything to gain, from getting the data off using a Linux disc. If she does that, and the Windows repair succeeds, then all she's lost is some time. If she does it, and the Windows repair fails or fucks up in some way, then she doesn't lose any data because it's all already off the computer.

Just MHO.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Now now, it can't be that bad

Shall I call the Samaritans for you?

Sorry I meant finish my self off for the night through booze power.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

If the hard drive is still physically OK, and if the only problem with your computer is with the Windows installation itself, then your files (including all your photos and such, should still be there waiting for you.

Here's what i would do, if i were you:

Before trying to find a Windows disc, i would download Ubuntu Linux and burn it to a CD (get a friend to help you if you don't know how to burn a disc image).

Then, pop the disc into your computer's CD/DVD drive and boot from the Ubuntu disc. It will take a few minutes to start up, but once it does you should be able to navigate to your files, and copy them over to a external hard drive. If you copy all your files before messing about with a Windows disc, you're less likey to lose something.

Also, using the Ubuntu disc is a ood test of what is wrong with your computer. If Ubuntu loads OK, and allows you to view and copy the files on your hard drive, then it's most likely that the hard drive is fine, and that Windows is the only problem with your computer. On the other hand, if Ubuntu starts but can't read or copy your files, then it might be the hard drive.Probably.

I think that it is sometimes possible to do a repair installation that leaves all your programs intact, but sometimes they get nuked and you have to reinstall them. It's been such a long time since i dealt with a repair install of Windows that i can't remember, and i don't know much about Win2000.

Can't burn a disc as I barely know anyone with a computer and the disc drives at work are disabled.

 

[quimcunx]

Can't burn a disc as I barely know anyone with a computer and the disc drives at work are disabled.

That is the tricky thing. Hardly anyone on urban has a computer at all.