4 XP problems with new computer

[tforms1]

I bought a computer from someone online.
Mistake? Perhaps, but the specs were good (I thought) and the price
was good.

Intel duo core, 4 gigs of ram, dvd burner, 640 gig harddrive and 160
gig harddrive, also a 512 meg gforce video card. I was also told the
motherboard is one of the latest ones out there.

I got the computer and used my copy of Windows XP Professional (I
think its XP Pro with service pack 1)

I installed it, but did not run windows update yet. My internet at
home is currently down, and I wont be able to get back to the computer
for a week or so.

But I noticed 4 strange things, I hope someone can help me out with
their thoughts on the cause/fix of these problems:

1. When I open up windows explorer (my computer/my documents/etc) and
then try to drag the window, it moves VERY jerkily. Like when you have
a ton of processes running and the computer slows to a crawl.
** I think this is due to the video card driver, and once I run
Windows Update and get updated drivers it will fix this.

2. I right clicked on My Computer and choose properties.
It said I have 2.75 gigs of ram.
** I think this is due to service pack 1...maybe service pack 1 has a
3 gig limit? Maybe once I run windows update, it will show 4 gigs.

3. I did not plug my speakers in...but I went to add the sound
(control panels -> Sound & Audio Devices) to my task bar, and it said
I had no audio devices installed. Everything was greyed out.
** Again, I think once I update windows, it will take care of this
problem. (he told me the motherboard has 7.1 audio ability)

4. When I went to install XP, I choose "Format and install" so the 160
gig drive was formatted. Once XP started up, I formatted (fully) the
640 gig drive also.
But Everytime I try booting up the computer it gives me an option of
booting using XP Pro or XP Home.
Which is very strange since I fully formatted both harddrives.
I have no idea why it thinks XP Home is there. Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[Shenan Stanley]

<inline>

I bought a computer from someone online.
Mistake? Perhaps, but the specs were good (I thought) and the price
was good.

Intel duo core, 4 gigs of ram, dvd burner, 640 gig harddrive and 160
gig harddrive, also a 512 meg gforce video card. I was also told
the motherboard is one of the latest ones out there.

I got the computer and used my copy of Windows XP Professional (I
think its XP Pro with service pack 1)

Did the computer come with an OS?
Was your copy of Windows XP an OEM license or Retail License?
Has it ever been used on another computer?

I installed it, but did not run windows update yet. My internet at
home is currently down, and I wont be able to get back to the
computer for a week or so.

But I noticed 4 strange things, I hope someone can help me out with
their thoughts on the cause/fix of these problems:

1. When I open up windows explorer (my computer/my documents/etc)
and then try to drag the window, it moves VERY jerkily. Like when
you have a ton of processes running and the computer slows to a
crawl. ** I think this is due to the video card driver, and once I
run Windows Update and get updated drivers it will fix this.

Do not get drivers from Microsoft. They did not make your hardware - nor do
they provide the best support for it. Get the hardware drivers from the
individual hardware manufacturers. Visit their web pages and download the
latest drivers for your operating system and install those.

Yes - it is likely that if you install all the correct drivers - some of the
'jerkiness' will be cured.

2. I right clicked on My Computer and choose properties.
It said I have 2.75 gigs of ram.
** I think this is due to service pack 1...maybe service pack 1 has
a 3 gig limit? Maybe once I run windows update, it will show 4 gigs.

No. Windows XP 32-bit has a 4GB limit and will normally only display (in
the manner we are speaking of here) 2.5-3.5GB as being installed (System
Properties) - and that is really all you are going to get out of it. If you
need more - your solution is to go to a 64-bit operating system with better
memory managment/usage.

3. I did not plug my speakers in...but I went to add the sound
(control panels -> Sound & Audio Devices) to my task bar, and it
said I had no audio devices installed. Everything was greyed out.
** Again, I think once I update windows, it will take care of this
problem. (he told me the motherboard has 7.1 audio ability)

Again - Do not get drivers from Microsoft. They did not make your
hardware - nor do they provide the best support for it. Get the hardware
drivers from the individual hardware manufacturers. Visit their web pages
and download the latest drivers for your operating system and install those.

Motherboard chipset, audio device, video device, network device, etc and so
on.

4. When I went to install XP, I choose "Format and install" so the
160 gig drive was formatted. Once XP started up, I formatted
(fully) the 640 gig drive also.
But Everytime I try booting up the computer it gives me an option of
booting using XP Pro or XP Home.
Which is very strange since I fully formatted both harddrives.
I have no idea why it thinks XP Home is there. Any ideas?

You did something incorrectly. I suggest you do it again - using
step-by-step instructions.

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

Thanks

No problem.

Please - come back - let everyone know how things turn out. After all -
your post will be here indefinitely for everyone to search and read for
years to come. (BTW - your email address will be too.)

 

[tforms1]

(e-mail address removed) wrote:
Do not use Windows updates to get the drivers...always better to get
them right from the manufacturer.

I remember in the past when I did windows update, they always offer
drivers for my video card, etc...
I always thought, since I am using windows, the best place for the
drivers is from MS, since they KNOW the OS the best, they would
provide the best drivers.
Thats what I thought.

Don't know why you ended up with the boot option you did.
The mbr must have been updated but not over-written

You mean the motherboard?
How would that have gotten it?

You can run msconfig and have it check boot paths, then eliminate the
non-valid one

it would show in msconfig?
I thought that just shows the processes that run in startup?

Thanks

 

[tforms1]

Did the computer come with an OS?
No.

Was your copy of Windows XP an OEM license or Retail License?

It was a copy that was bought in a store.

Has it ever been used on another computer?

Yes, I had used it on my old computer. (that I am retiring once I get
the new one up and running)
But I dont think that would have an impact, SINCE I did not connect
the new computer to the internet.

Do not get drivers from Microsoft.  They did not make your hardware - nor do
they provide the best support for it.  Get the hardware drivers from the
individual hardware manufacturers.  Visit their web pages and download the
latest drivers for your operating system and install those.

Ok.
I always thought it was best to get the drivers from MS, since MS
provides the OS, they would know all the ins and outs of the system.

You did something incorrectly.  I suggest you do it again - using
step-by-step instructions.

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

Not sure what I could have done wrong, I've installed XP quite a few
times and never had this problem.
When I installed, it asked if I wanted to format my 160 gig drive, I
choose yes.
Once XP was up, I used disk management to format the 640 drive.
Both times I did a full format and not just the quick (erase) format.

The strange thing is, the previous owner of the computer told me he
had Vista installed, and he said that he would get the dual boot
option also.
Thats very strange, since he built the computer from scratch.
As far as I know (from what he told me) XP Home was never on the
computer at all.

Thanks

 

[Daave]

It was a copy that was bought in a store.

Both OEM and Retail versions may be bought in stores!

Look at the CD. Does it say OEM or Retail?

 

[tforms1]

Both OEM and Retail versions may be bought in stores!

Look at the CD. Does it say OEM or Retail?

It is the kind bought in Best Buy, I dont think they have many OEM
copies.
Im pretty sure its a retail copy.
But I am away for work this week, so I cannot check now.

But Im not sure if this makes a difference, as I have used that copy
to install and re-install a bunch of times, and never experienced this
issue.

Im really confused as to why it would have that option.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

<snipped>
Example of one of the many places it has been 'synchronized':
http://www.pcbanter.net/showthread.php?p=3304557

Both OEM and Retail versions may be bought in stores!

Look at the CD. Does it say OEM or Retail?

It is the kind bought in Best Buy, I dont think they have many OEM
copies.

Im pretty sure its a retail copy.

But I am away for work this week, so I cannot check now.

But Im not sure if this makes a difference, as I have used that copy
to install and re-install a bunch of times, and never experienced
this issue.

Im really confused as to why it would have that option.

Something was done incorrectly during the supposed 'clean' installation.
(MBR = Master Boot Record, BTW.)

My suggestion - if you really want a clean system - start by doing this:

Download a stable release of your choice (depending on what boot
options/media choices)
http://www.dban.org/download

Nuke that drive with it - then boot wth your Windows XP CD, install cleanly
following the instructions given earlier:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

Essentially - you really want to be sure you have a clean hard disk drive
before you start. Usually you can do this uring the install by DELETING the
partitions shown to you and CREATING a new partition to install upon.
Sometimes, something strange might happen (although most people just make a
mistake of choosing an existing partition instead of deleting and
creating...) and you end up with the old data still intact in some manner.

 

[M.I.5¾]

I bought a computer from someone online.
Mistake? Perhaps, but the specs were good (I thought) and the price
was good.

Intel duo core, 4 gigs of ram, dvd burner, 640 gig harddrive and 160
gig harddrive, also a 512 meg gforce video card. I was also told the
motherboard is one of the latest ones out there.

I got the computer and used my copy of Windows XP Professional (I
think its XP Pro with service pack 1)

I installed it, but did not run windows update yet. My internet at
home is currently down, and I wont be able to get back to the computer
for a week or so.

But I noticed 4 strange things, I hope someone can help me out with
their thoughts on the cause/fix of these problems:

1. When I open up windows explorer (my computer/my documents/etc) and
then try to drag the window, it moves VERY jerkily. Like when you have
a ton of processes running and the computer slows to a crawl.
** I think this is due to the video card driver, and once I run
Windows Update and get updated drivers it will fix this.

2. I right clicked on My Computer and choose properties.
It said I have 2.75 gigs of ram.
** I think this is due to service pack 1...maybe service pack 1 has a
3 gig limit? Maybe once I run windows update, it will show 4 gigs.

3. I did not plug my speakers in...but I went to add the sound
(control panels -> Sound & Audio Devices) to my task bar, and it said
I had no audio devices installed. Everything was greyed out.
** Again, I think once I update windows, it will take care of this
problem. (he told me the motherboard has 7.1 audio ability)

4. When I went to install XP, I choose "Format and install" so the 160
gig drive was formatted. Once XP started up, I formatted (fully) the
640 gig drive also.
But Everytime I try booting up the computer it gives me an option of
booting using XP Pro or XP Home.
Which is very strange since I fully formatted both harddrives.
I have no idea why it thinks XP Home is there. Any ideas?

Thanks