My dead computer just got deader, please help!

[Toller]

My computer was running "Winfixer" repeatedly. I don't know what it is,
except I sure didn't put it there and wanted to get rid of it.
To do that I ran an antivirus program call "Stinger".
Before "Stinger" completed, my system would and rebooted, over and over
again.
In safe mode I got as far as MUP.SYS
I took it to a repair shop. They said it was full of viruses and I had to
reload the operating system.
I did, but it still stopped at MUP.SYS.
I connected the drive to my 2nd computer and formatted the disk (it denied
having FDISK?!)
I loaded the operating system again, and it stopped at MUP.SYS.
I put an old WIN98 disk on the computer, and it runs fine.
I connected the disk to my other computer and loaded that computer's
operating system on it. (both WXP, but different models of emachine, and
the 2nd one is on DVD which the 1st computer does not have)
It runs my second computer just fine.
I put it on my first computer. It stops at AGPCPQ.SYS. Progress, it is
about 3 steps later than MUP.SYS.

It can't be the operation system because that works in my 2nd computer.
It can't be a defective or infected disk because that works in my 2nd
computer.
It can't be the computer because the W98 disk works in it.
I don't want to try the 2nd computer's disk in the first computer because I
don't want to trash the 2nd one also!

So, any suggestions, now that I have ruled everything out?
Any help would be appreciated, or I will have to live with the W98
disk/system. (I haven't tried loading the WXP on the W98 disk, cause that
might leave me with nothing and I doubt it would help.)

 

[skip]

My computer was running "Winfixer" repeatedly. I don't know what it is,
except I sure didn't put it there and wanted to get rid of it.
To do that I ran an antivirus program call "Stinger".
Before "Stinger" completed, my system would and rebooted, over and over
again.
In safe mode I got as far as MUP.SYS
I took it to a repair shop. They said it was full of viruses and I had to
reload the operating system.
I did, but it still stopped at MUP.SYS.
I connected the drive to my 2nd computer and formatted the disk (it denied
having FDISK?!)
I loaded the operating system again, and it stopped at MUP.SYS.
I put an old WIN98 disk on the computer, and it runs fine.
I connected the disk to my other computer and loaded that computer's
operating system on it. (both WXP, but different models of emachine, and
the 2nd one is on DVD which the 1st computer does not have)
It runs my second computer just fine.
I put it on my first computer. It stops at AGPCPQ.SYS. Progress, it is
about 3 steps later than MUP.SYS.

It can't be the operation system because that works in my 2nd computer.
It can't be a defective or infected disk because that works in my 2nd
computer.
It can't be the computer because the W98 disk works in it.
I don't want to try the 2nd computer's disk in the first computer because I
don't want to trash the 2nd one also!

So, any suggestions, now that I have ruled everything out?
Any help would be appreciated, or I will have to live with the W98
disk/system. (I haven't tried loading the WXP on the W98 disk, cause that
might leave me with nothing and I doubt it would help.)

Here's a shot in the dark. Have you tried reloading the drivers that
came with the motherboard.
Like I said, a shot in the dark.

Dan (Still going in circles)

 

[Toller]

Here's a shot in the dark. Have you tried reloading the drivers that
came with the motherboard.
Like I said, a shot in the dark.

Yeh, they load along with the operating system. Emachines has a disk that
supposedly restores your harddrive to how it came from the store. Thanks
though.

 

[Guest]

The OS license is linked to the computer (actually MB) that is was originally
installed on.
eMachine #1 has to use restore disk that came with it. You can't use any
other disk!
Did eMachine #1 have a restore set or just one disk?
Did anyone reformat the entire hard drive?
Some computers have a recovery partition on the hard drive. If entire HD
reformatted, recovery partition would be erased.

what is model # of eMachine?

HD itself is not linked to OSlicense. So new OS could be installed on HD in
different computer.

 

[Toller]

The OS license is linked to the computer (actually MB) that is was
originally
installed on.
eMachine #1 has to use restore disk that came with it. You can't use any
other disk!
Did eMachine #1 have a restore set or just one disk?

2 cds. Computer #2 has one DVD.

Did anyone reformat the entire hard drive?

Yes, after the 2nd tech warned me it was necessary, I formatted the entire
HD.

Some computers have a recovery partition on the hard drive. If entire HD
reformatted, recovery partition would be erased.

Don't know about that, but restoring the 2nd computers system on the HD
allows it to work fine in the 2nd HD, so I think it is okay

what is model # of eMachine?
T1860

HD itself is not linked to OSlicense. So new OS could be installed on HD
in
different computer.

You have given me an idea; I will use the 2nd computer to restore the 1st
computers system, and then run it in the 1st computer. No idea why that
would help, but I am out of better ideas. (looks like it will be a w98
machine from now on!)

 

[Guest]

I don't think this will work. OS of eMachine is linked to Motherboard. You
have to use original OS on Hard drive to get it to work in the computer that
OS belongs.
"You have given me an idea; I will use the 2nd computer to restore the 1st
computers system, and then run it in the 1st computer. No idea why that
would help, but I am out of better ideas. (looks like it will be a w98
machine from now on!)"

If original OS of eMachine #1 can't repair/restore the computer. Then I
guess you are stuck with a Win 98 computer
OR
buy Retail version of Win XP. You could just purchase upgrade from 98
version vs full version.

 

[Ron Martell]

It can't be the operation system because that works in my 2nd computer.
It can't be a defective or infected disk because that works in my 2nd
computer.
It can't be the computer because the W98 disk works in it.
I don't want to try the 2nd computer's disk in the first computer because I
don't want to trash the 2nd one also!

So, any suggestions, now that I have ruled everything out?
Any help would be appreciated, or I will have to live with the W98
disk/system. (I haven't tried loading the WXP on the W98 disk, cause that
might leave me with nothing and I doubt it would help.)

Windows XP is fussier about hardware than Windows 98 so the fact that
the computer works okay with 98 does not eliminate the possibility
that there is a hardware defect of some kind.

Go to the hard drive manufacturer's web site and download their free
diagnostic software and run that to check out the drive. Also go to
www.tufftest.com and get their free version and run it to check out
the hardware. Make several passes with the program, not just one.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada

 

[Toller]

Windows XP is fussier about hardware than Windows 98 so the fact that
the computer works okay with 98 does not eliminate the possibility
that there is a hardware defect of some kind.

Go to the hard drive manufacturer's web site and download their free
diagnostic software and run that to check out the drive. Also go to
www.tufftest.com and get their free version and run it to check out
the hardware. Make several passes with the program, not just one.

I didn't think it was the harddrive, cause it worked fine with WXP on it in
my 2nd computer, but Samsung's low level format shows damage.

Can tufftest be used without a floppy? Can it be put on a bootable CD
perhaps?
Thanks for your help.

Now I have to decide whether to just run the computer on the W98 disk, that
seems to be fine; or to install WXP on the W98 and risk winding up with
nothing. Or buying a new drive for an old machine. Decisions, decisions,,,

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Toller

If during a low level format, the drive is diagnosed as having problems, it
is time to recover whatever files you can get, and send the drive back to
manufacturer..

 

[Toller]

Toller

If during a low level format, the drive is diagnosed as having problems,
it is time to recover whatever files you can get, and send the drive back
to manufacturer..

Diagnostics showed errors. I did a low level format. It said there were
problems and told me to send it back to Samsung. I ran diagnostics again.
Came up clean.

Loaded the system and it crapped out exactly as before. I was hoping the
low level format would mark the bad sectors so the machine didn't write to
them. Would formatting it first have helped?
It is a two year old disk. Can it be used for anything, or is it a
paperweight?