D
davelonico
I have now re-installed (clean) WinXP pro 5 times in past
45 days (only got round to activiting 2x).
The problem is that the PC will corrupt and then either
the restore program works (partially) or the system will
not boot either in Safe Mode or any other mode (at which
time I re-install).
Config as follows: Asus Asrock P4S61, Intel Celeron 2.4
(retail version), 512DDR PC2700 Kingston, Sony 5x DVD and
WD 10g HD, ATI Radeon 9200SE 128ddr WinXP Pro.
The application is my son's PC which because he uses the
PC for gaming is using our S Video TV as the primary
monitor. WinXP desktop settings altered to improve
visibility.
I believe that the heart of the problem is MS's digital
fingerprinting in XP Pro. The system is installed
normally, all Win updates and sec patches applied before
installing any software.
Because the item is hooked to a TV and that TV may be
switched to another video input, the TV is occassionally
not "on" as far as XP is concerned when it boots. It is
clear that when XP trys to boot and does not detect any
monitor that the corruption in the boot sector happens.
Today's corruption was the main
windows/system32/config/system file (3+mb). WinXP tells
me that I could use the "repair" feature, but although I
am a pretty advanced PC person, I can't figure out how to
do it unless I use either the FIXMB or FIXBOOT, but am
unsure which to use.
What I need to know is how to "turn off" XP's monitor
detect at boot so it won't corrupt if my son accidentally
turns on the computer with the Video Mode on the wrong AV
input. I know that MS is aware of this problem since some
of the promo material on their new "Media Center" version
of XP (for TVs) discuss dealing with these kinds of common
AV problems (including power on and desktop management).
If because of the digital fingerprinting, I can't turn off
the monitor detect (the effect of this would be that XP
would boot completely without detecting a monitor at all -
which is the default mode for 98SE, Me and 2K) without
corrupting the boot file and config, then some suggestions
on how to do a fast "repair" so that I don't need to
reinstall everything, everytime.
Right now, I could go back to stable Win98SE for his
system since it works fine, but then some of the newer
games won't play. This whole process has been very
frustrating, and if I ask MS, I am sure they will tell me
it's either someone else's fault or I should consider
upgrading to their new "Media Center" version (which of
course does not support Smart Display because it is a
variant of Home not Pro).
Any assistance / advice (besides downgrading to 98SE and
simply using "System Restore") would be greatly
appreciated. Unfortunately using System Restore is not an
option, because only roughly half the time does the boot
file corruption involve a lessor file that allows the unit
to get to a "safe mode" level of boot - the rest of the
time you are dead in the water with only "repair" (which I
don't know enough about) or re-installations as options.
My son is getting frustrated with having to re-install XP
every week, and he already knows far too much than a 6 and-
a-half year old should have to know about PCs.
Thx - Dave Lonico
(frustrated after paying for XP Pro on the assumption it
was a great improvement on stability).
45 days (only got round to activiting 2x).
The problem is that the PC will corrupt and then either
the restore program works (partially) or the system will
not boot either in Safe Mode or any other mode (at which
time I re-install).
Config as follows: Asus Asrock P4S61, Intel Celeron 2.4
(retail version), 512DDR PC2700 Kingston, Sony 5x DVD and
WD 10g HD, ATI Radeon 9200SE 128ddr WinXP Pro.
The application is my son's PC which because he uses the
PC for gaming is using our S Video TV as the primary
monitor. WinXP desktop settings altered to improve
visibility.
I believe that the heart of the problem is MS's digital
fingerprinting in XP Pro. The system is installed
normally, all Win updates and sec patches applied before
installing any software.
Because the item is hooked to a TV and that TV may be
switched to another video input, the TV is occassionally
not "on" as far as XP is concerned when it boots. It is
clear that when XP trys to boot and does not detect any
monitor that the corruption in the boot sector happens.
Today's corruption was the main
windows/system32/config/system file (3+mb). WinXP tells
me that I could use the "repair" feature, but although I
am a pretty advanced PC person, I can't figure out how to
do it unless I use either the FIXMB or FIXBOOT, but am
unsure which to use.
What I need to know is how to "turn off" XP's monitor
detect at boot so it won't corrupt if my son accidentally
turns on the computer with the Video Mode on the wrong AV
input. I know that MS is aware of this problem since some
of the promo material on their new "Media Center" version
of XP (for TVs) discuss dealing with these kinds of common
AV problems (including power on and desktop management).
If because of the digital fingerprinting, I can't turn off
the monitor detect (the effect of this would be that XP
would boot completely without detecting a monitor at all -
which is the default mode for 98SE, Me and 2K) without
corrupting the boot file and config, then some suggestions
on how to do a fast "repair" so that I don't need to
reinstall everything, everytime.
Right now, I could go back to stable Win98SE for his
system since it works fine, but then some of the newer
games won't play. This whole process has been very
frustrating, and if I ask MS, I am sure they will tell me
it's either someone else's fault or I should consider
upgrading to their new "Media Center" version (which of
course does not support Smart Display because it is a
variant of Home not Pro).
Any assistance / advice (besides downgrading to 98SE and
simply using "System Restore") would be greatly
appreciated. Unfortunately using System Restore is not an
option, because only roughly half the time does the boot
file corruption involve a lessor file that allows the unit
to get to a "safe mode" level of boot - the rest of the
time you are dead in the water with only "repair" (which I
don't know enough about) or re-installations as options.
My son is getting frustrated with having to re-install XP
every week, and he already knows far too much than a 6 and-
a-half year old should have to know about PCs.
Thx - Dave Lonico
(frustrated after paying for XP Pro on the assumption it
was a great improvement on stability).