XP PRO repair questions

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G

Guest

Hi,

I'm having problems with XP Pro. System is about 2 years old purchased with
XP Pro. since last week having random problems with system locking up, no
response to keyboard, mouse, power button, anything. Also random changes in
Icons. Outlook is not cooperating and some programs just don't work anymore.

Have defragged, virus scanned, spyware, etc. multiple times can't find
problems. Ran hardware diagnostics and no hardware problems showing up.

I've tried restoring to older restore points, but the problems still exist.
Now unable to install office updates.

I moved since I bought the PC and can no longer find the recovery CD and
original XP CD that came with PC. Called distributor said they can't help,
have to buy new copy of XP and reinstall.

My question is - since I can't find the original OS CD is there anything I
can do to try and repair it. Or am I at the point where I should just save
all docs, bite the bullet and go buy a new copy, format and do a clean
install?

Thank you,

Gem
 
Forgot to add - XP Pro, SP 1. Also Office XP small business. Have installed
all the critical updates for Windows. Would SP2 maybe help my problems?

Thanks,

Gem
 
gem4353 said:
Hi,

I'm having problems with XP Pro. System is about 2 years old purchased with
XP Pro. since last week having random problems with system locking up, no
response to keyboard, mouse, power button, anything. Also random changes in
Icons. Outlook is not cooperating and some programs just don't work anymore.

Have defragged, virus scanned, spyware, etc. multiple times can't find
problems. Ran hardware diagnostics and no hardware problems showing up.

I've tried restoring to older restore points, but the problems still exist.
Now unable to install office updates.

I moved since I bought the PC and can no longer find the recovery CD and
original XP CD that came with PC. Called distributor said they can't help,
have to buy new copy of XP and reinstall.

My question is - since I can't find the original OS CD is there anything I
can do to try and repair it. Or am I at the point where I should just save
all docs, bite the bullet and go buy a new copy, format and do a clean
install?

Thank you,

Gem
Click to expand...

Your system may have a hidden recovery partition. Check out your disk
in Disk Management and see if it's there. It usually won't have a drive
letter so you can't mess around with it. When you boot up, you can
likely press a key to access the recovery software. For example, I have
an HP Pavilion elsewhere in the house. The recovery partition can be
accessed on boot by pressing F10, and it has the option for a
non-destructive recovery (repair installation) or destructive recovery
(format and clean install). See if your computer does.

If not, you may actually have some hardware problems. Try downloading
and running Memtest86 to check your RAM; it can detect failing RAM long
before you or any other program can. If it returns a ton of errors,
it's time for a new stick (maybe two; more is better anyway).

Download Motherboard Monitor 5 to check your power supply voltages;
erratic voltages can cause errors, lockups and reboots. While we're on
the subject, get a surge supressor for your computer; a UPS is better.
Surges, spikes and brownouts can wreak havoc with your computer.
 
Before fixing things, first keep doing what you were doing.
First identify the problem. For example, you ran
comprehensive hardware diagnostics to find an intermittent.
Good. But many intermittents even pass diagnostics when
running in 70 degree F rooms. Effective testing is called
burn-in testing. Run those diagnostics in a 100 degree room
or run diagnostics while heating the tested component with a
air dryer on high. Hot enough to be uncomfortable to touch
but not leave skin is a normal operating temperature.
Intermittents become more obvious when component operates at
the extreme limits of normal temperatures.

Especially necessary to find intermittent SIMM memory is
heat. Either run Memtst86 or the manufacturer's comprehensive
memory diagnostic - at elevated, normal temperature - to
verify memory integrity. Again intermittent memory can pass
at room temperature but will fail at elevated temperatures.
This same reason is why so many, instead, recommend more
fans. More fans to cure the symptom rather than use heat to
identify and replace a failing component.

In the meantime, what does the system (event) log report?
Does Device Manager report any conflicts or other problems?
See Windows Help, if necessary, to locate these two important
sources of information.

Measure DC voltages from power supply. A motherboard
voltage monitor is not sufficient for measuring voltages.
That voltage monitor can only report voltage changes - not
accurately report voltages. All voltages must measure within
upper 3/4 limits of voltage chart as posted in either:
"Computer doesnt start at all" in alt.comp.hardware on 10
Jan 2004 at http://tinyurl.com/2t69q or
"I think my power supply is dead" in alt.comp.hardware on 5
Feb 2004 at http://www.tinyurl.com/2musa

Essential is a 3.5 digit multimeter; so ubiquitous as to be
sold even in Sears, Home Depot, Lowes, and Radio Shack. That
is the least expensive solution to measuring voltages and a
tool as important as a screwdriver.

BTW don't waste good money on a UPS or surge protector to
fix this problem. First, surges occur typically once every
eight years. Second neither the plug-in UPS nor power strip
protector even claim to protect from surges that damage
hardware. Third, if AC mains voltage dropped so low as to
cause a computer failure, then incandescent lamps are
routinely dimming to less than 40% intensity. Furthermore, if
such AC mains voltage problems were causing problems, then the
multimeter would identify that problem. Brownouts never
damage properly constructed electronics. Brownouts are
destrutive to motors. But computers are more resilient.

Colin Cogle has recommended some good software solutions.
But his knowledge of the hardware side is severely lacking.
He recommends too many hardware myths. 1) Surges destroy
hardware. How many other appliances are damaged? 2) Spikes
are so irrelevant to computers that spikes are routine from a
UPS in battery backup mode (270 volt spike on the 120 volt
output). Spike may damage small electric motors but will not
harm the more resilient computer. Spikey outputs are one
reason why plug-in UPSes are so inexpensive. They can output
large spikes because computers are a most resilient
appliance. 3) Brownouts never damage properly constructed
electronic hardware. In fact Intel specs demand that a
computer even power up normally when AC voltage is so low that
incandescent lamps are at 40% intensity.

Spikes, surges, and brownouts causing problems are too often
promoted by myths. If any power line problem is causing your
problem, then the procedures cited above using a 3.5 digit
multimeter will identify that problem - in seconds.

I cannot emphasize enough the power of a tool called heat in
locating intermittent and future failures. There is no less
expensive tool than a multimeter to confirm electricity from a
power supply. Once you have used the multimeter to calibrate
a motherboard voltage monitor, then that voltage monitor can
properly report future voltage problems. But again, first the
multimeter is necessary.
 
Colin Cogle said:
Your system may have a hidden recovery partition. Check out your disk
in Disk Management and see if it's there. It usually won't have a drive
letter so you can't mess around with it.
Click to expand...

Well, this is just what I have on my Packard Bell notebook.
I made recovery Master CDs with the supplied software tool.

According to Packard Bell's user manual, creating these Master CDs
frees space on a 4GB partition which should appear as a new D: drive.

This is not the case: the partition does not appear in "My Computer".
It is there, however: if I check the "Volumes" tab for the hard disk
in "My Computer"'s hardware properties/peripherals manager, I see a
4GB FAT32 partition named "RESTDONE" with no drive letter.

How can I whether make it usable or (even better!) remove it and claim
the space for my C: partition?

Thanks in advance for any help!
 
Hi Tom and Colin,

thank you both for the advice - here's what I've done so far:

I've opened the case and rearranged my workspace to get more airflow -
things were a little crowded. I tried different memory (swapped with another
system) and the problems still continued on the original system, but nothing
on the system I swapped with.

I don't have any conflicts in device manager and nothing unusual showing up
in event log. Plus the errors in IE and outlook are progressing so i think
I'm going to reinstall IE and see if that helps.

I've looked for a hidden recovery partition and don't see anything in disk
management. Is there anyplace else I might be able to see it if there is an
option like that?

Now I'm also getting intermittent keyboard errors when booting.

thank you,

Gem
 
Performed were solutions often promoted by repairmen who
typically have insufficient computer knowledge. Moving cards
around to increase cooling only cures the symptoms of a failed
component. Posted previously because it is so necessary: a
common source of intermittents in electronics is a slowly
failing power supply. Especially when intermittents occur
without any obvious common factor. Now the keyboard is
failing? Will you reload software inside that keyboard single
chip computer? Was power supply integrity first confirmed?
If not then every strange failure has the same and single
reason.

Posted previously were some powerful tools. Do not be
selective. If you don't do them all, then you are simply
'wildly speculating' a solution. Those tools come from
experience that is probably longer than most lurkers have even
existed. Not listed as performed are two most critical
tests. Run comprehensive diagnostics at elevated
temperature. Measure DC volts. Without doing those, then
everything else is equivalent to 'spitting in the wind'.

Swapping cards to fix computer temperature is a classic
"rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic" example. All those
cards must work just fine when even bunched together, must
work just fine bunched together inside a 100 degree F room,
AND must work just fine when so hot as to be uncomfortable to
touch. Again, as was posted previously: if cooling the
computer solves an intermittent, then the problem still
remains. A computer must work just fine in a 100 degree room
with cards all bunched together. No cooling solution in a 70
degree room is a valid solution.

The procedure requires a multimeter. Some use an excuse
that they don't have the meter. I did not have a shovel;
therefore I could not plant crops and starved to death? It
was not my fault? Not acceptable especially when meters are
so ubiquitous (even sold in Sears Hardware, Home Depot, and
Radio Shack) and so inexpensive. Get the meter now.

Yes this is blunt because some of the best solutions were
provided and apparently the most important ones were not
performed. The tone says either you do it, or do not want to
solve the intermittent. Stop reading a solution that involves
more fans, better cooling, removing dust, or reloading
software. They are 'deck chair manipulations' if hardware
integrity was not first confirmed. Everything provided to
test hardware is simple even for Junior High School students.

Do not - I repeat - do not fix intermittents by first
reloading software. It can result to more complex problems
when hardware is the real reason for failure. Problems that
can then make the hardware solution more difficult. The
software was working just fine. Why did it change?

First confirm hardware is OK. Did you run comprehensive
diagnostics at elevated temperature? If so, then memory
swapping would not solve the problem. Only after all hardware
is confirmed - everything I had posted was performed - only
then move on to suspect software that did not change itself
when the machine was working fine.
 
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