Ripping, HD formatting and OS questions

BubbaH

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#61
Ok, to basics then, Id suggest, Making sure the disc is clean and make sure the drive itself isnt locking up during that process. If that can be ruled out, in one instance, on a very f'd up comp, I had to let that portion run for several hours... maybe more. It took forever but eventually it got through that. If all else fails try another drive. If another drive still doesnt work there is another issue that will need to be solved before hand.
 

orange

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#63
Okay, I almost missed something but now I'm coming to it...

Why are you messing around in BIOS? Most of them out there in the last 10 years are just about Plug and Play so to speak and you need do little with ot to them to get them to work.

On the other hand updating the BIOS itself could be recommended by the MFG...

Isn't Jer just over the hill from Charlottesville?

(Walton's joke, yes I KNOW)
 

BubbaH

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#64
I'm so frustrated. I'll muddle through some how. LOL Thanks for all the help.
Its problems like these, that make me use separate drives for my OS and media. One drive for video, one for music and data, and one for the OS. I cant be bothered to work through so many issues to try and get a rig running. Always seems as though performance takes a hit after recovering from major issues. A one day install/update period is time better spent than multiple days dinkin around with it.
 

BlazeES

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#65
Its problems like these, that make me use separate drives for my OS and media. One drive for video, one for music and data, and one for the OS. I cant be bothered to work through so many issues to try and get a rig running. Always seems as though performance takes a hit after recovering from major issues. A one day install/update period is time better spent than multiple days dinkin around with it.
Agreed! Keeping the OS separate from the gobs of an otherwise tangled mess is the key to ascension! Drives are cheap. I Raid 0 on "media" and game installation drives so I'm never confronted with an oh sh!t.

It's saved my ass countless times.

Back to OP, a drive that doesn't work is easy stuff to sort out but the problem is - people never ask questions..
 
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orange

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#66
I don't know how YOUR operating system works but when you format and establish the system on the disk to reinstall Windows, you lose all the REGISTRY and unless you image your drive(s) it's not so wasy as to just plug them in as XP and most of the Windows insist that you want to reformat the added drives at some point. Things like hard shutdowns and power losses can create errors that may require running CHKDSK (one of the good old-fashioned ways that Windows from 95 up can actually repair itself, restore and delete bad index entries etc. I tend to assimilate anything I can use on a drive and then properly format and install the drive.

But I STILL have no real clue why Larry's computer is not happy.
 

BubbaH

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#67
You need to get some Windows 7 Steven. Typically, for insurance reasons.... I power down media drives when doing something liek that. So as not to erase a drive by accident. Also, it simplifies the install and removes "unnecessary" hardware from the system. I dont remember having that issue of having to format a secondary drive after an install with XP. Also not sure why you'd make an image of a drive you intend to wipe anyways? Pretty sure the point is to have a new REGISTRY.
 

orange

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#68
1. You can load a BACKUP to a new drive just fine.

2. I need to get a lot of things, like a decent haircut but I live on 730 dollars a month. I haven't even used XP a full four years, it was 2000 Pro or Me for a long time.

3. I can't power down anything without shutting down and unplugging them, I'm all internal IDE and this one is a single 111 MB.

4. Multiple partitions mean you can define more than one "drive letter" on a single HDD...however it's not very practical to run more than two hard drives on most ATX and mATX machine because of the limitations in spac as well as PSU size and output power that smaller chassis are often equipped with or capable of within space constraints. I have a server tower frame with 3 HD spaces and 5 IDE 5.25" bays but you need to be running approximately 450-550 watt PSUs for that sort of setup vs. a simpler one.
 

Web Police

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#69
Not sure what the original was, but if you want to repair a windows installation it will load up some generic drivers to perform the install once it finds the correct drivers they will be updated. As has been mentioned never install windows with any secondary drives hooked up or turned on. Keep it as simple as possible when installing or you could very easily either format your usb drive or even install windows on it.

When installed you should treat your windows installation just like a car, preventative maintenance is always easier and cheaper then trying to repair a hosed installation. Check for malware once a week and eradicate it when you find it. If you wait till your browser redirects you or till your computer slows down it takes a lot more to get it back to tip top shape.
 

orange

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#70
I was taught from 95B on to have all your drives formatted and ready when the Windows clean install is performed. I backup all important data I want to save and reuse and reinstall it when I load programming. Once saved it's a lot easier to set up programming again. I haven't had to go too far beyond that,
 

BubbaH

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#71
4. Multiple partitions mean you can define more than one "drive letter" on a single HDD...however it's not very practical to run more than two hard drives on most ATX and mATX machine because of the limitations in spac as well as PSU size and output power that smaller chassis are often equipped with or capable of within space constraints. I have a server tower frame with 3 HD spaces and 5 IDE 5.25" bays but you need to be running approximately 450-550 watt PSUs for that sort of setup vs. a simpler one.
S-ATA Steven, Im running 3 HD's as well as a CD burner and a DVD burner with a micro ATX. Even a 300watt psu could push that. Havent had the need for an "A drive" in a long time.
 

BubbaH

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#72
1. You can load a BACKUP to a new drive just fine.

3. I can't power down anything without shutting down and unplugging them, I'm all internal IDE and this one is a single 111 MB.
Loading a backup is a waste of time if you can simply re install with the Windows disc.

I powerdown everything as well, meaning I open the case and unplug my psu while working on anything inside the case.


I was taught from 95B on to have all your drives formatted and ready when the Windows clean install is performed. I backup all important data I want to save and reuse and reinstall it when I load programming. Once saved it's a lot easier to set up programming again. I haven't had to go too far beyond that,
Nah, Windows takes care of all that when it loads up its setup now. You do it immediately before the install.

Again... hence the multiple drives... things are backed up and saved already... might have to download Winamp and a couple other small programs not worth saving.
 

orange

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#73
The quadcore IS using SATA...it's not all back together yet anyway I've been trying to get to it this week and I'm already tied up.

A: is RESERVED, along with B: for FLOPPY DRIVES and I believe ZIP type or datatapes, and I still use those lettersfor my floppies from my Sony Mavica cameras.

C: is the first drive letter available for other drives and devices. ATA cards must have at least a hard drive as master on either channel 0 or 1.

Drive lettering can extend to AA-ZZ under these conventions IIRC.
 
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orange

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#74
Loading a backup is a waste of time if you can simply re install with the Windows disc.

I powerdown everything as well, meaning I open the case and unplug my psu while working on anything inside the case.




Nah, Windows takes care of all that when it loads up its setup now. You do it immediately before the install.

Again... hence the multiple drives... things are backed up and saved already... might have to download Winamp and a couple other small programs not worth saving.
I have nearly 40 gigabytes in my main files, much of it backed up to CD-R and culled for duplication and unneeded files on an ongoing regular basis.

'Winamp' is an old program that is superceded by several other codec suites or browsers for the most part. It can be found archived on the internet and no saving is needed when I have a superior codec package otherwise.
 

laatsch55

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#80
So, I have an XP, in an HP pavillion, cir ca 2005. Have never backed up, never had a crash, and now xp is no longer supported. Where do I go from here?
 
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