did my hard drive crash? and some other questions. (1 Viewer)

[Glenn Overholt]

Ok, but if you buy the pre-install CD and run it - it will look for a hidden + buried file on your old HD that contained all of the cabinet files that makes Windows up.

In your case, your old HD is not working, so it will search and say that you do not have the installation files available - and come to a dead stop.

This is why I asked if anyone has ever accidently totally erased their hard drive, only to find out that they couldn't reinstall because the necessary files were erased too, and they didn't have the complete OS on a disk.

Since you do have a bootdisk now, get yourself a copy of fdisk.exe, put it on the bootdisk and try and fix the master boot record - and cross your fingers.

Like I think I said before, if you can get to an "A" prompt, (this is slightly different) type in "C:" and hit return. then type in "dir" and hit return and see if there is anything on your old HD.

If you type in fdisk mbr from the floppy, it will still fix the first hard drive - your old one.

Glenn

 

[Glenn Overholt]

I got some more fodder for you. Some pre-built machines have specific CD's for them, and yours is probably one of them. If it doesn't see your HD, it might not work.

Now, There were/are 3 ways for the software (in cabinet files) to be included.

1. They are in a hidden directory in your Windows files somewhere - but very old

2. They created a hidden partition on your HD that apparently cannot be removed, so if they are there and your HD isn't a total piece of junk, it may work.

3. They put the entire system on a CD - in your case, the recovery CD, and they usually include these with the system when you buy it.

However, you may not even know that you have it. I have been informed that they hide it somewhere. It could be on the circuit board side of your motherboard. With some cases, they include a CD rack on top, and the rack snaps out, and the disk is underneath it. It could also be anywhere else inside the machine. If both side panels can be removed, remove both and check around.

Now that is done with - - If both drives are in your system, make sure that you have the master/slave plugs in their right sockets.

If you cannot get into your bios, you may have to move a jumper on your motherboard to another position first.

There! When you get stuck, write back!
Glenn

 

[TonyD]

thanks glenn i'll give those a shot tomorrow if i have time.

 

[TonyD]

ok i seem to have the new drive installed, but.

when i run the diag test program that comes with the maxtor software it tells me the ne hd is the slave and there is no master.
i only have the new hd in so shouldnt it read as the master?

also i could only use the win98 boot i made from my other pc that only has win98. the winxp i downloaded from boot.com doesnt seem to do anything.

and now when the new hd boots up all i get is soemthing that syas "......win98...."

and a c:>

i stiil cant get the recovery disc to do anything so i ordered the quick restore disc. i couldnt find one hidden in the pc anywere.

ok i did run the dir thing on the new drive and a list of stuff popped up. so i guess it's there.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Hi. The master/slave is set with the little plastic pieces on the back of the drives. You should find a set of pins that the cable doesn't cover. Somewhere near it will be a quide to show you what pins to cover. It may only say M(aster) or S(lave), and is usually on the label on the drive.

Oh, fudgesicles! I didn't think about this before, but it may be your battery. If it dies, the info in your CMOS won't keep.

I am sure you can download the instructions for it somewhere. Follow the instructions carefully, and make sure that your drives are set on the correct IDE channel and master/slave too.

If that works, turn it off, wait half a minute and crank it back up. If everything is fouled up again, get a battery!

Glenn

 

[Evan.G]

Many drives now have a cable select option for the jumpers (little plastic things). The master should be connected to the end connector. Leave the middle connector unplugged. The win98 boot disk will not work for xp, so you may as well wait 'til your new disk arrives.

 

[TonyD]

ok i fixed the little jumper thing.

i used the 3 disk restore cd's.
but now how do i figure out were all my factory installed programs are? shouldnt they be on these cd's?

and i can't get the computer to connnect to my cable internet for some reason.

 

[Evan.G]

If they aren't under the programs list in the start menu, put the factory restor disks in and search the directories. Often times there will be install programs for these in there. Check for other disks that came w/ the computer. Dell distributes disks for each non-windows addon program that they install. As for the cable internet, you could just run the disk that came w/ the cable intallation. It should set up your internet settings the way that the cable company likes it. They usually just use dhcp, which you could set up yourself, but it would take a call to the company to get the required settings and some time learning how to enter these settings. (Start->settings->network-> etc.) Look for the icon for your network adapter and click properties. You need to change the settings for the tcp ip.

 

[TonyD]

The driver had built-in in win XP and win2000. You don't need
extra driver. If you still cannot install properly, you could
try other slots.

i tried to download the driver for my ethernet from realtek.com but only get that message. i searched on my pc but found zero ref to realtek.

any ideas on that?

i may have to call comcast for the proper settings as using the cd doesnt help and i have removed the netwoek cards and connections several times to no avail.

 

[Roman Ortega]

That same problem happened to me some time ago, after an energy shutdown the boot file of win Xp get damaged, fortunately I managed to recover it messing with the console (Don’t sure how I did it so I’m not giving advice to you on that), What I recommend to you is that as you have 100Gb of disk now, make a partition on your disk, look if you can get programs like partition magic and boot magic, whit them you can do almost every thing with your drives and you can be able to install two or more different OS in your machine, for example I have installed in my machine a 20 Gb Maxtor hard disk and have it divided in 13Gb for Win Xp (for Work), 6Gb for Win 98 (for games) and 1Gb common for both disk that I use for backup. Since it’s very hard that the entire disk gets damage, if one operative system fails you’ll always have the other to defend yourself.

I also recommend you to format the disk that is bad, and install it as a slave, who knows maybe its not all bad (Which if strongly believe) and you can have know a second disk for whatever you want to use it

 

[Evan.G]

I realtek should offer some updated drivers on their site. If they don't, highlight the device that isn't working and click properties -> install new driver. When it proceeds, it will ask where to look. Tell it to look on the install disk, if you couldn't download a driver. I had to do this for a friend yesterday who's ethernet card didn't install correctly for some reason.

 

[TonyD]

ok i've tried to download the driver from the realtek site. and they even sent me a copy of it in email but when i open the zip file i get an "invalid public key security index file" window.
the zip includes three objects
1.rtl8029.sys
2.netrtp5.inf
3.netrtp5.cat

the sys doesnt open any thing. the inf opens a huge notepad page of info.
the cat gives me the invalid window.

http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/...&Software=True

that is the link to the download. its windows xp that i'm trying to get. when i click the xp link i get...

"The driver had built-in in win XP and win2000. You don't need
extra driver. If you still cannot install properly, you could
try other slots. You could search "Realtek" and "Ethernet" in
this URL to get more information.
http://www.microsoft.com/hcl/default.asp"

anyone ideas?

 

[Evan.G]

You should be in business with this driver. I'm a windows 2000 user, so it may be slightly different than this. But under control panels -> system (hardware tab) click on the device button. This will bring a list of attached deviced up. Depending on the xp interface that you have (the new one or the classic one), it will be different getting to this screen. Right click on the ethernet device and select properties. There you can select install new driver. Click have disk, and show it the directory with this driver in it. Windows will install it for you.

 

[TonyD]

well i have done that over and over. but i cannot find anything that says ethernet. i have 2 network adapters listed but even when i un-install them it doesnt help.

i think i need that download from previous post but i still cannot open it.

 

[Evan.G]

There should be an icon for network adapters. When you expand that, there should be an icon for each adapter installed. If you have a modem as well, it will be listed there. One of those should be the ethernet adapter. If you don't have an icon for the ethernet adapter, then it wasn't autodetected. You'll have to try going to add new hardware. You can use the wizard or do it manually. I usually try the wizard first. It will usually find the adapter even if there is a resource conflict. If it can't, you may just try picking up a new one. They are usually around $10.00 with shipping on ebay or same price w/ coupons at the local store. If it saves you a headache, it may be worth it.

 

[TonyD]

ok in case anyone still was wondering what was going on.

i went to best buy and bought a $5 ethernet card. but i still couldnt get the pc to see the cable modem.

so i finally called comcast support.
i found out that there is no driver available anymore for realtek ethernet, only usb, and that someone would have to the house to install the driver. no problem it's part of the service.

then he pinged it or something and finally got me back online.

he asked me if i had a firewall. i did not but i do have norton internet protection, which seems to work like a firewall.

he told me thats why i still couldnt get on even with the new card and new driver installed.

he recommended if i install new hd's that i should wait to re-install the norton stuff last.