I Upgraded my PC

[VaBeachGuy 12]

Well I upgraded my computer lastnight and my Windows XP didn't like it so I had to reinstall XP. Because of that I have lost all of my programs (Photoshop, FLASH, etc.) So I won't be on quite as much while I am rebuilding my software abilities.

[removed 0]

Ya that sucks. It happened to me a couple months ago. But I'm back in tip-top working mode. At least it's repairable. It would've been even worse if your memory got fried. Lol.

[Takara_Soong 4]

That really does suck. With the number of programs you'll have to download, that could take months to get it all back in order.

[mrskirk 0]

Sounds like somebody didn't back up! Mortal TechTV sin!! No offense intended bossman--sounds like what happened to you really sucks!! My computer came with Windows XP preinstalled and I haven't had a problem with it at all. What were you upgrading from, 98 or ME? I've heard those upgrading from ME to XP have had some problems unless they do a complete reinstall instead of an upgrade. That's because ME sucks. Another issue I've heard about is the fact that alot of people don't know that XP runs on a completely different file format than the older (home) versions of Windows. The older versions use FAT32 where XP uses NTFS, which is based on the old Windows NT business operating system. While setting up Windows XP, you are given the option of using either FAT32 (for compatibility with older software) or NTFS (for reliability and stability). I of course opted for NTFS since my computer was brand new and I hadn't yet installed anything. But I'm sure you knew all that already. I just like to type. Hope you're back online soon!

[VaBeachGuy 12]

Sounds like somebody didn't back up!  Mortal TechTV sin!!  No offense intended bossman--sounds like what happened to you really sucks!!  My computer came with Windows XP preinstalled and I haven't had a problem with it at all.  What were you upgrading from, 98 or ME?  I've heard those upgrading from ME to XP have had some problems unless they do a complete reinstall instead of an upgrade.  That's because ME sucks.  Another issue I've heard about is the fact that alot of people don't know that XP runs on a completely different file format than the older (home) versions of Windows.  The older versions use FAT32 where XP uses NTFS, which is based on the old Windows NT business operating system.  While setting up Windows XP, you are given the option of using either FAT32 (for compatibility with older software) or NTFS (for reliability and stability).  I of course opted for NTFS since my computer was brand new and I hadn't yet installed anything.  But I'm sure you knew all that already.  I just like to type.  Hope you're back online soon!

My backup wouldn't work because I upgraded the motherboard, memory and CPU. Because of the major upgrade the Windows registry just kind of went If I were a little more patient I could have repaired it but there were a few issues that only a reinstall would solve so I just bit the bullet.

 

I wasn't upgrading my software but rather the hardware (I build and repair computers a lot and got my hands on some good -free- hardware). Windows XP can operate on both NTFS and FAT32, I don't like NTFS though because if there is ever a problem that you have to drop down into DOS then you won't be able to see the NTFS hard drive to fix whatever the problem is. I always use FAT32.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

That really does suck.  With the number of programs you'll have to download, that could take months to get it all back in order. 

Nah, I didn't reformat the hard drive so I still have everything. I just need to install the ones that no longer work (which means re-downloading some of them).

[mrskirk 0]

Sounds like you've pretty much built an entire new PC for yourself. Way to go!! I'm not that bold. I would like a faster PC but I'm too chicken to go inside the tower. I'm looking to purchase a laptop for space reasons and I'd like at least a 2G Pentium 4 processor with a minimum of 512K RAM. Just gotta wait until I'm back to work!

[VaBeachGuy 12]

Sounds like you've pretty much built an entire new PC for yourself.  Way to go!!  I'm not that bold.  I would like a faster PC but I'm too chicken to go inside the tower.  I'm looking to purchase a laptop for space reasons and I'd like at least a 2G Pentium 4 processor with a minimum of 512K RAM.  Just gotta wait until I'm back to work!

I used to own a business building computers a few years ago. Since 1998 I've built about 150 to 200 computers. There was a time that I would have a new computer every 4 to 6 months lol.

[ddillard 2]

My computer is ALWAYS a work in progress. With where I work there is constantly someone upgrading and getting rid of parts and I can usually pick up stuff for a couple of bucks so my computer is never complete. I usually upgrade it in one way or another every couple of weeks. LOL.

[Makurosu 0]

Well I upgraded my computer lastnight and my Windows XP didn't like it so I had to reinstall XP. Because of that I have lost all of my programs (Photoshop, FLASH, etc.) So I won't be on quite as much while I am rebuilding my software abilities.

That sucks, but at least you can download some of them again. I upgraded again before this current semester, and my old hard drive didn't make it. I really should have backed up everything on it and replaced it a long time before that.

 

I lost a lot of *cough* unlicensed programs in the process. I'd d/l Photoshop, and some of the other great ones, but the school network guys watch the traffic on here like a hawk after all of the lawsuits and issues pertaining to downloading in recent years.

[trekzone 0]

my sound chip on my motherboard blew up last week, just got it back but they had to format my HDD...damn them!

[VaBeachGuy 12]

my sound chip on my motherboard blew up last week, just got it back but they had to format my HDD...damn them!

I'd never have onboard sound (or video), very inflexible. I like to upgrade a lot and you can't do that with integrated motherboards.

[trekzone 0]

yeah, it was a combo package from the shop....but the video (GeForce 4 128MB) is a PCI card, so....but my new sound chip is cool....i dont want to upgrade!

[Red Shirt Volunteer 0]

VBG,

 

I share your pain. This summer I made some upgrades to my system, including a new CPU (Athlon XP 2400+), 512MB more RAM and a new hard disk. My horror story follows. Not quite Halloween yet so this scary story might be a bit early.

 

Turns out it was a good thing I bought the new HD because after installing the new CPU (properly, including the BIOS upgrade in advance), the thing decided to kill itself about a week later and the HD developed a major problem and stopped booting Windows (XP), at all. I thought it was done for and reinstalled XP on the new one, then tried to use the old one as a slave. It worked and I managed to recover almost all my files.

 

Then the new one did the same thing! OMG I was absolutely livid, but new I could recover data from the old one so just reformatted and wrote XP over the old version. Turns out it doesn't necessarily lose the files anyway because they were all right there. After 5 reformats and reinstalls of XP in 2 weeks - yes, 5 times in 2 weeks at at least 5 to 8 hours a crack because I also had to reinstall all my software every time (even though it's on the HD and you can see it, it's not installed in the new OS directory properly when you format and reinstall).

 

I finally realized I had to clear CMOS by taking the stinkin' battery out of the mobo for a few minutes (or do it the hard way - this is easier for me). It's worked generally correctly (as correctly as a Microsoft product can) since then. I don't need to tell you that I have 2 HDs now and 1 is just a back-up. I learned a lot about my box and computers in general this summer. I'm kind of glad it happened now because it gave me the confidence to take pretty much anything inside it apart - it doesn't get much worse than the state mine was in (no boot screen or anything and repeats of the BSOD on every subsequent fatal crash). In the end the only money I wasted on it was for a HD that may not have been necessary, but I don't trust the old one anymore.

 

The old one was called Riker, by the way. The new one's Archer.

 

You seem to know a lot more about this kind of thing than me so I'm sure you'll work it out soon enough.

 

Cheers,

 

Red Shirt Volunteer

Edited October 27, 2003 by Red Shirt Volunteer

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I have 4 hard drives (2 - 20GB's, 1 - 30GB and a 60GB). After I reinstalled Windows XP Home I still had some issues that I wasn't pleased with, the "final straw" for me was last night whenever I would put a blank DVD into my DVD writer the computer would crash. So I reformatted one of my 20GB drives and reinstalled Windows XP Pro (Much more stable then XP Home). Now I have just about everything back to my pre-upgrade speed. I just need to install 1 or 2 more programs and that's it.

[cptwright 1]

did you have a problem due to the nice thing mr gates did in XP? im refering to the fact that after you do more 3 upgrades to your computer it says "oops this isnt the same computer, and you cant use me anymore till you contact MS." my teacher told me about that one, i cant beleive that now if you upgrade your computer he really expects you to buy the OS over again. now thats a crock.

[trekzone 0]

i had that happen to me.....after i put the new motherboard in!!!

 

and then the telephone representative (because you need a new activation key) ... sorry, please purchase another copy! .... soo im sitting on un licensed software at the moment!

[cptwright 1]

like i said WHAT A BUNCH OF CRAP. billy gates is starting to get a little to greedy now.

[trekzone 0]

he needs to bring out Windows Cement!

[SoCalTom 0]

I never upgrade computers. If I need an upgrade, I buy a new machine.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I never upgrade computers. If I need an upgrade, I buy a new machine.

I never buy computers, when you buy a new computer you just get ripped off. I build my own. Then I know I am getting quality parts and quality workmanship.

[trekzone 0]

quality workmanship ha!!!

 

 

 

Click For Spoiler

sorry oh exulted one!

 

any hoo, this is the second computer i've had in 5 years!

[cptwright 1]

im thinking on a new build. ive been looking at new MOD CASES on XOXIDE.COM there are some really cool ones, start from there, do some cool things to it so it looks as good as it works. im thinking AMD instead of PENTIUM. what do any of you think on this. itll be a while, but ill probably start buying the case and rounded cables, and such soon, then the hardware as money allows. im not so impressed with my hp, and after learning all that i need to know about puters, i really cant see just buying one, plus i like putting them together, it takes no time at all. i just put another new one together for school today it takes about 20 minutes to put it together then a little while to put in the OS, and other software. you get sooo much more building, than buying. IMHO

Edited October 30, 2003 by cptwright

[LordOfTheBorg 1]

i know alot about computers, but i wouldnt be brave enough to rebuild one, or build one. My friend won a case in FRAG-N-BAG, a LAN party, and he has to build it. Its crazy, cause you gotta be so darn careful with all the stuff, cause its so darn fragile. If i ever was gonna build a comp, then i would have to get it, second hand, and all the part second hand(meaning free or really really damn cheap) and then i would get my friend to help me, lol. but yah, ive got WINDOWS xp pro. office. so, it works good, and never failed on me,except one time when it went bonkers and i had to fix it, but yah. i talk to much

[Goose 0]

Stardate:214276.8

 

 

Wow VBG sorry to hear about that.Yeah I remeber those days of reinstalling windows after upgrading and losing stuff.Man I could tell you a few horror stories but I dont feel like typing 5 pages. :lol:

 

did you have a problem due to the nice thing mr gates did in XP? im refering to the fact that after you do more 3 upgrades to your computer it says "oops this isnt the same computer, and you cant use me anymore till you contact MS." my teacher told me about that one, i cant beleive that now if you upgrade your computer he really expects you to buy the OS over again. now thats a crock.

 

i had that happen to me.....after i put the new motherboard in!!!

 

and then the telephone representative (because you need a new activation key) ... sorry, please purchase another copy! .... soo im sitting on un licensed software at the moment!

 

like i said WHAT A BUNCH OF CRAP. billy gates is starting to get a little to greedy now.

 

Just some of the reasons I switched to Linux about a year ago. :)

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I don't want people getting the impression that this just happened. This all happened almost a year ago and I really don't even remember the situation.