Full Version: WinXP refuses new motherboard
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#1]
23 Feb 2006
To: ALL
Maybe upacreek can save me again.
I resurrected the old computer, the motherboard fried, taking out the power supply and keyboard.
New motherboard, $79, power supply $51, new keyboard $8. All set right?
Wrong! WinXP which was on the hard drive, (the only version that will work with the Epson C86 as installed), will no longer run and locks out the CD drive.
I get the message:
"We apologise... if recent changes in hardware or software might have caused this problem..." But they give no solution. If I disconnect the hard drive it will start booting from the CD Drive.
Any suggestions.
I hate Microsoft at times.
From: Upacreek [#2]
23 Feb 2006
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#1] 23 Feb 2006
Only one suggestion. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Wipe the drive clean and re-install XP.
Even if you slowly track down the necessary registry entries to indicate XP is running on a different motherboard, you will continually have quirky little problems due to the different hardware. The new power supply and keyboard are not the problem.
Michel
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#3]
23 Feb 2006
To: Upacreek [#2] 23 Feb 2006
I realize that it is the motherboard. (Other quirky thing is bios says it is a 2.5 GHz processor and it is only a 700MHz.)
I did put it into the USB box and got most, (hopefully all, yeah sure), of the important files off it.
The problem is that the version of XP that came with it actually will allow a second thing to be printed on the Epson C86 without rebooting the computer. [Or turning off the spooler then turning it back on, if I can ever find how to do that again.]
I was just hoping that there was another possible solution to Microsoft's protection that flat out kills you if you fix a computer.
Now to find a boot disk and reformat the hard drive on another computer. It will not look at the floppy or the CD before it gives the message. Maybe I can boot from CD with the drive set as the slave then reformat it?
The more I think about it, the more I hate Microsoft.
My computer illiterate friend spent two hours on the pay-phone service with a Microsoft tech before her computer would print more than one thing on the C86 without the need to re-boot.
From: UncleSteve [#4]
23 Feb 2006
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#3] 24 Feb 2006
You DID install the new motherboard drivers, didn't you? Otherwise XP is using those installed from the old motherboard which are probably not compatible.
Also, a major change in hardware will require you to re-authorize/register XP. It is MS's way of making sure you don't load the OS on multiple machines.
From: William Desrochers (DRAKESIS) [#5]
24 Feb 2006
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#1] 24 Feb 2006
If you had fully purchased Winxp, then all you have to do is call MS up, and they will give you a re-authorization code that will allow you to continue using the orginal installation.
I've made some major changes before, like the mobo, grahpics cards, etc.... All i had to do is explain that i upgraded the parts. They had no problem.
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#6]
24 Feb 2006
To: ALL
I can only get somewhere with the hard drive completely disconnected.
Then it will sort of boot with the motherboard system CD. It will only allow me to format the floppy and copy the raid drivers to A: It does not make that a system disk. Made a system floppy on my other computer and it boots to DOS but of course no hard drive. Plugging it in later it is undetected.
Trying to do an install of the drivers from the RAID driver disk fails due to no drive letter being available at all.
I think the system was designed to be a startup system with a blank hard drive.
Hooking up the drive as a slave just makes it boot, (non-boot), to windows again.
There is no place to enter a passcode that I can see.
It looks like the only solution is to format the drive in another computer.
P.S. WinXP came on the computer, (Emachine), and I had the disk set at the store and it was stolen. All new disks are now under lock and key.
EDITED: 24 Feb 2006 by HARVEY-ONLY
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#7]
24 Feb 2006
To: ALL
I just found out from an expert how to do this, too bad it will not work for me.
If you have the original OEM Windows disk, set your boot to CD first, then put in the disk. When prompted select 'Repair' and it will do the repair.
That was one of the disks stolen from the store.
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#8]
24 Feb 2006
To: ALL
I will know in about 45 minutes if try 37 worked.
I installed the drive in the USB drive case and deleted the Windows folder from it.
Reinstalled it and put the WinXP Pro CD in the CD drive.
It seems to be installing XP Pro and leaving all of the files.
Here is hoping.
From: Upacreek [#9]
24 Feb 2006
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#7] 24 Feb 2006
Repair doesn't always solve the problem. Sometimes it will create more as it loads older files on top of newer updates. Other times it still doesn't repair the problem. Other times, it works like a charm.
I personally only use Repair when I want the computer to limp along for another few weeks to a month. I still end up wiping it and rebuilding it from scratch at some point to eliminate all the bugs.
It's all a matter of how much time you want to spend troubleshooting problems that pop up.
Michel
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#10]
24 Feb 2006
To: Upacreek [#9] 24 Feb 2006
The install went well after deleting the Windows folder and I was then able to install the motherboard's drivers.
All of the data remains.
Most of the already installed programs do not show up in the 'Start' folder but the desktop icons work. All that do not need printer drivers that is. They do need to be reinstalled.
One quirky thing, on boot it asks if I want to start WinXP Home or Pro and waits 30 seconds for an answer. Either one starts Pro. Wish I could get rid of the Home listing.
To the mall tomorrow to finish installing the printer drivers and see if it works without formatting the drive and starting over.
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#11]
24 Feb 2006
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#10] 25 Feb 2006
Harv,
Go ahead and close the store for the weekend and get this thing straightened out. :O
From: Upacreek [#12]
24 Feb 2006
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#10] 25 Feb 2006
Don't you just love XP? (devil) Wait until you try to install XP on a drive when there is already a hard drive in the machine. It's so nice to have your OS on Drive "E" instead of "C".
To solve your multiple boot issue, right-click on My Computer on your desktop. Left-click Properties. Then click on the Advanced Tab and go into Startup/Recovery. You should be able to edit how XP boots and edit your boot.ini while in there. The boot.ini should have the two choices - just remove the line you don't want.
Michel
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#13]
25 Feb 2006
To: Upacreek [#12] 25 Feb 2006
Thanks again.
this operating system is certainly loaded with Xtra Problems.