Should I Update XP?

The configuration I posted in the other page is completely safe and works totally effectively, if you have a set up like mine.

I found that configuration by carefully researching each item in Components, one at a time.

The purpose was to demonstrate that you can achieve dramatic improvements in speed, safety and reliability by turning off what you don't use. I'm currently working on a similar configuration for W7.

I have a router, so use a Hardware firewall, which most routers have. A decent software firewall is, in my opinion, preferably to the Windows effort. Zone Alarm is a good as it gets. Some prefer Windows. As Elizabeth rightly points out, the choice is yours.

But you can check whatever firewall you use with Gibson Research's Shields Up routine. It has to be downloaded and run, online. for obvious reasons.

https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

I don't have any networking. I do share my connection with my wife, who has several W7 Laptops using wireless. (Don't ask. She says she needs them and what can I know?). But if we need to exchange data ect, we do so with a pen drive. Lots of them.

If you have any further questions about Components, please just ask though. I will be more than pleased to give you as much information, along with sources, I have on each.

 

Hi, Elizabeth.. My laptop's time is correct, as well as the bios time.

The DVD/CD drive worked before. I just installed a new motherboard for this laptop. Its a Gateway M210 laptop (yeah, its a bit old but I still love it). I dont think I deleted the drivers. But its possible, though I doubt it.

The drive is a Fujitsu MHT2080AT PL. The device manager doesnt show any warnings.

What do you suggest now?

**Hey, Jojo, if you can help me with my DVD/CD drive issue I'd appreciate it.. Thanks!

 

No worries koolx.

As for the DVD problem, all I could think of is a driver. But Elizabeth seems to have that in hand with you.

Good luck.

 

http://panam.gateway.com/s/Mobile/Gateway/M210/8510250.pdf

above is the user manual for your notebook

under cd/dvd drives it just says to install the audio drivers

https://panam.gateway.com/product/default.aspx?modelId=3051

this is the link for your driver downloads

=================

Fujitsu MHT2080AT PL that is your hard drive, I need the make, model and model number of your dvd drive, on the download page there is a utility to have a scan done to see the hardware types installed.

 

HI, Elizabeth.. I already installed the audio drivers. So, no need to install them. The manufacturer of the DV/D drive is "Standard CD ROM Drives". In Device Manager, it says: "Generic DVD-ROM SCSI CDROM". Below it in Device Manager it says, "HL-DT-ST DVD-RW GCA-4080N". Please let me know what you suggest.

Also, can you please attach the file from the link I posted that I got trouble in downloading? If you cant attach it, please email it to me. My email is: [email protected]

Thank you!

 

I forgot to mention, elizabeth.. I set the CD drive to be the first device to start at boot up. When theres already a disc in the drive and the laptop boots up, the disc plays somewhat but the laptop never boots to the desktop like it used to. Its not until after I eject the disc that the laptop boots to the desktop.. just letting you know.

 

so the cd drive does work.

If you have the bios set to boot from cd it will boot or attempt to boot from the cd, if no cd is present then it will go on to hdd if that is the next in line.

to boot always from the hdd first you have to change your bios back to boot from hdd first.

https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=D7389B68B3A275AD&id=D7389B68B3A275AD!716

above is my onedrive you can download it from my configuration folder which is public, it is a zipped file.

I will also see if I can email it to you.

 

ALSO:

http://forums.driverguide.com/showthread.php?t=38419

read above thread and follow the links to the other mentioned threads.

CD drive is detected by device manager, correct???

you just cannot play anything movie or music, correct???

 

Hi elizabeth. I need to boot from CD first because I got a program called Macrium Reflect, a data recovery program. And I got an image of my hard drive on a pen drive. The reason I need to boot to CD first is because in case I need to restore my system, I first need to pop in a CD as part of this program to prepare the pen drive which restores it. This is the only reason why I want the drive to work.

I appreciate the link but that didnt help. I also couldn't find any drivers for it, which is strange.

Well, the CD drive doesnt work yet. Otherwise it would play music, data, movies, etc. And yes, the drive is listed in the device manager.

Le t me know what else to try.. thank you, sweety!

 

did you try the attachment I sent to your email??

 

Yes I did and unfortunately, I get the same error message that I mentioned before.

 

ALSO:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321641

try the steps to do it yourself if the fixit will not run.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3zYqchojT8

you can watch this video, and even though the key cannot be read it is the same one here:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}

this video some say worked some say did not,

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000227.htm

some more troubleshooting steps in link above.

post back with results of each

==

 

ALSO:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2598970#q4

above is for troubleshooting Microsofts diagnostics utilities

 

I wanted to visit the original intent of this thread, since it was asked if it was a good idea to use the registry hack to continue to receive updates. The consensus seemed to be that it wasn't, and I have a hard time condoning that advice for a couple reasons:

First off, taking anything for granted, or with any sense of honour from Microsoft is a bit foolish especially when it comes to anything Windows XP. Remember, they would rather all of you abandon XP immediately and switch to v8.1, so Microsoft telling you not to use new updates via a registry hack isn't being said for your benefit; it's for their own good. They want XP to die: NOW!

Next, the codebase for the version of Windows that still receives updates (POSReady 2009) is identical to Windows XP x86. They are more similar than XP x64 Edition (which is based on Server 2003 code). So the updates are compatible; FULLY.

So the link that was provided telling you that Microsoft says not to hack the registry to continue receiving updates; that's a bit biased in Redmond's favour. Don't be someone who just takes whatever Microsoft tells you as gospel. It's the company acting in their own interests, and not yours.

Cheers,
Jody

 

@Jody Thornton, you are entitled to your opinion. For myself I would not put something on my pc that is not made for it, no more than I would put a chevrolet part on a ford car.

you can still keep xp secure through antivirus/firewall/malware scanners/and safe surfing.

==

 

Hi elizabeth. I tried the links you provided and nothing worked. Just to let you know, I installed another hard drive to see if this issue is hardware related. The drive still doesnt work. So I'm led to believe now that the drive itself is defective.

Btw, I updated my system with the updates except for those not needed for like, Outlook, for example, which I never use.

Anyway, I got another question. How can I back up my system on another hard drive? I got 2 hard drives. I want to make a complete image or backup of one on the other. If so, please let me know how to do this.

As always, thank you for everything!

 

Using NT Backup (Courtesy of Jose Ibarra)

If you are using/relying on the built in NT Backup to backup your system, that is primitive technology (obviously - since it will ask you for a floppy when it is done). If you have a disaster (even a minor one), you are going to have a big problem trying to recover your stuff if you don't have a floppy drive - and maybe even if you do have a floppy drive you are very likely still to a big problem if you need to restore your stuff.

If you want to make a backup, an image or some kind of clone of your system, it makes sense to use modern technology - and that technology is not built in to XP.

There are lots of popular options for third party XP backup and imaging software(s).

A popular one folks seem to like is from Acronis.

With that (free 30 day trial) you backup, you can make a bootable CD or bootable USB (that's modern, huh?) and use that in the event of a disaster.

They used to have a totally free version - maybe not anymore - just the 30 day trial, then you have to buy it, but it is well respected.

It is so much more robust than the XP backup, it is laughable.

There are many other options if you do a little Googling...

Here are some products that other forum users suggest might be appealing. Use Google to find them and read about their features, and capabilities. Some have free versions or you can purchase them to get more features:

If you have a Western Digital drive, you can get a version of Acronis True Image free from WD:

http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119

Or you can obtain backup and cloning software separately (this is not a comprehensive list and is no particular order; some are free, others not):

Acronis True Image Home
Easeus ToDo Backup Free
Paragon Drive Copy or Partition Manager Personal
Casper
Norton Ghost


Some disk cloning software ideas for you to Google:

XXClone
Marcium Reflect Free
DriveImageXML
Acronis True Image Home 11
Easeus ToDo Backup
Paragon Drive Copy or Partition Manager Personal
Casper
Norton Ghost

Whatever method you choose, it is prudent to test your method from end to end to be sure it works.

You can create a temporary folder somewhere on your system and copy a bunch of files into it, perform your backup, then delete the temporary folder and be sure that you can recover it from your backup.

The day you need your backup/restore process to work is not the day to find out it doesn't work.

==============

check with your drives manufacturer, sometimes acronis is provided free for certain brands.

Since the only thing I really worry about is my documents/bookmarks/favorites/music, I have all of these copied to a flash drive, in the event I have to reinstall, which is a last resort. Also since I have a microsoft account (free) when you sign up with onedrive (used to be skydrive) you get 5gb of free data storage online!! I also have copies of important stuff there also.

While an image would be a good thing because a reinstall will only take a couple of hours versus 13 hours, but I do not have a second drive at this time,

==============

one more thing to try first for the cd drives:

create another user account with admin privileges and see if the drives work from that account, if they do then it might be a corrupt profile.

also have you cleaned the drive with a can of compressed air??

I do not know of any way to check if a drive is working except to put it in another computer and then check. OR if you do not see any flashing lights on the front of the cd drive

AND have you checked to see if the cable inside is firmly attached??

==

 

Hi, elizabeth. Thanks for the help regading the backups issue.

Concerning the drive, I dont think its necessary to create a user account since I already switched to an alternate preloaded XP hard drive and still the drive wasn't responsive.

The drive does light up when I eject it. But it doesnt play. Theres no cable in the drive, just an interface that clicks in place to the motherboard. Thats of course very secure.

I dont know what else to do except to buy another drive. Or, use my other hard drive to backup my computer as an image. I think I need to buy a special USB cable that interfaces with the hard drive in order to backup the hard drive in the computer.

 

you are right it is probably defective, just wish there was a way to test them, easilly.

you do realize that you can boot from a usb flash drive??

I have instructions to make hirens on a flashdrive instead of a cd, and you can also make and ISO image of your os to put on a flash drive to boot from a usb.

let me know if you want these instructions.

 

Hey sweetheart. Sorry for not getting back to you in time. If you can please forward me those instructions I'd be eternally in your debt. Thank you Liz!