videobruce

I looked at the partitions with Partition Magic and there is a 7.8MB unallocated space in the primary partition. Fdisk doesn't show this. Any idea what that is or how to merge it?

I believe it is the processor. I looked at it and it looks as it was overheated because of the material that was used in place of thermal paste. Symtoms: As soon as the power switch on the PS is turned on the system boots without pushing the button on the front of the case. The system starts to boot then stops with a long beep every 5 seconds. When it does get past all of this it never completely loads the destop. Hangs at the wallpaper stage. Scandisk hangs if it runs. What I've done: Swapped PSU's Swapped memory sockets and sticks Unplugged all cables to all drives Removed all cards except AGP Reset the Bios by jumper The system was butched by some kid by swapping cards around and loading a bunch of games. Device Manager was a mess in Safe Mode (when I could get to it) with all the stuff that was in there. I have run into something like this before where all this weird stuff starts happening, though never a problem booting to the destop. I have cleaned and reapplied paste to the HSF. Before I run out and get another processor is ther anything else I could do? I haven't checked for virus's since I haven't gotten that far other than safe mode, but with a long beep even before the video card fires, I doubt it is a virus. This is a KT133 MB with a Athlon 850 running ME (which I will change to 2k when this is settled).

It was the processor. I swapped it out (which I didn't want to do) with one from my other box and all is fine. The thermal material that was used (not the usual paste) wasn't applied properly or was the wrong stuff and slowly overheated the chip.

I think I would rather fight than switch............maybe someday I will go to XP or it's replacement, but for now I'll live with 2k. As far as switching O/S's completely, there is so much more to learn with this one, I really don't want to start another fire if you knnow what I mean.

Yes to the first and second questions. The 3rd install (mine) was fresh since it was formatted in NTFS before.

Ok on the above about the unallocated space. Never made a image on this box, it isn't mine. Partition is the active partition. The error is just before it would prepare the virtual floppy for rebooting. The box orginally had ME, then upgraded to 2k using NTFS. I changed it back to FAT32 using the Windows CD setup from a bootable CD.

Interesting point. As I said, I believe less is better and there are 3 folders already under Documents & Settings. I really didn't want to add another.

As I stated I checked the memory by moving the one stick to another socket and I tried another stick also. I didn't try another video card yet. The first thing that I found wrong is bothering me the most. As soon as I applied power to the PSU the system started without pushing the power button on the front of the case. If I clear the bios it doesn't start untill I push that button as it should. Again, I think that points to the processor.

I tried to install a number of older games (Win 95, but mostly Win 98) running 2k w/sp3 and many of them came up with a error that the uninstaller didn't register (or something like that). I know that 2k isn't the best choice fro games, but is this (pardon the expression) 'normal for games written around '95 through '98 to behave like this? I did most of these in the user screen with resticted rights, not the administator screen if that matters.

Yes on the FAT32 The 2002 version sets up the progran for a virtual floppy on reboot. Partition Magic does the same thing. The older versions only run off a virtual floppy after you start the program as you know. End result is the same.

Interesting, but I think you might of lost me. You are saying to leave a small blank space on the HDD not formatted or partitioned? If this program needs some blank space, why isn't addressed in the program. I have never seen any warning about this. Next, if it does need this space, why has it worked on other drivers in other systems that have no reserved areas?

Very good posts guys. I noticed you mentioned Weather Bug and Web Shots, two programs that a friend runs and thinks are great. Kinda thought they were lame and now I know! I'm a firm believer less is better! I have about 14 processes and NO app's running at startup. If there are more than 2 or 3 icons in the system try I get pissed! I only installed the games there because that was the screen they would be run in. This is for someone else's kids to use, had I known the supposed 'restricted user' wasn't, I probably wouldn't of bothered even setting up a additional user and just renamed the administartors screen!

I tried adding a printer (first one) with Print Spooler in the manual setting under Services and I received a 'not enough resourses' message. Then I tried installing it in add/remove hardware and I got a 'RPC service' error message (I don't remember the exact wording. Why would Print Spooler have anything to do with installing the driver for a printer? This is in 2k w/sp3

Quote: Believe me, I feel for you, That's what Chakka Kahn said!

The first partition is 5GB, the one I'm imaging. The 2nd is 50GB where it is going. Can't be a problem here!

So you are saying a restricted user CAN install? Can that be changed?

To slightly change the subject; I wanted to setup a user account with restricted privledges that software can't be installed which I thought was the case by default. I set it up, checked a couple of D/L'ed programs and it barked at me stating there wasn't any administrator rights (something as that). Fine. I went to install some old store bought games and it let me do so, though most didn't install properly. Why? Next, to rearange the start menu by adding, deleting, moving and renaming folders I have tried to use the advanced mode, but since there are 3 user start menu folders it is very confusing what to put where. I always use to just creat the folder there and use the start menu from the destop to move or delete the shortcuts there, but you get that annoying "this will affect all users" box most of the time. Is there a better/easier way?

Ok, I guess.............(as he bangs his head against the wall).

What "free sectors in the first track"? Why does it work on other boxes and not here. Same O/S, same FAT32, same program. I did run Fdisk and both partitions look good. I also ran Scandisk on both partitions including a curface scan and both pass. I even ran Maxblast since it is a Quantum HDD and it passes their certification (though I know that is a hardware test). No to D/L'ing their file. Don't want to use that. Too risky IMO.

Why would you want to use a browser that is full of security holes and new ones every week (or so it seems) when there is a far better solution that is 1/7th the size?: http://www.opera.com/download/ http://www.tntluoma.com/opera/lover/

In other words you are saying; size does matter. HiHi I have used Drive Image 4 or 5 times before on other boxes with no problem. In fact, I switched over from using Ghost since there were too many issues with that and 2k (even by Nortons admission at their site) This has nothing to do with the burning process. All I'm doing is creating a image to the 2nd partition of the primary partition (the O/S). Quote: Bear in mind also that the maximum file size that can be handled under FAT32 in Win2K is 2GB. If your partition is bigger than this, I think DI splits it into 2GB (or thereabouts) chunks, ie several image files. You mean 32GB don't you? I'm splitting the images into 670MB portions for burning later. BTW, this is all FAT32 BUT..........does anyone know what the error means??

There were 10 or 15 of these games from about 5 years ago. Most were written for Win95, some being for Win98 which I tried to just use those. That's why I didn't list any names. It was the uninstallers that didn't get installed most of the time. This happened with at least 4 or 5 of them. This isn't my box and I wasn't home doing this either (which makes it worse). It's not a video card issue, this is just a install issue with a user screen in 2k that I thought wouldn't allow installs in the first place. When I set this box up I did try to install D/L'ed programs (not store bought CD games) from the restricted user screen and it wouldn't let me. I didn't try anything else since I assumed all was fine. Everything else got installed from the administrators screen. BTW, the HDD was formatted FAT32 if that matters and I did discover that game list page after the fact.

I have used AbiWord which is asmall porgram and ok. Open Office stay away from! Very complicated to setup and the help site is worse. If you aren't a programmer look elsewhere!! But check out Ability Office. It's a all in one deal. This seems to have possiblitiies with added plugins and updates (one needed for 2k): http://www.ability.com/sales/

2002 allows a virtual floppy setup where you set the program up in Windows and it reboots and runs there. I have used it 2 or 3 times on other boxes and it works fine. That is why I stopped using Ghost since it didn't work properly in 2k (admitted by Norton at their site). That link I posted is their FAQ on this exit code 12. What is the deal of the "not enough free sectors in the first track" about?

Ran it in Windows. The floppy did work! I have used DI twice before on two different boxes and had no problem (running 2k). What does this message mean??