DosFreak

Is your friend overclocking? The "SOFTWARE" file is located in \Windows\system32\config . This directory holds the NT registry and event viewer logs. It's usually around 20-30mg on average and should be backed up regularly. If your friend is lucky he can look in \Windows\repair and copy the "software" file from there to the \windows\system32\config but it's likely that this file is veeerry old. Has he tried repair procedures using the XP CD? Try that first before you start copying files around. I usually see registry corruption in overclocked, improperly shutdown systems, or corrupted IDE HD's/Cables.

Whoah...this thread started in November 2000! 8) 8)

Well, I finally got back from class and leave about 2 months worth total. Got back to my wonderful computer and started playing around again. Was able to remove the Windows 2000 SP3 requirement from the .MSI installer for the Compatibility Toolkit v2.5. The program installed fine but unfortunately some of the tools require SP3 (little dialog box pops up) Qfixapp did work tho but nothing much had changed there. Also installed it under XP and there really wasn't much of a difference from the earlier ver of the ACT. So it look's like this v2.5 release is basically just the unification of the 2000 & XP ACT's into one ACT. The way it should have been from the start..... ;( Here's the latest from my NT Compatibility list. (Haven't finished it so XP's a little short). 227 Windows Games work in Windows 2000 214 Windows Games work in Windows XP 13 Windows Games do not work in Windows 2000 11 Windows Games do not work in Windows 2000 215 DOS Games work in Windows 2000 211 DOS Games work in Windows XP 22 DOS Games do no work in Windows 2000 23 DOS Games do not work in Windows XP

What's in the PCI slot's? Is this a duallie system? Is this a thrown together computer or bought? What model #?

8) It say's "store" in your quote but I said sotre. 8) Weeeeiiirrrdd..

Driver problem or faulty hardware would cause that slow of a startup. Can you pinpoint the slow startup? Where does it seem to hang at? During the XP load screen?

1. Aureal cards and 2K/XP are not the best combination...even without throwing ACPI into the mix. 2. Your board is old. Yes it is old. 3. You can have hibernation without ACPI. I've done it. 4. Always try ACPI first. Lately I haven't had any ACPI problems but if you work on enough systems you will. 5. Go to the sotre. Stick an Audigy in. If it fixes your problems then keep it. If it doesn't then return it. It's really that simple. Well if you can return it.

I've been gone 2 months without the benefits of a fast connections so I've been reading PC Mag's Anyways I saw some benchamarks with the fastest Athlon 2100+ agains the new 800mhz iLamp's. The ILamp got it's base handed to it on every single one.

Dangit. The way I do it is to install the IEAK and within the options it includes the desktop integration which includes the Quick Launch bar. There is a quick way to do it with the version you already have but I do not have my notes with me at the moment. All you really need is the IE4SHLNT.CAB file with your other IE cab files and I *think* you may need an updated .inf withing your iesetup.exe file. Sigh. Will reply back when I look through my notes. Been away from my computer for 2 months so I'm a little rusty. I recommend downloading the IEAK with a fast internet connection and playing with it yourself. The IEAK is a very handy dandy tool and I was doing stuff manually with IE before using it....the IEAK is a MUCH better alternative!

Plato, the error you receive you very well may have received in 2k IF Microsoft had included the ability in 2K to log those ACPI errors to the event viewer. It seems they have added this to XP to get Hardware Manufacturers to take note of their crap support for ACPI. Email off to your motherboard manufacturer the error and see what they say. ACPI is not Microsoft's fault (well it could be but it isn't in this case).

I eat up new computer stuff like candy but XP has left an "icky" feeling with me since I started using the betas. Can't really explain it either. I'll use it if I have to but I really hate having to "force" an OS to do what I want to do with it I love tweaking but with XP it's just pathetic tweaks that MS should have taken care of before release. I just see it as an unfinished project that MS pushed out the door somewhat like Windows ME just to finally get a home OS with the NT core. It's the principal of the thing.... for those reasons Windows 2000 remains a stronge contender for sometime to come.

Odd, all military members can download all Norton Antivirus/Mcafee products from the CERT webpage and use them at home. The military even encoruages it. If your in the military then go for it...if not then ask your sys admin at work....if you bring files from home to work or work at home then you you should be able to use AV at home without worrying about licensing issues.

Yep, Microsoft has incorporated more fixes in XP than 2K. If ye take a look at the "Compatibility Administration Tool" you'll see all of the fixes for all of the software...although I've noticed sometimes fixes don't show up there that really are in the database.... Anyways if ye use the Compat Admin tool on both 2k/xp you'll see that XP has more fixes, plus a couple more .sdb's. The extra .sdb's are for the little popup balloons you get like when you install older versions of Black Ice and it pops up a message stating that this version doesn't go and go here to get the latest ver. The last time I used the Compat Admin tool about 2 months ago the ver from XP wouldn't work in 2K so I had to use an older beta version from one of the XP Compatibility toolkit's. Dunno if the Compatibility Tookit 2.5 can list both databases in 2K/XP but I'm gonna try it out when I get back. Which is why before I went on leave I would simply move the .sdb's out of XP into the Appatch directory in 2K. Load up the Compat Admin tool and look at the list of what fixes were taken for each program. Write 'em down. Move the 2k .sdb's back into their proper directory and try the fixe's to see if they worked. Some do, Some don't. With some fixes working in 2K that don't work in XP and some working in XP that don't in 2K! LOL! It's a pain. Eventually I'd like to compile all the fixes for games that aren't in the database for which I own and distribute the updated sdb's to those who'd want 'em. For now I'm content just to explain in the Compatibility Lists how to fix 'em for yourself. Here's the fixes XP implements for NFS:HS: 3DSETUP.EXE FIXES Win95VersionLie VirtualRegistry (Command Line: DYN_DATA _INS5576._MP MODES Compatibility:ProfilesSetup FIXES Win95VersionLie NFSHS.ICD FIXES EmulateGetDiskFreeSpace Theoretically all you would need to do is apply those same fixes in 2K to the game to get the exact same compatibility that XP has. Even then it's still not perfect. Heck, in XP you still have MIGHT have to apply the 4.44/4.50 patch, you also MIGHT have to use the CD crack, and you MAY also have to modify the 3data.dat file in the NFS:HS directory to get the game to work! Here's the process I go through for both 2K and XP: Windows 2000 Right-click on setup.exe on the CD and create a shortcut. Right-click on the shortcut, go to properties and then the compatibility tab. Check the box and choose Windows 95. Now run the shortcut! After the files are done copying setup may hang. If so hit ctrl+alt+del, choose Task Manager, go to processes and end the 3ddata.exe task. After ending you may receive this error message: "Error! Could not read 'Problem' value." Just hit ok. Now patch the game with either the 4.44 or 4.50 patch. You may also need to use a CD crack. I did. Now you will need to edit your registry. Go to start/run/regedit. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWRE/ELECTRONIC ARTS/NEED FOR SPEED HIGH STAKES Now modify the THRASH DRIVER key. Change it from "software" to "d3da". Now close regedit and load Need For Speed High Stakes! Windows XP Does not work right after install on some machines. Requires installation of 4.44 or 4.50 patch. After patch is installed a CD crack may also be require. (It was for me). Next go to the directory where you installed the game. Now go to the 3dsetup directory open the 3ddata.dat file with notepad and change the line D3D=0 to D3D=1. Now run 3dsetup.exe and choose Direct3D. Now run the game!

I was referring to the application compatibity patches as in the .sdb files in the \appatch directory that resides in the \winnt (2k) \windows (xp) directories. Those are pretty much the same between XP/2K. NTVDM sound isn't a factor in such compatibility....I don't see it getting better in any future versions of windows either....

There are disadvantages to NTFS and they are all listed by MS on their website. The ones that I can think of that would affect the average user today would be using multiple operating systems, and not understanding the different file systems fully. But for a single OS loaded on a computer the filesystem type is pretty much invisible to the user until you get into filesize limitations, permissions, and older programs that access the filesystem in a certain way and newer version of NTFS that it does not recognize.

I would like to stress again that the compatibility in 2K is EXACTLY THE SAME as in XP. It's just the pretty shortcut interfaces that make it seem different, and the XP new GUI that makes it slighly different. That's why I'm working on porting XP compatibility patches to 2K but it takes a very long time for one guy.

The WD's with 8mb cache are better for video and large file transfers. The IBM's with 2MB of cache are faster for smaller file transfers. Both are pretty much the same speed-wise. I'v heard it stated that the 333 hour/11hrs a day limit on IBM's drives is just IBM covering themselves after the little fiasco with their HD's. The HD's are still under warranty if you run 'em 24/7 until forever but like any mechanical part they will fail. Supposedly other HD companies use the formula too. Even so I'd go for the WD which is what I plan on doing when I get back. Buying 3-4 120gb WD's.

No game I have tried in NT4/2000/XP has ever failed because of the NTFS file system and I have tested 1000+ games....

8) It's been this long and an XP fanatic hasn't shown up yet to argue your facts? 8)

Start/Run/lusrmgr.msc Click on USERS Doubleclick on username

heh. .NET's version # is 5.2

It's been in my NT Game Compatibility list for the last 3 months. Sadly I've been away for the last 2 so I haven't submitted my list to NT Compatible yet.

Could you post the error please? Gonna go see if I can find my copy...

Encrypted files are still able to be attacked by viruses. Spyware doesn't matter since simple keytrap programs can monitor your passwords. If your password security is weak then of course the files will be lost. You should encrypt 'em and store 'em off system if they NEED to be encrypted. Only encrypt what NEEDS to be encrypted not every little thing.

Hexen 2 is a windows game... Why would NTVDM be crashing?