PC Keeps restarting during XP RE-Installation

Ubuntu will also work fine.

Just make sure you have the 32-bit workstation release though.

The server does not have a GUI, but the workstation do.

When starting Ubuntu up, it'll ask you whether you want to use the live CD, or install to HDD. You can try Ubuntu from the CD first and see what it's like without installing it to your HDD at all.
 
MelissaFleet said:
And I use my pc so often. I design MsAccess Databases, and have recently started building a website for myself - which by my own stupidity is saved on C: under mydocs, so im definately going to lose it!!!
Click to expand...

You should still be able to get most of the data back if you only did a normal format during the install but you have to stop writing to the HD now!
 
Thank you so much to all of you!!! I really appreciate it!! I will try that..(ubuntu and Hirens boot cd)

So basically these tools allow me to boot of the cd (either the Hiren CD or Ubuntu CD) and then - that will allow me to view files and folders (if they are still there) and also do scans etc, and then after that , do I format the C Drive?
 
Due to the age of the PC I would also look at the caps. If there are swoleen caps they would need to be replaced or the board if still findable would need to be replaced.

If not sadly due to technology the PC might have to be replaced. But yeah look at heatsink(seated correctly), RAM, caps on board. You could also clean the RAMs contact points.

Take a white eraser & wipe the copper contacts on the RAM, that should get them shinny again if they are dull & reseat them.

Remember if you are going to take the CPU heatsink off you need thermal paste. remove the old hardend paste & apply a thin even layer afterwards. an old bank card works well to get the layer thin & even.
 
What do you mean "Stop writing to the Hd" ? Do you mean im doing soemthign at the moment that is increasing the chances of losing my files, or do you mean, in future, put all important data etc onto disk / removable storage?
 
Where do you live? (Town).

I may take pity on you and help you with a recovery.
 
Venomous said:
Due to the age of the PC I would also look at the caps. If there are swoleen caps they would need to be replaced or the board if still findable would need to be replaced.

If not sadly due to technology the PC might have to be replaced. But yeah look at heatsink(seated correctly), RAM, caps on board. You could also clean the RAMs contact points.

Take a white eraser & wipe the copper contacts on the RAM, that should get them shinny again if they are dull & reseat them.

Remember if you are going to take the CPU heatsink off you need thermal paste. remove the old hardend paste & apply a thin even layer afterwards. an old bank card works well to get the layer thin & even.
Click to expand...

I have a buddy that replaces caps on motherboards with caps he took off other (more stuffed or damaged in other ways) boards.
Have used him a few times for work machines, cost of R50 per cap it's still a lot cheaper than a new board/RAM/CPU and possibly power supply and GPU.
 
AstroTurf: I live in Kempton Park..Johannesburg......whereabouts are you? WHat is the best way to backup data? Coz about a year ago, my external HD crashed - lost about 200Gig of software / photos, etc. Apparently the HD is physically damaged, and cant be retrieved. Now im possibly going to lose my files AGAIN, and definately need to start doing it the right way!!!! Also the other HD in my pc besides the C Drive, holds about 200GIg of stuff, will that HD also be affected?

Thank you for your help....
 
Wow, thank you. I WANT A DROBO. :-) what a great product, not sure on the pricing, will contact them to find a re-seller in SA. Thats definatley something to invest in :-)
 
MelissaFleet said:
Thank you so much to all of you!!! I really appreciate it!! I will try that..(ubuntu and Hirens boot cd)

So basically these tools allow me to boot of the cd (either the Hiren CD or Ubuntu CD) and then - that will allow me to view files and folders (if they are still there) and also do scans etc, and then after that , do I format the C Drive?
Click to expand...

It's going to be harder if you formatted the drive. Do you have a spare pc or hard drive by any chance?
 
just a laptop...unfortunately, no spare desktop. I have the 500gig HD in the broken pc, with about 300GIG free...WHy?
 
MelissaFleet said:
Wow, thank you. I WANT A DROBO. :-) what a great product, not sure on the pricing, will contact them to find a re-seller in SA. Thats definatley something to invest in :-)
Click to expand...

Looking around quickly, you're looking at spending between R4000 - R5000 for a 4-bay version. Investment is a good word to use, as that is a lot to fork out :(

Ponder said:
You should still be able to get most of the data back if you only did a normal format during the install but you have to stop writing to the HD now!
Click to expand...

If you only did a repair/reinstall, XP should keep your files, just messing with your Documents. In our office, we save files to the C drive for recovery processes, as they're generally easiest to get to if you get on. (No security or masses of user files to search through).
That said, if you did a format, things will be looking a lot more dire. Technically, the stuff is still on your hard drive, just not reedily accessable. By creating new data, you'll be writing over your existinng stuff, replacing it forever. His is why Ponder is saying to stop doing stuff.
 
MelissaFleet said:
AstroTurf: I live in Kempton Park..Johannesburg......whereabouts are you? WHat is the best way to backup data? Coz about a year ago, my external HD crashed - lost about 200Gig of software / photos, etc. Apparently the HD is physically damaged, and cant be retrieved. Now im possibly going to lose my files AGAIN, and definately need to start doing it the right way!!!! Also the other HD in my pc besides the C Drive, holds about 200GIg of stuff, will that HD also be affected?

Thank you for your help....
Click to expand...

I am in Pretoria, going away this weekend but next week I can help you.

Try not to write anything to the drives if you formatted them as you will make getting anything back 10x harder.

If you have not formatted them just make an ubuntu cd, boot from it, choose booting ubuntu from the cd (do not install ubuntu) and you will be able to view your hard drives, copy stuff from one drive to the next e.t.c. without an issue.
 
On backing up:

You need at least 2 portable drives, I would suggest 3 or more (I use 7, daily thru the week, and twice a month so that I have a daily, weekly and monthly backup).
Keep all your stuff on one pc and run a daily backup to the drives, changing drives each day.

if you are worried about theft etc keep one of the drives at work and the rest at home.
 
oh ok, i see. THank you. No, I didnt "Format" yet, was just enquiring whether I should or not....just attempted xp disks's repair, and then continued with re-installation. I didnt select format at all :-)
 
Great! Thank you so much. (didnt format yet) so will try ubuntu tonight!!!! I really hope its going to work.....THank you so much to everyone!!!!! if i dont come right, i would really appreciate your help next week :-) THank you

After successful copy of files, do I format C and reinstall? - last question , i promise. i've taken up so much of all you guys' time already today. just need to know what to do after successful save files from C

Thank u
 
MelissaFleet said:
oh ok, i see. THank you. No, I didnt "Format" yet, was just enquiring whether I should or not....just attempted xp disks's repair, and then continued with re-installation. I didnt select format at all :-)
Click to expand...

If you did not do a format then your data is still there. How much data do you have as you are going to need a place to dump it.
Get a Ubuntu LiveCD and boot from it.
Use the partition utility called Gparted to:
Resize your existing partition so there is free space left at the end of the drive to create a new partition.
Create a new NTFS partition in the free space you just created (big enough to for your data) and format it, the new partition not your old one containing your data!
Open two instances of Ubuntus file browser (source and destination). Open your existing WinXP partition in the one window and the new partition you created in the other window.
Browse the WinXP partition and drag and drop your data to the new partition you created. Also remember that if you use a email client like outlook, outlook express, thunderbird etc to copy your mail folders acrosss which is usually stored somewhere under Application Data under documents and settings. Many people forget about this!!!

Once you have all your data backed up to the new partition you created you can format the existing XP partition and reinstall XP as you data will be safe on the spare partition you created. Just don't confuse the two partitions during installation!!!

If this all sounds somewhat daunting feel free to PM me and I can give you my number if you want to be talked through over the phone.
 
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Thank you so much Ponder. I can't tell you how grateful I am!! It sounds quite doable......But I will pm you for your number just in case. Thank you once again, .... My entire C drive is roughly about 70 GIG , so im sure the data I need to save (including Outlook files) wont be larger than about 15-20 GIg i think...instead of creating the partition, could I perhaps drag and drop from C: onto my H: 500gig drive?
 
If you have enough space on the 500gb don't bother partitioning and stuff, just copy over or use a backup utility and back the whole drive up to the 500GB (just in case something is in a non standard place).

Good summary Ponder.
 
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