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Posted

HI.

My wifes pc just up and won't go to windows.

 

It goes to the "options" of whether to choose normal, safe, and boot to last good configuration but no matter

which one we try it only comes back to the same page.

I am now running Spinrite on it , which will take all night.

 

Has anyone had this happen?

Posted

Hi Mike, try the Recovery Consol and see if that helps.

 

Start the computer with the Windows XP installation CD in the CD drive. When prompted during text-mode setup, press R to start the Recovery Console.

Posted

Yes, I tried that madman, but unfortunately it wanted the administrator password, and though it's been awhile

I don't recall ever setting one.

 

So, I tried admin, and the ones I commonly use and got, of course, kicked out.

Is there a default by microsoft, if you don't set it??

Posted (edited)

Yes, I tried entering no password but it didn't like that either.

 

I think Madman is right.

 

And I imagine a clean install is the only way ??

Edited by mike
Posted

whoa dobbin.

 

I tried the "no password", ( just hit enter ), and I got to the prompt.

 

Now I can try to figure out what's going on.

 

Glad I tried that again, or ...... did I before. ( heh heh )

 

thanks Ali, I will let you all know .

Posted

ok, so has anyone heard of a dos-based product key finder?

Can't seem to find one.

 

keyfinder.exe works .........from windows. heh heh. not from recovery console mode.

 

( the wife or I apparantly lost the key )

Posted

If your XP was factory installed, look on the bottom or back of the PC for the Windows XP key sticker.

 

MS requires it to be present if XP installed by factory or OEM Builder.

Posted

Ok gang here it is:

 

I called microsoft and they gave me a new product key.

 

this allowed me to do a "repair install" , which I did.

 

It now seems that the system is back on its feet and I lost no data.

 

You KNOW how much the wifey loves me now don't you??

 

Thanks for all the help guys. :( ;)

 

:tchrocks: :tchrocks::tchrocks: :tchrocks:

Posted

Whoa there Chief, why Linux, and how much does it cost?

 

And I've been with Microsoft quite some time; can Linux do all the good stuff?

 

:( ;)

Posted
I called microsoft and they gave me a new product key.

How long did they keep you on hold? :D

 

And Linux can do pretty much everything that Windoze can do.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

And does Linux have all the software windows runs?

  • 1 month later...
Posted

Just so you know Windows XP Home does not come from the factory set with an admin password. The password is blank and then hit enter. The only way to set a administrator password in XP Home is from safe mode. Safe mode is also the only way you can set permissions on files and directories. XP Home drives me crazy. If you must use windows and want to have the least problems XP Pro is the only way to go.

 

As for Linux, yes, you can do everything in Linux that you can do in Windows. The main difference is you can't necessarily use Windows programs. Yoiu can use things like Crossover Office to run some Windows apps, but not all. On the plus side though there are many good open source programs that can do everything their closed source counterparts do, it just means learning something new. The best part is if there is some aspect you don't like you could always look at the code and make it work the way you want. That is the true beauty of open source.

 

I am glad you solved your problem. I'm adding these comments to clarify what you found.

 

Leland

:thumbup1:

Posted

thanks, leland.

that was the most information on Linux I have had.

Just haven't had the time to look into it.

I think I will take an extra pc and load it on and try it.

 

thanks

Posted
The main difference is you can't necessarily use Windows programs.
So we just throw away all these windows programs we spent good money on?

 

it just means learning something new.

 

Agian we waste the money and time we already spent learning Windows?

 

The best part is if there is some aspect you don't like you could always look at the code and make it work the way you want.

 

85% of the population can not read the code and will not be able to change anything.

 

Windows is king because you buy a PC, plug it in and it works. You don't have to do anything and thats what the users want. Users are lazy and do not want to work hard to get what they want.

 

Linux is difficult and doesn't always work with everything you want it too and only power users will be the ones to use it.

 

Linux may be your choice but its not going to overtake Windows until it can stand toe to toe with Windows in the "easy to use" department.

Posted
Linux is difficult and doesn't always work with everything you want it too and only power users will be the ones to use it

 

Now Bob, you know as well as I do that Windows doesnt always work with everything either. If it did it wouldn't pay our bills. If set to use a graphical desktop environment there is not much to learn and if set up for the end user many Windows programs will run as well.

 

The issue is change. Not how much change but the fact that there is any change. Heck, getting your average user to switch from IE to Firefox is bad enough.

Posted

Rob, you are partially right about getting people to change but I think Bob's point is correct. Until you can buy a Linux box in a store bring it home and plug it in and start using it people aren't going to go there.

 

You know *nix, I know *nix and it's not as simple as plug 'n pray like Windows is.

Posted

Yeah Rob, you are correct, nobody is perfect and MS is far from it. But the facts speak for themselves. Windows is on the majority of machines at this point in time because of its ease of use and its compatibility with most 3rd party products.

 

Linux is making headway but I'm afraid its not enough to overtake the leader at this time. We'll just sit back and watch and when it does start to catch up and the oppotunity presents itself, I'll go pick up some Certs for Linux so I can get paid more for fixing things :tchrocks:.

Posted

Bruce, I agree. At this point, unless you have someone set it up and configure it for the average user, there is no way you can get them to try it.

 

Bob, I agree entirely. I believe it will be a long time before we see anything really give MS a run for their money in the OS side of things.

 

Heck, for the longest time I hated XP and told myself I would never upgrade from Windows 2000. After having to use it at work I found it growing on me. Now I am running the pro version of XP at home.

 

Each OS has its strong points and weaknesses and I use them for those purposes.

Posted

Of all the Windows OS versions to be released I like XP the best. I've used 2000, NT4 and still use 98 on one machine in our office. Of course it's probably not so much XP that I like but the newer faster machines I run it on. :tchrocks:

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