Author Topic: stupid stupid vista (Read 9445 times)

mlinder · « **Reply #50 on:** April 09, 2009, 10:32:38 AM »

Quote from: heffay on April 09, 2009, 10:26:08 AM

Quote from: mlinder on April 09, 2009, 09:36:24 AM
I need full computer specs. Also, what raid are you running? And what controller are you using for the raid?
What version of the XP cd is it?

i have two XP cds... one media center and one home version.
they came w/ previous computers but i've had no trouble installing on different computers.
as for the raid question... i don't know... where would i find that when i get home?

iggy... i got maybe 25% of that...

one thing that is entirely different on xp cd boot is it is not the usual xp setup screen... just a blue windows setup... then it says starting windows... acts like it might work... then goes to the blue screen i posted.

sorry guys... i guess we'll postpone this till i get home.

You'll need to rebuild the raid array. Assuming you still want raid. Raid 0 is is faster, but can be... problematic. As far as keeping data safe. Raid 1 makes an exact copy of the 0 drive. Keeps things safe, but halves your storage space. No reason to have either in a simple home computer.

I'm guessing you are having raid issues. I'd lose the raid.

heffay · « **Reply #51 on:** April 09, 2009, 10:40:14 AM »

well, at least we have some ideas... we being you guys.

i'll PM you when i get home... assuming that you're willing to help... if not, it can wait for another day.

mlinder · « **Reply #52 on:** April 09, 2009, 10:42:04 AM »

Quote from: heffay on April 09, 2009, 10:40:14 AM

well, at least we have some ideas... we being you guys.

i'll PM you when i get home... assuming that you're willing to help... if not, it can wait for another day.

I can help. You can also call me after 7:00pm PST.

ev0lve · « **Reply #53 on:** April 09, 2009, 10:42:12 AM »

Usually setting up a RAID array is done in the BIOS. Whether it's from a chip on the motherboard or a card watch the boot messages and it will tell you what it's doing when and which button to push to get into its config.

Likely it's onboard so just getting into the BIOS is probably enough. However you get into the RAID setup you'll probably want to consult some documentation. Some are very straightforward in setup. Some not so much. None are particularly difficult - some are just particular.

Manufacturer and make of the machine? Ought to be info online for just about anything.

The fun of computers as opposed to the bikes is you can strip it to zero pretty dang fast when you need to rebuild

I keep wishing my brakes would pop up a message like

Parse error: parse error, unexpected T_VARIABLE in left caliper on line 212

Now THAT would be handy

Inigo Montoya · « **Reply #54 on:** April 09, 2009, 11:25:32 AM »

Another thing with raid and XP is that you need to install raid drivers with xp. Unless you have an xp disk that you slipstreamed with raid. When you first boot the xp disk, did it say to press f6 to install 3rd party raid drivers? If you did not do that, you WILL (from any xp install I have seen) get a blue screen. Vista has raid drivers built in. Do you know which version of raid your pc came with? Could have been 0 or 1 or a different setup.

Have you tried to disconnect one of the drives and format it by itself? You can do that you know.

Just unplug the sata cable from one of them and the bios will detect the change. Then you could format one of the drives, then do that to the second one.
Once both are done, set the raid back up OR leave 1 drive the master and the other a slave.

heffay · « **Reply #55 on:** April 09, 2009, 11:58:59 AM »

let me ask you this...

if i just bought a 32bit vista cd... it should install easily, correct?

because the bit issue is the issue. i don't hate vista, unless its on my home computer.

mlinder · « **Reply #56 on:** April 09, 2009, 12:24:54 PM »

raid arrays generally need drivers intalled near the beginning of the installation. 32 bit or 64 bit, doesn't make a difference.

heffay · « **Reply #57 on:** April 09, 2009, 12:30:29 PM »

k... so...

no longer a no-nonsense install.
will continue on the XP path until defeated.
right now, my properly nuked pot pie is tasty.
mmmm, chickn and barkly

anywaay... title of this thread still seems fitting.
stupid stupid vista (generally new and self-regenerative technology)... I WAS FINE W/ THE WAY IT WAS!!! DAMN YOU CHANGE!

Inigo Montoya · « **Reply #58 on:** April 09, 2009, 12:34:45 PM »

your pc does not care if it is 32bit or 64. Procs are made to work with either. In fact, most dells and such will come with 32bit still. Your drives do not care either way at all as they just store data and ram does not care. The main thing that separates 32 from 64 being used is the proc. And those include instruction sets for both but you cannot use a 32 bit proc with 64, that is the one catch.

64 bit allows for more ram to be used. You had said something about 5 gigs before, xp will not use it all. It MIGHT see it but 32 bit systems just cannot use any more than about 3.7 or so and that has nothing to do with the OS, so this limit affects macs and linux on 32bit. It is a coding limitation inherent in 32bit.

raid does not care either but newer systems include raid drivers while xp normally does not.

heffay · « **Reply #59 on:** April 09, 2009, 07:12:31 PM »

HOLY CRAP!

i was reading it incorrectly... it was at .01% this morning... now its at 3.12%

i can do nothing but laugh at this point.

ok... will get some screen shots and get back to you...

heffay · « **Reply #60 on:** April 09, 2009, 07:24:31 PM »

ok... where do i find the raid type ?

mlinder · « **Reply #61 on:** April 09, 2009, 07:27:37 PM »

#1 problem:

The motherboard you have is designed to run in dual channel.
Thats usually slots 1 and 3 taken by one pair, and 2 and 4 by another. 1 and 3 alone is fine.
Memory, however, needs to be PAIRED. meaning, 1 and 3 should have the SAME SIZE ram in em, as should 2 and 4.

Remove all 4 sticks. Put one 1gb stick in slot 1, and one in slot 2.
Retry setup. I'm surprised it works at all.

mlinder · « **Reply #62 on:** April 09, 2009, 07:28:40 PM »

#2:

It appears you have only one drive, apparently, no RAID. Please check inside the case to see if you have more than one drive.

heffay · « **Reply #63 on:** April 09, 2009, 07:29:22 PM »

i don't think so...

will break out the screwdrivers now!

then BFH

heffay · « **Reply #64 on:** April 09, 2009, 07:30:36 PM »

i swear i saw raid on here somewhere... for the layman... what does raid mean?

mlinder · « **Reply #65 on:** April 09, 2009, 07:32:01 PM »

Quote from: heffay on April 09, 2009, 07:30:36 PM

i swear i saw raid on here somewhere... for the layman... what does raid mean?

THere may be a RAID controller on the motherboard, and it will come up with the RAID controllers bios, will say to itself "No RAID here" and go away.
Redundant Array of Identical Devices

mlinder · « **Reply #66 on:** April 09, 2009, 07:33:06 PM »

While you are at it, do as I said earlier. Pull all RAM, and fit 2 1024's (1 gig sticks) in slots 1 and 3 (probably. Might be 1 and 2, depending on board, but probably not)

heffay · « **Reply #67 on:** April 09, 2009, 07:37:50 PM »

what do you need to know about the board?

heffay · « **Reply #68 on:** April 09, 2009, 07:39:20 PM »

mlinder · « **Reply #69 on:** April 09, 2009, 07:40:17 PM »

Quote from: heffay on April 09, 2009, 07:37:50 PM

what do you need to know about the board?

Not much, Just do as I suggested, if we get 1 and 3 and its supposed to be 1 and 2, it'ss just run in single channel mode. No biggy.

When you can, download this

http://www.memtest86.com/memtest86-3.5.iso.zip

And burn a cd as an .iso (after you unzip it)

assuming you have the software to do so. (most cd burning software does... just not windows proprietary cd burning 'software')

/edit: after seeing the pics, it appears the "blue" ones are probably 1 and 3. Pop em in there.

heffay · « **Reply #70 on:** April 09, 2009, 07:41:50 PM »

home computer is fancy #$%* w/ bookoo fun stuff... i can burn iso's

i'm just remedial when it comes to vista and programming stuff.

mlinder · « **Reply #71 on:** April 09, 2009, 07:45:20 PM »

OK

It's a tiny download. I'm sure you have a blank CD?

What we are going to do is, place 2 1gb sticks in the blue slots (1 and 3, I'm pretty sure), then boot the machine with the memtest CD in there.
It may take a bit, maybe 45 minutes, but we need to let the test finish, and see if any errors pop up. If no errors, great.
Then we pop in the XP cd and give the bastard a try. If it doesn't work, we are going to try something else.

/edit: also, your 'issue' with vista is almost assuredly from running disparate ram modules in dual channel.

heffay · « **Reply #72 on:** April 09, 2009, 07:49:14 PM »

only 1 gig mems in blue slots... or 1 gig in 1-3 and 2 gig in 4?

heffay · « **Reply #73 on:** April 09, 2009, 07:49:51 PM »

grabbing beer

mlinder · « **Reply #74 on:** April 09, 2009, 07:50:58 PM »

Heffay, you have 3 1gig sticks and 1 2gig stick

Put only 2 1gig sticks in, in the blue channels.

having disparate memory sticks in a dual channel configuaration is a no-no.

/edit: was already drinking beer... getting another now...

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Author Topic: stupid stupid vista (Read 9445 times)