[cantbootwindowsxp]

Again your advice has been extremely well appreciated!

I have started a different thread for my 2nd computer with the LG monitor 'Power Saving Mode' problem here...
http://www.geekstogo...onitor-problem/

So back to the first computer that this thread here was started for, the computer with the Bad Sector...

This is what I will probably do...

first get maybe a Western Digital or Samsung or Seagate 500 mb or 1 gig SATA hard drive from http://www.itestate....B672E85786B9DDA
in Australia...how about the WD 64 mb 3.5 inch 1.5 tb sata for $102 would that be a good one for my computer?...are Seagate Spinpoint F3 1 terrabyte SATA hard drives for $99 Australian dollars good as someone recommended that?...also how do I know if I need a 2.5 inch or 3.5 inch SATA drive?...and do I get a 16 MB or 32 MB or 64 MB drive and is there a big difference between those?...I will then get a local computer store to install the hard drive for me for $30 as I want to make sure it's done right...I will also get a $35 Windows XP Pro full reinstall CD from Asus in Australia and reinstall with the CD myself...Is this what you would recommend and do those prices and hard drives sound good to you?...will the same OEM product sticker 25 digit key which is stuck on the Asus computer be valid for the new CD or will the new CD come with a new key? Also should I get the 32 or 64 bit version of Windows XP Pro? For the 64 mb version of xp will I need a 64 mb drive is that correct? Will I need to install anything else other than Microsoft Office(I still have that CD)? If the new hard drive fixes the computer to be able to boot it up and use it again will sound card and video card and all other necessary things needed to use computer be OK(and not need to be reinstalled) if the only thing damaged was the hard drive?

I'm not going to risk transferring across the video files as malware may come with it...I have all the videos burnt to DVD anyway.

So let me know if that plan sounds OK to you.

Also if you think of anything else in regards to the problems of my other computer in the linked thread re Power Saving Mode then post your advice there, it will be appreciated.

I can't believe I have had 2 computers crash in 2 weeks!

Your help has been amazing! Cheers.

Edited by cantbootwindowsxp, 26 August 2010 - 06:34 AM.

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Again your advice has been extremely well appreciated!

You're welcome.

how about the WD 64 mb 3.5 inch 1.5 tb sata for $102 would that be a good one for my computer? ...are Seagate Spinpoint F3 1 terrabyte SATA hard drives for $99 Australian dollars good as someone recommended that?

I tend to stick with Western Digital and IBM/Hitachi. A bit leery of Seagate, seen too many failures.

...also how do I know if I need a 2.5 inch or 3.5 inch SATA drive?

One way is visually. There's quite a noticeable difference:



You can also measure the drive. The one on the left above will measure 2.5" wide and the one on the right, 3.5".

The SAMSUNG HD160JJ you memtioned above is a 3.5" drive.

...and do I get a 16 MB or 32 MB or 64 MB drive and is there a big difference between those?

You must be speaking of the cache size. If so, yes, it makes a difference. Generally speaking, the larger the cache, the better the overall performance.

...I will then get a local computer store to install the hard drive for me for $30 as I want to make sure it's done right

Four screws and two wires and you're done. (Maybe 10 minutes).

...I will also get a $35 Windows XP Pro full reinstall CD from Asus in Australia and reinstall with the CD myself...Is this what you would recommend and do those prices and hard drives sound good to you?

Sorry, I'm not familiar with the Asus' "$35 Windows XP Pro full reinstall CD" nor Australian pricing.

...will the same OEM product sticker 25 digit key which is stuck on the Asus computer be valid for the new CD or will the new CD come with a new key?

The new CD should come with its own Product Key ... which is the one I would use.

Also should I get the 32 or 64 bit version of Windows XP Pro?

With XP, recommend the 32-bit version. Drivers for the 64-bit version of XP are rather rare.

Windows 7 is a different story though. If your hardware will handle it, recommend the 64-bit version.

For the 64 mb version of xp will I need a 64 mb drive is that correct?

No, a 64MB (MegaByte) cache in a hard drive has nothing to do with 64-bit software.

Will I need to install anything else other than Microsoft Office(I still have that CD)?

Don't know. What other programs do you use?

If the new hard drive fixes the computer to be able to boot it up and use it again will sound card and video card and all other necessary things needed to use computer be OK(and not need to be reinstalled) if the only thing damaged was the hard drive?

No, you'll need to reinstall all the of the missing drivers that are not installed when Windows has finished installing itself.

I'm not going to risk transferring across the video files as malware may come with it...I have all the videos burnt to DVD anyway.

If they were infected before being burned to DVD, they would still be infected.

So let me know if that plan sounds OK to you.

Sounds like a plan.

Also if you think of anything else in regards to the problems of my other computer in the linked thread re Power Saving Mode then post your advice there, it will be appreciated.

I'll see what I can do. (Note: My job consumes most of my time).

I can't believe I have had 2 computers crash in 2 weeks!

"When it rains it pours"?

Your help has been amazing! Cheers.

You're more than welcome, and Thanks!.

[SpywareDr]

Again your advice has been extremely well appreciated!

You're welcome.

how about the WD 64 mb 3.5 inch 1.5 tb sata for $102 would that be a good one for my computer? ...are Seagate Spinpoint F3 1 terrabyte SATA hard drives for $99 Australian dollars good as someone recommended that?

I tend to stick with Western Digital and IBM/Hitachi. A bit leery of Seagate, seen too many failures.

...also how do I know if I need a 2.5 inch or 3.5 inch SATA drive?

One way is visually. There's quite a noticeable difference:



You can also measure the drive. The one on the left above will measure 2.5" wide and the one on the right, 3.5".

The SAMSUNG HD160JJ you memtioned above is a 3.5" drive.

...and do I get a 16 MB or 32 MB or 64 MB drive and is there a big difference between those?

You must be speaking of the cache size. If so, yes, it makes a difference. Generally speaking, the larger the cache, the better the overall performance.

...I will then get a local computer store to install the hard drive for me for $30 as I want to make sure it's done right

Four screws and two wires and you're done. (Maybe 10 minutes).

...I will also get a $35 Windows XP Pro full reinstall CD from Asus in Australia and reinstall with the CD myself...Is this what you would recommend and do those prices and hard drives sound good to you?

Sorry, I'm not familiar with the Asus' "$35 Windows XP Pro full reinstall CD" nor Australian pricing.

...will the same OEM product sticker 25 digit key which is stuck on the Asus computer be valid for the new CD or will the new CD come with a new key?

The new CD should come with its own Product Key ... which is the one I would use.

Also should I get the 32 or 64 bit version of Windows XP Pro?

With XP, recommend the 32-bit version. Drivers for the 64-bit version of XP are rather rare.

Windows 7 is a different story though. If your hardware will handle it, recommend the 64-bit version.

For the 64 mb version of xp will I need a 64 mb drive is that correct?

No, a 64MB (MegaByte) cache in a hard drive has nothing to do with 64-bit software.

Will I need to install anything else other than Microsoft Office(I still have that CD)?

Don't know. What other programs do you use?

If the new hard drive fixes the computer to be able to boot it up and use it again will sound card and video card and all other necessary things needed to use computer be OK(and not need to be reinstalled) if the only thing damaged was the hard drive?

No, you'll need to reinstall all the of the missing drivers that are not installed when Windows has finished installing itself.

I'm not going to risk transferring across the video files as malware may come with it...I have all the videos burnt to DVD anyway.

If they were infected before being burned to DVD, they would still be infected.

So let me know if that plan sounds OK to you.

Sounds like a plan.

Also if you think of anything else in regards to the problems of my other computer in the linked thread re Power Saving Mode then post your advice there, it will be appreciated.

I'll see what I can do. (Note: My job consumes most of my time).

I can't believe I have had 2 computers crash in 2 weeks!

"When it rains it pours"?

Your help has been amazing! Cheers.

You're more than welcome, and Thanks!.

[cantbootwindowsxp]

With the Windows XP Pro CD I will need, I called Asus a few weeks ago to see if they could send me one, and they said it would be $35, and then today they said to try Microsoft for the CD...one computer store said they would charge $250 for the CD and only had the 64 version of XP Pro...another computer store said they could use their own XP Pro CD to install when inserting the new hard drive for me, but I wouldn't have thought that their CD would work with my XP Pro product key?...some say a new XP Pro CD would come with a new 25 digit product key and others say it would just work with the product key assigned on the original sticker when the computer was first installed with XP Pro when purchased...so its a bit confusing as to what XP Pro CD I should get and from where?...Asus told me they do not send CDs out for Barebone computers and that I have to ask the original store, but the computer was given to my Dad and its difficult trying to find out where it was purchased...or do I call Microsoft Australia as the only legitimate way of getting a XP Pro CD to reinstall?...to have to again pay for a product that was part of the original computer purchase seems very unfair...also if the 32 version of XP Pro is no longer available should I get the 64 version of XP Pro?...If Microsoft cannot give me a CD and if I can't locate which store the Asus was bought at, by giving Asus the serial number do you think they could find out what store the computer was bought? If not, and if Asus refuse to give me a CD to reinstall with the new hard drive, what do I do then?

Thanks for the info about drives sizes, I'll check out the 3.5 WD with 64 cache ones...my computer should be able to handle a 1 tb drive?...the larger the drive the more a computer will struggle or not necessarily? 500 gig would be large enough for what I need, but for only another $30 I could get a 1 terrabyte, do you think I should do that or will performance be better with a 500 gig?

When you say drivers for the 64 bit version of XP Pro are hard to find, what actually are drivers, do you mean all the different installation CDs needed to install everything needed for the 64 bit version of XP Pro to run properly? Can you list all the drivers needed? Forgive my lack of knowledge on this!

I can install all the other programs I need via downloads other than Nero and Office...but what about the sound card and video card...do I need CDs as well to make them work with XP Pro or once the XP Pro is installed on the new hard drive Windows will just detect the sound card and video/graphics card automatically?...Any other things needed to be installed via CD for Windows to run properly and for video and audio playback?

Thanks SpywareDr!

Edited by cantbootwindowsxp, 28 August 2010 - 06:13 AM.

[cantbootwindowsxp]

SpywareDr, sorry for not being very knowledgable, and if you could possibly help with the questions in my last post that will basically be everything I need to know in the search for a new hard drive...so if you can help on that it would be appreciated...I realise you are busy and have alot of people to answer. Thanks.

Edited by cantbootwindowsxp, 29 August 2010 - 03:14 AM.

[cantbootwindowsxp]

please delete this post, posted by mistake

Edited by cantbootwindowsxp, 29 August 2010 - 03:15 AM.

[cantbootwindowsxp]

please delete this post, posted by mistake

Edited by cantbootwindowsxp, 29 August 2010 - 03:15 AM.

[cantbootwindowsxp]

SpywareDr if you are able to answer my questions in post 18 then great, if not no worries and I thank you for the help you were able to provide earlier in the thread. All the best.