[kristi10]

Changed the Bios and used both cd's with the same results as before.

Read a couple of things on the web about people's orginal cd's not working out bc of sp2 coming out since then.

Also read this. Exact same codes as mine, of course, they don't say if they tried it or if it worked or not:
http://www.techspot....ng-windows.html

I really hate to bail for the night, but it's 1 am here and I'm toast. We had a nice bit of snow and ice this evening so schools and everything are closed tomorrow and I get to work at home again though. :-)

Is there anything I can go back to Dell and get that will help us out?

Muchas gracias for everything! Kristi

[Advertisements]

Is there anything I can go back to Dell and get that will help us out?

See if they will provide you a recovery disk that includes SP2...

[wannabe1]

Is there anything I can go back to Dell and get that will help us out?

See if they will provide you a recovery disk that includes SP2...

[kristi10]

I'll give them a call.

Another thought, when Dell had me do the system restore, it wasn't with the cd. We did the ctl, power up, f11. Would that still work?

[wannabe1]

Do you have important files on the machine? If not, then yes...you can certainly try that.

[kristi10]

Nothing important....we backed up everything last week when we did the first system restore. I say we go for it. I forget, did I keep hitting the f11 key or just keep holding it in?

What else......do I leave the new card in when I do it? If so, when it recognized the new hardware, do I just cancel out for now or go ahead and install the drivers for it. Will the restore load the driver automatically for the card that came with the system?

With the last restore, we left the current card in that I had at the time, the geforce 7600gt. When it asked to install the drivers Dell had me put in the cd that came with the card, and when the drivers started loading, I got a blue screen.

Another question....I would like to try these new memory cards. Despite the mem tests coming out okay, I have the new ones here, and it never hurts to try. Would I replace them before the system restore, or at some other point after the restore is done?

Thanks! Kristi

Edited by kristi10, 12 February 2008 - 10:15 AM.

[wannabe1]

If memory serves, you start the Dell system recovery operation by pressing Ctrl + F11 duing the Dell loading screen. Ring a bell?

Leave the new card in. Windows should have native drivers that will install the card, though in a quite limited way. Once your system has been recovered, you can then install the drivers from the cd that came with the card.

Go ahead and install the new memory. You may get a check-sum error when the machine boots, but should move past it on it's own.

[kristi10]

The Dell Ctrl-F11 system restore wouldn't work. It seems that the error message is loading before I can get anywhere, or ????

I found something on Microsoft support about my error, but it says not to use it if I have an OEM-installed operating system. Does that mean I'm hosed?

http://support.micro....com/kb/307545/

Kristi

Edited by kristi10, 12 February 2008 - 09:04 PM.

[wannabe1]

When you try to start the recovery, try pressing and holding the Ctrl key, then press F11 and release them both at the same time. I think it's all in the timing...and I seem to remember it has to be done while the Dell screen is displayed and the progress bar is still showing.

Wish I had a Dell here that I could verify some of this on...

[kristi10]

Want mine?

[wannabe1]

Actually...I wish I COULD have it on my bench for a bit.

Let's try running diagnostics on the drive. I'm really finding it highly suspect. Download Data Lifeguard and burn it as an ISO image just as you did Recovery Console. Boot the machine with that and see what the diagnostics have to say about the drive's health.

[kristi10]

KKKKKKK, I got the Dell Restore to work!!!!

Apparently, patiently rebooting and trying Ctrl and F11 does not work. You must randomly and aggressively push them to convince them that they want to respond.

At any rate, the restore completed successfully. I haven't let anything install, anything access the internet, and told everything No to automatic updates.

Still need to do the Data Lifeguard, or something else now?

Never thought I would be so happy to see a desktop!

Kristi

[wannabe1]

Let it run for a while before installing anything...just to make sure it doesn't blue screen. Then we'll start installing one thing at a time.

Good Job!

[wannabe1]

When you start installing things start with SP2. Get the version below and burn it to a cd on your husband's machine. This isn't an ISO file, so just burn it as you normally would. This will save you a lot of download time later on if you have problems again.

Download This Version for IT professionals and save it to your hard drive. Burn it to a cd and hang on to it for future use as your XP installation CD does not contain it.

Then install your video card using the cd that came with it.

Then your Anti Virus program...unless it installed with the recovery. If that's the case, make sure your disable it for both the SP2 install and when you install the video card.

Then let it run for a while again.

After all that, if you still haven't seen a BSOD, go surfing and see what happens.

[kristi10]

I have Mcafee setup box on the screen, which won't let me close it without registering, etc. That McAfee product isn't good any more, I bought something different. I have a link where I can go and re-download the new product whenever we are ready.

Meanwhile, should I just leave the McAfee setup box on the screen, or remove it all in add/remove products?

Also, I have the Found Hardware Wizard on my screen, can't shut it either. Wants to know if it can connect to the internet to search for software. Options are:
Yes, this time only
Yes, now and everytime I connect a device
No, not this time

[wannabe1]

Use Task Manager to close the McAfee screen and then uninstall it. It's junk anyway. What Anti Virus do you have to take it's place?

For the hardware wizard, tell it "No, not this time" and let it try to complete. If it can't find the driver already on the machine, it will fail and let you close it.