Windows ME and me

[os2]

I have inherited???a computer with ME installed, however when i try to boot the computer, it gives me the safe mode option, which I take and then the computer shuts down with a message that ISL helper cannot be loaded..i have a dos boot disk and the computer boots into dos ok, but when going to windows it shuts down....I'm sure threre is a virus on this... I have the recovery disks and I saw in the forums that I should use them from drive M-but the only drives the computer will recognize is a and c..... when i put the cd rom (recovery cd in drive d (my normal cd drive) i get an invalid drive message.....i need to use windows ME to keep some of the old games i like.........Have a copy of windows 98 but I am lost on how to get this computer to run again.....and i don't want to spend a gillion dollars for something that maybe i could solve with help...so i am cheap and stupid...please help........The computer is a pentium4/128mg ram/16 meg nvidea 3d card/the computer is about 5 1/2 years old.....when I ran dos and typed dir/w i saw that many of the old games(information and files were still there......if this helps....Thanks again for any help.

[GaryRouth]

Hi os2

[your forum name was a fairly decent IBM OS in it's time]

The note about drive "M" was for an HP model that required it set that way. Is your inherited box a laptop or desktop? Major brand? I would expect a major brand, since you mention a Recovery Disk set.

Most Recovery Sets can be fairly specific in their options and step-by-step instructions: if you have a model # for the computer, visit the manufacturer's website & use that model # to help search for the options available with your Recovery set. If this is a Compaq, some of these sets must be started from a floppy first, then the CD.

If you believe the system to be infected, a full "Reformat & Recover" usually wipes the drive (erasing all data added since the computer was purchased), and reinstalls everything to factory original. To use this option, it's best that all the hardware is still original. And unplug any networks, modems, cameras, scanners, memory card readers, or printers during your recovery.

After your repair, you'll want to have antivirus & firewall installed and active before reconnecting to the Internet, and you'll want to visit Windows Update immediately to install the Security Updates - without these your computer will be subject to trojan infection & could end up badly off once again.

Try a look at the manufacturer's website, and let us know if you still have questions
. . . Gary

[P.S. . . . and Welcome to the PC Mechanic forums! . . . ]

[os2]

The computer is assembled by the Micro Center in Denver......I will never use it on the internet.........games only.that is why i want to keep ME for the older games........cannot get them to run on xp..........i do not know how to re-format etc. again....after the dos boot disk i type" dir/w and get the list of my game programs such IL2.exe which is the UbiSoft flight simulator of Russian /german/american aircraft.........will go to the Micro Center website to see if they can help/ have their serial number........i am about 150 miles from Denver and the .......er.... gentlemen here, are telling me it's going to cost $300 to fix this computer.which i think might be hs........Thanks for your help and suggestions.............. OS2 is a military designator and not the os2 you are familiar with........but thanks for the thought.........

[GaryRouth]

Is that the MicroCenter store on 8000 East Quincy Ave.? I took a quick look at their offerings, and it looks like they sell mostly OEM boxes (HP/Compaq, Toshiba, Winbook)... and some off-brand called "PowerSpec" (perhaps their in-house brand?)....

At any rate, if it has a Recovery Disk set, it should also have instructions somewhere to go with it. You don't have to know anything about formatting, reformatting, or configuring a computer to run such disks. The Recovery Disk set, when run from a computer running adequately enough to start the process, will perform all the necessary steps automatically. All you need are the right instructions on how to get it started. Their general information phone number is (303) 302-8500. Looks like the technical support calls might be fee-based, from what I see on their website. If your computer happens to be from the "PowerSpec" line, there is a website to support that brand http://www.powerspec.com/support/index.phtml , and here is an article for running the Recovery Set for a few of their older models http://www.powerspec.com/support/dri...covery_cd.html

If your recovery disk happens to be bright yellow and says PowerSpec on it - try:
1) power on your computer, don't interrupt with any mouse or keyboard actions. If it errors, that's OK.
2) open your Cd-drive & insert the Recovery disk.
3) power off the computer.
4) power on the computer - the Recovery should start, if the cd-drive is working at all.
You might as well choose the option to Format & Recover, rather than just Recover, since you strongly suspect there are virii present. The format will take care of that. Of course, it will wipe the drive completely clean & all that will be on it after the Recovery is whatever came pre-loaded at the time of purchase.

If it still doesn't start, how long has it been since anything has successfully run from the cd-drive? Has anyone been inside the case making changes? Not finding a cd-drive could be anything from a jumper in the wrong place, a bad cable, a bad cd-drive, a bad controller on the motherboard, a bad setting in the Bios Setup . . . etc.

Since a Dos floppy boots Ok, and you can navigate the hard drive, it seems that you have a good chance for most of the major system parts to be operational. You can run some basic hardware checks yourself, if you suspect anything wrong there. Both memory and hard drives can be checked by diagnostic programs that run from bootable floppies. MemTest86 could check if the memory is sound ( http://www.memtest.org ), and for the hard drive - use the diagnostics downloadable from the hard drive manufacturer's website. This might save you money if they turn out to have defects - you'll be able to calculate the costs of repairing the unit if you know these need replacing, in addition to whatever software repair you may need.

Post again if you have more questions
. . . Gary

[os2]

I called the toll free tech number for microcenter yesterday and they told me i got the wrong version of the recovery disk when I bought the computer...the correct verson is 2.4 for the computer serial number I read them and I got 1.2 when the salesman sold it to me.......shame on me...will try what you have suggested and yes the store is on Quincy...thanks for the phone number and all the help.......

[GaryRouth]

Hi os2

Glad to hear that their support is following up for you. That says a lot of positive things about a company.
. . . Gary