Explorer Stuff Not Working

[Jerrych57]

Back in the day, I could run Windows setup.exe and "reinstall" Windows. Is there an equivalent with XP?

Problems: About 2/3 of buttons in Explorer don't work. I know, but Firefox locks up all the time and I don't have the know-how to get it working. At least Explorer works until recently. I let my Norton Antivirus subscription run out, and bad stuff started happening.

I tried to install Norton AntiVirus 2007 and it hangs up during install. It says there is a configuration problem and that I need to finish the installation. The window that pops up is blank. It also says I should run a system scan, but the system scan button doesn't do anything.

System: quite old - 700 MHz Celeron processor, 256 MB RAM, Windows XP - it should work according to the System Requirements. I'm a cheap skate and I really don't want to replace it - it does what I want it to do - normally. I'd almost rather throw it away and say "screw computers" than lay out a bunch of dough and upgrade.

-Jerry

[Panama Red]

You should be able to boot to the XP cd (set the CD drive as the first boot device), select New Installation, delete existing partition(s), format the hard drive and reinstall XP. Your system may meet minimum specs but it's gonna continue to struggle with only 256Mb of ram. XP works best with at least 512Mb installed. To make matters worse, I bet you machine has onboard graphics and is using some of the installed memory to run the video controller.

Forget the Norton AV. That stuff will only clog up your machine and make it slower than molasses in January. Use the free AVG 7.5 Antivirus instead.

[Jerrych57]

How do I get the free version of AVG 7.5? All I've found on AVG's website is a 30-day trial.

By the way, my PC originally came with Windows ME. I've found that I'm way better off with XP.

One other thing I forgot to mention - my Media Player has quit running. Is there a better program for this?

All this makes me think that a virus has gotten into my system.

-Jerry

[Panama Red]

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/lng...nti-virus-free

[Jerrych57]

Got the AVG. It loaded easily and acts like it works well, too. It very quickly scans documents as I open them and found a bug lurking in an old Word document that I opened today.

Thanks a million!

-Jerry

PS, now if I can get all the buttons working in Explorer, my PC'll be good as new.

[glc]

I would do the XP repair reinstall, make sure you do it with a XP CD with SP2 already incorporated. This will require you redo all your critical updates, and stay with WMP 9 - don't put 10 or 11 on. Stay with IE6, don't put IE7 on.

Even if you are a cheapskate, it's well worth it to add some ram if it's not already maxed out. Depending on the system/motherboard, a new compatible 256mb SDRAM module is in the $30 to $50 range and if you really want to try to cheap out, you can probably get a used module that MAY work cheaper than that. If you do that, make sure you run memtest86+ on it before you try to start Windows in case it has problems.

[Jerrych57]

Originally Posted by glc I would do the XP repair reinstall, make sure you do it with a XP CD with SP2 already incorporated. This will require you redo all your critical updates, and stay with WMP 9 - don't put 10 or 11 on. Stay with IE6, don't put IE7 on. Even if you are a cheapskate, it's well worth it to add some ram if it's not already maxed out. Depending on the system/motherboard, a new compatible 256mb SDRAM module is in the $30 to $50 range and if you really want to try to cheap out, you can probably get a used module that MAY work cheaper than that. If you do that, make sure you run memtest86+ on it before you try to start Windows in case it has problems.

I guess I'll be getting more RAM. I have an ATI 64Mb video card already, too. Don't remember exactly which one it is.

My PC is a Micron, and I have the system restore CD (which includes ME, which is crappy) and Windows XP upgrade CD (pre-SP2). Is there a way to repair it with these tools, or do I need to purchase a new XP CD? Does the XP repair install reformat the drive?

An alternative is that I have a never-used hard drive that I planned to setup as my primary someday but never have. Will the XP upgrade CD install without the Micron system being already installed? I'd rather not put all that stuff that comes with the system CD on this new drive.

-Jerry

[glc]

What you need to do is use your upgrade CD and create a new "slipstreamed" CD with SP2 incorporated. No, a repair install does not format anything and does not touch your data or programs. Procedures for a repair install are in our Tips and Tricks forum.

Slipstream procedures are here:

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...slipstream.asp

Go to www.belarc.com and download the free Advisor and run it. It will identify your motherboard, post the manufacturer and model here for ram advice. Also post what it says about your ram slots.

If you want a fresh start, you CAN use the XP upgrade CD (and I recommend you do the slipstream) to do a clean install. You will need to borrow a Win98 or WinME CD - a restore disk will not work - and put it in the CD drive when the XP setup does its compliance check. It will look at it for a minute then you can put the XP CD back in and proceed.

[Jerrych57]

Here's what Belarc Adviser reported about my PC (plus a lot of other stuff):

Manufacturer / model: micronpc.com Millennia EX
(it's a model RS 2110 per the paperwork - Jerry)

RAM:

256 Megabytes Installed Memory

Slot ' DIMM2 M/B ' has 128 MB
Slot ' DIMM1 M/B ' has 128 MB

I verified in the manual that there are two slots and it will accept up to 512 Mb of RAM.

I have a note in my paper file on the RAM:

DIMM SDRAM
PC100
10 MHz
8Mx64

I think this was the original RAM that came with the machine.

Thanks for your help!

-Jerry

Originally Posted by glc What you need to do is use your upgrade CD and create a new "slipstreamed" CD with SP2 incorporated. No, a repair install does not format anything and does not touch your data or programs. Procedures for a repair install are in our Tips and Tricks forum. Slipstream procedures are here: http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...slipstream.asp Go to www.belarc.com and download the free Advisor and run it. It will identify your motherboard, post the manufacturer and model here for ram advice. Also post what it says about your ram slots. If you want a fresh start, you CAN use the XP upgrade CD (and I recommend you do the slipstream) to do a clean install. You will need to borrow a Win98 or WinME CD - a restore disk will not work - and put it in the CD drive when the XP setup does its compliance check. It will look at it for a minute then you can put the XP CD back in and proceed.

[glc]

You can use PC100 or PC133 dimms - a pair of 256mb modules will max it out, they must be low density.

[Jerrych57]

I got nothing but this message when I tried to load a website this morning:

Requested script (local_index) not found in htbin directory (ADC_SCRIPT

The website is:

http://www.accuweather.com/adcbin/lo...ip=Go&nav=home

Is this a clue as to why some links work and others don't? This problem acts like it only occurs on a particular type of link. One example of links that don't work is at:

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/...rtin/index.htm

When I click the mouse on the small pictures to try to enlarge them, nothing happens. I can move around the rest of the website just fine.

Also, the "GO" button directly the "PRODUCT LIST" heading doesn't work on newegg.com at:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...o.x=16&Go.y=33

When I click the mouse on the Search "GO" button, nothing happens. I can move around the rest of the website just fine. This makes it difficult to purchase the memory I'm looking for from newegg.

I appreciate any help you can provide with this problem. It doesn't seem like it should warrant a complete Windows reinstall, but if that's what it takes I'll do it.

-Jerry

[mickzer]

Hi Jerry,
If it's any help, I get the very same as you on each of those three sites.

mickzer.

[Jerrych57]

The last two work fine from my work PC. The first one must have changed or something.

-Jerry