Dirty XP!

[her own pride]

Is it me or is windows xp made to self corrupt over a period of time. For example I seem to find a lot of nasty things going on not only on my PC but others as well. I did a fresh install recently as I usually have to every 3 months and then installed Direct X 9. Now I went in to see the DXDIAG and half the directplay network files were screwed up, this was after a complete fresh install with drivers being updated. It caused Flight SIm 9 to not work, somehow after a few repeated installs of DX9 it worked.

This is not the only thing, I installed nero this time and it can't detect the CD drive, yet it did the last 5 times I installed and i have tried 3 versions, however other software such as Adaptec and Win XP can write to CD?

The problem is I believe is that components are being changed all over the place until it ties itself into a knot...

I dream for the day that there is an operating system thats stable, oh hang on there is its called Linux, but is like a 1/4 inch minijack when all you need is phono in, useless.

If you read this thanks for the time for my little moan, it needs to be said every so often by us all I think.

[cp101]

Windows is a car with faulty breaks. Sure, they work, but after a while they tend to cause major accidents. For XP, this is even more so, it's like having no brakes, and doing 120 on a curve...you're fux0red( dunno if I can curse on this forum, I'll use it's computer counterpart ).

[nothing]

Windows 2000 is the best there is. Stop using XP and install Windows 2000. You'll be very very happy.

[BipolarBill]

Windows doesn't self-destruct. Users and software companies destroy it through ignorance of basic principles:

1. Don't click Yes for spyware

2. Don't let software install an older version of DX over a new one.

3. Visit Windows Update

4. Uninstall old software before updating.

5. Clear CMOS after updating BIOS.

6. Keep AV definitions up to date.

Stop whining. I don't have half the problems that you have and I do more with my PC, I'm sure.

[Someone Stupid]

If you strip out of XP some stuff, and disable other stuff you don't need, it tends to be pretty reliable (better than 2000 I'd say). Been running now for several weeks straight with no instances of having to reboot other than for the oh so often critical updates. 2000 is great as well, but I find when 2000 screws up, unless you have a recent backup on hand, it's harder to get back up than XP. Haven't had to do a fresh install of XP in quite awhile... Use the repair utility to reinstall and let it reconfigure all your drivers (and it'll prompt for those which are corrupted)... just go to the screen that lets you pick the OS before selected repair... don't hit F2 or F6 or whatever for ASR and pass on the first option to recover... other than that it will look like a normal XP install, though it will prompt for the key, and take longer than usual (sometimes will freeze for 10 or so minutes) when you get to the new features advertisement screen that says the install will complete in 30 minutes or whatever. Works better than a fresh install as all the files are replaced fresh and the windows registry for windows items is refreshed, other than that, it uses your old registry so you don't have to reinstall half your programs to get them to work.

[BipolarBill]

Oh - number 7:

Establish and use a darned backup routine.

[nothing]

Originally posted by BipolarBill
Windows doesn't self-destruct. Users and software companies destroy it through ignorance of basic principles:

1. Don't click Yes for spyware

2. Don't let software install an older version of DX over a new one.

3. Visit Windows Update

4. Uninstall old software before updating.

5. Clear CMOS after updating BIOS.

6. Keep AV definitions up to date.

Stop whining. I don't have half the problems that you have and I do more with my PC, I'm sure.

I didn't know about #5. I updated BIOS a while ago and I didn't clear the CMOS. Well, everything is fine here.

[BipolarBill]

Just because you got away with it doen't make it right. I know people with no AV protection too.

[nothing]

Yes, I know it doesn't make it right. I was lucky. Don't laugh at me but I think I don't know how to clear the CMOS. I think I just have to pull the battery for a few minutes. Is that right?

[BipolarBill]

That works.

[Ammok]

check your mobo nothing, you should just have to jumper a stake pin for a few seconds to clear cmos, then put it back, pretty simple and less hassle than taking the battery out.

[Someone Stupid]

Will also save you the trouble of the battery holder getting loose and you losing the bios settings - if you flash your bios often (like many overclockers do, I don't know if your one) it will come loose eventually and it will drive you nuts even though it only will happen once, as then you just pry the clip back into place. I had an old board which I had to take the battery out... pry it out, put it in, pry the clip in good. Jumpers are much more forgiving long as you ground yourself to the comp before toying with it, as I know several friends who went overclocking on their own, grabbed the jumper out and placed it in the closed position, but didn't touch the case, yet touched the lead going to the bios... bios gone. I get paid to do a rebuild - along with some simple education. Will build for free for a friend once, they screw it up, they pay me for my time so they aren't encouraged to waste my time.

[cbh]

Learn from me! Just install Norton SystemWorks 2003 and don't install anymore 'intensive' software. My OS is quite 'empty' because I don't install a lot of software. If you have too many software on your OS, it might tax the capabilities of the OS. Thus, my OS is 'clean' and 'neat'.

I think I only have Norton SystemWorks 2003, Kazaa Lite, Shareara, Divx, Xvid, QuickTime, Nero CD Burn and Microsoft Office 2003.

[Someone Stupid]

And a ton of illegal files

[Cyan]

CBH you also have bittorrent