do I try too save XP, or go to the dump with it ?

Hi all. I have a laptop with windows 7. My old (10 years ) desktop with xp over the last year I was trying out different OS's , Linux, Ubuntu, Puppy, and such. Had always been able to go back to XP. I would always let Linux, and others Install on the whole disc. Since I have win7, I thought I would fool around with trying other systems and let them have the whole computer. Last one I tried was Kubuntu.This time after putting in my 6 XP recovery disc and then restarting I got a blank screen. Well then I decided to put Kubuntu back on the computer. When I had restarted the computer it got as far as having that rectangle box with some icons, but this time it got to the point of showing the first icon in the box and then kept on repeating it's self. So Ubuntu would not load anymore. Went back to trying XP. This time I got two errors at different times of trying to recover XP. One being > win system 32 config system file is missing. The other error is >c:\preload\base_10.inp missing. So can I save XP or use it as a doorstop? Been doing this for a couple of weeks and getting to the point where it"s a lost cause. Any Kind words? My recovery disc will not work. I see on the computer there are disc to burn for a dead computer. Can I do that ? My desktop (XP) can only read CD's. THANKS for any help! Frank

 

How are you doing Coffee Guy, you can try this, http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/ultimate_boot_cd_(ubcd).html, but if the computer doesn't boot anything it maybe a lost cause, especially if it removed but never reload an OS. Give this a try.

 

You might be able to resurrect your XP machine by getting a new hard drive for it and a CDRW drive. Neither device is very expensive nowadays and the BIOS update, if needed, can be downloaded from your computer manufacturer's support site.

 

Morning. Nick, I did try that ubcd and still nothing would happen. The reason I'm trying not to give up on this computer is that when I've tried Puppy ( Slacko or Wary ) It would get me to the screen with all their icons. When I press the browser icon it would come up with a page of how to connect to the internet. There again what ever I do I still can not get any further then that page. Is there any other discs' I could try? Was thinking of trying to find a school here in Florida that teaches computer repair and let the students try to fix it. Getting To the point of giving up on this ole computer. Since XP will not be supported in a few months wanted to get this computer to work and put Linux or Ubuntu back on. THANKS again for any help you have given

 

Hi, mdonah. If I do what you say will my recovery discs' work? Or do I just load it with Ubuntu ( Linux ) with out anything from Microsoft. Got along fine without the dvds' so maybe just a new hard drive. Since I don't know the answer, how do I find out which hard drive to buy. Where would I find the numbers of the hard drive. Good idea, would like to try that!

 

Sounds like you're using LiveCDs to install linux distros, but are you installing from disk immediately upon booting, or are you booting to a "live session" and installing linux from the "install linux" icon on the live session desktop?

IMO, your problems could be related to a bad hard drive; a bad cd drive; a corrupted install disk; corrupted MBR or GRUB; or corrupted BIOS. If you can boot into a live session from Linux LiveCD we can probably eliminate the bad cd drive and corrupted install disk from that equation; conversely, if you cannot boot into a live sesion, i'd suggest the cd drive and/or install disk are the culprits.

Assuming you CAN boot into a live session (using a Linux disk that you have previously successfully installed), I would attempt to attempt to "install linux" from the live session. If that fails, I believe mcdonah's advice to re-flash the BIOS is good. If that doesn't work, well new hard drives can be purchased for as little as $50-$80. If THAT doesn't work, retrieve your newly installed hard drive and follow through with your donation to a tech training school. good idea!

If you can "save" the machine, i would certainly abandon WinXP (before March 2014!) in favor of a Linux distro that you like, FWIW. But that's just my opinion.

 

Hello hedon james. When all was fine, I was able to go back to XP after trying Linux or others. Always did the full install of Linux and wipe the disc of XP. Then when I couldn"t get Linux or others to work the way I wanted ( wally, for instance ) I was always able to load my recovery discs' and get XP back on. So now after a little less then a year I can not do that any more. Now since I have the win7 on a laptop, really don't need XP anymore. Hence Linux. Like mdonah idea also. Just did a search and Amazon has one listed for my computer for $23.00. (40G ). So before I do that I need to know if my 6 disc are going to work or do I just put in Ubuntus' disc and let that load ? I know if I do it that way I'll be back asking you guys for more help, which by the way is just nice. Been looking at your site a few years now and just love looking at all the good answers. Thanks to all for your help.

 

we don't know if your XP recovery disks are going to work...your recovery disks could be corrupted somehow; your cdr could be failing; your hard drive could be failing; your BIOS could be corrupted. see my previous post.

we need more information to help you. that is why i asked the previous questions. go back to your most recently successful linux LiveCD. if you can successfully reinstall THAT version of Linux, then your XP recovery cds are the likely culprit. Inasmuch as WinXP ends in March 2014, I'd just leave linux on the machine, but if you really want WinXP, you're gonna have to go through the trial & error to identify what the problem is.

You can install a new hard drive, but it's entirely possible the XP recovery disks are the culprit (but unlikely, IMO); it's entirely possible the BIOS is corrupted; it's entirely possible the optical beam of your cd drive is failing. replacing the hard drive will do nothing to fix these issues.

Go back to your last successful Linux installation CD and try to duplicate that installation. Whether successful, or a failure, that will give us more clues to help you.

 

Hi. hedon james, I tried the last OS which was kubuntu 10.4. Did load all the way to the end and ask for a restart. On the restart all I got was that rectangle box which was suppose to have some icons. The only thing I had was the first icon to start showing , never finished loading fully and then the box would keep restarting, over and over. Would it be that win 32 system config file that when I'm doing my recovery try, tells me it's missing that file? On that Ultimate Boot cd > when I put that in my screen is off to one side . So I could not read all of what it said to do. Can you tell me what key to press to continue with the disc ?

 

You have ME thoroughly confused...a win 32 system config file has NOTHING to do with linux. i don't understand why a linux system would throw a win 32 error? there must be something you're not telling me.

have you tried to install kubuntu 10.04 TODAY, or is that the OS you are trying to replace with WinXP? and when did Ultimate Boot enter the equation? you're leaving out too many details. i still don't know whether you want a linux or a WinXP machine. i still don't know if you've tried my previous suggestions. without relevant feedback, i can't help you anymore than i already have...

 

Hello again. I didn't know that win32 has nothing to do with Linux. So that helps in knowing. So if that is not the trouble with trying to get kubuntu back on the computer. I will forget about trying to get XP to load. The only reason I was trying to get XP back was so that I could try to get Kubuntu back on the computer. Thought you needed something from Microsoft to make this computer work. So I will only ask about try to get kubuntu back on the computer. Am try kubuntu right now. Again all i get when I have to restart the computer is the first icon which is the pic of a hard drive in the rectangle box. Right now it just goes to a black screen and then the box shows up and keeps repeating itself. That's is where I stand right now.

 

okay, kubuntu is currently on the machine, but not loading. I'm guessing you previously installed kubuntu through a Windows program called WUBI, which is why you are trying to reinstall WinXP in order to reinstall Kubuntu. Sounds like the WinXP install partially overwrote your boot loader, then threw a win 32 error and refused to finish. Now you have neither.

Good news...you don't need windows (WUBI) to install Kubuntu, you just need the Kubuntu disc!

- Put your Kubuntu disc in the cd drive, then shut down/power off the computer
- restart the computer and immediately look for the <fn> key to change your boot FROM the hard drive TO your optical disk (this is often F8 or F12, but depends on manufactuer)
- you will know the cd boot sequence is successful when you see a splash menu with the first option being "try kubuntu before installation" and the 2nd option being "install kubuntu". you should see the 2nd screenshot found on this page:

http://www.thecodingstudio.com/?linux&release=Kubuntu 10.04

- choose "try kubuntu before installation" and allow the LiveSession to be loaded into your RAM
- play with it and make sure it runs as you expect it to; when your satisfied, choose "install Kubuntu" from the icon on your LiveDesktop.
- when prompted, choose "use whole disk for installation"
- answer questions regarding keyboard layout, time zone, user name, etc...
- when finished installing, Kubuntu will prompt you to restart computer to finalize changes
- restart, and kubuntu should be running on your machine

Lastly, FWIW, Kubuntu 10.04 has already passed its support date. If you like Kubuntu 10.04, it's expiration isn't a big deal, as it isn't a big malware risk. If you prefer an up-to-date version of Kubuntu, then use the Muon(?) Sofware Updater in order to update to the most recent Long-Term-Support version, which is currently 12.04; Kubuntu 12.04 will be supported until 2017. By then, you'll probably want another computer! ;-)

 

if your kubuntu disc will NOT boot after changing the boot order to cd, try the kubuntu disc in your Windows 7 machine. As long as you choose "try kubuntu before installation", NOTHING will happen to your Win 7 system. If the cd fails to boot from the Win 7 machine, I'd suggest your Kubuntu disc is bad. If the cd boots from Win 7, but not the WinXP machine, I'd suggest your optical drive is failing and we can either replace the drive or boot from a usb flash drive. if the cd boots from the Win 7 AND WinXP machine, but WinXP 'puter still won't boot from hard drive, I'd suggest your hard drive is failing. From least invasive and least expensive, we're testing in order:

1. Kubuntu cd itself
2. cd drive of WinXP machine
3. hard drive of WinXP machine

I'm guessing the Kubuntu installation is going to work for you though! Good luck!

 

Hello Hedon James. After loading kubuntu and getting as far as the screen repeating itself, i was looking at the disc I had. Came across CentOS 5. So I installed CentOS with all 6 disc. Installing was okay, gave me a page with the toolbars, so I put in www.bing.com (my home page). Tells me can not find server. Might be a dumb question, but is that the same server a person would use for their email? So that is my problem now. I can install an OS, but can not get to the Internet How does one do that? Thanks again for helping me with this.

 

Have you checked to see if your Ethernet and/or Wi-Fi hardware has drivers loaded that are compatible with Knbuntu? If not, you may have to do some digging online to find the drivers or purchase an external USB network connector that supports it.

 

Hello again. Back from having dinner with a lady friend. So here I am with CentOS loaded and ready to go, but still having a bit of trouble trying to get on the internet. Cannot find server is the problem now. When CentOS was starting it came up with a fail for IP for ertho. also a fail for ip6tables-restore. Said something about firewall rules. With CentOS , how do you get to the firewall and see if firefox is blocked? This will be my last question for the night. Thanks for the help. Have a good night all !

 

Check here buddy, https://www.centos.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=13911

 

Hi to all.. Here's where I am right now. Looking at this ole computer (10 years old ) like an old favorite car that's been sitting in the garage and not running. You charge up the battery and try to start it so you can take it out for as spin. Just will not start up anymore. So you start thinking, well do I really need this ole car when I have a newer car to take the lady out for a drive in the country. The car is not a classic, just a basic car. Why put money into it? So now I'm on a quest to find a school that teaches computer repair and let them have fun (?) trying to find out what's wrong with the ole gal. Or just go to the dump and let them recycle it. Any body need two 1GB PC2700 ram sticks, come and get them. Yours' for free. I live in Spring Hill Florida. Watch out for the Hurricanes! :-D

 

So don't throw away that old computer yet! Have you tried antiX. I have been envolved with this project for awhile now, and I have found it to breath life into really old win 98 vintage computers. Here is the link.

 

Hi onegoodman, No need for any help -yet-. Here's the latest on my XP. Took a break in Nov. and went to see my girls in Minessota. While at Starbucks, was looking at Major Geeks Forum and came across someone else asking about reinstalling XP. Had to go back 7 pages today to find who had given the answer that woked for me. It was earthling on 11/24 who posted a website that I went to who gave the chance to download Windows XP iso on a CD for free. So when I got home a couple of weeks ago, I did burn the iso on a disc. Now here's my Christmas gift from you guys and gals. It worked out just fine. I now have my XP back on the computer with no problems at all. Went fine (installation ). So my Thanks to all of you people, who are top-notch on this forum for your help. Merry Christmas to all. Frank

 

Support for Windows XP is ending on April 8, 2014
If you have issues with XP after that date, and you need a fully functional OS you know now where to get one.
The users, and developers, are a great bunch. So you have plenty of support.

 

Hi again. Onegoodman, Thanks for the web site you gave. If I do have any trouble with XP later on and can not fix it ,I will be looking for a Linux site where I can get an iso and burn it to a CD. Have it bookmarked already. I'm a little leery of burning one now, I'll wait until after April and see what happens. Do you know which of the many iso's are called (puppy, zoran, etc ?) Thanks again for your help.

 

There's a utility called GetLinux. It lists the various Linux distros in the left pane and when you click on one of the distro icons, the right pane gives a description of the distro and allows you to download the ISO for that version. Some offer both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. Select the version that's right for your computer.