malcolm yarnold

No problem with possible loss of info from hard drive as all backed up on my wife's windows 7 laptop to enable my trying out 7. Very wary of trying to create an XP SP3 installation/repair disc on windows 7 laptop,would prefer trying to use old XP SP2 disc and add SP3 later if possible. If all else fails, would one of the advertised windows repair discs help? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Recovery-Repair-Discs-Windows-XP/dp/B00DYS6YMI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1381419514&sr=8-2&keywords=windows+xp+recovery+disk ( Tried to make it a hyper link but with no success, sorry!)

One slight correction to my answer to 6 in your 7 point confirmation list. There appears no provision to use a mouse while in BIOS,no cursor on screen, all done by use of arrow keys. Re, XP installation discs, the only one I have is that used when I first bought the computer, it says on it "includes service pack 2 Version 2002". Since then when I had a problem I was persuaded by a repair man that the only solution was to have WindowsXP reinstalled! I do not have the disc used for that. I see advertised by Amazon , so called Windows repair discs: - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Recovery-Repair-Discs-Windows-XP/dp/B00DYS6YMI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1381419514&sr=8-2&keywords=windows+xp+recovery+disk Are these any use? M

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1097.vB5-legacyid=2047[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]1098.vB5-legacyid=2048[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]1099.vB5-legacyid=2049[/ATTACH] Confirm all points except that error message "cymos checksum bad" is still there. See picture but also note that one picture shows 3.30 voltage is at 3.29? and see other picture indicating what is enabled or disabled ? significant. M.

Thanks,now understand how to change to the latest page, sorry to have been a bit slow on the uptake! M.

As usual as I write this I am only able to see up to and including #20. I have put a new CR2032 battery in place and checked all plugs are securely in place - the fault still persists. I then switched from RAID to SATA ( now offered the choice of SATA-IDE so I presume that RAID the same as IDE) Anyway with "onboard set at SATA- the fault is still there) M. ( I expect that as usual when I post this reply I will be able to view all the posts)

Now up to date to your post #34 re RAID etc . Will follow advice re CR2032,check connections and if necessary try switch from RAID to SATA tomorrow when have daylight to work inside case. M.

system at first only displays up to #20,usually will not display the subsequent posts that I know have been submitted until I have posted a "reply" as I am now doing. M

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1095.vB5-legacyid=2045[/ATTACH] Hard drive as purchased specified as 120Gb 7200 Maxtor. Got the above screen detail from the BIOS set up. Will fit new CR2032 tomorrow (had a spare for our kitchen scales!) M.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1074.vB5-legacyid=2043[/ATTACH] This shows the broad grey cable and presumably the hard drive. Will line up a replacement CMOS battery. M.

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[ATTACH=CONFIG]1088.vB5-legacyid=2039[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]1091.vB5-legacyid=2040[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]1092.vB5-legacyid=2041[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]1093.vB5-legacyid=2042[/ATTACH] If I press "del" during bootup I get this further detail on screen.Don't know it it helps? M.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1090.vB5-legacyid=2038[/ATTACH] Re. the Sats / IDE question, is this info from my BIOS significant? M.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1089.vB5-legacyid=2037[/ATTACH] I think that you mentioned that I should see something about hard drive detected, on screen, during bootup. The above is all that I see prior to loading. Don't know if it is significant? m.

Getting confused here Ken, as some of your latest posts and mine vanish from the thread come back and then disappear again. To sum up I see no "Legacy USB Support, only a ref. to a couple of ports that I presume are enabled. I do have the broad grey cable and will check it and other hard drive connections. I think I briefly saw in one of your latest posts a picture of a screen and a suggestion of something else that i could try, unfortunately it seems to have vanished! M

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1085.vB5-legacyid=2034[/ATTACH] My onboard devices configuration screen has no "Legacy USB Support" as such the only reference to USB is to a couple of ports that look to be enabled? I will defer going into the case again to check connections for tomorrows daylight! Many thanks for all your efforts so far Ken, much appreciated. M.