KenB

Hi Creating an image of your drive is the best option. click here There are 2 tutorials ( Creating and Restoring an image ) There are other methods - Nev and I have used Macrium ......hence the link.

Is this a burned copy that has been given to you by somebody ? Burned copies can throw up problems.

Hi It seems you have more problems than just the CD Drive. Start > Run ....type in ....cmd .....ENTER at the prompt type in ....... sfc /scannow ......ENTER This will check the system files and repair any problems found.

Hi and welcome to ExTS I have split your post from the other thread ( you are better with your own :) ) and have moved it from the Win 8 forum to XP which is the most appropriate. Is the XP CD an original or is it a copy ?

Hi and welcome to ExTS If you use the Recovery Partition it will revert your system to exactly what you had when you first bought the machine. I am fairly sure that if your hard drive originally had just the C:\ partition and the Recovery Partition then this is what you will end up with. In other words - you will lose the second partition and the data on it. ( If this was created by you and not part of the original set-up ) If you are going to use the Recovery Partition then I would backup all of your data from the second partition to an external hard drive or DVDs )

I would have updated to SP3 earlier - but if everything else is working OK there isn't a problem. Try this for me: Start > C: > Program Files(x86) > Google > Google Earth > Client [ the path may be slightly different I am on Win 8 ] Scroll Down ........ Googleearth ( blue icon ) ..............click on this. Does GE launch and is the problem still the same ?

I don't advise pulling the motherboard connections apart - it should be possible to get an adapter quite cheaply. click here Is it ONLY Google Earth that you have problems with ?

From Nev's post..... If the drive covers both CDs and DVDs there will be 2 lasers. ( one for each type of disk ) It could be, as Nev suggests - a failure of the drive itself - or it could be that one of the lasers is damaged / out of alignment. If it reads DVDs but not CDs ( or vice versa ) then this is the problem. Either way - from what you have tried - it looks as if the drive needs replacing. One last possibility ... click here Use the FixIt You will need to be on the machine with the problem drive.

Hi John Good to hear that you finally got it to work :)

Hi and welcome to ExTS Presumably this is not a new computer as XP is now 4 OS generations ago. ? You may find that the system - if it was designed for XP - will not support 7 and certainly will not support Win 8. I suggest that you let one of our security experts take a look if this doesn't work for you ..... Start > Run .....type in ......msconfig ......ENTER Click on "Launch System Restore" Follow the screen prompts and restore the system to a date just before you downloaded the problem software.

Hi What was it - our security experts may need it later :) If you click on Start .....type in ----- .jpg -----( that is full stop jpg ) ....don't hit ENTER This should bring up any photos stored on the system. If you point the mouse at the file it will give you the location.

Good to hear that you got there in the end :)

Do you have on-board graphics on this machine as well as the AGP card ? (there will be a second connection for the monitor at the back of the machine) If so - try this connection.

Hi Thanks for the pics - they help :) Take a look here: click here Try toggling between OGL and DirectX Mode. When you do this you will need to have closed GE first.

Hi Looks like you may have 2GB and 1GB modules. Take the 2GB out completely. Leave the 1 GB in. Try booting with just the one module in place. Again - leave the other drives disconnected. The fact that you are getting 1 POST beep is good - this indicates that the self test procedure has completed successfully.

It really depends on what is wrong. Not all computer techs will "rip you off" - but taking a laptop apart is a complex process. Parts can be expensive and the total bill may look out of proportion to what you are told has been done. Let's see what we can do before it comes to that. Switch on .....constantly tap F8 about once per second This will take you to the Advanced Startup OPtions Try "Last Known Good Configuration" If that doesn't do it ...... try Safe Mode from the same list

Hi and welcome from me too :)

hi Ray what is the exact message please ?

Hi Ray This is an odd one !! Have you tried un-installing Google Earth and re-install again ? How much free space do you have on your hard drive ?

Hi and welcome to ExTS Could you let us know what you have tried - otherwise we will probably end up going over what you have already done. Is this a desktop or laptop ? If you click on "My Computer" is the drive recognised there ?

It looks as if there is a "blip" in the coding - but as Nev points out .....the text and links are there but just an extra click away.

Hi I a sure you have checked this from the link I gave you - but please confirm: Start > Run ...type in ....dxdiag .....ENTER Click the Display tab, and then under DirectX Features, check to see whether DirectDraw, Direct3D, or AGP Texture acceleration is marked Not Available.

For it to be happening to you, seedy21 and myself it MUST be something to do with the site. The fact that the owner says it is OK for him .......to be honest ..... is a little narrow minded. I think you should contact him again and explain that you, a Moderator and Admin from our website all get the same problem. If he shuts his eyes to it he is going to lose customers. I have tried this site on Internet Explorer and SR Ware Iron ( a small browser ) Same results. Explain to him that the text in my pic disappears and is replaced when the FaceBook and Twitter Icons appear. It has to be the way the site is set up. I will ask a friend from Australia to try the site to see if he can access it properly. EDIT Pal from Australia gets the same as we do. Text on screen for a second or two - then replaced by Face Book etc. It MUST be a site problem.

Hi It is doing the same for me too. I managed to capture the page as it should be before it disappeared .... but the text and links below are not there for long as you say. The text etc disappears when the Facebook and Twitter icons appear. Is this what is missing ?

Just check here for me please: Start > Run ...type in .....devmgmt.msc .....ENTER Click the + next to Display Adapters Is your Video Card listed and is there any yellow exclamation marks or red Xs against it ? If yellow exclamation mark - drivers are here: click here If downloading make sure you get the drivers and not other rubbish :) ( Drivers should be the left d/l green button ) Is that card AGP ? Minimum system requirements - Google Earth Operating System: Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 CPU: Pentium 3, 500Mhz System Memory (RAM): 512MB Hard Disk: 500MB free space Network Speed: 128 Kbits/sec Graphics Card: DirectX9 and 3D capable with 64MB of VRAM Screen: 1024x768, "16-bit High Color" - DirectX 9 (to run in Direct X mode) Mail: Outlook 2007+ is required for email functionality From the Video Card specs .... effectively multiply the memory bandwidth to ensure fluid frame rates for the latest 3D and 2D games and applications. The card is 3D capable. Also take a look here: click here It is easier than typing it :)