KenB

Hi jontye, I found the manual for your machine. click here There should be an option to select "Boot Device Priority" [ page 52 "System BIOS Settings" ] The CD/ROM should be 1st in the Boot Order. Highlight it ( use up / down arrows ) then move it up ( use + key ) F10 to Save and Exit. To access BIOS it should be F2 ( tap constantly after switching on ) Let me know how you get on.

Hi What does it say on the packaging? A photo would be very helpful.

Hi jonte, I have not known it be this quick. Try running Sea-Tools again. If it crashes I suggest Sea-Tools for DOS This involves downloading an ISO version [ you will need to burn this to disk ] Insert the disk and re-boot. The system will then run off the disk and check the drive without booting Windows. [ Instructions on the page] click here

Hi again Let's try something else: Take a look here and run a disk check on your C: drive. click here You will have to select - Automatically fix file system errors -first You will need to restart. Let it complete the scan. Try the system again. If no better ... go back the the process and select - Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors You will need to re-start. It will take a long time to complete - maybe let it run over night ? [ Depends how big the drive is ]

Hi and welcome from me too. If you follow the path - click on C: > users > DwightObal ......etc Does .......Digital River and specifically MSXML2.dll actually exist ? That is an odd location for a .dll file. They are normally is System32 I have MSXML3.dll / 3r / 6 /6r [ 4 files ] on my system .all of which are in System32 folder. Have a look in System32 to see if MSXML(?).dll if they are there please. Start > C: > Windows > System32 Have you updated your MS Updates recently ?

Mmmm .... I am not convinced regarding the results - but let's check it out. Go to Start > C: > Windows > System32 > Drivers See if Amustor.sys is there Let me know. =============== Your system may have a self monitoring [ SMART ] system for the hard-drive. Do the following please: Start > type in .....command prompt [ it may be cmd or cmd.exe in Win 7 ] ....right click on the "Cmd.exe" that will appear top left of screen > select Run as Administrator At the prompt type ....wmic ...RETURN Then type diskdrive get status ....RETURN Let me know what this says.

Hi Jontye If you get the machine to boot up try running Seatools again. It could have been co-incidence. You could also try Seatools in Safe Mode - Tap F8 after switching on If it crashes again download and install "WhoCrashed" from here - click here You may need to scroll down the page - select the free option. After installing just click on "Analyze" then scroll down the page for the recent crash analysis. This is not always conclusive - but it may give us an idea of the cause.

Hi Jontye It isn't your RAM that is causing the problem - not unless both are playing up ....which is unlikely. Download "Seatools for Windows" from here. click here Make sure you get the Windows and not the DOS version. Install and run it. It will check your hard-drive. Any fails indicate a replacement drive is needed.

Hi again It seems that you have the same problem in Safe Mode - so we can start looking a bit further. Your RAM is a little awkward to get at [ many are located under a small removable panel ] You will have to remove the whole of the base panel. I found this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OaoTLJMyNo Remove the battery. You do not have to remove the keyboard or go prising with a screwdriver. If you watch carefully - there are 5 screws in the base - and then it actually slides to release. Access the RAM. Hopefully there will be two modules. Take one module out - leave the other in place. Replace the panel and the battery - boot up and try it. If it is still the same swap the RAM modules over and try the other one. Don't forget to remove the battery first. Let me know how you get on.

Hi and welcome back :) Yes - nearly two years ago. At least you remembered where we are :)

Hi Jontye Seedy asked me to see if I can add anything to this thread as he tells me that your wife's machine is clean of malware. Sorry for the slow reply - I have been away since last week and have only just picked up his message. From the logs it seems your wife's machine is running Windows-7 - is this the case ? Try the following: Shut down normally. Switch on and constantly tap F8 [ about once per second ] You will get a list of options [ Advanced Startup ] Select Safe Mode with Networking [ this should give you internet access ] The graphics will look a bit odd - this will revert to normal when you next boot up. Try opening Word etc . Try opening web pages. Let me know if it is "normal" I noted: . This is not good. Are you happy to locate the RAM Modules and remove them if the above has no effect ?

Randy on the ball again !! :) Let us know how you get on Jim.

Nothing as weird as computers Joe :)

Hi Jim Yep - hopefully it will sort itself out ......... Don't forget to keep the files etc. backed up. You may want to consider cloning the drive using a tutorial written by Nev. You would need a hard-drive at least as big as the one in the machine at the moment.

Hi Bob No - it will not be an answer to our SP1 problem. If you used this recovery partition all it would do would be to put your machine back to factory condition ....in other words - how it was when you bought it. No SP1 installed - and you would lose all of the software that you were so keen to hang on to :)

Hi Joe It does sound as if the reader has died. One last try - give the driver from here a go - click here You will need to click on "Global" or "Server" from the one at the top of the list. Nothing lost if it doesn't work :)

Hi Jim Without being able to hear it - it is difficult to diagnose :) The whistle could be due to the motor bearings being slightly dry. This is the most probable cause. I would be inclined to back up anything that you can't afford to lose - just in case. A dying hard-drive usually "clicks" - this is a totally different diagnosis. If you can put up with the whistle I would be inclined to leave it for a while. It could, over time, sort itself out. If it gets worse - then time to replace it.

The images you sent to me Bob confirm what Pete says - It is a recovery partition. Most of the files / folders were created 2010 ...presumably you bought your computer shortly after this ? It is only 20GB so best left alone.

Hi and welcome to ExTS :) Can you connect to the router with an ethernet cable from the pc - just to test ? Use this test please - http://www.speedtest.net/ [ wait for the green "Begin Test" button to appear. ] Try with cable and with wireless Let us know the results.

OK - no problem.

I was going to suggest doing what Nev has just suggested :) Give it a try - uninstall the drivers and reboot.

Good Luck Jim :)

That is good to hear Jim - I will mark this one "solved" :)

Did you give this a try ?

I wasn't aware of that Jim - I thought it was free as their Partition software is. Sorry :( If Recuva didn't find anything then it looks as if the files are gone for good. Did Recuva find anything at all ?