Hi,
I love my computer, not in a physical sense, but I use it for so much stuff that I like that being without it is like being imprisoned. Odd but there you go.
I also have a low tolerance for frustration. I am one of the sad types that has to be doing something to rectify a problem, even if what I am doing ins't helping.
So the last month my PC has been slowing up, to the point where it is unusable. So I think "Right, reinstall windows, and reformat the hard drive. I think that 4 years of downloading silly little internet games, plus repeatedly un installing and reinstalling programs has left the PC ins a state.
I get all my driver discs, backup my photos, and insert the disk. 30 minutes later I have a factory spec PC, that tales seconds to boot up.
Hooray for me!
Then the fun starts. I reload all the drivers I have, and its all good, I figure I can get any others from the net. So lets get on. I have an external ASDL router, so everything should be OK? It doesn't work!!
????
So I look in the hardware profile, and the Ethernet adaptor hasn't loaded its driver. Oh well, it will be on the factory driver disk, right?
Wrong!!
OK, go to be Mike, sort it in the morning. At 06:00, I am up, can't sleep, PC is pissing me off.So I go do my morning workout, and an hour later, I am on the phone to a bloke from Bangalore asking him to set up my dial up, so I can get on the net to download the driver to get on the net.
It doesn't work. So I look in the hardware profile, and the PC modem drivers aren't on there.
AAAAAARGH!!!
So I look in the boot disk, find those drivers, and get the modem working. I can't get on the net. So I phone my ISP. And here comes my knight in shining armour.
I will call his Anthony, cos that was him name. He not only got me online, but he configured Outlook Express (which I have never used because no one ever told me how) and downloaded the right drivers and e mailed them to me. What a hero!!
My mate came over just as I was finishing, and helped me configure my PC to work. Which it now does!!
I am happy, but its odd looking at a 4 year old PC! I am unsure whether to upgrade the software, because it works, and I don't need to fix something which isn't broke!!
Sorry for the boring blog, but this WAS A BIG DEAL FOR ME!!
3 comments:
A reformat was not necessary and every time you re format you loose drive capacity a 20 gig will over many re-formats end up with only 15 on it.
Here's what you do when you computer starts slowing,
Run your disk clean up that will get rid of temp files and all the other crud, then de-frag it NOT re format a de-frag a proper one may take up to 3 hours (I go sleep or watch TV)if it hasn't been done for a while
You can also get a programme like System Mechanic and/or Window Washer
Also if you have done a re-format you need to defrag anyway and run Sys Mechanic because Windows on install leaves temp files and has 'problem' files believe me I know I've done a few . I've also been running the same computer for 5 years (8.79gig) without a reformat even when it had BIG problems its never had to have a re-format ONLY re-format as last resort, a slow down is an easy fix. As you have found out a re-format is a PITA !
And you wasn't boring to me computers are what I do
got the paperwork to prove it too! When I'm not writing BAD poems that is LoL
Not boring at all..for the geeky like me. We have an old PC that we have to reformat at least once a year because the kids seem to click on everything. We have one CD that contains ALL of the drivers that we need...and it is most precious, because while the process of wiping the hard drive clean is no biggie...the restoration is a complete pain in the ass. Whenever you do decide to replace that PC...buy a Mac...reformatting will never be necessary.
Thanks Guys,
Missy, I had done all the steps you suggested, to little effect. THough I have now gone and bought a proper registry mechanic program from WinZip (OK'ed by Microsoft, not that that fills me with a lot of confidence!!) The PC, is a hell of a lot faster now, but I eventually decided to upgrade to SP2, with the bells and whistles because of the security risks. Next time, I will buy a Mac, and use this one to just run my old Microsoft games
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