Joys of Windows Installation

AgZed

Right. I've decided that my system is suficiently fubared to require a format & reinstall, but I've run into a wee problem. When I run the installer, my (Microsoft, of all things) keyboard doesn't work. It's got the lights on & works fine when the machine boots up, and is grand while the installer is copying all the initial files, but then the lights go off & the keyboard stops responding when the you get to the 'Starting Windows Setup' phase, just before the first screen comes up asking you which partition you want to install on.

I've tried everything I can think of, just having the keyboard alone plugged in, and tried every USB port on the machine, all to the same effect. I was thinking to maybe disable one of the USB controllers until I found out I only had one.

Anybody have any suggestions? It's Windows XP, SP2 if that helps...

crowej

try and get your hands on a usb to ps/2 (old keyboard) connector could be a problem with getting power to the keyboard.

SickBoy

I think this is a USB emulation problem. Turn on USB emulation in the bios. That should fix the problem and allow you to complete the installation.

AgZed

Thanks Crowej! Dug around and found an adaptor in my box o' spare parts and all went well from there. Terrible thing, that Windows installer. 15 years working with PCs, 10 years building custom rigs, and a tiny thing like that reduces me to a whimpering n00b. :P

crowej

no problem, happens to us all, i recently started an install with my usb drive connected and was pulling my hair out for 2 days as to why the install would only see my hard disk as 950mb,

AgZed

Well, this experiment in letting someone else design my PC seems to have gone horribly horribly wrong. Couldn't be arsed a couple years ago, so bought one off Dell. Turns out they don't include little things like CDs for such inconsequential things as motherboard drivers etc.
Absolute nightmare this.... I found a CD lying around with sisoft Sandra on it, which I've never bothered using. Has anybody used it before? I'm just wondering if it can tell me the exact model & version of my mobo, so after I Mickey Mouse my NIC into operation (since Dell didn't give me drivers for THAT either), I can track down the right drivers for all the bits & pieces?

Stephen

Get the service tag number off the back of the dell, and go to their site. Enter the service tag and it'll tell you what drivers etc you need to download.

AgZed

That sounds disturbingly familiar. Think I tried that already & was told they couldn't find my model number. :P I'll try again when I'm home from work, but just in case my internet connection bags it, anyone have any other suggestions?

This'll also learn me to lose my driver CD from the last time I had to do this. I remember it was a headache but I can't remember how to fix it. Curse this aging mind!

smeggle

Stephen wrote:

Get the service tag number off the back of the dell, and go to their site. Enter the service tag and it'll tell you what drivers etc you need to download.

No need to as they put the drivers/i386 folder on the c: root anyway - copy to cd-r and your good to go ...

Reminds me must put the piccy up of there idea of setting up a laptop hard-drive.

Supposedly 60 gig hd set-up like so

95mb's - fat32 partition, c:\ 51.41gb's ntfs and un-named partition of 4.92gb's of which 50% is in use under fat32.

Now, ever since I can remember I have set computers up with 100% space on c:\ Theres no need for partitions or any such messing about. Learn to manage and protect your files properly is my retort to those who say the usual trundle of reasons.

So why are they setting drives uo like this?

On top of that whats with all the 'Spam' programs all set to run at windows start-up slowing the machine to an absolute crawl, McAfee free trial , 'Which believe it or not I told then 'I DON'T WANT IT'!!and yet they still install it!

Thats apart from 'GEMS' and 'Otto' - like huh?

Spam programs include Eircom broadband - why would I ever want or need them ffs?
jasc paintshop software amongst others..

This is on a Dell Inspiron 6000 I bought just before christmass.

I uninstalled the McAfee stuff I had requested specifically not to install - installed AVG and disabled half the rubbish set to run at start up and the machine picked up near on a third in responce time!

The machine itself is ok but it works way better if they just leave the messing about alone and install a basic operating system with decent security software that DOES NOT hog system resources to death, don't Spam and certainly don't set the whole bloody lot to run at start up - bunch of frigging idiots :mad:

sorry - been waiting to have a sprout off about that

AgZed

Well, managed to get everything working fine & dandy. Turns out the mobo drivers the machine was getting from the drivers/i386 folder were, well, fubared. Once I got a proper set downloaded (the Dell Support site has gotten a lot friendlier since my last visit) everything worked just grand.

Smeggle, if I got a system that was set up like that, the first thing I'd do would be format the whole damn thing and stick the partitions together. Ok, actually it'd be the second thing. First thing would be make sure I'd been provided with all the drivers, and raise hell if I hadn't.

smeggle

AgZed wrote:

Smeggle, if I got a system that was set up like that, the first thing I'd do would be format the whole damn thing and stick the partitions together. Ok, actually it'd be the second thing. First thing would be make sure I'd been provided with all the drivers, and raise hell if I hadn't.

I have complained..result? A big fat ignore (I detest ignorant twats like this). I have to 'PAY' to rectify there mistake by phoning up for the cd's - f*** them - I've just payed out over 2k on equipment and intended to purchase at least another 2k's+ worth of new servers of them but they can go piss now.

I also recommended two others and a third person each spending approx. 1k each though the 3rd would be spending 2k easily so thats like 4- 6k they've made allready via me and thats how I get treated?

The guy who phoned me was an obnoxious git called Jim who basically said 'We're Dell and we don't give a F***!'

Well message is Jim from Dell - you just cost your company 4k's worth of confirmed orders and a whole bunch of other orders I could have put your way! Wonder what your f***ing boss would think of that if he knew?

Heres an image I took of there idea in setting up a drive

**image attached to save stretching **

I mean - how stupid can they get and just what is going on in the spare 'unknown partition'? 4.63gb's of which 59% is used? With what? Why?

I asked for;

1x dell inspiron 6000
1x basic operating system
1x set of drivers to run the installed hardware

I did not ask for xp media centre, eircom broadband, jasc software, otto, gems, dell support and a myraid of other stuff all preset to run at start up and hog the resources of the f***ing system. I also very specifically requested that they did not put either of those two heeps of programming junk Norton AV or McAfee AV any where near the computer. What did they do? install frikkin McAfee!

Are they thick or deaf or just plain ignorant or what?

Sorry - rant over again but in fairness which I believe in being where possible - it is when sorted out properly a nice machine and well capable of doing what I want - after I spent my time fixing it that is.....