Wednesday, September 03, 2008
My Computer Problems: update. Interesting.
My last post outlined a problem I am having with my laptop-- the latest Windows XP service pack effectively turned the machine into a brick.
In an unprecedented move (I am not a complainer, and not of literary bent), I actually wrote to Microsoft, outlining the problem and asking for advice.
To my great surprise, there was a response to my email. I received an email from Amy Zhang (presumably not her real name), who gave me a detailed set of instructions on how to roll back my installation to its previous level.
This was sweet, and I did appreciate it... but there were sveral aspects that made me sit up and think.
First: the very fact that Microsoft felt obliged to answer my mail means that they realize that something very serious is wrong with the latest XP update.
2. That "Amy" was able to give me such a detailed scenario means that I must be one of many thousands who have had a problem.
3. A quick Google of the the terms "XP SP3 Problem" shows that there is a real mess involved.
4. Many of the bloggers who got caught in this fiasco have admitted they bought copies of Vista to solve the problem. Now Vista is not an improvement; it just takes you deeper into the morass. IMHO.
5. Very Interesting: "Amy" suggests--in writing and obviously with the full support of Microsoft Inc.-- that in order to get into Windows (because the boot process has been bombed) I should(and I quote her email here):
Now as far as I know, it is illegal to use a Windows Installation Disk that you don't own. And none of the last four Windows computers I have bought have come with Windows Installation disks, only with System Recovery CDs. These can restore the factory HD images, but the process erases ALL computer data and renders the machine absolutely helpless in the face of present-day viral dangers. (not to mention eradicating my parallel Linux installation.)
I am deeply, deeply suspicious. I CANNOT imagine that a company like MS, with its intimate knowledge of its own operating system, is not in a position to provide an emergency boot file to deal with this kind of situation. That I should be asked by them to beg for an installation disk from "friends"???!!! And what if the "friend"'s disk doesn't pass the MS Illegal Copy test? Does that mean I am then going to be prosecuted?
My conspiracy theory is that this is a ploy to force customers to upgrade to Vista (much of my software and hardware won't work with Vista, so this is not a n option anyhow). But-- at least in my case-- this is having more the effect that I want to leave Windows completly, and either join my sons (who are avid Macintoshians, or Applers or whatever they are called) or to use Linux exclusively.
I love the way the Mac laptops can just be shut, and when you open them up later, you are back where you were. Why can't Windows have this ?
In an unprecedented move (I am not a complainer, and not of literary bent), I actually wrote to Microsoft, outlining the problem and asking for advice.
To my great surprise, there was a response to my email. I received an email from Amy Zhang (presumably not her real name), who gave me a detailed set of instructions on how to roll back my installation to its previous level.
This was sweet, and I did appreciate it... but there were sveral aspects that made me sit up and think.
First: the very fact that Microsoft felt obliged to answer my mail means that they realize that something very serious is wrong with the latest XP update.
2. That "Amy" was able to give me such a detailed scenario means that I must be one of many thousands who have had a problem.
3. A quick Google of the the terms "XP SP3 Problem" shows that there is a real mess involved.
4. Many of the bloggers who got caught in this fiasco have admitted they bought copies of Vista to solve the problem. Now Vista is not an improvement; it just takes you deeper into the morass. IMHO.
5. Very Interesting: "Amy" suggests--in writing and obviously with the full support of Microsoft Inc.-- that in order to get into Windows (because the boot process has been bombed) I should(and I quote her email here):
please try to borrow a Windows XP installation CD from your friends. After that, please perform the following steps to remove SP3 from Recovery Console.
Now as far as I know, it is illegal to use a Windows Installation Disk that you don't own. And none of the last four Windows computers I have bought have come with Windows Installation disks, only with System Recovery CDs. These can restore the factory HD images, but the process erases ALL computer data and renders the machine absolutely helpless in the face of present-day viral dangers. (not to mention eradicating my parallel Linux installation.)
I am deeply, deeply suspicious. I CANNOT imagine that a company like MS, with its intimate knowledge of its own operating system, is not in a position to provide an emergency boot file to deal with this kind of situation. That I should be asked by them to beg for an installation disk from "friends"???!!! And what if the "friend"'s disk doesn't pass the MS Illegal Copy test? Does that mean I am then going to be prosecuted?
My conspiracy theory is that this is a ploy to force customers to upgrade to Vista (much of my software and hardware won't work with Vista, so this is not a n option anyhow). But-- at least in my case-- this is having more the effect that I want to leave Windows completly, and either join my sons (who are avid Macintoshians, or Applers or whatever they are called) or to use Linux exclusively.
I love the way the Mac laptops can just be shut, and when you open them up later, you are back where you were. Why can't Windows have this ?
# posted by vailian : 10:13 PM
Comments:
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In case you can't find a friend or neighbor willing or able to help you, I own an XP installation disk that you can use legally for booting or other operations under your own license. If you're living in or near Cologne center I could drop by next week.
Thanks Ralph... as it happens, I do have a legal copy of XP Media Edition which I used to try to revive my installation. Unfortunately even though I followed Amy's instructions to the letter, the Endless Boot Syndrome reappeared. I am awaiting further instructions from Amy.
But it remains mysterious why MS cannot provide a slim boot CD image for customers affected by this apparently extremely widespread problem.
But it remains mysterious why MS cannot provide a slim boot CD image for customers affected by this apparently extremely widespread problem.
I'd burn a BartPE or WinPE CD (see Wiki for links) to boot the PC, and then use one of the tools on these disks to solve your problem.
I just bought a Thinkpad for my daughter. The first thing I did for her was to partition the disk into two parts, one for the system, one for her personal data. Then, while tinkering with the recovery option, I noticed that I could reinstall Windows on the system partition without deleting the personal data partition.
Would that work for you with your own recovery disk? Or do you have your personal data on the same partition as the Windows system?
I'm assuming, by the way, that the boot sector and partition table for Windows are still intact... Perhaps they aren't, and that's why your XP Media disk won't work.
Good luck.
I just bought a Thinkpad for my daughter. The first thing I did for her was to partition the disk into two parts, one for the system, one for her personal data. Then, while tinkering with the recovery option, I noticed that I could reinstall Windows on the system partition without deleting the personal data partition.
Would that work for you with your own recovery disk? Or do you have your personal data on the same partition as the Windows system?
I'm assuming, by the way, that the boot sector and partition table for Windows are still intact... Perhaps they aren't, and that's why your XP Media disk won't work.
Good luck.
Ralph: I appreciate your input!
The BartPE solution was one I considered, but my system recovery disk supplied with the Acer laptop is basically only an image file of the original HD. Means it works fast, but on the other hand it is not a Windows Installation Disk, so I cannot build a BartPE with it; as far as I know you need to have an XP install. disk to do that. I could have possibly used the Media Edition disks I bought for my son's computer, but I will only do this as a last resort.. I still cannot understand why MS cannot provide me with something similar-- and of course pity the poor users who are not experienced and knowledgeable enough to be able to do a boot disk build (it is quite a complicated process even for experienced users).
Thanks to Ubuntu I was able to retrieve important files-- but the annoying thing is that a fresh installation involves new installations of the dozens of programs I use daily, and would take a week (I know, because I have done this a few times).
Plus (as I mentioned before) I would have to reinstall Ubuntu and all its painstakingly added programs.
So MS has done a really nasty thing here, and it appears they feel even a little bit guilty (otherwise I wouldn't have gotten an email from "Amy"), but not guilty enough to make a serious effort to help us.
They are much more interested, really, in trying to get us to buy Vista.
And I don't $x!!??!! want Vista-- it doesn't do its job better than XP, it is just glitzier. Have yet to meet a single person who finds that Vista works better than XP, on comparable machines it is slower, and in my field especially (music) it makes working almost impossible because it assumes that every music file belongs to someone else and begins searching the INternet for the rightful corperate owner-- and these are files that I have recorded of my own music.
The BartPE solution was one I considered, but my system recovery disk supplied with the Acer laptop is basically only an image file of the original HD. Means it works fast, but on the other hand it is not a Windows Installation Disk, so I cannot build a BartPE with it; as far as I know you need to have an XP install. disk to do that. I could have possibly used the Media Edition disks I bought for my son's computer, but I will only do this as a last resort.. I still cannot understand why MS cannot provide me with something similar-- and of course pity the poor users who are not experienced and knowledgeable enough to be able to do a boot disk build (it is quite a complicated process even for experienced users).
Thanks to Ubuntu I was able to retrieve important files-- but the annoying thing is that a fresh installation involves new installations of the dozens of programs I use daily, and would take a week (I know, because I have done this a few times).
Plus (as I mentioned before) I would have to reinstall Ubuntu and all its painstakingly added programs.
So MS has done a really nasty thing here, and it appears they feel even a little bit guilty (otherwise I wouldn't have gotten an email from "Amy"), but not guilty enough to make a serious effort to help us.
They are much more interested, really, in trying to get us to buy Vista.
And I don't $x!!??!! want Vista-- it doesn't do its job better than XP, it is just glitzier. Have yet to meet a single person who finds that Vista works better than XP, on comparable machines it is slower, and in my field especially (music) it makes working almost impossible because it assumes that every music file belongs to someone else and begins searching the INternet for the rightful corperate owner-- and these are files that I have recorded of my own music.
I have a really hard time believing that "just borrow from your neighbor" would be an official Microsoft communication! It's amazing the legal hoops I have to go through on every single document I produce that has their name on it! To say that they're paranoid about legal matters is an understatement...
Let me know how I can help. I'm on the MS campus a few times a week and have badge access. I'd happy to help in any (legal, of course) way I can.
Carol
Let me know how I can help. I'm on the MS campus a few times a week and have badge access. I'd happy to help in any (legal, of course) way I can.
Carol
Unless your problem was caused not by SP3 but by something else--hardware failure or a downloaded virus--I can't think of any alternative except to try to boot your Acer from a Windows XP CD.
The steps are: boot from the XP CD. Make sure your Bios (hit F2 to check it when starting) is set to boot from the CD. When the setup menu opens, press "R". Select your Windows installation. If you have different accounts, switch to your administrator account and enter your password. As soon as you get a prompt, enter three commands: "Fixmbr", "Fixboot", and "Bootcfg /rebuild". When the boot menu opens, enter the name of your windows system. Hit "exit" and restart your notebook.
The steps are: boot from the XP CD. Make sure your Bios (hit F2 to check it when starting) is set to boot from the CD. When the setup menu opens, press "R". Select your Windows installation. If you have different accounts, switch to your administrator account and enter your password. As soon as you get a prompt, enter three commands: "Fixmbr", "Fixboot", and "Bootcfg /rebuild". When the boot menu opens, enter the name of your windows system. Hit "exit" and restart your notebook.
Go tot he Mac. I switched from the Dell laptop to the Mac desktp and have never looked back!
That said I am now going to get a laptop for my writing. Not sure if I want to spend the money for the Mac Book (when I literal ONLY want to use Word or Pages and no other programs). But your post certainly makes me think. I, too, have heard about a lot of problems with Vista.
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That said I am now going to get a laptop for my writing. Not sure if I want to spend the money for the Mac Book (when I literal ONLY want to use Word or Pages and no other programs). But your post certainly makes me think. I, too, have heard about a lot of problems with Vista.
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