*sigh* I hate my PC

NefariousKoel · Post by **NefariousKoel** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 8:33 am

Fallschirmjager wrote:Recovery desk is my OS disk

It asks me if I want to replace....but it simply reinstalls over the old install

Your recovery disk is your OS disk? That doesn't sound right. Does it actually say Windows XP ... on it or is it just some prefab system's recovery disk that only has drivers and such on it?

If nothing else you should be able to "Run" FDISK. That'll format the sucker. Just make sure you have a boot floppy ready and your actual windows CD ready to go before doing so.

Wallenstein · Post by **Wallenstein** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 10:04 am

Fj,
I assume you only have an OEM Windows CD that came together with your (prebuilt?) PC and can only be used on your system. If that´s true, I suggest the following: (as it´s difficult to help you "blinded" from such a distance):

1. If you have one, refer to the manual that came your PC. There should be a section about system recovery and using the OS CD.
2. Under normal circumstances, when you´re trying to repair your system with a recovery CD, you should be given at least two options:
- Repair the current installation: this should not affect your installed programs, or
- Replace/Erase the old installation and bring the PC back to its origin condition. All installed programs and data would be lost.

In your case, the second option would be the one to choose.

Losqualo · Post by **Losqualo** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 10:31 am

To do a fresh install you'll have to do the following:

Boot your PC. After the BIOS messages, shortly before XP starts, press "F8". Now there should be a screen where you can select the OS with which to boot. Press "F8" again. Now there should be a screen with some boot-options. Select "save mode with prompt" (I've got the german version and had to translate it, it should be the 3rd "save mode"). Now you should end with a DOS-like screen. Change to your system 32 folder and enter "format <your HD>. Now your Main HD should be formatted.

I hope you can understand those instructions.

SwampYankee68 · Post by **SwampYankee68** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 3:15 pm

Could be worse..... 7 month old My $3,100 Alienware is currently in Miami getting repaired, the system board died. While the one I built myself for less than half that price is running fine....

Fallschirmjager · Post by **Fallschirmjager** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 9:36 pm

Ok im good to go now

I had to delete the partition the other windows install was taking up...then reinstall

Took only about an hour and a half

Im about to dl call of duty and see if the problem is still their

Frank W. · Post by **Frank W.** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 1:38 am

Fallschirmjager wrote:Ok im good to go now

I had to delete the partition the other windows install was taking up...then reinstall

Took only about an hour and a half

Im about to dl call of duty and see if the problem is still their

the 7500 card could be a bit too weak for call of duty btw...

this game needs lot of video ram, read the readme file !

i can´t play with high details - too slow. i have a celeron @1540 mhz and a ati8500.

SwampYankee68 · Post by **SwampYankee68** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 2:47 am

Fallschirmjager wrote:Ok im good to go now

I had to delete the partition the other windows install was taking up...then reinstall

Took only about an hour and a half

Im about to dl call of duty and see if the problem is still their

Make sure you completely update windows and install all the latest drivers for your hardware, especially your video card!!!!!!!!

Fallschirmjager · Post by **Fallschirmjager** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 11:39 pm

My PC is running worse than ever

The frame rate in all my games is terribly low

Belisarius · Post by **Belisarius** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 11:46 pm

Frank W. wrote:the 7500 card could be a bit too weak for call of duty btw...

this game needs lot of video ram, read the readme file !

i can´t play with high details - too slow. i have a celeron @1540 mhz and a ati8500.

Yup, I tried high detail on figures and with that performance sunk like a rock.

Still, the ones I can run with looks beautiful, especially sound and lighting! (why can't I destroy lamps....?). Got a Ti4200 with 64 MB

Fallschirm, what Swamp_yankee said - check that your drivers are up to date. And that the soundcard's OK. And check your hard drive... I just tossed my secondary out since it sacked my whole system.

With it, everything runs like cr*p, without it I have no problems at all.

Boar · Post by **Boar** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 12:08 am

Swamp_Yankee wrote:Could be worse..... 7 month old My $3,100 Alienware is currently in Miami getting repaired, the system board died. While the one I built myself for less than half that price is running fine....

I'll show this to my son as proof of why we shouldn't get an Alienware yet

We both dream of having an Alienware. But I've built three systems, and my son has my last one. Now that he's gotten my old GeForce4 since I got the GeForceFX 5900 he's ceased to crave one so badly. But, maan, I want a blue Alienware case, cause they look so cool!

Frank W. · Post by **Frank W.** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 12:11 am

Belisarius wrote:Yup, I tried high detail on figures and with that performance sunk like a rock. Still, the ones I can run with looks beautiful, especially sound and lighting! (why can't I destroy lamps....?). Got a Ti4200 with 64 MB

Fallschirm, what Swamp_yankee said - check that your drivers are up to date. And that the soundcard's OK. And check your hard drive... I just tossed my secondary out since it sacked my whole system. With it, everything runs like cr*p, without it I have no problems at all.

what proc + how much ram do you have, bel ?

i find the demo a bit short i must say, the MOHAA one
was better IMHO and this runs better , too.

i hope the missions in the complete games are much longer.

do you have the 2 HD´s on the same cable ? this can be the
cause for performance probs....

Fallschirmjager · Post by **Fallschirmjager** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 12:14 am

How do I check my HD speed?

Pawlock · Post by **Pawlock** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 1:44 am

Fallschirmjager wrote:How do I check my HD speed?

I think these guys do a demo d/load which tests cpu, hdd etc PC mark

http://www.futuremark.com/

There was one around that would compare different peoples set ups via webbrowser, cant remember its name now.

Von Rom · Post by **Von Rom** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 2:53 am

Fallschirmjager:

After you re-formatted your hard drive, did you re-install the software for your sound card, video card, mouse, etc and then downloaded all the latest drivers for them?

You would also have to re-install Direct X, etc.

You probably already know this, but just double checking.

Anything is worth trying, if it saves you from having to fork out more money for computer parts.

Cheers!

Fallschirmjager · Post by **Fallschirmjager** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 4:19 am

I think ive narrowed it down to 2 options and 1 not likley but possible

1.
My new hardrive is crap
2.
My new DSL line is slowing me down

3. and not likely
My Video Card is overheating and shutting off

Im about to give up on this machine...I cannot for the life of me find the problem

I fully update my drivers for everything I have

I unplug my dsl and framerates still drop
I think im gona uninstall the software and try it that way...but its a pain on the *** to re install it

Von Rom · Post by **Von Rom** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 9:36 am

Fallschirmjager wrote:I think ive narrowed it down to 2 options and 1 not likley but possible

1.
My new hardrive is crap
2.
My new DSL line is slowing me down

3. and not likely
My Video Card is overheating and shutting off

Im about to give up on this machine...I cannot for the life of me find the problem

I fully update my drivers for everything I have

I unplug my dsl and framerates still drop
I think im gona uninstall the software and try it that way...but its a pain on the *** to re install it

Do you have a knowledgeable friend who can have a look at it? or possibly take into an independent computer shop and let them examine the computer?

I am always wary of buying pre-made computers. You never really know what they will stick into the computer (cheap generic parts).

I like to do my own research, buy the parts I want, and then have them installed.

Stick with it

Cheers!

NefariousKoel · Post by **NefariousKoel** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 11:38 am

Fallschirmjager wrote:I think ive narrowed it down to 2 options and 1 not likley but possible

1.
My new hardrive is crap
2.
My new DSL line is slowing me down

3. and not likely
My Video Card is overheating and shutting off

Im about to give up on this machine...I cannot for the life of me find the problem

I fully update my drivers for everything I have

I unplug my dsl and framerates still drop
I think im gona uninstall the software and try it that way...but its a pain on the *** to re install it

Other than asking you your specs and going through the whole ordeal, in this case I just burn off the essentials and reinstall the OS. It works wonders. It can actually be faster that way.

Wallenstein · Post by **Wallenstein** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 9:26 pm

Fj,
which program do you use for benchmarking? Please post your settings and frame rate results so we can compare the numbers.
Was there any other software bundled with your PC? Maybe there´s another CD with mainboard or AGP drivers that need to be installed.
I don´t call myself an expert, but I would say the symptoms point towards a missing/corrupted video/mainboard driver or bad OS installation.

NefariousKoel · Post by **NefariousKoel** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 9:48 pm

It sounds like either a program progressively sucking down RAM or a memory leak in a program/operation. Either way - it's an operation that is dragging down your system speed IMO.

Fallschirmjager · Post by **Fallschirmjager** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 1:04 am

Ok I ran PC Mark 2002

Cpu Score: 5055
Memory score: 4341
HDD: 544