computer crashed

RonF · #1 January 17th, 2004, 04:47 PM

my comp crashed last week. I took it to a "shop"
Tech said " bad stick of ram" and the os system needs to be reloaded which will delete all files unless saved first. cost $202. It s a presario 5190 old and I want to replace anyway after I get my tax $$$. I want to save some files and load onto another comp. I want to save Microsoft outlook plus some excel files.
Will I be able to save these files myself w/ someone's help for Cyber Tech?
Error messages on sick computer were missing Himem.sys and mpfBocks.vxd
Should I pay to have them save my data and replace the ram myself and load the os myself?
I have another comp I can use online to get help
Thanx for the help.

Ron

**Murf** · #2 January 17th, 2004, 07:15 PM

Yes you will, did you spend the $200 bucks? I hope not.

$200 bucks to replace one stick of memory and reload a operating system is a rip off.

Reloading the operating system does not delete all files, unless the hard drive is formatted first then reloaded, which is probably what they were referring to.

You can fix this yourself, do not pay them.

For example here is the memory for that computer:

Crucial

From $30 -$42 depending on the megabytes. Did they give you the size of the memory stick they wanted to replace?

Exactly what happened when it "Crashed", does it boot up at all? Are you getting erorrs?

RonF · #3 January 17th, 2004, 08:20 PM

Hey Murf
Thanx for the response
I restarted the comp last Friday night. It started acting like it was a new computer looking for hardware etc.....
I Ctl, alt, Del yhen it went to safe mode. after a few restart attempts it went to scandisck repeatedly. I think I can get to the c prompt

Errors were from what I remember
Himem sys missing
invalid vxd dynamic
windows config is not valid
cannot find device file needed to run windows
windows reg on system.ini file refers to this device file but device no longer exists mpfBocks.vxd
errors in config.sys lines 61, 67....

thanx

**Murf** · #4 January 17th, 2004, 08:35 PM

Get to the C: prompt

now thype the following hitting <enter> after each line

cd windows
scanreg /restore

If a menu come ups select a date that you think was prior to the errors showing up.

Reboot.

If that doesn't help then do the samething, but this time type

scanreg /fix

RonF · #5 January 17th, 2004, 08:52 PM

thanx Murf
I have to go pick up the comp at the "hospital"
I will post back when I return

Thanx again
Ron

RonF · #6 January 22nd, 2004, 01:24 PM

Murf
did the scanreg/restore, picked a date, rebooted. Now the comp says non system disk error. Nothing in floppy or cd drives. rebooted a few times. Still no luck.
Can I hook up the hard drive ( WHICH IS OK- I saw it on another computer at the shop) to my laptop and get the files off it?
desktop is a presario 5190 and the lap top is a Toshiba Satellite.
the shop charged me $30 for a cd w/ backed up files on it. The outlook express files were mbx files which my outlook express couldn' t import. The message stated another application was using the files or it couldn't find messages.Makes sense cause the files are mbx and pst correct?
I think I'm going to stay away from that shop
The folks at the shop said the 128mg ram stick is bad and the os is corrupt.

Thanx
Ron

**Murf** · #7 January 22nd, 2004, 11:59 PM

"files are mbx and pst correct Belong to OUTLOOK not outlook express."

{Outlook} is part of MS Office
{Outlook Express} is part of Internet Explorer

Try rebooting with the boot disk and get to the A:\> prompt.

Now type

sys C: (hit <enter>) should come up and say system files transferred. Now try and boot without floppy???

"Can I hook up the hard drive ( WHICH IS OK- I saw it on another computer at the shop) to my laptop and get the files off it?"

NO Desktop hard drives are different then lap tops.

Generally a lap top hard drive uses a 50-pin data cable while the Desktop uses a 40 pin.

If the 128mg ram stick is bad is there more then one stick? If so remove them all, put one in at atime boot, repeat until you find the bad one. Then take out and leave others in should then boot.

May be wrong but don't think there are adapters out there.

RonF · #8 January 23rd, 2004, 02:29 AM

I put the boot disk in I got from boot disk.com. I used the win98 no ram drive.
I put ii in and started up the comp. Message reads Invalid system disk. replace the disk and reboot....

**Murf** · #9 January 23rd, 2004, 11:09 PM

Two ???

1. Did you expand the file you downloaded to the floppy?
2. Do you know if the computer is configured to boot from a floppy as the 1st boot device?

RonF · #10 January 24th, 2004, 12:35 AM

"It"meaning floppy not two typo

I did not expand the file on the floppy. I don't know what that means.
I don't know if the comp is config to boot from floppy.

Sorry and thanx for trying to help

Ron

**Murf** · #11 January 24th, 2004, 01:00 AM

OK,

The file you downloaded from Bootdisk.com, lets say you downloaded it to your desktop. So you now have a file called:

boot98c.exe

Now put in a empty floppy in the drive. Double click on this file, a window will open and it will extract all the files onto the floppy.

Now boot with the floppy.

kentucky_fan · #12 January 24th, 2004, 01:02 AM

Hey have you tried runnig setup over top of the original? You wont lose any of your files.

RonF · #13 January 24th, 2004, 06:13 PM

I expanded the file & rebooted. Got to the A prompt
I typed sys c: and the message back reads Invalid drive specification
It looks as though something was loaded
The screen reads
MSCDEX Version 2.25
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp 1986-1995
Drive R:=Driver Banana unit 0
Drive S:= Driver Banana unit1

I rebooted w/ disk in and tried again.
typed sys c: and got the message: System transferred

I rebooted w/out floppy and the screen reads non-system disk or disk error

**Murf** · #14 January 24th, 2004, 11:34 PM

Well your getting somewhere. Waht concerns me is the "Supposably BAD RAM" if it really is bad then you have to replace it or take it out to get anywhere.

"Is there more then one stick of RAM"??? Thisa is the "Tower" computer right not the laptop.

Before you open the case do this:

Reboot and as soon as you see the first screen come up hit the DEL key or watch the screen it will tell you what key to hit to get into SETUP - Compaq could be hit the F1 key.

Once in setup you should be presented with several menu items. Look around see if you can find something that says AUTO DETECT maybe IDE drives. Highlight and hit <enter>. See if it finds the drive if it does the screen will tell you.

Now find where you can SAVE & EXIT, don't have the floppy boot disk in, and let it continue booting. See what happens.

If the memory is bad, then it will require taking the case (Tower) cover off- have it unplugged. Find the memory and if more then one stick then take them all out. Put back just one in the first slot see if it boots up. NO take that stick out and put in the next one boot up continue to you find a stick that will allow you to boot.

If there is only one stick of memory then obviously you cannot do this.

However, I would take that stick of memory out and use a pencil araser to clean the contacts, then put it back in making sure it is seated. May do the trick. If your unfamiliar with memory post back we can walk you through. What does memory look like: Check my MEMORY page out.

RonF · #15 January 25th, 2004, 12:32 AM

Not the laptop

I rebooted and hit f1 then tried delete key. the screen does not tell me how to go to setup. I tried doing this w/ and w/out the boot disk. Now a message reads no drives found, aborting installation
I get to the A: prompt. I type sys c: and the message reads invalid drive specification

Should I just work on the ram? The guy at the shop also said my operating system needed to be reloaded.

thanxagain