Any computer techs on here help me save my buffett tunes

OceanCityGirl · Post by **OceanCityGirl** » June 7, 2004 9:27 am

Aach. trying to save my pc. Two days ago my daughter thought I had a virus. She tried to run virus programs but they weren't running right. Then pc started making alot of noise. The fan died and everything took quite a heating. Replaced the fan and after running scan disk, defragging and a couple things seemed to get pc running. But it's not right. I can't download anything or use any of my links without getting an IE error message, or in some cases getting the IE error that boots you off line. I can only get to web sites and a few other places on my pc by going to my start menu and opening them that way. All of my icons get an IE error. The only way I can repair anything or run anything is in safe mode. I have my pc restore disk, but I have only used it once a long time ago. I can't run a cd in safe mode so most things I try to do with this get the IE error message. Does anybody have any tips. And if you can't think of a way to save the situation is there some way I can pull my music files off of my pc, even though I can't open them if I have to completely redo the pc. If I have to re-do the computer can anybody talk me thru the process with a original pc start up disk? Thanks if you can help, if not, well cry for me because I have like 3 gigs of music on my computer I will lose.

AlbatrossFlyer · Post by **AlbatrossFlyer** » June 7, 2004 9:30 am

what version of in windows OS are you runinng? 98/2000/NT/XP?

OceanCityGirl · Post by **OceanCityGirl** » June 7, 2004 9:31 am

zanth · Post by **zanth** » June 7, 2004 9:32 am

As a last resort (and sometimes the easiest way to do things if you can't burn files onto CD or Zip etc) you could buy another hard drive for the PC, rebuild Windows on the new drive, then take the files from the corrupt drive and move them onto the new one (after you have virus software in place). When Windows goes TU like that, you're better off rebuilding from ground zero rather than trying to repair a damaged instance of it.

OceanCityGirl · Post by **OceanCityGirl** » June 7, 2004 9:40 am

I have a better used pc that I'll be getting in like 2 weeks. So if it's a total loss I won't be redoing this one or buying another hd for it. I actually have the harddrive for this pc here. I am wondering if the problem is do to the motherboard getting so heated. I'm also wondering if I actually got a virus, which led to the other problems and now the virus is still present. If all my music files are present, but I just can't open them can I drag them into a music program and burn them on cd unopened, if the pc will let me. Maybe I could even do this in safe mode? Maybe there is a less then perfect way to salvage the windows system on my pc since I only need to use it for 2 weeks or so.

AlbatrossFlyer · Post by **AlbatrossFlyer** » June 7, 2004 9:41 am

i'm confused by your message that your having problems with IE and also that you can only run in safe mode. if you're having IE problems can you get to the mozilla website and download a copy of mozilla and install it to see if you can then access the web without errors. IE may have been corrupted beyond repair with your problems....

sounds like you have a couple layers of problems going on at once.

http://www.mozilla.org/

Havaña Dreamer · Post by **Havaña Dreamer** » June 7, 2004 9:48 am

If you have your HD out of the PC and in hand... you should (providing you have the correct cables) be able to plug your BAD drive in as a slave on a different PC and move files.

:::WARNING::: MAKE SURE THE PC YOU USE HAS UP TO DATE ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE AND SCAN THE WHOLE BAD HD BEFORE YOU MOVE ANY FILES.

OceanCityGirl · Post by **OceanCityGirl** » June 7, 2004 9:49 am

Some things I can only do in safe mode. Seems to be things like running programs. For ex. I ran scan disk, defrag, and norton in safe mode. I can open folders from safe mode.
In regular mode I can go on line and go to any website, but going to the start menu, then my favorites list. But if I try to download anything such as windows repair or virus defs I get an ie error. I'm a bit confused about the places I get the IE error. I get it if i'm not online like if I try to open a shortcut or folder, or if I"m online trying to download anything. This is what is making me think it's a windows error, causing the ie error. I'll try mozilla and see what happens.

AlbatrossFlyer · Post by **AlbatrossFlyer** » June 7, 2004 9:50 am

Havaña Dreamer wrote:If you have your HD out of the PC and in hand... you should (providing you have the correct cables) be able to plug your BAD drive in as a slave on a different PC and move files.

:::WARNING::: MAKE SURE THE PC YOU USE HAS UP TO DATE ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE AND SCAN THE WHOLE BAD HD BEFORE YOU MOVE ANY FILES.

provided they also have the same interface flavor... the probably do, but one needs to check first....

SuperTrooper · Post by **SuperTrooper** » June 7, 2004 9:53 am

It sounds like you fried a critical component on the motherboard. If you have an antivirus program on it (and keep it current) I doubt it was a virus. If you can wait I would install the HD in the new computer as a secondary drive and try to get at the files that way. Otherwise you can try a complete reinstall of windows. If you have a BEST BUY nearby they can do a quick diagnostic test ($) that can narrow down the problem.

OceanCityGirl · Post by **OceanCityGirl** » June 7, 2004 9:55 am

Alright this is what happens when I try to download anything. I get it 99% downloaded and I get an IE error message. When I ask for details this is what I get.
EXPLORER caused an invalid page fault in
module <unknown> at 0000:854e3037.
Registers:
EAX=00000000 CS=017f EIP=854e3037 EFLGS=00010297
EBX=00444398 SS=0187 ESP=0390cc6c EBP=0390cca0
ECX=00443ce4 DS=0187 ESI=004432ac FS=4e77
EDX=c00a683c ES=0187 EDI=0390d174 GS=2f96
Bytes at CS:EIP:
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 1c 1a fa bf fd 72 4d
Stack dump:
00000000 854d73eb 00000000 00443ce4 00000000 00000000 00000000 04000210 00000000 00443ad4 00444354 00444398 00000000 0390cf68 668099ee 00000000
And then I am booted off line. Because of this I can't update virus definitions. So even though I'm running virus scan in safe mode and it is clean I can't be sure it is current.

SuperTrooper · Post by **SuperTrooper** » June 7, 2004 9:56 am

OceanCityGirl wrote:Some things I can only do in safe mode. Seems to be things like running programs. For ex. I ran scan disk, defrag, and norton in safe mode. I can open folders from safe mode.
In regular mode I can go on line and go to any website, but going to the start menu, then my favorites list. But if I try to download anything such as windows repair or virus defs I get an ie error. I'm a bit confused about the places I get the IE error. I get it if i'm not online like if I try to open a shortcut or folder, or if I"m online trying to download anything. This is what is making me think it's a windows error, causing the ie error. I'll try mozilla and see what happens.

Sounds like you fried some memory or the paths to them. During the startup there is a screen that shows the amount of active memory. See if it matched what is installed, if you know how much.

OceanCityGirl · Post by **OceanCityGirl** » June 7, 2004 10:04 am

There is a problem with the memory. When it first happened it said there was no memory used. Then i ran scan disk, it found a problem between reported memory and actual memory. It fixed it. Now when I look at my properties memory numbers are correct, but the whole pie and both number spots are the same color. The pie shows dividing line where the memory is seperate slices but it's all blue.

Havaña Dreamer · Post by **Havaña Dreamer** » June 7, 2004 10:14 am

Got any extra memory laying around?
Try some different dimms if you got them.

SuperTrooper · Post by **SuperTrooper** » June 7, 2004 10:23 am

OceanCityGirl wrote:There is a problem with the memory. When it first happened it said there was no memory used. Then i ran scan disk, it found a problem between reported memory and actual memory. It fixed it. Now when I look at my properties memory numbers are correct, but the whole pie and both number spots are the same color. The pie shows dividing line where the memory is seperate slices but it's all blue.

You're confusing memory and HD capacity/availablitity. Memory (RAM) is where the CPU temporarily stores information it thinks it will need again soon. The dimms that Havana Dreamer was talking about.

How are you hooked to the internet? Try calling your ISP tech people and see if they can help you.

Havaña Dreamer · Post by **Havaña Dreamer** » June 7, 2004 10:32 am

If it was me I would start switching out parts until I could figure out which one was the problem... but thats me and I have a box full of parts. LOL

I would still try putting the HD in a different PC as a secondary/slave drive and transfer the music files you wanna save.

OceanCityGirl · Post by **OceanCityGirl** » June 7, 2004 1:31 pm

no, no spare box of parts laying around. Yep, I meant that the problem is with the hard drive. No idea about the ram.
My brother is the computer person in the family. But I always hate bringing my pc to him. He implies that I did something wrong and gets on a power trip. I'm sure he can fix it but I"ll eat crow to get it done. I was hoping somebody here could talk me thru some basic ideas. Apparently I can download things off line. I just have to ignore the ie error window til it's finished. But once the window pops up I can't do anything else til I log out then log back in again. What I'm thinking I'll have to do is pull all of my music files off the pc. I have the kids pc's. I can find a way to get that onto one of theirs. Then I'll see if i can figure out how to reformat the whole pc. I've never done this before. The problem is I don't know if I can access my reformat disc with the error message. I know I can't just open the windows section of the disc. I'm not sure if this will work or not but I'll give it a try. Or maybe I"ll just limp along with the crippled pc til my new one is ready in 2-3 weeks.

RockinRick · Post by **RockinRick** » June 9, 2004 10:54 pm

Most of the best solutions have already been posted.

One thing to try, if you can get it installed with the current troubles...
Visit www.lavasoft.de and get the free version of Adaware. Most people don't realize that there is literally hundreds of Ad ware Spy ware out there. This stuff is bad news. Much is like viruses. Virus scanners will not search out that stuff. There are some out now they call "drive by" instalations. All you have to do is go to a site and you have it. They use ActiveX controls.

Back up the stuff you need. Get music, vital files, whatever, copy bookmarks/favorites, anything like that.

Start fresh. Windows, especially 95 and 98, have had a habit of getting corrupted over time. (95b and 98SE were a little better) It could also be that you did/do indeed have a virus. Not all virus scanners are created equal. There are any number of things that can cause errors like that. Is all of the hardware working? You still get sound? Scanner works, etc? There are times when the system tries to talk to a device and the device is broken causing an error.

If your computer is hefty enough I highly recommend using Windows 2000 or XP, and NTFS. These use quite a bit more power than 98 or ME however.

Once you get the system fixed, (this was suggested already too) www.mozilla.org . Stop using I.E.
Mozilla or Firefox are superior browsers and a zillion times safer than I.E.

Is this on a broadband Internet connection? If so are you using a broadband router or firewall? If not, shame on you. This has become vital. I even recommend a router for people on a dial-up.

Good luck

OceanCityGirl · Post by **OceanCityGirl** » June 10, 2004 7:45 am

I've run every virus scan I could find. No viruses that I can detect. Yep I have a broadband router with firewall. Ran adaware and cleared some things with that. I would guess that windows is corrupted. The problem is I can't figure out a way to remove the crucial files. I tried several things yesterday, no luck. The problem is in the exe. files so every time I try to do an exe. command I get an error message. Can't access my cd burner because of this, same with aim which I could use to send the music to another pc. I would assume it would take forever to email all the stuff to another computer, and I'm not sure if I can do it anyway. Haven't tried this. I don't know how to make my hard drive slave to another one. I have two other pc's in the house with sufficient room to hold the info but I don't know how to get it to them. I'm also a bit concerned that I might spread this problem to them. The disk I have with windows on it is my pc's restore disk. I don't know how to do a total restore of windows with it. Are there any sites that can detect and correct windows errors. If I could get it repaired enough to get the folders off of it I need then I would get a bit riskier in figuring out ways tp reinstall windows.

kokiril33t · Post by **kokiril33t** » June 10, 2004 9:17 am

zanth wrote:As a last resort (and sometimes the easiest way to do things if you can't burn files onto CD or Zip etc) you could buy another hard drive for the PC, rebuild Windows on the new drive, then take the files from the corrupt drive and move them onto the new one (after you have virus software in place). When Windows goes TU like that, you're better off rebuilding from ground zero rather than trying to repair a damaged instance of it.

I was just about to say that.

great minds DO think alike!