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Bobby · Dec 31, 2004

The repair guy called uesterday and said that my HDD had gone bad. I've been worrying ever since thinking about all that will have to be reinstalled on it. I guess that I have lost some of my pictures because it's been a while since I've backed them up onto CDs. Backing up is something that we hear about constantly and we all think about it constantly but fail to do faithfully. I'll guarantee you that I will back up my pictures once a month from now on. The guy is supposed to call me when je jas it finished today. I sure will be glad to have it back. Of course the work will really begin when I get It home.

rb2d2 · Sep 25, 2004

Nightrider · Sep 25, 2004

That seems odd that your HDD went bad at the same time you were adding memory without any prior warnings. I just lost the data on 3 out of 4 partitions on my 2nd HDD after installing a new video card. Neither of these make any sense. I would be surprised if your HDD is bad, so make sure they give it to you when you pick up the PC. We can test the old HDD later to make sure what they told you is true. I think it is too much of a coincidence that your HDD went bad at the same time you were adding new hardware...

munky2

Bobby · Dec 31, 2004

I also thought that it was strange that my HDD went out just as I was installing more memory. I thought that the most likely problem was that some cable or wire got moved and caused a loose connection. His explanation to me was that my HDD had been going bad for a while and adding the new memory stick just finished it off. How can you tell that a HDD had been going bad for a while? I thought that they were either bad or good with no in between. I do have my old HDD. I lost all of my pictures. I had some of them backed up but not the latest ones. I now have my external HDD with Acronis TI sitting in the open near my PC so that I will remember to use it on a regular basis. He installed Windows XP SP2 back on my PC but it is different from what it was before. Some of the programs that I had installed that were free before now require a fee. I reinstalled Canon PhotoRecord from the same disc that I had installed it from originally but it is even different in the way it works. I don't understand why the Win XP wouldn't be the same as it was before.
I'm beginning to get everything back to near what it was before. First Vista and now a different Win XP. Arrrrrggghhhhh! Too much of a strain on this old head.

rb2d2 · Sep 25, 2004

Whoa Bobby! Did you provide YOUR CD with WinXP for the install or did he use his own?? Is this the same guy that built your PC in the first place? If you had full versions of programs before that's what you should have now, not trial ones. You had apparently paid for full versions when you first purchased your PC. I certainly would check that with the guy that repaired your PC.

Also, I wonder if he hooked up the old drive as a slave to see if it could be read. I'm almost sure he would have done that but wouldn't hurt to ask at the same time you ask him about the full version programs you had before and that you are now expected to buy.

Crying or Very sad

Bobby · Dec 31, 2004

I had wondered about him using his Win XP disc to reinstall it instead of mine. My programs in the Programs menu are listed helter-skelter instead of alphabetically. How do I get them to be listed alphabetically? Also my windows is in the sleep mode now, The screen goes dark after a few minutes of non-use and I have to move my mouse and click on the "Owner's" box before it will bring up my desktop. This "Owner's " box is in the middle of my desktop which appears when I move my mouse. Where do I go to change this function? I would think that by him not using my Windows installation disc with Product Key on it that MS would not recognize my OS as a legitimate product. Is this correct?

rb2d2 · Sep 25, 2004

Bobby · Dec 31, 2004

Thanks for the help RB. You always amaze with the amount of knowledge that you have stored in your memory bank. I have the information card-filed for future reference.