New installation
Started a new install on the Windows box where I lost the primary disk. I had two adjecent Linux partitions on my second disk that I could no longer accedd since the primary disk was gone – and I didn’t keep any data on these disks. So I deleted these partitions and created one big new one.
Next, I installed XP again – SP2 as on the drive I had -, installed McAfee again, and upgraded all to the latest versions. During updates and upgrades – taking quite some time due to the size of them, I bmade a backup of al data on the two Windows partitions in the drive.
Some applications have been installed as well, but not all went as smooth as expected. RealPalyer is a nasty one – it now seems to require a subscription in Europe, where I have one on the US site already; theEuropean one being over twice as expensive and offering far less… That might be the end of RealPlayer with me.
Some other usefull utilities will be installed over time, but since the disk containing the key data is gone, only those of which I can retrieve the keys will be installed.
02-Nov-2010
Stupid…
I accessed a website I shouldn’t have accessed – but at times you’re just curious, and normally, havoc is prevented by the malware detection on the system.
Not so good, this time. But you’ll only find out when harm is done. No matter your precautions:
The site really was unsafe: it uploaded a JAVA application onto Aphrodite, that tried to access the Internet. Of course, this was blocked by the malware detection I have always running; but nevertheles, some ‘malware detection product’ seemed to be installed. The malware tracker alarmed that a trojan was encountered, and I started a scan, during which I removed some weirdly named .EXE and .JAR files on the system, dated today; the .EXE files must have been included in the .JAR files that were tansferred to the system, I’d seen the names of the executables in the intercepted traffic attempts.
The virus-scan revealed one ‘Potentially Unwanted program’ but was unable to remove it on request – asking for a reboot. And so I did.
I shouldn’t have done.
It turned out that Aphrodite didn’t boot into Windows any more. Even in a minimal mode: safe mode with command prompt. On screen, you would only see three files loaded – the last being MDCOM.DLL, and then boot stalled. No more activity at all. I could do a boot from the Windows XP installation CD, but there was no way to restore the system in a short while. The Ubuntu environment however does boot nicely, so it’s definitely a Windows problem. I looked around and it will mean I have to re-install the system in repair mode…
What will happen to the current Linux-based boot-loader, remains to be seen.
But one luck: the C-drive doesn’t contain a lot of data, and what data there is, can easily be moved off that disk. However, the Ubuntu environment does not accept the WD Passport disk on a USB port. At least, I haven’t encountered a solution to this problem.
It might be a point to reconsider XP. I do need a Windows environment (since some of the programs I use have no Linux equivalent, and the company relies on the Office suite) so I might move on and instalkl Windows7 professional – for $299 ‘only’. (I’ve checked before and the system does match the requirements – after I double the memory :))
04-Jan-2009
Irene re-thought
Irene, the Intel system that is used by the family members to access the Internet (and do a lot of other things) has been working, abait slow, for a number of years now. However, performance was gradually decreasing and so this was the moment to take a look. I found the original purchase papers, that learned the system is based on a MSI motherboard, featuring an ADM processor and 256 Mb of memory. Three disks, as it turned out: 80, 14 and 8 Gb. Enough, I think, for the type of usage.
Biggest problem is the lack of memory. 256 Mb – with 64 shared with the built-in video card, means 192 for Windows XP professional – way too many for a reasonable performance.
What I have to do anyway is add memory – but that’s hard to get on a Sunday 🙂
So the first hit is to add a graphical card and do not use the built-in. I do have an AGP-based card that should work – but it was found it didn’t work properly, the monitor falls into power-save mode annd could not be taken out of it. So that was not a solution.
Next, I minimised the size of the shared memory. It may limit the video in speed and facilities but it works.
Next, I moved all files on the 14 Gb disk to the 80Gb one – there is enough space to accommodate all that’s on the system. Especially after removeing all files that are no longer needed. The pagefile and the Internet caches have been moved to the 8Gb disk, and that concludes the Windows-XP installation.
The 14Gb disk now holds an Ubuntu installation, that my family may use – once it’s properly setup and explained.
Software problems solved
On Aphrodite, my main workstation, some software simply failed to work properly all of a sudden, without a real reason. Or I may have cleaned the registry a bit too rigorous. I mailed the problem to the supplier and he canme up with a typical Windows solution: Remove it all – inclusing hacking the registry – and re-install. It looks like it did the trick. Now I can add the latest tracks…
26-Dec-2008
Windows woes
No answer on the Outlook problems….
I got extra memory and an extra disk for Aphrodite, to be able to install VMWare ESXi. The new disk was prepared to hold this software, and it took some while that I found out I had to use Demeter – the laptop – to access the machine, but what was worse, I couldn’t use the drives on Aphrodite: I could install the system software (Windows XP and Ubuntu Desktop) only using Demeter’s DVD drive. And it took far too long, so finally I gave up, and re-initiated the drive to hold both data partitions I had set up before; the two on the primary disk now became free to do a ree-install of Windows XP and do a Ubuntu intstall. Both succeeded, and have been updated to latest standards. I didn’t install Office – yet. I think I’ll move to Linux for most of the normal office job and keep the Windows installation for whwn I really need it. Or run it in emulation on Linux 😉
Anyway, the alternative installation of Windows now contains all latest free MS stuff: IE8 (beta 2), Silverlight, Live mail and messenger, and of course, McAfee virus protection and firewall. More to come there, since the normal installation has more weird and unexpected issues every time: lost USB devices, problems in connection to other Diana; hangs of Word and Excel. But none of the scanning software: Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D nor Windows Defender find somnething that shouldn’t be there…