Checking for bad capacitors is the easiest.Quote:
Originally Posted by jdc2000
http://www.badcaps.net/
Looks like the battery voltage is ok.
You don't need to record the HD labels, but you should remember which drive is set to master/slave etc.
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Checking for bad capacitors is the easiest.Quote:
Originally Posted by jdc2000
http://www.badcaps.net/
Looks like the battery voltage is ok.
You don't need to record the HD labels, but you should remember which drive is set to master/slave etc.
Not really.
Change out the cmos battery and make sure the contacts are clean.
Midknyte, you say the capacitors are the easiest to check. Using the website you referred.. granted their testing tips page is down, am I missing something? The pages were about kits and how to repair. It seems diagnosing if it's the capacitor is vague being a case of "most likely" based on the system and physical signs he listed. So if replacing the battery doesn't work, it's the power, and if that still doesn't work, it the capacitor, right?
Train, how high should the voltage be to consider the battery good?
3.0V DC
Had 2.8 not work.
Look at the ones on the right, they are click able.
http://www.badcaps.net/pages.php?vid=5
Sorry for the long gap in reply. Life emergencies got in the way.
Going back to the PC-- I reformatted it and re-installed everything to fix the very slow boot up time, so now things are pretty clean. Midknyte, I've a concern though. Trend micro detected trojans in the system folder, which puzzled me since everything's newly installed, including Paragon. And when I scanned the back up data (made via paragon) in the portable drive, it also had the same trojans infecting different .exe files in the restore folder. Trojan is: Worm_small.hyn. Is that something I have to be concerned of and delete? Thanks!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/po...in32%2FSmall.R
When you did the clean install, was your system connected to the internet? The first thing you should do is install all service packs (and hotfixes if available) and install antivirus/antispyware BEFORE connecting to the network.
Worm_small.hyn is transmitted through flash drives, so you better check that your drives aren't infected.
At this point, you probably want to start a thread in Viruses/Trojans/Spyware, since this is no longer a backup question.
Thanks for the info, I must have typed it wrong when I entered it on google because nothing came up. I just wanted to be sure it was a virus... because from what I understand, it can happen that some files are tagged as malicious even if they're not. I wasn't sure if Paragon's file format was one of those... and it wasn't, but all's good now.
One last minor question, I noticed that my hard drives don't give close to the correct sizes in when you view its properties . Say my data drive of 80gb, it says 34gb used 38gb available = 72 gb total. Does that mean the missing 8gb is corrupted? I know drives won't be give exact capacity, but off by 8gb? Then when I manually select all files in the data drive, including hidden files, it just totals 26gb and not 34gb? It's not a problem, I just want to understand why.
Thanks very much, MidKnyte.
I don't like reinventing the wheel...Quote:
Say my data drive of 80gb, it says 34gb used 38gb available = 72 gb total. Does that mean the missing 8gb is corrupted?
Why is my drive displaying a slightly less than expected capacity?
Oh, ok... off by gb is normal... does that also explain the 26gb and 34gb data disparity? one's showing binary, the other decimal capacity?
I'm assuming you read and understand the article about binary vs decimal.
Your pagefile allocation takes up space. If you enable things like hibernation, that takes up space. System restore and recycle bin take up space. These are variable sized parameters, so Windows maybe counting the max size against the available space. I don't think you should be that concerned.
I didn't consider that, the data drive having its own system files, recycle bin, etc even if it's not the system/OS drive... I treated it like I would a flash drive, viewable files is just about what's in the drive. I'm not concerned about the disparity in the data drive... just curious why it's that big (almost as big as what's in my c drive).
Thanks, Midknyte.
Please help me before I fling my PC out the window.
Everything was fine until yesterday when I used my client's flash drive to copy her files. I scanned it, no viruses so I went ahead. I turned off the PC because I had to leave, when I returned, my PC has gone crazy with on-going processes. Obviously a #$#^%$ virus problem. When Windows XP has already loaded, every operation was so slow, if processing at all. I checked the Task Manager and saw from the Process tab that it was 100% active/used. I hadn't even opened a single program and XP just started.
My solutions:
1. I wanted to do System Restore but couldn't even open the folder/program because the computer was so busy with junk processes! When I re-booted, same result. Re-booted again and this time loading stopped at a black screen with small gray bars at the bottom. It froze there, proceeding no more.
2. I tried booting via Safe Mode. Once it successfully loaded, but the computer was still 100% so I couldn't open System Restore. I don't understand how the virus was able to execute in safe mode?
However after my next attempt reload via Safe Mode, it froze during the part where it lists all the files it needs to load... froze at isapnp.sys
3. I ran XP Repair CD. Didn't fix the problem. Still froze at the gray bars or froze at isapnp.sys. So THEN I had to find a solution to that... I did what this instructed: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315311/en-us. But not only did it not work, now my PC won't proceed to boot if the XP CD's not inserted, meaning it erased something in the C drive. Without the CD, it says "boot failure, insert system disc" when before, C drive could at least attempt (and fail) to boot. Now it won't at all.
So right now, I don't think that can be fixed anymore? Not unless I'm not doing it right. Then I remembered page 2 of this thread and got out my recovery flash drive and portable HDD. I need help how to use them. Sorry really, but I don't really understand these things... and I can't remember how I did this a year ago with your help as in page 2 of this thread:(
I've slight problem-- I reformatted my PC, installed and un-installed Paragon and Acronis before that I don't remember anymore which is actually still in my PC, ergo, which of these two I can use? And exactly (step by step) how do I use them?
The flash drive I think was made with Paragon. It's labelled "Recovery Media" and has 246MB worth of data in it.
4. I tried to use this by activating USB drive as bootable in the BIOS... but when I boot and the flash is plugged in, I still get this "boot failure, insert system disc"... so it means it doesn't recognize the content in the flash drive?
5. In the portable HDD, there's a folder that's labeled "arc_240909045120701" with 7.5gb worth of data. I think I used Acronis to make this? Can I use this? If yes, how when Windows won't load at all?
6. Also, how did this virus get there? My usb ports are set not to auto launch. I did open Word, powerpoint and PSD files from the falsh drive, could that be how it got transferred, not as an auto exe program but as a tag along in one of the files?
Thanks VERY MUCH for any speedy advice. Apologies for the length.
Sorry, I forgot to add:
Midknyte mentioned to do this, but in the HDD arc folder, there's no file there with the extension ".tib" However there are: .pbf and .pfm -- yikes, maybe this isn't an Acronis file/folder... I can't remember! Argh.
If the system is infected, you need to take care of that BEFORE you try a repair install. That should be taken up in the Intensive Care section.
You should disconnect the Internet connection if the system is that bad. There is a lot of malware that phones home.
That means you didn't create the boot drive properly. There should have been an option to burn a recovery CD instead. You seem to be mixing and matching Acronis and Paragon. They don't work like that. It's one or the other.
arc_ folders are from a Paragon backup. .tib is from Acronis.
There is no way for us to know how your system got infected. You would have had to install antivirus/antispyware to protect it. It doesn't really matter how it got infected now.
Midknyte!! I'm so relieved you're online. I just want to use one now, not both... I just wasn't sure which I used to make the backup a year ago.
So that means the Recovery media flash and the arc folder data in the HDD are partner Paragon files, right? How frustrating that my copy on the flash is a fluke. Does this mean they're both totally useless now?
"If the system is infected, you need to take care of that BEFORE you try a repair install. That should be taken up in the Intensive Care section."
Does this apply when I use Paragon or just the XP repair kit?
Do you even know what version of Paragon backup you used? You could just download the current free version and try making a recovery disc with that.
Intensive Care Unit - Already have an infection? We'll help you cure it. Removal of all types of malware, including HijackThis logs
It pretty much speaks for itself.
Broni and the crew can help you there. I'm going to sleep. Yes, I do actually sleep.
Yup, I already posted it there. Re recovery disk, ok, i thought the data in that is specific to the computer it was made for. Thanks a lot and good night!
I made a new recovery flash disk by downloading Paragon on a different computer. I set up the BIOS boot priority in this order: usb, HD1, HD2, cards. So after restarting the computer, it should look for the flash drive first, right... but it still results to verifying DMI Pool data... then "disk boot failure, insert system disk and press enter" I'm not asking for a solution to the whole PC problem as I re-posted this in the ICU forum, but I just want to know in this thread if I'm implementing the Paragon flash drive correctly, despite it not working?
The DATA is specific to the computer, but the boot disc is not.Quote:
i thought the data in that is specific to the computer it was made for. Thanks a lot and good night!
I meant for you to burn the recovery disc to CD, not create another usb boot drive. USB booting can be finicky.
YES! The CD is working and shows my arc file. Before I proceed to restore, do I have to clean the virus infection first? You mentioned something about this in post 54 and I also read elsewhere that system restores don't necessarily remove viruses. Thanks!
Ok, was too excited and couldn't wait so I restored. It finished doing so. I then took out the CD, removed the portable HDD and clicked on the 'restart computer' button on the Paragon panel. Boot up still results to "disk boot failure, insert system disk and press enter"... again, just want to know if I used Paragon correctly. Thanks.
Are you sure you restored the arc files to the correct drive/partition? Did Paragon say it restored successfully? It's possible that the image is corrupted or incomplete.
I'll have to download the latest version and check it out. I don't think much has changed since version 9, but it's worth looking.
I don't understand what's going on.
Yes, I was able to "successfully" restore twice. I used the Normal mode, then it automatically searched for archives, and it came up with the arc folder in the portable drive. But both times didn't solve the pc problem.
I just tried again, for the 3rd and fourth time, but it doesn't seem to work now. I don't know why. I can't choose Normal mode anymore because it launches to a black screen that runs a long list and freezes to say it can't load because of a graphics something, that I need to fix in the BIOS. So, next I opted to use the Safe Mode and the Low Graphics mode, but when I reach the part where it searches for archives, it can't see the one in the portable drive anymore. When it asks me to manually look for it, I can access the portable drive, but the archive folder's name is now "..", changed from "arc_240909045120701" and when I click on that folder, it just goes back to the main directory.
If you restored several times and it still doesn't work, I'd say your backup image is probably bad. Time for a reload. Make sure to TEST your backups also.
If you have a WD or Seagate drive, you can download their free version of Acronis. Maybe you'll have better luck with that.
http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.js...00dd04090aRCRD
http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp
Hi, Midknyte. It was able to help, I think... somehow... Broni made me do some diagnostics and he was surprised to see that my XP was barely there after all the repair tactics applied... I tried running and running the Paragon back up... and for some reason, despite the weirdness from my last post, something came of it and XP was able to repair install... how exactly, i have no idea... BUT my PC is good now:D I've already done 3 back ups, so I hope next time this happens, one of those MUST work :)
Thanks again!
Btw, when you say test the back up, do you mean a verifying program that analyses the archive, or that I actually restore an archive?
That's what it means. If you have a spare drive, you can try restoring your system on that. There's no sense in making backups if they don't work.Quote:
actually restore an archive?
thanks for the help!
Hello, again! Midknyte (and anyone else, please feel free to jump in:)), can I ask some questions about the backup?
My system drive won't boot and has a cyclical redundancy problem. I posted that in a different thread and I'm just waiting to get back to be able to run diagnostics with UBCD as was recommended. While I'm away, I'm thinking about the alternative should things be really irreparable.
That HDD is 80GB partitioned into 2 drives - 40/40 (system and data). I bought a spare HDD just in case I might need to replace it. It's 500GB. I plan to partition it again to be a system and data drive. I was hoping I could restore a Paragon archive into the new system drive, wherein the archive is based on the previous 40GB system drive. I'm not exactly clear how back ups work, my questions are:
1. Can I partition it 250/250 and still be able to restore the system drive archive?
2. Will I have to partition to the exact size (40GB) as before to be able to restore?
3. If option1 won't work and I'll have to do option 2, after restoring, is there a way to adjust the partition proportion? Meaning, after I restore, from 40/450GB, I'd like to increase it to 250GB/250GB without reformatting the whole drive.
4. Lastly, does increasing the system drive free space make any difference in the computer's performance? Because if there's none, I guess I won't have to bother with #3.
Thanks so much.
1. I have not used Paragon, but you should be able to do this.
2. That should not be a requirement.
3. A partition software tool can do this.
4. If you have too little free space on the system drive, performance can suffer.
Sounds like a defective drive.Quote:
My system drive won't boot and has a cyclical redundancy problem.
1. Yes.
2. No.
3. Gparted or Easeus would do the job.
http://www.partition-tool.com/
4. You should have at least 15-20% free. You need space for paging and defragging.
Thank you!
Someone suggested I used the slave drive as my new Master drive and the new 500gb as just data drive... guess that makes sense...
I wouldn't. The 500 would be a faster drive, so you'd want your OS/Apps on it.Quote:
Someone suggested I used the slave drive as my new Master drive and the new 500gb as just data drive... guess that makes sense...
Sounds like your small drive is bad anyway.
Err, not sure if I called it correctly, but I meant the other HDD (the 3rd drive, drive E:) in the former setup. Thought you call it slave drive, woops. Ok, will put the OS in the new one.
I assumed I shouldn't use the problematic drive at all even if the D: drive works-- now that you mentioned it, can it still be useful if I reformat it into just one drive, or don't bother and just throw it away?
I'm finally trying to restore a Paragon archive. Midknyte, the 500GB has been partitioned into 250-250gb. When I selected the archive I want to be restored, a warning window appeared saying something along the lines of "Attributes do not match Proceeding could result to data loss"... something like that, it was quite long. I just need to be sure this is expected?? and it's ok to proceed? (I'm just very worried that the archive to be copied from the external HDD itself might be damaged somehow). thanks!
What are you talking about? There is only ONE physical drive. If the C: partition is bad, then the whole drive is bad.Quote:
I assumed I shouldn't use the problematic drive at all even if the D: drive works-- now that you mentioned it, can it still be useful if I reformat it into just one drive, or don't bother and just throw it away?
I haven't seen that error before. It might be because you prepartitioned the drive. Do you have data on that drive or not? I would have started with a blank drive, restored the C: partition, then create the other partitions once I've booted to Windows.
If you have one physical drive partitioned into two or more logical drives, there may only be one partition at present that is reporting errors. However, the other partition will eventually have bad sectors also. The drive cannot be trusted to store valuable data at this point.
jdc2000, got it, thanks!
midknyte, no, sorry for the confusion of my terms.. there are 2 physical HDDs in the old setup, one of which is partitioned into 2 drives (C: and D: ) and is the problematic HDD concerned. The 2nd HDD (E: ) is fine and what I was considering into using as the master in the new setup.... but anyway, i setup the new HDD as the master being a SATA HDD because i read it will run faster, so figured it's better to be the system drive...
The internet service has been down for several days so I wasn't able to read the recommended order of steps for archive restoration. This what I did :
1. Partitioned the 500gb into 150gb and 350gb ntfs
2. Restored the archive into the 150gb-- which resulted to shrinking of the drive size from 150gb to 40gb
3. so i used gparted to increase the size of the system drive back to 150gb
My only problem now is: using Gparted, when i right click the HDD and click "Check" the results are positive. However, when I run Testdisk, after analysis, it reports a "Bad Relative Sector" <-- should I ignore this or it needs fixing?
I was so concerned about this, that it might cause a failure in the future, I ran the Ranish Partition Manager and this is what came up: (I can't screengrab, sorry) Note: only the new SATA HDD is connected (that is supposed to be partitioned into just 2 logical drives)
___Type____ File System Type _____Partition size (kb)
0......MBR____ Masterboot Record___ 0
1...... Pr______Unused ____________ 31
2...... Pri1____ Windows NT NTFS ___153,597.433
3...... Pri2 ____ Windows NT NTFS ___334,786.567
4...... Pri ______Unused____________2,551
Is it normal that #1 and #4 are there? If not, is that what's causing the "bad relative sector" result in Testdisk?
Why did you prepartition the drive? You should have just restored the image, expanded the primary partition, then create the second partition from within Windows.
Ranish is OLD. It probably doesn't support the newer drive's architecture. I would guess the new drive uses perpendicular recording.
You're running a bunch of different programs, so I'm not sure what is causing the error.
I agree that Ranish is quite outdated. I also agree you should not rely on it for good info.
I have recently started using Partition Wizard and it works great! I downloaded the bootable CD version and nothing is installed to run it. Very good GUI (IMO) and IMO, it would be a reliable 2nd opinion if you need one for more information about your drive.
http://www.partitionwizard.com/free-...n-manager.html