Computer Question ~ Not Too Hard. But I've Forgotten.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

I used to do this so often, a few years ago, it was second nature. Now I've forgotten quite how it went and want to sort it so I can settle down and Down Load my usual stuff onto my new PC.

 

It's a Compaq. I understand ye'd need to know that so ye know which key I have to press as I fire her up.

 

Only I've reloaded XP from my own disc and Almost everything's sweet now. But I now have Local Disc C on NTFS and it's a f*cking wreck in there! 621MB left and it's so clogged it can't Defrag itself. It's basicly a red ruin!

 

But I now also have New Volume D (which, oddly, shows as a sort of USB pluggable Memory Stick sort of thing? What ever). That has 12.3 GB available and is clean as a Dogs tooth. That's the one I hope to work with, obviously

 

So, my question is: How do I access and f*ck off all that shit on C ? It's probably eating RAM just by sitting there? Either way, I can't see me needing it and I do like clearing out superfluous shit.

 

Anyone?

 

Thanks

[speedlamper 0]

its comes up when your comp is starting up, you have to press either f1 or f2 on the boot screen, clean the c drive dont delete it, all the system op files are in there, i think most c drives are ntfs a d drive is fat32, mine is anyway, if whats the total size of your c drive?

 

my d is used for 1 thing and 1 thing only........ thats where i keep my porn

 

i've attached 140 ways to improve xp to the post, that might help

 

use system mechanic pro to clean it, the trial demo is fully functional so that should sort it

 

system mechanic prob best to leave it running overnight on totalcare, can take hours

improve_xp.txt

[fluke 0]

im not sure exactly what compaq use to enter bios but it will normally be either be F2 or DEL

once your in their disable the compaq splash screen and in future u should see info like installed disks, which key to enter bios etc on startup

 

dont think u really need to enter the bios tho for your situation

 

im assuming u have the one hdd split into 2 partitions

 

back up all essential docs, pics, whatever then when u done that put your xp disc in and when u get to the part for formatting just delete any partitions and full format to ntfs then reinstall... if you dont have the drivers disk you should be able to dload from compaq website

 

if u have 2 hdds you could always copy essential docs to the other before you format

 

EDIT

 

fat32 is a dated file system designed for win dos / win 95/98/2000/me and before, tho it still works with xp its not recommended as certain programs will want to use ntfs and so run sluggishly... ntfs is the filesystem designed to use for xp / Vista

 

you can mess around with the pc all you like but a reinstall is the best option to clear every problem... and it only takes a couple of hours... i reinstall at least once a year

Edited March 16, 2008 by fluke

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Hmm. Ok, lads; So what is this new volume D, then? A partition of C? I'm just curious. I could sit here right now and give it hours and hours of governed work. Or I can just as easily leave it alone till tomorrow.

 

Fot the record; I do have my XP Pro CD to hand. I also have absolutely nothing I want on that C Drive. So I could format the whole f*cking thing and reinstall. Which I quite fancy doing anyway. Nice clean machine to start loading shit onto for the next week.

 

Would that be the way to go, in my situation?

 

Fluke; My one unease now is that, if I lose the Compaq Drivers, I have only one way of getting them back; Switch the other 'puter on. Find and DL them to my external HDD and then plug that into the Compaq and off load them. Sound viable?

 

Thanks for the time and help, people Appreciated.

[speedlamper 0]

yes there partions ds, if its full of someone elses files you got your xp files and can make a backup then yea go for the reform, does take an awful long time though

 

xp reformat and reinstall guide

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Speeds; My eyeballs are hanging out on strings here, mate! I've just been reading All that stuff about the 140 odd ways and instigating much of it as I went along. Now I find myself typing in Bold?! Doesn't matter. I have a fair idea how to sort that out. I did like he said and saved my Fonts to C. Just have to figure out what ones this place uses. Then I have Black Vipers stuff to get through. And this is all on just this old Lap Top. I'm sort of using it as a guinea pig

 

When I'm a bit sharper, I'll take the long and easy route to losing that earlier load of stuff jamming up the C Drive. I won't be making any partitions though, which that bit ye've just shown me suggests. Matey explained why not to bother!

 

Beauty is, it really doesn't much matter to me how long it all takes. I can sit here at this thing (the LT) and I have the PC right next to me. I have two mice and keyboards can simply operate in concert . It's only time and I have plenty of that to spare just now. I'll sit here f*cking with this one - or messing in here - as the other one works itself out.

 

Anyway, that's all for later today. Tonight, more like it. Some f*cking great stuff ye putting up here! I just Love wresting bits of me free from Micky.

 

When the boat comes in, I'm getting a Mac! I'm just too damn old to be f*cking Nannyed by Anyone!

 

[fluke 0]

it may be worthwhile downloading the drivers first then putting them on cd... that way at least u always retain a copy

just do a search for compaq+model+drivers... if u cant find thenm post the model number and ill have a look

 

im sure u just have 1 reasonably small hdd with a partitioned to create C: and D: check in the bios to confirm how many hdd there is in the machine incase there are 2

 

image shows 1 hdd and one cd/dvd

 

ok if you have 1 hdd then when u installing XP you want to delete both partitions

 

then create a new partition using the whole space

 

then format to ntfs

 

if u have broadband(i cant speak for other internet connections such as dial up) then your internet will pick straight up again without need to install any of the software

 

it could be worthwhile considering a new hdd before you install they come reasonably cheap in big sizes these days

http://www.web-systems.co.uk/?page=Products&pid=272

 

depending on speed of the machine the whole process of formatting/installing and then updating from windows update should take around 2 hours

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Ok, I'm back and gagging to get stuck in

 

It's a Compaq " Presario ". Searched it with a torch and can't find any more info' than that, I'm afraid.

 

My biggest problem, ironically, is still simply sussing out how to get into BIOS / CMOS! F2, DELETE and possibly F8 give me the Windows Advanced Options Menu. Shit like starting in Safe Mode/ Enable Boot Logging or VGA Mode. I suspect ye'll be familiar with this lot?

 

Anyway, I now intend to sit here and restart it hitting every button there is till either someone tells me or else I find that bugger! Not much else I Can do just yet!

 

Sod it! Just tried Every F key And Delete. All I get is the above, or else Compaq Set Up Utillity

Yet I got into BIOS yesterday .....

[fluke 0]

f8 will give all pcs the Windows Advanced Options Menu

 

a quick search revealed...

 

If the hidden setup partition has not been tampered with, press F10 when

a white square flashes at top right of the screen. Else boot on a setup

floppy.

 

go here for drivers - http://www.compaq.co.uk/cpq_support.html

 

you will probably need a number tho so go here for advice on where to find it

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/famiNum...cname=c00004461

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Cheers, Fluke. I'll go get those Drivers and such presently and store them on my external HDD. I'm just having my dinner and a break from it all for the moment.

 

Mheanwhile, just to show I'm not just sat here whining to be spoon fed; I've sussed out that feeding the pc my XP disc gets me " Install XP / Choose Partition ". However, whilst it tantalising showed me C and asked if I'd like to f*ck it off, it then turned round and said C holds Start Up Files, so I couldn't!

 

That gave me a brain wave. I went to C in My Computer and went for a Format. B*stard refused that too!

 

Now I'm starting to wonder - honestly: IS all this trouble worth it? Will clearing that entire mess of shit on C make that much difference to the pc's over all performance? I could fire her up again and tell ye exactly what figures we have there, for GB's used / free and available RAM only, as said, I'm trying to eat my dinner right now.

 

What does the panal think though?

[speedlamper 0]

the drive needs 15% free space to format, try ctrl/alt/del to acess bios, spending a few days cleaning it up will def be worthwhile, better than spending the next year waiting for pages to load thinkin why the fk didnt i reformat when i got it,

 

uninstall a few progs from add/remove , delete all of the my document type folders and running ccleaner should make a significant differance for now

Edited March 16, 2008 by speedlamper

[fluke 0]

well i would say yes in your case because you cant defrag c:

 

for myself a full reinstall is necceasry once a year because the computers getting on a bit and im involved in an online international clan for a first person shooter game called americas army (anno im a big kid )... after a reinstall i will get around a 30% frame per second boost which helps an awful lot. 3d games do require alot of speed these days. after a year ive accrued enough junk on the pc to slow it down significantly. that said for general browsing internet, photos, music etc it wouldnt really make a big difference

 

That gave me a brain wave. I went to C in My Computer and went for a Format. B*stard refused that too!

 

you cant format the pc when its running, you need to do it from preferably the xp cd or alternativly floppy boot disk with cd support

 

is your xp pro disk a self booting stand alone version? if so it doesent matter about the old compaq startup files and u should still be able to delete partitions no problem when booting from cd.

 

so you need to put the xp disc in restart, this should start the xp installation from cd(if it is self booting) then try the above mentioned delete/create partirtion and format

 

well im off 2 bed ill check ya progreess tomorrow evening

 

EDIT

 

speedlamper - ctrl+alt+delete will just restart the computer not access the bios

Edited March 16, 2008 by fluke

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

I'm enjoying this! I've just been through the files and folders like a ferret. I've killed everything which would die, pretty much wether I felt I dare or not. Guess what? The SOB is now DEFRAGGING!!! Seems I Did manage to clear up enough space that it could gain some traction.

 

It's reading 41% Free Space on C as I type. That's a 3.99GB with 1.65GB free. Wonder if this defrag will change that figure?

 

 

Boot Disc? This is something that mystifies me. I haven't got a clue what they are or what one would do with one. And I don't have a single Floppy in the place, even though this PC has a Floppy Drive.

 

 

My XP Pro CD? Is it a What??? I don't know. It's a 'came with the computer' one. That mean anything?

 

 

" So you need to put the xp disc in restart ". To get the ability to Format C ? What, like put the disc in my external disc drive and hit Restart on the live computer? I'd be willing to give that a go too.

 

 

Oh, wow! This is hugely entertaining ~ I So badly need a f*cking life! Just Listen to me here! ~ It's now telling me that it could bust all the frag's. I still have 1,472 in a 17MB file. That file is system32\MRT.exe. It says if I use that file a lot, those frag's could seriously be f*cking with me. No possible clue what that means. I'll go look up MRT.exe and see if I'm allowed to f*ck it off

 

Aha! It's a tough one. It stops spyware. But I'm not on the net so nothing can get in. BUT, if I rip it out, just to defrag the drive I want rid of anyway? I think I might just be making extra work for myself here?

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

I'm enjoying this! I've just been through the files and folders like a ferret. I've killed everything which would die, pretty much wether I felt I dare or not. Guess what? The SOB is now DEFRAGGING!!! Seems I Did manage to clear up enough space that it could gain some traction.

 

It's reading 41% Free Space on C as I type. That's a 3.99GB with 1.65GB free. Wonder if this defrag will change that figure?

 

 

Boot Disc? This is something that mystifies me. I haven't got a clue what they are or what one would do with one. And I don't have a single Floppy in the place, even though this PC has a Floppy Drive.

 

 

My XP Pro CD? Is it a What??? I don't know. It's a 'came with the computer' one. That mean anything?

 

 

" So you need to put the xp disc in restart ". To get the ability to Format C ? What, like put the disc in my external disc drive and hit Restart on the live computer? I'd be willing to give that a go too.

 

 

Oh, wow! This is hugely entertaining ~ I So badly need a f*cking life! Just Listen to me here! ~ It's now telling me that it could bust all the frag's. I still have 1,472 in a 17MB file. That file is system32\MRT.exe. It says if I use that file a lot, those frag's could seriously be f*cking with me. No possible clue what that means. I'll go look up MRT.exe and see if I'm allowed to f*ck it off

[fluke 0]

4gb on c: is really not adequate for xp, by time u have installed a few programs, have ya virtual memory running, and windows has grown, as it does, you will be right back to where u started within a few months

 

the mrt.exe (malicious software removal tool) shouldnt be a problem unless its corrupted

 

what i mean about your xp disc being a self booting disk is, if you have it in the drive and you start the pc does it either ask u to press a key to start pc from cd or just start booting the cd...

 

for self booting xp discs

 

first we need to enter the bios and ensure that cd/dvd drice has a higher boot priority than the hdd, in other words the pc will look at the cd drive to load before the hdd, if not make it the first device to boot from as in this image below

 

 

before u save and exit bios put in the xp disc, then press f10 followed by y (save and exit)

 

ok if the xp disc is self booting it will say something like press a key to boot from cd... hit any key

 

the windows installation should then start, now u are free from the restraint of the hdd version of xp u have installed

 

this is where u need to do as in the previous post...

delete all partition(C: at 4gb and D: at 12gb)

create new partition using the maximum space ( should give u 1 c: drive of about 16gb which is plenty)

format to ntfs

let the installation start to copy files and install... at this point theres not much to do till its getting almost finished except adjust timezone date etc

 

from a restore disk

 

if your xp disc came with the compaq u will probably have a restore disk, this could be on floppy initially or a restore cd

put it in the drive and let it do its thing

restore disks are designed to basically do it all for you