Off-Topic, XP Reinstall

[Cyber Source]

Yes, REALLY

Ronald Maggio wrote:

>
>
> */Cyber Source <peter at thecybersource.com>/* wrote:
>
>     OR......I haven't heard WHERE your backing up your data too but
>     assuming
>     you HAVE DONE THAT ALREADY you could pop in a Fedora (or any Linux
>     distro that has a rescue portion), once at a prompt you could
>     (without
>     the quotes)"dd bs=1k if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda" NOTE: THAT IS ASSUMING
>     YOUR DOING THIS ON AN IDE DRIVE ON THE FIRST CONTROLLER AND SET AS
>     MASTER OR SINGLE. That will COMPLETELY erase the drive, MBR and all.
>     This is just one example as to why pc's that are important should
>     not be
>     left accessible from a security standpoint, no passwords, except BIOS
>     but they can be overridden too, will stop this.
>     Then.. put in your XP cd and start the system with that and let it do
>     what it will EXCEPT for (and this is my whole point) partitioning the
>     entire drive. If you have a large enough drive, I would leave enough
>     room for a REAL OS (Linux). Then install Fedora or (starting to
>     really
>     look good, Gentoo) or Mandrake or whatever floa! ts your boat and
>     take the
>     time and use this group (if we get as much response to Linux
>     questions
>     as this Window question did) to learn a really great OS like
>     Linux, if
>     you haven't already that is!
>     I wanted to pass that dd trick along as it saves alot of time and
>     crap
>     people usually spend with DOS disks or whatever. Good luck.
>
>     <------------------------------------snip----------------------------->
>
>     Really? Wow!
>
>     Ronald Maggio wrote:
>
>     > Hi, Ken
>     > My best advice to you is to back up any files you need to keep,
>     make
>     > notes on the kind of hardware you have so you know what drivers you
>     > need to install, If XP does not find them. Then fdisk the drive and
>     > remove all partitions, make one large partition and
>     _*low-level*_ the
>     > whole drive with your hdd software that came with the drive in
>     > question to write it back to zero's. Turn it off let it cool down,
>     > then use your hdd software again to repartition the drive as you
>     > please, and reinstall from scrach. Take your time and you'll get a
>     > clean install.
>     >
>     > I'd bet the drive was not clean before you tried to do an
>     install and
>     > it wrote a second install in the first as if you where doing a dual
>     > boot of windows. ie: installing win 2000 pro, and dual booting win
>     > 2000 server on the same partition. Sometimes! windows does strange
>     > things. The only way to clean this up is to wipe the drive as I
>     stated
>     > prior.
>     >
>     > Good luck, let me know how you come out!
>     >
>     > Ron Maggio:)
>     >
>     > */Kenneth Lawson /* wrote:
>     >
>     > Hello;
>     >
>     > I know this is a linux user group but I have a windows
>     > question/problems, and really don't know anyone who knows more
>     them me
>     > about windows to ask. (I live in Allegheny Country, in the country)
>     >
>     > The question is this, I reinstalled xp last week I seem to have
>     > everything up and going ok but I also seem to have two copies of
>     XP on
>     > my hd.when I boot I get a menu asking which one I want to use. I'm
>     > using the first one. I tried the second one and it wanted to
>     > regeisitor
>     > that copy of xp. So I backed out and restarted with the first
>     copy. Do
>     > I need to reinstall everything again or what? Also I apparent!
>     ly didn't
>     > get the audio drivers or codecs installed because I don't have any
>     > sound on the machine at all, other then beeps. Also my Works 2000
>     > crashes the whole system, which never happened before.
>     >
>     >
>     > If any of you have run into ! something like before and are
>     interested
>     > in giving me a hand I would appreciate it.
>     >
>     >
>     > Thanks for your imput,
>     >
>     > Ken Lawson
>     >
>     > =====
>     > Ken & Nancy Lawson
>     > You may now see Our Pictures at http://www.civilwarimpressions.com
>     > and
>     >
>     >
>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>     > Do you Yahoo!?
>     > Express yourself with Y! Messenger! Free. Download now
>     > .
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Do you Yahoo!?
> vote.yahoo.com <http://vote.yahoo.com> - Register online to vote today!