Cos right now I’m seriously considering lobbing it off the tallest tower block round here.

OK so. Stopped working a couple of weeks ago, just refused to boot up. Some message about Windoze needing to shut down cos ‘no bootable volume mounted’.

Stuck the XP OS disc in. Followed instructions to recover the volume. Let it do it’s thing.

Now it wont get past ‘VM update success’ or some thing like that. Won’t even now let me run the Windoze disc to reformat the HD.

WTF is going on with it? HD is fine; checked in my Mac, mounts straight away with no probs. Allows me to access files.

What do I need to do with this flipping thing never bloody works properly oh I’m fed up. 🙁

Any help gratefully appreciated.

No one? Come on, surely someone wants to take this opportunity to ridicule me and laugh at my ignorance and stupidity? No?

(Stomps off to look for large hammer…)

Tech Support Forum is your friend. Plenty of folk on there know their stuff.

surely someone wants to take this opportunity to ridicule me and laugh at my ignorance and stupidity?

Just not worth it, as it’ll end with you saying how crap PC’s are.

But one good thing is if you search on ‘VM update success’ you’re 6th on google!

perhaps we would like a little peace 😉

Have you tried turning it off and back on again?

Won’t even now let me run the Windoze disc to reformat the HD

Is it looking to the CD to boot from? Sound like it might still be trying to boot from the hard drive?

Now it wont get past ‘VM update success’ or some thing like that. Won’t even now let me run the Windoze disc to reformat the HD.

Assuming this is some sort of Windows error message, (there is some mention of BIOS’s on the google search*), then you should be able to use the Windoze disc to re-install it. Keep at it…

*= I assuming you get past the two main PC boot screen (BIOS page and Hardware info) and it allows you to press f8 to get to the boot options?

I’ve tried everything, aracer, short of erasing the drive on my Mac, then trying to start all over again. Most data is backed up or not bothered about it anyway.

Just trying to save myself the pain of reconfiguring everything all over again; reconfiguring wireless settings, installing anti-virus, installing stuff like Safari, iTunes, COD4:MW, DVD burning software, etc etc etc…

Recently had a font corruption on my Mac; just installed OS again, all original settings left intact, all working perfectly again.

So yes, Windoze PCs are crap. That bit we all know already…

I’d like to know why it’s not going to boot-up from disc stage. Won’t even boot from XP CD now. 🙁

You’ve DEFINITELY got a virus

Same one as I had recently…

You need to get into XP somehow, then run SuperAntiSpyware… You’ll probably have to boot into safe mode, with networking disabled, and download SuperAntiSpyware on another computer, stick it on a USB stick, and transfer over to your PC. Thats what I had to do.

If you want some further help, drop me an email, I’ll send you my phone number mate… Not doing owt cos it’s raining like a bastard outside here!

Now, I’ve adjusted settings in the BIOS so it will boot from the CD first. It had set itself to boot from a floppy drive ffs. I don’t even have a floppy drive. Din’t they die out about 15 years ago? 😕

‘Press any key’ Ok.

Then nothing. 🙁

mboy YGM.

So yes, Windoze PCs are crap. That bit we all know already…

Bingo. I win.

It had set itself to boot from a floppy drive ffs. I don’t even have a floppy drive.

Yup mine had done that too

This virus is a NASTY one… It will have hidden all your files too, so when you recover booting into Windows, it’ll look like its deleted all your pornpictures, videos and your programs too!

My PC nearly went the way of the window too it has to be said. In its defence, now XP is no longer really supported, seems there’s some clever buggers getting good at making viruses to get in! Gonna have to go the way of Windows 7 on the PC sooner or later I reckon… OSX still best though, just the hardware is damned expensive! (shhhh though, just bought a motherboard and a few bits and pieces and going to make a Hackintosh!)

Look, a Ford Mondeo or whatever is crap, but if you need it to get you down the shops then you need it working. Yes, you’d probbly much prefer a Ferrari or Aston Martin etc, but you’ve got a Ford Mondeo. So, you put up with it.

It’ll still be crap though.

The PC serves as a HTPC, and will have to do cos I can’t afford a lovely 27″ iMac which would be far, far superior. So, I need to get the PC working. Which is why I’ve asked for advice.

What have you won? Nothing. So there.

mboy; I’ve emailed you, innit?!

Congrats Rich!

Uh-oh. Here’s Mung-Bean come to start trouble… 🙄

You used to be nice, Mung. What went wrong? 😐

What? I’m not starting anything. We were playing a game, Rich won, I congratulated him. That’s all. Cheers

Oh right. Glad I’ve helped bring a bit of fun to your sad, dull little lives.

Jeeze; is it really that bad? Why not read a book or do some needlework or something instead?

Some message about Windoze needing to shut down cos ‘no bootable volume mounted’.
…
Now it wont get past ‘VM update success’ or some thing like that.

Give us the exact error message rather than telling us what it was something like. Otherwise it’s like going to the doctor and going “I hurt somewhere.”

As an aside, “Windoze” stopped being side-splittingly hilarious some time around 1992, along with “Micro$oft” and “Internet Exploder.” I can’t help you if you’re going to insist on talking like a chimp.

This virus is a NASTY one…

Does it have a name?

Oh right. Glad I’ve helped bring a bit of fun to your sad, dull little lives.

Jeeze; is it really that bad? Why not read a book or do some needlework or something instead?

Get over yourself. I’m not the one who upset your machine. I’m certainly not encouraging you to download any malware. The game is independent of your troubles. You have not helped bring the fun into our lives, we found it there ourselves. So thpppt! to your ego.

Gets to this screen then just stays there. Pressing ‘any key’ does nothing. 🙁

Get over yourself

No you get over yourself.

Get over yourself
No you get over yourself.

No, you get over your self.

If it won’t boot from CD from that point after pressing (almost) any key, then it’s failing to read the disc correctly. Can you test the CD in another PC or try a different boot disc? (For testing purposes, a Linux Live CD will suffice).

Assuming the CD is good, you’ve got a lower level problem than a corrupt OS. Could be many things, from a loose cable to faulty RAM to motherboard failure.

It might be worth going on a reseating mission, just make sure that cables are all firmly plugged in and that the RAM is seated correctly, etc.

Can we rule out overheating? Shut it down and leave it alone for half an hour to cool down, then see what happens when you bring it back up?

I can see from the POST screen that SMART is disabled. Enable it in BIOS.

Looks like the bios can not see the cd drive. Cables all in correctly and ide/sata ports enabled and working on the MB? oh and the windows cd is bootable

Upgrade. I’ve just found out this is nice…

http://shop.lenovo.com/us/landing_pages/essential-desktops/10/c200

… using it now.

Comes with anti-virus software, up-to-date operating software and everything…

Keep the old PC. When you’re up and running, take it out the back and smash it up. You’ll feel good.

Upgrade. I’ve just found out this is nice…

LOL

The Bottom Bracket and rear hub bearings are shot on my bike at the moment… So should I just buy a new bike? 😕

Come to think of it, the aircon on my car doesn’t blow cold any more… Time for a new car perhaps?

I’m going for the new XT BB, new rear hub (cones are shot too otherwise I’d just replace the bearings), and a £50 aircon regas myself…

our prayers have been answered and the eGods are serving you a large portion of…

I can’t help you if you’re going to insist on talking like a chimp.

Cougar, stick to your word this time. Aren’t you getting a teeny bit of deja vu here? You’ll help him out, he’ll wibble on about how crap PCs are, refuse to take any responsibility for the predicament he’s got himself into and in a few weeks it’ll all start again. FFS let Fred throw the thing out of the window then we’re done with it.

I don’t think it’s in Cougar’s mentality not to be helpful.

our prayers have been answered and the eGods are serving you a large portion of…

Right, ok. Again, glad to bring some joy into your otherwise meaningless lives…

Mboy has bin extremely helpful and actually rang me to offer advice. Which was really good of him, and I truly appreciate it. Cougar has also tried to help. Even Woppit has offered advice on a possible replacement.

But sadly once again, a few idiots can’t resist the opportunity to have a pop, eh? What’s rong; did I make you look stupid in an argument on here once or twice? Is that it? Hmm?

How sad, that you can’t think of owt better to do than try an mock others. And you seem to think you’ve ‘won’ something. All you’ve made yourself do is look like a bunch of dicks really.

You’d’ve bin better off just ignoring me completely. Instead of wasting your time trying to wind up an idiot on the internet. Have a think about it. Not so clever now, are you, eh? 😆

Erasing the drive (using my Mac), and going to try to start again with it. It may possibly be an indication of an imminent drive failure. We’ll see.

No, you get over your self.

No, you get over your self. Times infinity. So there. 😛

wasting your time trying to wind up an idiot on the internet.

Erm…

😀

I, at least, admit my idiocy. Those who are idiots yet do not realise it, are in fact worser idiots.

You’d’ve bin better off just ignoring me completely

I don’t suppose you meant me when you wrote that grumble. But just in case…
I was ignoring you. It was you who started on me.

Uh-oh. Here’s Mung-Bean come to start trouble…

You used to be nice, Mung. What went wrong?

What’s rong

In a nutshell.

No one? Come on, surely someone wants to take this opportunity to ridicule me and laugh at my ignorance and stupidity? No?

Yes, but you don’t seem to like that either! I’m beginning to suspect that there may be no pleasing you.

Anyway, sounds very much like the sort of state I was getting into when my own out-of-date setup caught a virus. Not being as handy with the mechanics as Fred, my version was to give it to the local tech shop to sort out, which they did. I installed some current anti-virus which just slowed the poor old PC down so much, every time I used it it just made me shout at the screen. Ridiculous. It was never going to get any better so in the end, I just did a bit of research, spent a bit of wonga, and am now happily typing this into a modern, cost-effective setup that is a pleasure to use.

Plus you get to actually destroy the object that was winding you up in the first place…

Or put it on ebay.

I installed some current anti-virus which just slowed the poor old PC down so much, every time I used it it just made me shout at the screen

You installed the wrong current anti-virus, they’re not all like that (if you installed MSE I’ll take that back – your hardware was rubbish).

if you installed MSE I’ll take that back

Much as I hate to admit it, MSE seems to be the only thing capable of protecting my PC running XP right now! Everything else I’ve tried has let viruses through…

I feel so cheap and dirty admitting that a Microsoft Product is superior to anything else! 😳

EDIT: Though obviously I’m still with Elf in that OSX is a vastly superior operating system to anything Windows (even if 7 is a massive step on from anything previously offered)