I'm at work, and need help fixing two problems on two different computers. First off: Windows XP on an old Aptiva (433 mhz, 32 RAM, you get the picture) keeps resetting. I would personally just wipe it and put '98 on there, but the guy doesn't have a copy, and it's not exactly legal (what my supervisor keeps telling me). Once it gets to the login screen, it sits there for a few minutes and reboots. I have no idea what's causing this, and it would be nice to be able to fix it. It DOES boot to safe mode. Second: Excel. When this guy is trying to save his document (using the "save" button at the top of the toolbar, not "save as"), it gives an error message ("The file could not be accessed. Try one of the following: ...). It works fine when using "Save As". Any ideas? I've searched for awhile on the first one (my supervisor suggested using a "Blaster Worm" tool, because he thought that was what the computer had... it did nothing). When I do a search on the second one all I come up with is links to books. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Well, I've tried burning a few utilities to a cd and transferring them over, but unfortunately safe mode doesn't detect the CD drive. That's why I used the Blaster Worm tool on Symantec's site (it's small).
That's what I want to do, but I don't think the man got any discs or anything with the system. I'll go ask him in a bit.
Windows XP on 32MB RAM?!? You sure that's right? I know people who got 95 working on 486's with 4MB, but XP *really* likes its RAM!
I thought XP required at least 64 MB RAM, if not 128 MB. That would be why it boots out when not in safe mode--it can't load!
"32 RAM" is written on the top of the machine. I haven't actually checked the amount in system properties, although I'll agree that XP running on 32 megs of RAM is rather odd. On another note, my supervisor just got mad when I couldn't get the borders in Excel going. After standing behind him for around 25 minutes (there was *one* column that needed to be changed), he told me *I* needed to learn how to do this stuff. Of course I do, but what happened to your degree and such? Dick.
Can't you see the amount of RAM on the POST, or do IBM not let you see that stuff? If not, just run dxdiag - that shouldn't lie to you. I wouldn't even recommend win2k on anything lower than 128MB, never mind XP!
actually, the requirement for XP is 128 ram, yes. If the machine boots all the way to after the login screen and reboots after windows has been properly accessed, then, indeed, something in the "start up" part of the registry is fucking the system up. Probably a "missing" component from a drive-by install, or maybe even a ram-munching spyware application. If the amount of ram specified is true, it could also be a total and absolute lack of memory. If it actually worked before, I'd wager on the Registry issue. The save-as error... it sounds like a macro-virus to me. Try re-installing office. Not having a disc is not a problem if you own a license, I believe.
I installed XP on a 64mb pc before, it booted and ran, just took about 5 minutes to boot, after that, it wasn't slow as some people imagine.
Yep, have done the same. Best to turn off all of the bubbly effects etc. though. This was on a 64mb/233mhz dell.
A fresh install is all that would seem usefull and of course upgrading that pc if he want's to keep running annything on it At least 256 megs of ram and if possible a bit more cpu power wouldn't hurt.
I don't have to go in for another week, but I'll be sure to look for some RAM lying around (I know I have some of my own). If that doesn't fix it, I'll try to get ahold of a copy of XP. I'll just have to tell my supervisor that it was his. Thanks guys. :smt023
XP *will* run on just about anything, but the MS recommended minimum is 64Mb RAM. I personally recommend at least 256Mb - 128Mb runs, but will be slow still, especially on a machine under about 1GHz. OK, to the problem.... Which version of Windows XP is this? Home? Pro? the early "corporate"? Are you running original, SP1 or SP2? Check running processes in the task manager. Check RAM and CPU usage. As others said, it is probably a spyware or virus problem. I would recommend looking at my reply to the recent post on another computer problem, and going through the steps I posted. (click) I also would say that machine is more suited to 98, unless you can get more RAM in it! Your problem is going to be that it'll take SDRAM, and the board will probably only take 128Mb sticks. Even so, you will probably find that the latest sticks, which are usually 4 chip, have to high a density of memory (there are 4 x 32Mb RAM chips), and you may need 8 chip RAM.
can i ask you wich programs you use for your work? do you have special programs or anything? a complete list please. it seems a bit off-topic, but its not. ;-) i'm waiting for your reply
I don't normally use anything special. If someone's having a spyware problem, I just use Spyware Blaster and Adaware SE. We have a spiffy McAfee "ASAP" (or something like that) that automatically updates all of the computers around the plant, so I don't have to manually update each virus program around the plant. I don't trust it, but I think it's a good idea . I'm bringing in some old RAM I have lying around at my house next week when I go in (err, back to work). I'm a bit tired, so do your best to understand all of this . The problem is that with the Windows XP computer I can't use any discs unless I give him my copy of Windows 98 (isn't going to happen), or he pulls an install disc out of his ass. My supervisor is really crotchety about the legality issues. He says that the guy has to find a copy of Windows, and that he has to legally own it. I feel bad for the guy, because he doesn't know shit about computers and just kind of bought this one off of a "friend". It didn't come with any discs or anything, so unless I find a copy of Windows 98 then he's basically fucked until I (or you guys ) figure something else out.
I have a Windows 98 licence - just the documents. I will give you "custody" of them if that helps in some way. I don't have the installer, it came with my old laptop from 1998. Does this help? (it's from a Win98 SPANISH CD)
The "save as " error- Are you running low on Hard disk space? Or maybe the hard drive is failing. Try working from a floppy or removable media (like a memory stick.) Or try saving the file in a different directory, or partition, or drive. My mom had a problem similar to this in Word for Office and this seemed to be a quick fix. The XP bug , have you tried booting from a startup disk and then doing system restore?
