Help the Retard

[Tony Castle]

Disclaimer: I have limited hard-core computer knowledge. Yes I bought a pre-configured Gateway and have done some stupid, stupid things to it. Please don't flame me, this is about the last place I can look for help without paying someone.


Windows XP has violated my machine (actually its probably more like my habit of uninstalling and reinstalling stuff like a jackrabbit) to the point where I'm planning on reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling XP and starting over. I was wondering if someone could answer a few questions first:

1) I have Microsoft Office and Word Student Edition on my machine. Should I uninstall these before reformatting? This is an issue as I've tried and it gets half way through the uninstall before freezing. These are expensive programs and I don't want to be unable to reinstall them after reformatting.

2) I only have 256 Mb of RDRAM on my machine but I plan on upgrading to at least 512 in the near future. Should I reformat before or after I add the RAM? Will XP act like a turd if I add more RAM at the wrong time?

3) Speaking of RAM, could someone reccomend a few places to price-shop? The Gateway outlet I bought my machine from has a large object greased and ready to ream my wallet if I buy from them.

4) Is there any guide I'm too stupid to locate on this site or anywhere else that would help guide me through a reformat? My roommate could, but I won't see him for awhile. He's the kind of person who could build a computer from two rubber bands, a paper cup, and a bananna peel.

Thanks a lot for helping.

[Wiggo]

The format will wipe everything on that partition and here's a guide, http://www.tweaktown.com/document.ph...de&dId=324, and rememeber only to use the tweaks that won't effect your use of your setup. This will be ya next read then, http://www.tweaktown.com/document.ph...ew&dId=411 ;)
<center>:cheers:</center>

[Mr. C]

I second what Wiggo said.

As to your other points

1)No need to uninstall anything - just be sure you have the disks for those programs and any other data you want to put back on the drive. Everything you intend to keep will need to be installed onto your fresh installation of Windows.

2)In my opinion it would be best to get the computer running smoothly and then upgrade -- if it isn't running well to begin with what good will an upgrade do, and there won't be anything clouding any issues as to whether or not this is caused by the upgrade or a previous problem.

3)http://www.crucial.com use the memory configurator there and step by step it will select memory that is proper for your machine. Fair pricing, often free delivery is offered, and fast shipping combined with a quality product. I'd definitely start at Crucial.

4) umm, I guess you are probably reading that now:D

[Tony Castle]

Thanks a lot. I've backed up everything and I'll be reformatting soon. Unfortunatly I looked at crucial.com and they don't care the kind of RAM I need. Boo to that. How bad a price is $380 to have 512 megs installed on my system?

[PersianImmortal]

Originally posted by Tony Castle this is about the last place I can look for help without paying someone.

This should have been the first place you came to! :)

1) I have Microsoft Office and Word Student Edition on my machine. Should I uninstall these before reformatting? This is an issue as I've tried and it gets half way through the uninstall before freezing. These are expensive programs and I don't want to be unable to reinstall them after reformatting.

As wiggo said, a reformat wipes everything clean. No need to uninstall everything before a reformat.

2) I only have 256 Mb of RDRAM on my machine but I plan on upgrading to at least 512 in the near future. Should I reformat before or after I add the RAM? Will XP act like a turd if I add more RAM at the wrong time?

Always best to have your system in its full state before proceeding with a reinstall. So yes, install the RAM then reformat and reinstall XP (although adding RAM after an install shouldn't make a huge difference if you follow an XP Tweak Guide).

3) Speaking of RAM, could someone reccomend a few places to price-shop? The Gateway outlet I bought my machine from has a large object greased and ready to ream my wallet if I buy from them.

RDRAM is expensive, but to give you a good idea of the types of prices being charged, look at this RDRAM price list at Price Grabber. As you can see 0 for 512MB of RDRAM is much too much. Installation is easy, so buy it and install it yourself. Don't pay an extra 0 for someone to open the side of your case, pull back 2 holders and push a RAM stick into a slot. It's too easy for that.

4) Is there any guide I'm too stupid to locate on this site or anywhere else that would help guide me through a reformat? My roommate could, but I won't see him for awhile. He's the kind of person who could build a computer from two rubber bands, a paper cup, and a bananna peel.

As Wiggo suggested, read those two excellent guides he's linked to (the author of them should get a Nobel Prize, are you listening Nobel Committee??) and you're set.

Once you've got WinXP going again, turn on System Restore and use it. If you install lots of stuff, follow my recommendations in the XP guide on how to keep your system clean, and if things stuff up go back to the last stable restore point.

[Mr. C]

Tony Castle, if I may be so bold - could you give us your country of origin and the model of that PC?

(the author of them should get a Nobel Prize, are you listening Nobel Committee??)

Alas PersianImmortal, masterpiece that it is, sometimes these things take decades. Hang in there buddy! When I get on the commitee (I am anticipating the imminent arrival of correspondence to that effect anytime now.) you are a shoo-in.

[Wiggo]

And remember, that no matter how good ya think ya are, a PC will always come along that will belt ya in the kisser with a dead trout as well. :D
<center>:cheers:</center>

[Tony Castle]

I'm from the good old US of A. Athens, Georgia to be exact. The PC in question is a Gateway 700s.

2.16 GHz
some type of Nvidia 64 meg 3d card (GeForce 4 type thingie)
256 Megs of RDRAM
and ummm stuff.

I don't have the paperwork with me (its up at school), and I can't get system info to work correctly :mad:

Its a nice machine put into incompetent hands (mine). I guess thats what happens when you give a music major a gorgeous PC :hammer:

[Mr. C]

I got no problem with that.
The world needs more art oriented guys and a few less generals & politicians.

I might suggest you try the Belarc Advisor to determine exactly what type of RAM you currently have so you can be assured of shopping for the right stuff.

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Sorry for wasting your time, but in all honesty you're the first I've seen shopping for an OEM system that was let down by Crucial.

[Tony Castle]

Yeah I remember seeing them a long time ago when I was shopping around for another system. I was quite upset when I found out they don't carry RAMBUS stuff.