Description of the Low Disk Space Notification in Windows XP

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322756 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/ ) How to back up and restore the registry in Windows

When free disk space reaches 200 megabytes (MB), you receive the following message for 10 seconds, once per session:

You are running out of disk space on [drive]. To free space on this drive by deleting old or unnecessary files, click here.

When free disk space reaches 80 MB, you receive the following message for 30 seconds, every four hours, twice per session:

You are running very low on disk space on [drive]. To free space on this drive by deleting old or unnecessary files, click here.

When free disk reaches 50 MB, you receive the following message for 30 seconds, every five minutes, until free space is above 50 MB:

You are running very low on disk space on [drive]. To free space on this drive by deleting old or unnecessary files, click here.

Note There is a registry value you can set to disable this feature. To disable low disk space checks, follow these steps, log off, and then log on again: Follow these steps, and then quit Registry Editor:

1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
2. Locate and then click the following key in the registry:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
3. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
4. Type NoLowDiskSpaceChecks, and then press ENTER.
5. On the Edit menu, click Modify.
6. Type 1, and then click OK.

Problems Occur after Using Microsoft Backup Tool in Microsoft Vista

What are the issues?

• The Microsoft Backup Tool fails while backing up the system.
  Figure 1: Back Up Files error

  
• Low disk space errors appear every time Windows opens after the backup failed. Such as, Low Disk Space. You are running out of disk space on Recovery (D:).
  Figure 2: Low Disk Space message

  

You can verify a failed backup easily by opening HP Total Care Advisor and looking at the Backup section of PC Health and Security.

Figure 3: HP Total Advisor: link to Microsoft Backup Tool showing failed backup

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Why do these problems occur?

The Microsoft Backup Tool tried to store files to the recovery partition and ran out of space. The recovery partition is a reserved section on the main hard drive that should only be used for an HP System Recovery.

The Microsoft Backup Software views the protected HP recovery partition (labeled Recovery (D:) or FACTORY_IMAGE (D:)) as a valid extra storage device. Recovery or FACTORY_IMAGE can be displayed as the first option in the Microsoft Backup Tool's list of places to save a backup. Someone using the software and seeing Recovery or FACTORY_IMAGE can mistake the selection as a place where the backup can be stored.

Once the backup files are written to the recovery partition, Windows Vista finds that there is not enough free space left on the recovery drive and displays a Low Disk Space error.

Figure 4: Microsoft Backup Tool: Recovery D: as the default selection

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How do I fix the problems?

Remove the failed backup files as follows:

CAUTION:

Make sure that you have created a set of recovery discs before using these steps. If the system crashes, recovery discs can be used to perform a system recovery.

1. Open Windows and log into an account with administrative rights (the account used to setup the computer will work).
2. Right-click Start and select Explore All Users .
3. Before you can remove the backup files and folders, set Windows to view hidden system files as follows:
   1. From the explorer window press the Alt key on the keyboard to make the menu bar appear in the window.
   2. From the file menu, click Tools , and then select Folder Options .
      Figure 5: Folder Options

      
   3. Select the View tab.
   4. Select Show hidden files and folders , remove the selection from Hide protected operating system files and then click OK .
      Figure 6: Folder Options: View Tab

      
4. From the Folder Options window in explorer, double-click Recovery (D:) or FACTORY_IMAGE (D:) .
5. Find the folder that has the same name as the computer name. For example if the computer name is Pavilion_PC-PC, the folder that contains the backup files would be named Pavilion_PC-PC.
   Figure 7: Example of folder where backup files are stored. The folder name on your computer is different.

   
6. Select the folder that contains the name of the computer. Do not select any other folder or files. Only select the folder containing the backup files.
   For example, if the computer name is Presario123, select the folder named Presario123.
7. With the folder selected, press Shift + Delete .
8. A Windows opens stating "You don't currently have permission to access this folder" opens. Click Continue .
   Figure 8: Message window

   
9. Several confirmation windows open. Click Continue , and Yes until the folder is deleted.
10. Set Windows Folder Options back to their original setting as follows:
    1. From the explorer window press Alt to view the file menu.
    2. Click Tools , and then select Folder Options .
    3. Select do not show hidden files and folders and select Hide protected operating system files .
    4. Click OK .
11. Close explorer. The Out of Disk Space errors should no longer appear. If you would like to use the Microsoft Backup Tool again, open it and select a different external backup device other than Recovery.

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How do I prevent the problems from happening?

When using the Microsoft Backup Tool, select a different external backup device that has enough free space to hold the backup files, like an HP personal Media drive, HP pocket Media drive, or other USB external drive. Never save files to the Recovery/FACTORY_IMAGE partition.

Figure 9: Microsoft Backup Tool: Selecting other devices (DVD RW Drive and USB storage)

To prevent Backup and Recovery Center from writing files to the Recovery Partition, change the Backup and Recovery Center settings as follows:

1. Click Start , enter Backup in the Start Search field.
   Backup and Restore Center opens.
2. Click Change settings in the Back up files section.
   The window "Backup Status and Configuration" opens.
3. Click Change backup settings . Click Continue if a User Account Control message appears.
   The window "Where do you want to save your backup?" opens.
4. Select On a hard disk, CD, or DVD and then select an available CD or DVD drive that is capable of burning discs, and then click Next .

   NOTE:

   Do not select Recovery/FACTORY_IMAGE as a storage location. The partition is small, and overwriting the partition causes failure. If Recovery/FACTORY_IMAGE is your only option, click Cancel and do not use the Backup utility. You will need to backup your important files to some other medium, such as an external USB storage device. The window "Which disks do you want to include in the backup?" opens.

5. Make sure Recovery or FACTORY_IMAGE is not selected and click Next .
   The window "Which file types do you want to backup?" opens.
6. Select the file type that you would like to backup and click Next .
   The window "How often do you want to create a backup?" opens.
7. Select the settings you want to create a backup schedule and click Save settings and start backup .

   NOTE:

   When creating the schedule, it is best to choose a time when the computer will be on but will only be used for backup purposes.

   The backup process starts.
8. You can either complete a backup of your files at this time or cancel. You are done.

Your CD drive or DVD drive is missing or is not recognized by Windows or other programs

Microsoft Windows Vista

1. Click Start
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
   , and then click All Programs.
2. Click Accessories, and then click Run.
3. Type regedit, and then click OK.
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
   If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.
4. In the navigation pane, locate and then click the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
5. In the right pane, click UpperFilters.
   
   Note You may also see an UpperFilters.bak registry entry. You do not have to remove that entry. Click UpperFilters only. If you do not see the UpperFilters registry entry, you still might have to remove the LowerFilters registry entry. To do this, go to step 8.
6. On the Edit menu, click Delete.
7. When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.
8. In the right pane, click LowerFilters.
   
   Note If you do not see the LowerFilters registry entry, unfortunately this content cannot help you any further. Go to the "Next Steps" section for information about how you can find more solutions or more help on the Microsoft Web site.
9. On the Edit menu, click Delete.
10. When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.
11. Exit Registry Editor.
12. Restart the computer.

Microsoft Windows XP

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
3. In the navigation pane, locate and then click the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
4. In the right pane, click UpperFilters.
   
   Note You may also see an UpperFilters.bak registry entry. You do not have to remove that entry. Click UpperFilters only. If you do not see the UpperFilters registry entry, you still might have to remove the LowerFilters registry entry. To do this, go to step 7.
5. On the Edit menu, click Delete.
6. When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.
7. In the right pane, click LowerFilters.
   
   Note If you do not see the LowerFilters registry entry, unfortunately this content cannot help you any further. Go to the "Next Steps" section for information about how you can find more solutions or more help on the Microsoft Web site.
8. On the Edit menu, click Delete.
9. When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.
10. Exit Registry Editor.
11. Restart the computer.

How to copy music to and from an audio CD in Windows XP

Copy music files from an audio CD

1. Insert the Audio CD and start Windows Media Player.
2. If WMP is in Skin mode, press CTRL+1 to view WMP in Full mode.
3. Click Copy from CD. Or, on the File menu, you can click Copy, click Copy from Audio CD, and then choose the drive from which you want to copy.
4. Click to select each audio file that you want to copy. By default, all files that you have not already copied are selected.
5. Click Copy Music. This copies the file into the My Documents\My Music folder by default.

Note: To change the default location into which you copy the files, refer to the "To Change Audio CD Copying Options" section in this article.

Copy audio files from the hard disk to an audio CD

1. In Windows Explorer, choose the files that you want to copy to the audio CD, and then click the Copy to Audio CD Web View task.
2. In WMP, verify that the files that you wish to copy are in the playlist and that they are selected.
3. Click Copy Music.

Note: You can copy .wma, .mp3, and .wav file types to an audio CD.

Change audio CD copying options

1. Start Windows Media Player.
2. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then on the Copy Music tab, you can modify the following options:
   • Copy Music to This Location:
     • Change: Use this setting to set the folder into which you will copy the music files.
     • Advanced: Use this setting to configure the naming of the audio files.
   • Copy Settings:
     • File Format: Use this setting to choose the format into which you will copy the files. The default is Windows Media Audio (WMA), or you can use other file formats that you have installed.
     • Protect Content: Use this setting to specify the use of digital licensing for tracks that you copy from a CD. By licensing a file, you protect the author's copyright by preventing the file from being played on a different computer.
     • Copy Music at This Quality: Use this setting to set the bit rate in which to encode the music. You can encode .wma files in a bit rate from 48 kilobits per second (Kbps) to 192 Kbps.

APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Windows Media Player 8.01
• Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional

Hosts file

The hosts file is a computer file used by an operating system to map hostnames to IP addresses. This method is one of several methods used by an operating system to locate network nodes on a computer network. On many operating systems, the host file content is used preferentially over other methods, such as the Domain Name System (DNS). Unlike DNS, the hosts file is under the control of the local computer's administrator.^[1]

Location and content

The location of the hosts file in the file system hierarchy of operating systems varies.^[2]

Operating System	Version(s)	Location
Windows	95, 98, Me	%WinDir%\
Windows	NT, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 7	%SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\etc\ by default. Actual location defined in Registry key \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\DataBasePath. Users of 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2003, Server 2008, and Vista (but not Windows 7) cannot access the HOSTS file with a 32-bit editor.[3]
Macintosh	9 and earlier	System Folder: Preferences or System folder
Mac OS	X	/private/etc/hosts
Linux, BSD based, and similar		/etc/hosts[4]
Novell NetWare		SYS:etc\hosts
iPhone and iPod		/private/etc/hosts
OS/2 and eComStation		"bootdrive":\mptn\etc\
Symbian	Symbian OS 6.1-9.0 (Series 60 1st and 2nd edition, UIQ 1-2)	C:\system\data\hosts
Symbian	Symbian OS 9.1+ (Series 60 3rd edition, UIQ 3.x)	C:\private\10000882\hosts (AllFiles capable only)

The hosts file consists of lines consisting of an IP address and one or more hostnames, separated by white space. Comment lines in the hosts file start with the '#' (hash) character. Blank lines are ignored.

The default hosts file contents typically includes a line for the localhost definition.^[5]

Winsock

In computing, the Windows Sockets API, which was later shortened to Winsock, is a technical specification that defines how Windows network software should access network services, especially TCP/IP. It defines a standard interface between a Windows TCP/IP client application (such as an FTP client or a Gopher client) and the underlying TCP/IP protocol stack.

NTLDR

NTLDR (abbreviation of NT Loader) is the boot loader for all releases of Microsoft's Windows NT operating system up to and including Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. NTLDR is typically run from the primary hard disk drive, but it can also run from portable storage devices such as a CD-ROM, USB flash drive, or floppy disk. NTLDR can also load a non NT-based operating system given the appropriate boot sector in a file.

NTLDR requires, at the minimum, the following two files to be on the system volume:

• NTLDR, which contains the main Boot loader itself
• boot.ini, which contains configuration options for a boot menu.

To load an NT-based OS, ntdetect.com must also be present. (Strictly speaking, only NTLDR is actually required. If boot.ini is missing, NTLDR will default to \Windows on the first partition of the first hard drive. Many desktops in the home are in this configuration and a missing boot.ini file will simply generate an error stating it is missing, then boot into Windows successfully.) In Vista, Boot information is stored in a Registry-like file called the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) store. Vista comes with a command-line tool bcdedit.com for configuring BCD. However, the command-line tool is rather complicated to use and a free editor called EasyBCD has a graphical user interface that is simpler to use.

The Volume Boot Record written to disk by the Windows NT format command attempts to load and to run the NTLDR program.

In Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, NTLDR was replaced; the boot loader functionality is instead provided by two new components: winload.exe and the Windows Boot Manager.

WIN.INI

WIN.INI is a basic INI file that was used in versions of the Microsoft Windows operating environment up to Windows 3.11 to store basic settings at boot time. By default, all font, communications drivers, wallpaper, screen saver, and language settings were stored in WIN.INI by Windows 3.x. Many of these settings were honored in Windows 9x, although the files had begun to be phased out in favor of the Windows registry. Windows XP still acknowledges some entries in the WIN.INI file, to provide backwards compatibility with older 16-bit applications. However, when a fresh install of XP is performed, the WIN.INI file created is initially blank. Also there is a WIN.INI file in Windows Vista.

SYSTEM.INI

SYSTEM.INI was a basic INI file used in early versions of Microsoft Windows to load device drivers and the default Windows shell (Program Manager or Windows Explorer). Many of these settings were honored in Windows 9x, although the files had begun to be phased out in favor of the Windows registry. Windows XP still acknowledges some entries in the SYSTEM.INI file, to provide backwards compatibility with older 16-bit applications. However, when a fresh install of XP is performed, the SYSTEM.INI file created is initially blank.

Slipstreaming Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Create Bootable CD

Slipstreaming a Service Pack, is the process to integrate the Service Pack into the installation so that with every new installation the Operating System and Service Pack are installed at the same time.

Slipstreaming is usually done on network shares on corporate systems. But with the advent of CD burners, it does actually make some sense for the home user or small business user to do the same.

Microsoft added the ability to Slipstream a Service Pack to Windows 2000 and Windows XP. It not only has the advantage that when you (re)install your OS, you don't have to apply the Service Pack later, also if you update any Windows component later, you'll be sure that you get the correct installation files if Windows needs any.

Looking for a way to Slipstream Windows XP Service Pack 3 instead?

Slipstream Windows XP Service Pack 2

Download the (full) "Network Install" of the Service Pack (English version [266 MB]), and save it to a directory (folder) on your hard drive (in my case D:\XP-SP2). Other languages can be downloaded from the Microsoft Download Web site.

Note: do not use spaces in the folder name!

Next copy your Windows XP CD to your hard drive. Just create a folder (I used \XP-CD), and copy all the contents of your Windows XP CD in that folder.

Next, open a Command Prompt (Start > Run > cmd), and go to the folder where you downloaded SP2 (cd \foldername). Type the command: servicepack filename /integrate:drive/path. In my example the command is WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU /integrate:D:\XP-CD.

If you get the error:

This is caused by the fact that your Windows XP CD contains updates that will be automatically installed when you run setup. This type of CD's will usually be from larger OEM suppliers (like Dell, HP, or others).

You cannot use this type of CD to create a slipstreamed SP2 install.

First, the files will be extracted, and next they will be integrated in your Windows XP files:

When ready, you should get a confirmation. Windows XP Service Pack 2 has now been Slipstreamed into your original Windows XP files.

Creating a Bootable CD

For this part I used IsoBuster and Nero Burning ROM 7*.

*)You can of course use your own favorite CD-burning program.

After you install IsoBuster, you can choose to use only the product's free functionality for what we want to do, IsoBuster will look like the image below (you need to have your original Windows XP CD in the CD-ROM drive).

Start to extract the boot loader from the original Windows XP CD. Using IsoBuster, select the "folder" Bootable CD, and right-click Microsoft Corporation.img. From the menu choose Extract Microsoft Corporation.img, and extract it to the folder on your hard drive where you have your Windows XP files (D:\XP-CD in my case).

Next, start Nero Burning ROM, and choose CD-ROM (Boot) in the New Compilation window. On the Boot tab, select Image file under Source of boot image data, and browse to the location of the Microsoft Corporation.img file. Also enable Expert Settings, choosing No Emulation, and changing the Number of loaded sectors to 4 (otherwise it won't boot!)

The ISO tab should be configured correctly as shown below:

If you have an older version of Nero you won't have the option Do Not Add ";1" ISO file version extention under Relax ISO Restrictions. You won't be able to boot your new CD, so update Nero!

You can configure the Label tab to your liking, I would however recommend that you keep the Volume Label the same as on your original Windows XP CD. Here are some (English) Labels:

• Windows XP Professional: WXPCCP_EN
• Windows XP Home: WXHCCP_EN
• Windows XP Professional OEM: WXPOEM_EN
• Windows XP Home OEM: WXHOEM_EN

Next press New, and from the File Browser window, select the files and folders from your slipstreamed location (in my case D:\XP-CD). Now drag & drop the selected files in the ISO1 window.

Next, burn your new CD.

You now have a Bootable, Slipstreamed Windows XP Service Pack 2 CD!

Why do I get NSIS Error

f you are reaching this page from an error message, you are having a problem installing a program. The downloaded file is either incomplete or modified from the original file. While this page will outline basic solutions:

Please contact the publisher or developer of the program you are installing for complete support.

What does this message mean?

The installer has failed a self-check. This means that for some actions, the installer file has been altered from its original form. If the install were to continue, the software install would not be complete and will be broken. To prevent further problems, the installer refused to continue.

How do I fix the problem?

There are a number of ways the installer can be modified, but we'll cover steps to fix the problem on your end. If all these steps don't work, please contact the developers or publishers of the software you are attempting to install or your normal computer support channels.

If the software was obtained from the Internet

1. Clear your browser's cache.
2. Disable any download accelerators or managers and download the installer again.
3. Rename the installer so it is a simple one-word name with no special characters (without removing the .exe suffix)
   • Example: install.exe
4. Download the installer from another source approved by the software developer or publisher.
   • It might be corrupted on the server, or the connection to the server is unreliable from your location.
5. Update your anti-virus software (if installed) and download the installer again.
6. Disable your anti-virus software and download the installer again.
7. Download the installer using another computer and copy it to the original computer.
8. If you have the nVidia firewall installed, uninstall the program and download the installer again.
9. Scan for, and remove malware and viruses on your system.
10. Scan the hard drive using scandisk, chkdsk, or any other hard drive repair tool.

If the software was obtained from a CD, DVD, or other physical media:

If you are receiving this problem from an installer located on a disc or other media besides the Internet, then the problem may be due to a hardware failure or more likely the physical media being damaged. Try reading files from other parts of the media. If you are receiving read errors with other files on the disc, then the problem is likely due to damaged media. You will need to contact the source of the physical media for a replacement.

Final Options

As a last resort, the installer can be executed even though it's corrupted. To bypass the corruption test, pass /NCRC on the command line. To do so, go to Start->Run, type cmd and hit Enter. A black console window should open. Drag the installer into the window, hit Space and type /NCRC. Hit Enter again and the installer should start. This is not recommended!

When all else fails, you will need to contact either the developers of the software you're attempting to download or your personal computer support channels.

Why can't NSIS help me?

NSIS developed the "envelope" that contains the software you are attempting to install, not the software itself. NSIS is an open-source community that develops the software which installs software. This allows any software developer, including you, to use NSIS to ease the process of installing software. The problems you are having involve an outside party modifying the installer and is beyond NSIS' control.

Again, we stress that you contact the developer or publisher of the software you are attempting to install. NSIS did not create the software you are attempting to install and therefor NSIS can not help you beyond the steps outlined on this page.

NSIS Error Messages

For public record, here are what the NSIS error messages look like:

Installer integrity check has failed. Common causes include
incomplete download and damaged media. Contact the
installer's author to obtain a new copy.

More information at:
http://nsis.sf.net/NSIS_Error

In NSIS versions prior to 2.35 (independent of installed software), the error states:

The installer you are trying to use is corrupted or incomplete.
This could be the result of a damaged disk, a failed download or a virus.

You may want to contact the author of this installer to obtain a new copy.

It may be possible to skip this check using the /NCRC command line switch
(NOT RECOMMENDED).

How-to repair Windows XP, How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade

One of the best kept secrets of Windows XP is it's built in repair feature!

In previous versions of Windows, correcting an operating system error, or installing a new motherboard, usually meant formating and reinstalling, resulting in loss of all data. Don't worry; Windows XP repair feature won't delete your data, installed programs, personal information, or settings. It just repairs the operating system!

Note: The system repair function will remove any updates you have previously installed that are not included on the CD. Drivers will also be reverted to their original XP versions, as well as some settings (network & performance settings may sometimes be reset to their defaults). It may be necessary to reactivate your Windows XP as well. When finished, you will have to download all of the updates from Microsoft Windows Update, because they are all replaced during repair.

Why would I want to reinstall Windows XP?
1) Can't start Windows XP in safe mode.
2) You have problems caused by a recently installed system update (Windows Update, hotfix, Windows XP service pack, or Microsoft Internet Explorer update).
3) Your problems can't be solved with system restore, or you can't access system restore.
4) You've installed a new motherboard, or made other major hardware changes and need to reinstall Windows.

Let's get started!

Step 1: Rule out hardware issues. Windows Repair will only fix software problems. Hardware issues can also cause boot problems (i.e. bad hard drive, memory, CPU, or power supply).

Step 2: Backup. It's always a good idea to backup your important data before making changes to Windows XP. Relax, if you follow these instructions your data will be perfectly safe.

Step 3: Boot from your Windows XP CD. Insert the Windows XP CD into your computer's CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your computer. When the "Press any key to boot from CD" message appears on the screen, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD. Can't boot from your CD? Please see the note at the bottom of this page (Configuring Your Computer to Boot from CD).

Step 4: A blue screen will appear and begin loading Windows XP Setup from the CD.

Note: RAID/SCSI/Unsupported UDMA users:
You will be prompted to "press F6 to install any third party SCSI or RAID drivers". Most users will not have to press F6, but if you are running RAID, SCSI or unsupported UDMA controllers, then you will have to have your controller drivers on a floppy disk. If you are unsure whether you have RAID/SCSI, then simply let the CD load without pressing F6.

When completed loading files, you will be presented with the following "Windows Setup" screen, and your first option. Select "To set up Windows XP now, press ENTER". DO NOT select Recovery Console.






When presented with the screen below. press the F8 key to continue.






Next, Windows Setup will find existing Windows XP installations. You will be asked to repair an existing XP installation, or install a fresh copy of Windows XP.

If no installations are found, then you will not be given the option to repair. This may happen if the data or partition on your drive is too corrupted.

Note: If you install a fresh copy, all data on that partition will be lost!






Your almost finished! Windows XP will appear to be installing itself for the first time, but it will retain all of your data and settings. Just follow the prompts, and have your CD-KEY ready if needed.

Do you have more than one system, or lost your CD-KEY? Visit the keyfinder page to retrieve your CD-KEY.

Update: Due to the proliferation of the Blaster and Welchia Worm/Virus be aware that a Repair Install will leave your system vulnerable. You can get infected within seconds. Do not go on line until you have enabled XP's firewall first.

Remember to run Windows Update! (install critical updates first)

-----------------------------

Configuring Your Computer to Boot from CD

Many computers are not configured to boot from the CDROM. If you cannot boot from the CDROM, this is probably due to the boot order of your devices being incorrect. You can change this in the BIOS.

You enter the BIOS from the first screen you see when you turn your computer on. To enter your BIOS, most users here will press the DEL key.

Most Dell, Toshiba, Gateway, Sony & HP systems will press F2.

Compaq users will usually have to press F10.

IBM typically uses F1 or F2.

Other brands may have different keys to press to enter setup, F1, F2, Del, Tab and CTRL+S. If possible see the manual for your computer or motherboard. Also, the BIOS will usually display which button to press to "enter setup" during POST (if it flashes by too fast, press the Pause key).

When you enter the BIOS setup, you need to change the boot order. The CDROM should be setup before the Hard Drive. Each BIOS is different, but here is an example:



Note: If you need assistance with a repair installation, please start a new topic in our Windows XP Forum. This topic is also open for comments, but not all will receive a reply.

IMPORTANT NOTE: After running a repair, you may find that Windows Update refuses to install the most recent 80 patches. This is because the latest version of Windows Update is broken, and doesn't register some DLLs if they're previously been registered (as happens with a repair install). Here's a work around until they get it fixed:

1. Stop the Automatic Updates service. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
   2. At the command prompt, type the following commands, and then press ENTER after each command:
      net stop wuauserv
      exit
   
   
2. Register the file that is used by Windows Update and Microsoft Update. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
   2. At the command prompt, type the following command, press ENTER after the command, and then click OK when you receive a verification message:
      regsvr32 %windir%\system32\wups2.dll
      Note: for x64 machines regsvr32 %windir%\syswow64\wups2.dll
   
   
3. Start the Automatic Updates service. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
   2. At the command prompt, type the following commands, and then press ENTER after each command:
      net start wuauserv
      exit

Repair XP

How to access Safe Mode:
Reboot your computer while holding down the F8 Key. At the Advanced Options Menu select the option for Safe Mode and press Enter.

How to access Last Known Good Configuration:
Reboot your computer while holding down the F8 Key. At the Advanced Options Menu select Last Known Good Configuration.

How to access the Recovery Console: - take this link for more information
The Recovery Console is a set of tools which run from a Command prompt. If your system is formatted as NTFS then these tools can help you manage the partition. You can learn more about the Recovery Console through Help and Support or
Click here for information about the different commands and their functions .

To run the Recovery Console from CD boot with the Windows XP CD (or with the optional 6 floppy disk set) and select "R" at the Welcome Screen.

The screen will switch to black and you will be asked which installation to log on to. If you only have one installation you will press "1". Remember that numlock is off at this time.

Next you'll be prompted to enter your Admin password. By default it is created blank so just press Enter.

At the C:\Windows command prompt type "Help" for a list of commands you can use.

How to Repair the Boot Sector:
If XP won't start it may be due to a damaged boot sector or a missing or corrupt ntldr or ntdetect.com files.

To replace damaged ntldr and ntdetect.com you can copy fresh files from the XP CD using the COPY command. Boot with the XP CD and enter the Recovery Console (as above). At the Command Prompt type the following (where "X" is your CD-Rom drive letter) allowing the files to overwrite the old files
COPY X:\i386\NTLDR C:
COPY X:\i386\NTDETECT.COM C:

To repair a damaged Boot Sector at the command prompt type FIXBOOT and press Enter. Then answer "Y"

How To Format using the Recovery Console (click for info on How To Access The Recovery Console)

format drive : /Q /FS:file-system

Use the above command (where /Q performs a quick format of the drive, drive is the drive letter of the partition to format /FS:file-system specifies the type of file system to use [FAT, FAT32, or NTFS]) to format the specified drive to the specified file system. For example the following quick formats C partition as NTFS
FORMAT C: /Q /FS:NTFS
the following will do a full format of C as FAT32
FORMAT C: /FS:FAT32
*** Note: If a file system is not specified, then the existing file system format is retained.

Type EXIT to quit the Recovery Console and restart your Computer

How Partition using the Recovery Console: (click for info on How To Access The Recovery Console)
At the command prompt type DISKPART and press Enter.

An interface is displayed which you can move through with the Arrow Keys. Press "C" to create a partition in unused space. Pressing "D" will delete the highlighted partition.

How To Exit the Recovery Console:
You can not use Ctrl+Alt+Del to quit the Recovery Console. Instead type "EXIT" at the command prompt and Windows will be started.

Boot to Windows.

How to Repair Install: ***Also removes Service Packs***
Sometimes the only way to repair XP is to reinstall. You do not have to wipe your partition and start over. Just as with previous versions of Windows you can reinstall right over top of an existing setup. This has the advantage of retaining your installed applications, data and settings. You will lose previously saved System Restore Points but System Restore will begin creating new restore points again immediately following the Repair Install. You will need to reinstall SP2 and any Critical Updates from the Windows Update Site. Be aware that a Repair Install will leave your system vulnerable to the Blaster and Welchia worms. Do not go on line until you have enabled XP's firewall first. Then visit the Windows Update Site to patch your system It is always prudent to backup important data before you make changes to XP.

There are two approaches. The first one should be used if you can still boot to your Windows Desktop. Simply pop the XP CD into the CD-Rom drive and select Install->Upgrade[recommended]. This will install XP overtop of itself in the same way as upgrading from a previous setup. However if your version is an OEM version then you will not have this option. If you do not see the option to Upgrade[recommended] DO NOT choose New Install as that will either overwrite your current setup completely or give you a dual boot setup. Also if you have an older version of XP and have upgraded to a new service pack you will get a message stating that a newer version of Windows was found and you will not be able to run the Upgrade. Create a Slipstream version to solve this problem

If you cannot boot to the Desktop, or you have an OEM version of XP, or you want to remove a service pack then the following should be used to complete a Repair Install.

Boot with the Windows XP CD and at the Setup Screen press the Enter Key

You will be taken to the Windows XP Licensing Agreement. After reading the agreement press F8 to proceed.

The next screen gives you the option to do a fresh (clean) install or to repair the selected Windows XP installation. To run a Repair Install Press "R" at this time.
***CAUTION*** if you do not see the option to repair the selected Windows XP installation DO NOT choose the option to continue installing a fresh copy without repairing as that will overwrite your data and cause unrecoverable data loss.

Windows XP will copy the necessary files to your Hard Drive to begin the installation and will then reboot. You will see the message that informs you to "Press any key to boot the CD". Do not press any keys this time just wait a few seconds and the Windows Startup Screen will be displayed. Following this you will be greeted by the Windows XP Setup Screens.

When Setup has completed you should find all of your previously installed apps and settings are intact.

How To Determine If XP was Activated?
You installed XP and then can't remember if you activated it. Go to Start->Run and enter the following
oobe/msoobe /a

View Product Key XP - Visit the Keyfinder Homepage by Aleks Ozolins
If you have more than one system running XP you have obviously purchased more than one copy of the Operating System. However you may have forgotten which Product Key you used for which system. It happens. I have 5 systems and have had all of them running XP at times. XP does not store the Product Key in a recognizable format in the registry.
Click this link and select "Open" and your Windows XP Product Key will be displayed
Keyfinder is a freeware utility that retrieves your Product Key. has the options to copy the key to clipboard, save it to a text file, or print it for safekeeping. It works on Windows 95, 98, ME, NT4, 2000, XP, Vista, .NET, Office 97, Office XP, Office 2003 and Office 2007. It even has the ability by using Microsoft's own script to change installation keys.

Windows XP Boot Sequence

When you hit the power button on your computer a whole lot of stuff happens. We call this the boot process. In the days when I first started using computers there was literally a "boot disk", a floppy (5.25" not a 3.5") disk that told the system where to go and what to do so that the operating system would start up. Since then the boot sequence has become somewhat more complicated. So let me take you thru the steps the computer takes to get started. For my example I'm going to use a Windows XP system.

1.First is the POST, this stands for Power On Self Test, for the computer. This process tests memory as well as a number of other subsystems. You can usually monitor this as it runs each test. After that is complete the system will run POST for any device that has a BIOS (Basic Input-Output System). An AGP has its own BIOS, as do some network cards and various other devices.

2.Once the POST is complete and the BIOS is sure that everything is working properly, the BIOS will then attempt to read the MBR (Master Boot Record). This is the first sector of the first hard drive (called the Master or HD0). When the MBR takes over it means that Windows is now in control.

3.The MBR looks at the BOOT SECTOR (the first sector of the active partition). That is where NTLDR is located, NTLDR is the BOOT LOADER for Windows XP. NTLDR will allow memory addressing, initiate the file system, read the boot.ini and load the boot menu. NTLDR has to be in the root of the active partition as do NTDETECT.COM, BOOT.INI, BOOTSECT.DOS (for multi-OS booting) and NTBOOTDD.SYS (if you have SCSI adapters)

4. Once XP is selected from the Boot Menu, NTLDR will run NTDETECT.COM, BOOT.INI and BOOTSECT.DOS to get the proper OS selected and loaded. The system starts in 16-bit real mode and then moves into 32-bit protected mode.

5. NTLDR will then load NTOSKRNL.EXE and HAL.DLL. Effectively, these two files are windows XP. They must be located in %SystemRoot%System32.

6. NTLDR reads the registry, chooses a hardware profile and authorizes device drivers, in that exact order

7. At this point NTOSKRNL.EXE takes over. It starts WINLOGON.EXE that in turn starts LSASS.EXE, this is the program that display the Logon screen so that you can logon.

What is the difference between AMD's processors and Intel's Pentium 4 processors?

The main difference between AMD and Intel processors are that AMD processors have a 10 step execution process which doesn't allow as fast of a clock but AMD's counter that by being able to do moreoperations per clock cycle. Intls on the other hand have a 20 step execution proccess which allows much higher clock speeds but they have fewer operations per clock. Thats why a 2.08 Ghz AMD barton can perform at levels like a 2.8 GHz Pentium 4. Another difference between the processors are the sockets they use. AMD's generally use Socket A (462 pins) while Intel generally uses Socket 478 (478 pins). Other differences include supported chipsets, AMD motherboards generally use SIS, VIA, or Nforce chipsets while Intel motherboards use Intel, SIS, and most recently ATI chipsets. AMD is a favorite for overclockers because with minor modifications the FSB multiplier can be unlocked while Intel multipliers cannot be unlocked (Not to say that AMD is used exclusively by overclockers, because it is not, but this ability to be unlocked is a plus). Also as of now Intel processors have the largest L3 cache at 2mb while the largest for AMD is 1mb.

IP Classes

Short for Internet Protocol, IP is an address of a computer or other network device on a network using IP or TCP/IP . For example, the number "166.70.10.23" is an example of such an address. These addresses are similar to addresses used on houses and help data reach its appropriate destination on a network.

There are five classes of available IP ranges: Class A, Class B, Class C, Class D and Class E, while only A, B and C are commonly used. Each class allows for a range of valid IP addresses. Below is a listing of these addresses.

Class	Address Range	Supports
Class A	1.0.0.1 to 126.255.255.254	Supports 16 million hosts on each of 127 networks.
Class B	128.1.0.1 to 191.255.255.254	Supports 65,000 hosts on each of 16,000 networks.
Class C	192.0.1.1 to 223.255.254.254	Supports 254 hosts on each of 2 million networks.
Class D	224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255	Reserved for multicast groups.
Class E	240.0.0.0 to 254.255.255.254	Reserved for future use, or Research and Development Purposes.

Ranges 127.x.x.x are reserved for loopback tests, for example, 127.0.0.1. Ranges 255.255.255.255 are used to broadcast to all hosts on the local network.

All IP addresses are broken down into 4 sets of octets that break down into binary to represent the actual IP address. The below chart is a basic example of the basic IP 255.255.255.255.

IP:	255.	255.	255.	255.
Binary value:	11111111.	11111111.	11111111.	11111111.
Octet value:	8	8	8	8

If we were to break down the IP "166.70.10.23", which is the IP address of Computer Hope, you would get the below value.

166.	70.	10.	23
10100110.	01000110.	00001010.	00010111
128+32+4+2=166	64+4+2=70	8+2=10	16+4+2+1=23

There are several IP addresses used or automatically assigned on a network. For example:

166.70.10.0	0 is the automatically assigned network address.
166.70.10.1	1 is the commonly used address used as the gateway.
166.70.10.2	2 is also a commonly used address used for a gateway.
166.70.10.255	255 is automatically assigned on most networks as the broadcast address.

Users and/or companies who need to register an IP address or a valid range of IP addresses must register that IP address through InterNIC.

• Click here to see what your IP address is and other system settings are.
• Additional information about network commands used to determine network information can be found on document CH000444.
• Additional information about how to determine an IP address can be found on document CH000483.
• See document CH000962 for additional information about determining another computer or a website IP address.
• Information about how to find the physical location of an IP address can be found on document CH001044.

Configuring the Apple AirPort Extreme

These configuration instructions are for the Apple AirPort Extreme wireless router. The screenshots below are from the Microsoft Windows AirPort Extreme configuration utility provided by Apple.

To configure your AirPort, launch the AirPort Extreme administrative interface on your computer. It will attempt to locate your AirPort using your computer's wireless network card as shown below:

If your AirPort is listed, press the 'Configure...' button and enter your password (the default is 'admin'). If you don't see your AirPort in the list of detected Airports, try to find it by pressing the 'Re-scan' button. If this fails to detect your AirPort, it will be necessary to perform the following steps:

• Plug one end of a Category 5 Ethernet cable into your computer's network adapter. Plug the other end into the LAN port on the AirPort.
• Press the 'Other...' button within the configuration utility.
• Type 10.0.1.1 into IP address field.
• Type the AirPort password into the password field (the default is 'admin').
• Press 'Ok'.
• If you are unable to connect to the airport, repeat the above procedure but attempt to use 192.168.1.1 or 172.16.1.1 as the IP address.

AirPort Settings

Click on the "AirPort" tab at the top of the configuration utility:

• Enter your Unity ID in the 'Name' field.
• Click on the 'Change Password...' button and create a new password instead of using the default password ('admin').
• Look at the WAN privacy section. Consider unchecking all of the checkboxes to enhance security.
• Create a network name by entering a name in the 'Network name' field. We recommend that you use your Unity ID as the network name. Do not use the network name 'NCSU'. You may have noticed that the AirPort in the screenshots throughout this document has been named "hazyluster." By the time these instructions have been completed, the name of the AirPort will have been changed from "hazyluster" to the Unity ID of the person configuring it.
• Click on 'Create a closed network' in order to prevent your network name from being broadcast.

Internet Settings

Click on the "Internet" tab at the top of the configuration utility:

• Select 'Ethernet' under the 'Connect using' menu.
• Select 'Using DHCP' under the 'Configure' menu.
• Select 'Automatic [Default]' under the 'WAN Ethernet Speed' menu.
• Make sure all other fields are blank.

Network Settings

Click on the "Network" tab at the top of the configuration utility. There are numerous options that are available here and we present only one option. The option shown below will work fine for most users and will provide an extra layer of insulation between your computer and the Internet.

• Make sure 'Distribute IP addresses' is checked.
• Make sure 'Share a single IP address (using DHCP & NAT)' is selected.
• The 'Use 192.168.1.1/24 addressing' option works well and is recommended.

Access Control List Configuration

This is how you specify what devices can connect to your AirPort; for example, your laptop:

To add additional computers, click on the 'Add' button and fill out the following fields:

NOTE: You need to repeat these steps for any wireless network adapter that you want to grant access to. In addition, you will need to complete this process for any wired ethernet adapaters that will connect to the 'LAN' port of the AirPort

• Enter the MAC address for the network adapter of the device. Instructions for finding your MAC address are available.
• Enter a descriptive name for the device.
• Click "Add."

Sending Configuration Changes to the AirPort

Once you have finished making changes, simply press the 'Update' button located in the lower right corner of the configuration utility. Once the configuration utility completes the update process, you may close the application.

Connect a Category 5 Ethernet cable to your ResNet data jack. Plug the other end into the "WAN" port on the AirPort. At this point, you should be good to go!