Trying to install XP and Ubuntu as dual-boot on a Dell Dimension 3100. The first menu, where I select which operating system to load, is off-centre and starts halfway down the screen. Some of the bottom of the menu appears at the top of the screen. Which means some of the options can't be seen. Help! [more inside]
posted by Cantdosleepy on Sep 10, 2009 - 5 answers

Why can't I install Windows XP Pro on my Dell laptop? I get an error message that says "acpi.sys is corrupted". I can install Ubuntu 8.04 just fine. [more inside]
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints on Mar 24, 2009 - 47 answers

Windows Explorer can't see certain files within folders on an external hard drive. I'm running XP. I plug in a Firelite 40-gig external drive. Windows Explorer recognizes half a dozen .wmv files and three folders. However, it tells me that those three folders are empty, when in fact they each contain about 5 gig of MP3s and/or .doc files. When I hover the cursor above the folder, I'm told "Folder is empty." Okay, so I disconnect and plug the Firelite into my laptop, which runs Vista. Lo and behold, those folders are no longer empty at all, and all of my files are visible. What's going on?
posted by jackypaper on Jan 23, 2009 - 5 answers

I have one of these with a corrupted Windows install, and a broken CD drive. It's network-bootable, but I've never tried that before. [more inside]
posted by saysthis on Jan 15, 2009 - 5 answers

Running XP on my computer, off of someone else's internal hard drive [more inside]
posted by senterstyle on Dec 3, 2008 - 10 answers

Building a uber powerful gaming pc, what parts to buy as I don't want to be a sucker. Need your help. Intel Core i7 [more inside]
posted by spinko on Nov 22, 2008 - 26 answers

Why is MP3 playback sssuuudddeennllyy gggrriiinnddiinngg doowwnnnn? [more inside]
posted by Shepherd on Aug 22, 2008 - 3 answers

ParentTechSupportFilter: My father has a virus. *sigh* before I send him to Geek Squad, what else should I tell him to do that he hasn't done already? [more inside]
posted by micawber on Aug 15, 2008 - 15 answers

My parents computer crashed. I never determined the cause. It had XP on it. They've since bought a laptop, and want to recover documents from their desktop. They bought a hd enclosure. I connected the hd, and it's recognized, but it seems that the profiles must've been encrypted. I know that it's almost impossible to break the encryption, but want to be helpful, any suggestions? [more inside]
posted by TuxHeDoh on Aug 7, 2008 - 11 answers

WindowsXP laptop, performed an XP automatic update on itself and has since had no internet connectivity. Despite connecting and receiving an IP address. [more inside]
posted by geekyguy on Jul 10, 2008 - 5 answers

Will Windows 98 and XP run and dual boot (or, treble boot, I suppose,) with my new Vista running computer? [more inside]
posted by Snyder on Jun 8, 2008 - 5 answers

Games PC CPUFilter: Is it worth upgrading from an Athlon64 3500+ Venice to a 4000+ San Diego? (plus a bonus question on 3GB RAM in XP and dual channel memory). [more inside]
posted by boosh on May 30, 2008 - 12 answers

VPNFilter: I like my home network, but I want to access it outside of my home. How do I set up my WRT54GL running DD-WRT v23 SP2 to do that? [more inside]
posted by billtron on Apr 21, 2008 - 11 answers

PC Help again again. I have an old pc with windows 2000 server installed on a 20gig SCSI drive. I am trying to install a 40 gig IDE drive that has xp on it. I don't need windows 2000 server anymore so I want the computer to boot into xp but it isn't happening for me. What am I doing wrong? [more inside]
posted by snowjoe on Mar 22, 2008 - 11 answers

What programs\packages are available that allow one to plug a cable into one pc, the other end to another pc, and then migrate the data? [more inside]
posted by zephyr_words on Feb 19, 2008 - 8 answers

My computer is sick. Please help (XP pro). [more inside]
posted by wilful on Feb 15, 2008 - 16 answers

I reinstalled Windows XP on a Dell machine running Ubuntu and it won't run above 640 by 480 resolution and 4 bits. It's an 80gb hard drive with 2gb of RAM, and there is nothing I can think of that would cripple the system like this. Any idea how to get the system running like it should be? [more inside]
posted by andoatnp on Feb 12, 2008 - 15 answers

I've just bought a Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Keyboard 7000, which comes with the matching mouse (8000). It works great with my Windows XP computer, as long as the computer is on. Once I switch the computer off and attempt to restart, the Bluetooth connection is lost and the computer won't start, citing the lack of a keyboard as the reason. Only by repeatedly fiddling and resynching can I get the computer started up. Can anyone suggest how I bond these three devices in permanent holy matrimony?
posted by skylar on Jan 23, 2008 - 15 answers

NTLDR is missing! YIKES! [more inside]
posted by D Dear on Dec 26, 2007 - 17 answers

It's time to replace our desktop computer. After threads like this about the sluggishness of Vista, I'd prefer to get XP Pro, but it appears that some vendors, such as HP, only offer Vista. I'd rather not buy a computer with Vista and then install XP. Ideally, the new box would come with XP Pro and include a coupon for Vista that will still be valid in one or two years when Microsoft will presumably gets its act together. Does anyone have such a thing? Thanks and happy holidays! [more inside]
posted by lukemeister on Dec 26, 2007 - 24 answers

Help me decide whether to downgrade to XP Pro or move to Ubuntu from Vista. [more inside]
posted by heavenstobetsy on Dec 22, 2007 - 26 answers

In Windows XP, is there a way to see the password that is stored in the system to log into a wireless network? [more inside]
posted by al_fresco on Oct 24, 2007 - 6 answers

How to keep prying eyes from the files on my laptop... [more inside]
posted by TheGoldenOne on Sep 1, 2007 - 9 answers

Should I install Vista on my next computer or stick with XP? [more inside]
posted by wintermute2_0 on Aug 24, 2007 - 33 answers

I am building a new computer and was wondering if this setup seems good I already have the OS and case/power supply more details after break. (previously, previously) [more inside]
posted by DJWeezy on Jul 26, 2007 - 13 answers

My audio device is giving me the following message: "Driver is enabled but has not been started." Please help. [more inside]
posted by padjet1 on Apr 24, 2007 - 8 answers

Friends of mine bought a Packard Bell PC back in 2003. It's never been the real deal, the computer it should have been despite the huge amount they paid for it. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Apr 21, 2007 - 8 answers

Can I fix a corrupted XP boot by copying the system files over from another installation drive? [more inside]
posted by XQUZYPHYR on Apr 5, 2007 - 11 answers

How do I change my computer's "delete" and "drag/drop" settings? [more inside]
posted by radioamy on Mar 16, 2007 - 10 answers

So it's come to this - I see no other option than to ask a "help me fix my PC" question. After some troubleshooting the STOP errors seem to have been resolved, XP now boots successfully but is excruciating slow to the point of being unusable. Details and specs below the fold. [more inside]
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane on Mar 4, 2007 - 25 answers

What's the best Windows software package to edit video and create DVDs? [more inside]
posted by IvyMike on Feb 25, 2007 - 6 answers

I am having a really hard time with installing Windows XP SP2 on an older Dell laptop... [more inside]
posted by jimmyhutch on Jan 29, 2007 - 4 answers

My LCD screen on my laptop refuses to stay on. [more inside]
posted by chicobangs on Dec 3, 2006 - 9 answers

Windows XP, Celeron 700, 384ish meg RAM, brand new Seagate 7200 400gig drive. at some point in the recent past, my pc developed a habit of spontaneously rebooting if i rapidly scroll through a folder with a large number of images in it before windows has had a chance to render all of the thumbnails. [more inside]
posted by radiosilents on Dec 3, 2006 - 5 answers

XP: Vanishing Folders -- Sometimes I put a tilde (one of these ~) in front of a folder name to alphabetically move it to the top of a folder list. These folders, I'm now realizing, are vanishing on me. Any idea why? Any idea where to find them?
posted by rumbles on Nov 23, 2006 - 14 answers

Did my keyboard try to kill my computer? [more inside]
posted by pdb on Nov 22, 2006 - 11 answers

Copied hard drive won't let me log on! [more inside]
posted by backseatpilot on Nov 14, 2006 - 17 answers

How can I fix my Windows XP "Limited or no connectivity" error when I plug my laptop into my university network? [more inside]
posted by jordanian2 on Oct 4, 2006 - 12 answers

Can I force an OEM copy of windows to install in VMWare server on top of linux on the PC the OEM windows copy came with? Failing that, is there a legal way to install a "normal" copy of XP pro (since I have a license? [more inside]
posted by gte910h on Oct 2, 2006 - 5 answers

How can I return my Windows XP computer to its original speed after goofing up the Prefetch folder? [more inside]
posted by jordanian2 on Sep 18, 2006 - 14 answers

Why is my computer suddenly grumpy, slow, and generally uncooperative? [more inside]
posted by chefscotticus on Sep 6, 2006 - 14 answers

Windows XP Startup question. How do you configure the deskstop to appear on startup? [more inside]
posted by Pressed Rat on Aug 22, 2006 - 6 answers

Looking for a simple application to monitor the time a user has spent logged in in Windows XP. [more inside]
posted by bluefrog on Aug 19, 2006 - 3 answers

Why is my computer sending and receiving so many bytes of information in such a short amount of time? [more inside]
posted by Maishe on Jul 28, 2006 - 13 answers

Why does my Windows XP installation not only boot when I turn Bootlog mode on? [more inside]
posted by Jimbob on Jun 28, 2006 - 4 answers

Please recommend or disparage your supposedly "quiet" or "silent" XP desktop computer; unlike some recent posts here, pre-assembled rather than home-brew. Have you used a Dell XPS 400 or Dimension 5150 in a quiet bedroom? I'd appreciate advice based on recent personal experience. I'm aware of endpcnoise and quietpcreview. [more inside]
posted by Dave 9 on Jun 25, 2006 - 22 answers

In a nutshell. I have a PC running Windows XP, personal edition. I want to restore the computer to factory standards (when i got it out of the box). No CD's or Discs came withthe computer. IS there a way to do this through XP? Its a HP 523n Desktop, and I have had the computer almost 3 years.... (more) [more inside]
posted by TwilightKid on Jun 6, 2006 - 11 answers

I want to change the group policy on windows xp home. It is easy to do on Windows xp professional, but I have a computer that is running windows xp home. The windows firewall is greyed out and will not let me reactivate. When I try it tells me that the firewall is being controlled by group policy. Where can I find group policy on xp home?? I'm running sp2. Is this a known issue with SP2?? thanks.
posted by tesseract420 on May 31, 2006 - 10 answers

How can XP notify me when the startup process is complete? [more inside]
posted by harkin banks on Feb 28, 2006 - 4 answers

Knowing Explorer is no longer being upgraded for macs, how can I best assure browser compatibility across platforms (from a previewing standpoint)? [more inside]
posted by j.p. Hung on Feb 24, 2006 - 11 answers