System Crash

Warning:<BR>
Running Win XP? Don't even think about purchasing Simpletech's FlashLink card reader. As an owner of two digicams, one taking SM the other taking CF, I thought a dual card reader would be the way to go ( you know, simplify my life). I saw one at Circuit City yesterday... bought it... installed the drive ( With the usual Win XP warnings... I love and hate XP ).Now my less than 6 months old Sony Vaio Slim top PC is dead in the water. After an hour on the phone with Sony tech support ( Very nice and helpful people), we determined I will either have to A). Do a complete system recovery = erases the HD, or B). Purchase a whole version of Windows XP and use the repair function on the disc. ( My PC had windows pre-loaded, so I do not have just a plain Windows XP disc).<BR>
Luckily approx. 95% of my critical data is on this PC and burned to a CD... but my more recent D7 work is on the HD of the crashed PC. I now have to find someone to extract those files before I procede. Oh what fun! <BR>
Just wanted you to know so no one else has to have this unpleasant experience.<BR>
Wish me luck.

[NJMurphy]

Sorry to hear it. A lesson to be learned: when you buy a PC with Windows loaded (as if you could buy one without any operating system, haha) you should always be sure that a system CD is included. After all, you're paying for the operating system as well as the PC, not having the disc means you're being ripped off.<BR>
<BR>
Unfortunately, a lot of shady computer resellers work this way.

[Richie]

You can buy an OEM copy of Windows XP Home for $88 from <A HREF=http://www.newegg.com" TARGET='_blank'>http://www.newegg.com</A> or Pro for $140. I've ordered many PC parts from them before as well as two copies of XP Home. The only catch is that you need to buy hardware with the CD - Buy a stick of memory. If you don't want to spend money on memory, but an IDE cable or a floppy drive it's all hardware too /ibb/skins/default/emoticons/wink.gif <BR>
<BR>
-Richie

Update:<BR>
Well, the data is saved, but had to be put in a folder temporarily so that Win XP , etc can be re-installed. I have learned a valuable lesson... burn a CD EVERY TIME I have new image files. <BR>
Thanks to all who replied.<BR>
:-)

[Magikil Wizard]

Melanie Kipp,<BR>
Thought you might want to know that the I use the Microtech SmartMedia/Compact Flash card reader that interfaces through your USB port. I'm running Windows XP Professional and it works great. The readers show up as removable drives when viewing "my computer".<BR>
Good to hear you recovered your data. /ibb/skins/default/emoticons/smile.gif

[Richie]

quote:Originally posted by <aruzinsky>:<BR>
<b><BR>
<BR>
Many people build their own PCs from components, including "bare bones" systems without OS.</b>I build all of my PCs except for my laptop /ibb/skins/default/emoticons/wink.gif . As for the "no-catch" bit, there is a catch... microsoft might not support it if you didn't buy hardware with it. I don't need their help, but just a thought. New Egg has excellent service though.<BR>
<BR>
-Richie

[davebcamera]

Hi Melanie,<BR>
My daughter has both a Sony Vaio laptop and PC purchased several months ago. Both came with pre installed XP. However, Sony included a "XP Rescue Disc" with each. Her PC crashed in a similar fashion to yours last week and she had a computer repair person come in and they were able to fix the system with the "Repair/Rescue XP Disc".<BR>
<BR>
The fault here does not lie with either Sony or any other manufacturer--blame Microsoft. It appears they are no longer supplying regular OEM XP software discs for every windows computer sold. It's their way to prevent copying. In addition, one has to register with Microsoft within a certain amount of days, or your computer will freeze up, and you will have to beg Microsoft to allow you to reboot.

[Gochugogi]

Davecamera writes, <i>"In addition, one has to register with Microsoft within a certain amount of days, or your computer will freeze up, and you will have to beg Microsoft to allow you to reboot."</i><BR>
<BR>
Sheesh, with wonderful support like that, maybe you should switch to Mac OS X or some other favor of UNIX. Billy G is one naughty boy.<BR>
<BR>
Aloha, Gochugogi