Computer/Technical Help

quote:

Originally posted by Asirt That's good. I hope things work out for you.

Ah, not yet.
1) some online instructions said to use the terminal to create a linux.bin file. I did that and moved it to the NTFS partition, but this did not work to load Linux.
2) I did bootpart exactly as it's supposed to be done (found instructions online), it modified the boot.ini file and created a file to look toward in order to boot to the Linux partition, but that didn't work. Selecting Linux at the NTBoot Loader brought up the bootpart program, but it was unable to boot Linux. It then just randomly tried booting off the network connection... I cancelled that and went back to Windows.

3) Here, I tried just doing things on my own... since I had installed the program you listed earlier which allowed windows to open and mod the Linux partitions, I figured this would work.

code: 1: 2: 3: [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\boot\grub=" kubuntu Linux, kernal 2.6.15-26-386"

It did not.. selecting Linux now, trying the first time resulted in nothing, a 2nd time said it couldn't find a specific Windows file, so I again went back to Windows.

So, currently, I can't boot in kubuntu. greeeeeeeeat ^^;;;;;;;;

quote:

Originally posted by NVWC2006 So, currently, I can't boot in kubuntu. greeeeeeeeat ^^;;;;;;;;

And this is why I don't even bother messing with boot.ini.

Try this and see if it'll work. In order for this to work, you MUST reinstall Kubuntu using the Alternate Install CD, not the desktop CD. Replace all "Debian" items with "Kubuntu" and all that. Some steps may be altered because it's a different distro, but basically install as normal until you hit the "Install GRUB" menu.

quote:

To Use NTLDR The OS selections which NTLDR displays at boot-up (such as "Windows 2000 Professional") are contained in the BOOT.INI file. Both NTLDR and BOOT.INI are hidden system files located in the root of the C: drive. If you want to see them you need to change your Windows Explorer settings. Go into the View options and select "Show hidden files and folders" and un-check "Hide protected operation system files".) If you want to use the NTLDR boot manager, the Linux boot configuration is a little different because Windows can't access Linux partitions. You'll want to use a Windows utility called bootpart that will automate some of the setup for you. (You'll see how to use bootpart a little later.) If you want to use NTLDR, simply answer No to installing Grub in the master boot record. You will then be asked where you want to install Grub. You basically want to install it in the Debian root partition. If you installed Debian in the second partition of your one and only hard-drive, enter /dev/hda2. If you installed it on a second hard-drive, look at the hard-drive designation that you wrote down earlier in this procedure. You'll want to enter /dev/hdx1 so that x matches the 'b', 'c', or 'd' in the hard-drive designation you wrote down. The first part of the Debian installation will complete and you'll be prompted to remove the CD and Continue to reboot the system. HOWEVER, you cannot continue with the second part of the Debian installation at this point because you won't be able to boot into your Debian partition. Complete the next section to install bootpart. Running bootpart bootpart is stand-alone DOS/Windows .EXE file that your run after your Debian installation is complete and you want to use the NTLDR boot loader. In other words, you don't have to "install" the utility. Just extract it (so you'll need an un-Zip utility installed) and put it on your Windows C: drive. Create a folder on your C: drive called 'bootpart' Download the compressed utility from: www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm and store it in the 'bootpart' folder. Once there, un-Zip the file into the same folder. Open a DOS window and at the DOS prompt type in: cd\bootpart to go into the bootpart folder. Then at the DOS prompt type in: bootpart by itself to list the partitions. Note the number of your Linux root partition (type 83). It will most likely be a '1' because your Windows parition will be '0'. Enter the following bootpart command (replacing the '1' with the appropriate number if necessary): bootpart 1 bootsect.lnx Debian Linux Now type in: bootpart list which basically just displays the selections that are contained in the BOOT.INI file and you should see the "Debian Linux" selection listed. IMPORTANT: Do NOT delete the bootpart folder on your Windows C: drive. It contains the "bootsect.lnx" file that NTLDR calls. Now just reboot your system and "Debian Linux" should be listed with your Windows selection(s) on the boot menu. Select it and put the Debian No. 1 CD back in the drive and return to Step 5 of the Debian installation routine on the Installation page.

quote:

Originally posted by Asirt And this is why I don't even bother messing with boot.ini. Try this and see if it'll work. In order for this to work, you MUST reinstall Kubuntu using the Alternate Install CD, not the desktop CD. Replace all "Debian" items with "Kubuntu" and all that.

Ah well, I just wanted the NTLDR to manage things instead of GRUB. too bad i found out too late. we caught this early though, so it won't be a problem to reinstall Linux.

Alternate Install? I have a LiveCD I made. That's it. Should I go back to ubuntu's website and find another ISO to download and burn, or will my LiveCD work fine?

quote:

Originally posted by NVWC2006 Ah well, I just wanted the NTLDR to manage things instead of GRUB. too bad i found out too late. we caught this early though, so it won't be a problem to reinstall Linux.

Don't worry too much about it. As I said earlier, you can customize GRUB to work how you want it anyway, so yeah. Try that last suggestion I made and see if that did the trick. If not, just stick with GRUB.

quote:

Alternate Install? I have a LiveCD I made. That's it. Should I go back to ubuntu's website and find another ISO to download and burn, or will my LiveCD work fine?

When you went to this download page, did you download the "desktop" iso, or the "alternate" iso? If you have a Live CD, it's most likely the "desktop" cd, as the desktop cd has a "install" icon on the desktop. The alternate cd doesn't use a desktop.

quote:

Originally posted by Asirt When you went to this download page, did you download the "desktop" iso, or the "alternate" iso? If you have a Live CD, it's most likely the "desktop" cd, as the desktop cd has a "install" icon on the desktop. The alternate cd doesn't use a desktop.

Yep, you're right. So I guess I'll have to download this 650 megs or so, burn and install. Unless somehow the Desktop CD can install GRUB not on the MBR.

quote:

Originally posted by NVWC2006 Yep, you're right. So I guess I'll have to download this 650 megs or so, burn and install. Unless somehow the Desktop CD can install GRUB not on the MBR.

I'm afraid not. The desktop CD can reinstall GRUB, but only on the MBR. Thank goodness for those Live/Install DVDs that have the two CD's in one.

But at any rate, let me know if any other problems or questions arise when using Ubuntu/Kubuntu/Xubuntu/Edubuntu/BigObuntu/PPGZbuntu/whateverbuntu. I'll be happy to help all I can.

success! i reinstalled using the Alternate CD. I installed Grub to the Linux partition. I was able to use bootpart to boot into linux, and from there, extract a boot file to use in windows instead of bootpart, which i tested and works.

i let it update itself, installed samba, and gnome games. i did not even have to mess with the NTFS this time, it was easily able to open and view the drive.

the games had come w/the LiveCD but not the alternate, so i'm wondering what else i missed.

i guess all there's left is searching the ubuntu forums for how to make samba work, get the media files going, and then teaching myself over time.



now if only my Lexmark All-In-One would just start working again, this computer would be in tip top shape ^^. speaking of which, since it STILL doesn't work, and the final idea was Windows Recovery Counsol, is it possible to estimate what will be changed back (and therefore, what programs i'll have to reinstall to operate correctly?)? My WinXP cd is only up to SP1, so would it be a better idea to make a new OS cd with more current security updates to Recover from?

quote:

Originally posted by NVWC2006 Success! I reinstalled using the Alternate CD. I installed Grub to the Linux partition. I was able to use bootpart to boot into linux, and from there, extract a boot file to use in windows instead of bootpart, which i tested and works.

That's great to hear.

quote:

I let it update itself, installed samba, and gnome games. i did not even have to mess with the NTFS this time, it was easily able to open and view the drive.

Even better. It's amazing how much easier it has been to use Linux. Back then, soundcards, USB drives, and NTFS drives have been a pain to get working. I remember those days; I couldn't get on the Internet the first time I tried Red Hat.

quote:

I guess all there's left is searching the ubuntu forums for how to make samba work, get the media files going, and then teaching myself over time.

Remember, This link is a good place to get started and make the most out of Ubuntu.

it's all well and good until the problems arise...

ok...

i booted today. brought up NTLDR like it should. i went to Linux. while in linux, i installed firefox, different media file support, set up IMing... i wanted to go back to windows. so i rebooted.

but then I got "Error loading Operating System"

...say what now?

general keys on the keyboard did nothing, tho Caps lock lit up the light on the keyboard. i tried Ctrl+Alt+Delete and the computer rebooted. same error. i figured something went wrong w/the MBR, tho how, i don't know. popped in the XP cd and did fixmbr again. it reported it as repaired. rebooted... and got the same error again.

so right now i'm running off a Slax LiveCD... i can view my partitions fine. the windows one is ok, boot.ini is peachy and all that, the Linux partition is fine as well. I'm not quite sure where this problem is supposed to lie. Skimming online, this only appears to happen to people just installing the OS before it gets a chance to run, and it may have to do w/something in the BIOS. but i didn't change any of that.

I'm gonna go through the BIOS and see if I can find something, then maybe let the computer sit for a bit. If there are any ideas on a solution, it'd be much appreciated.

It just seems so random..

quote:

we're good! took forever, but i figured out that SLAX has a cfdisk utility... and using that, i saw somehow Linux Swap became the bootable partition. so i changed it back to the NTFS partition XP was on and everything ran FLAWLESS. yaaaaaaaaay *cheers*

Great! Linux saves the day once again!

we're good!

took forever, but i figured out that SLAX has a cfdisk utility... and using that, i saw somehow Linux Swap became the bootable partition. so i changed it back to the NTFS partition XP was on and everything ran FLAWLESS.

yaaaaaaaaay *cheers*

I've finally given up on Norton Anti-Virus.

What at some better alternatives?

quote:

Originally posted by R.Smith I've finally given up on Norton Anti-Virus. What at some better alternatives?

NOD32.

quote:

Originally posted by R.Smith I've finally given up on Norton Anti-Virus. What at some better alternatives?

Free: AVG and avast! are both good free AVs, i prefer avast

McAffe can do some good stuff. i'm sure i spelled it wrong...

also, i'm hearing many good things about Kaspersky.


remember, in getting rid of Norton software to download and use the Norton Removal Tool SymNRT.

It helps get rid of some more of the folders Symantec products leave behind when you uninstall them.

Thanks for the suggestions, NVWC2006!

I'm currently using Avast, and it's really great!

The only problem so far was accessing my msn.com email, but I read up on how to get around that.

However with that said, the same setting to get around it prevents me from staying logged in to LiveJournal. I have to then switch back the conection settings in Firefox back to 'direct connect to the internet'.

Is there anyway to configure things so I don't have to go and change my settings back and forth if I want to check my email and then go login to LJ?


*edit*

Well the above problem seems to have worked it's self out.

However.....

One other slight problem. Sometimes when I try to open the 'On-Access Protection Control' I get the BSOD.

Here's the detailed info from the report,


and also the only thing I saw that seemed to matter on the BSOD was: '***STOP: 0x0000008E(0xC0000005, 0x00000000, 0xF5B54C40, 0x00000000)'.



One more thing....

I keep getting:


When I go to check my email. Now I know it's just the stupid ads they have, but while I don't really mind clicking cancel 3 or 4 times I figure there has to be a way to get that to stop. I've tried blocking all that rad.msn.com has, but they still come up.


Hmm, might have found a solution to the problem.

Hm, nope I don't have those entries so it's something else?

That ALL is really odd. I don't use mail from MSN personally, but at least in general of terms of webmail, I've only had one problem between Firefox and email on websites, and that's the use of Outlook Web Access (which works fine in IE) so those problems are beyond my scope...

@_@

This conflict between avast! and ZoneAlarm will be the end of me.


I've set everything to what the site says should take care of the problem, and half of the time it works, the other half..... it doesn't.


I really like avast! so far, but if this keeps up looks like I'll have to try something else.

quote:

Originally posted by R.Smith @_@ This conflict between avast! and ZoneAlarm will be the end of me. I've set everything to what the site says should take care of the problem, and half of the time it works, the other half..... it doesn't. I really like avast! so far, but if this keeps up looks like I'll have to try something else.

i've never had a problem between the two. avast popped up at the beginning saying it's unsure if they could work together, should it turn off certain web scanning. at first, i said turn it off, and then through my own use, i had no problem, so i enabled all the avast stuff and it worked fine.

the only adjustments i made in zone alarm was to NOT monitor my antivirus, and to allow avast to update itself (which i have to remind zone alarm every time avast has a program update as opposed to a virus database update).

i've never seen avast's instructions so i dunno if u've already tried this stuff.. if not, it may be worth a shot.

Well looks like I've settled the email problems for the time being.......


However, I've been unable to connect to mIRC. I keep getting the following:

quote:

Connect retry #99 72.20.17.176 (6667) - * Unable to connect to server (Connection refused)

I've paused avast!, but it doesn't connect.


I don't know 100% if it is due to avast!, but given the previous troubles....


Help and/or suggestions?

For some reason my mouse is all grabby and my keyboard lags in gammes. Even old games like Half Life.