preventing auto-shutdown

Will it boot in Safe Mode?
Any error messages?
When it shuts down, does it restart or simply turn off?

Ron

I'll try booting in safe mode, but when it shut downs it stays down. In order to get it up I have to abort the startup before drivers and startup programs are loaded by hitting the power button. Usually, when I hit the power button again after doing that it restarts normally.

dg

Ron:

>>>If I understand correctly, you can get it to boot to the desktop by hard powering off before XP starts to load. Otherwise, XP shuts down itself.

That's correct.

>>>Are all 4 rear LEDs on the tower green when it starts shutting down by itself?

Will check.

>>>Did you install the correct chipset driver?

Hmmm--it's the original chipset--never reinstalled that.

>>>Look in BIOS to see how power management options are set for resuming from power failure etc.

Will do.

Thanks!

dg

If I understand correctly, you can get it to boot to the desktop by hard powering off before XP starts to load. Otherwise, XP shuts down itself.

Are all 4 rear LEDs on the tower green when it starts shutting down by itself?

Did you install the correct chipset driver?

Look in BIOS to see how power management options are set for resuming from power failure etc.

Ron

You didn't say which model this is so I presume it's an 8400 from your signature tag. The 8400 chipset driver is here:
http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&releaseid=R91894&SystemID=DIM_PNT_P4_8400&servicetag=&os=WW1&osl=en&deviceid=3268&devlib=0&typecnt=0&vercnt=3&catid=-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=1&libid=27&fileid=119730

You also need Dell's Desktop System software (DSS) for the 8400 too:
http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&releaseid=R104418&SystemID=DIM_PNT_P4_8400&servicetag=&os=WW1&osl=en&deviceid=6317&devlib=0&typecnt=0&vercnt=4&catid=-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=1&libid=7&fileid=134821

Typical order for resinstallation is:
XP
DSS
Chipset driver
video driver
audio driver
network driver
etc.

And there are some special considerations for the 8400, here:
http://www.djdenham.com/8400%20Special.htm
If you don't have a RAID setup, you just need to read the last paragraph.

Here are good general instructions for reinstallation on a Dell PC:
http://www.djdenham.com/Install%20Procedures.htm

Ron

Ron:

You're correct--it's an 8400--the first system listed in the sig.

If I'm re-installing from the original XP disk, do I still have to install the DSS, Chipset driver, video driver, audio driver, and network driver?

I'll check out Denny's guidelines as well. Thanks again.

dg

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: Dell's XP CD only installs XP, nothing else. The drivers and DSS are on the separate drivers and utilities CD. Better to get the latest drivers and utilities from the download page for the 8400 because some, including DSS, have been updated. Just make sure you get the right ones for the installed hardware.

Looking over your hardware specs, I see you have Promise ATA card installed, so you have to reinstall that driver too. Don't know Promise cards, but if it's like the SIIG ATA133 add-in card in my 8400, you may have to disconnect the HD attached to it before you can install the card's driver to get it properly recognized in device manager. Then reconnect the HD and install it's driver, if any.

Ron

Message Edited by RoHe on 03-28-2007 11:03 PM

From your advice I can see I really dropped the ball on this installation. I was working with Retrospect backup files that enabled me to recover my docs and settings, but I don't think I applied them exactly as I should have becasue I'm noticing that this installation is very unstable. [System Mechanic Pro's registry tool identifed 118 registry errors but could only fix a handful.] I'm thinking I'm going to have to go the long route and do a clean install of XP, install the DSS and chipset, then Promise driver [I have the latest and did apply it on this install] and finally, swap in my docs & settings. Does that seem sound?

In this last attempt @ restoring I actually wound up failing the first time [the Retro files didn't take]. The result was that I get the message indicating that there are two OS's installed [though one isn't recognized by Windows]. Another very strange aspect is that on disk management there's no FAT partition for the Windows stuff--have never seen that to be the case. The more I look into it the more I think a clean install in the order above [your order with a few items added] seems to be the safest bet. Would you agree?

dg

Yes, sounding like time to reformat the HD and reinstall. :(
Don't forget that you'll have to download all Microsoft updates and fixes for XP, Office, IE, etc. etc. So I hope you have broadband access.

Ron

I did get the updates, but that was one of the reason it I actually had to do the repair install--initially I couldn't get the XP updates. re: reformatting: will doing a full [the slow one] reformat during xp install completely get rid of everything [my goal]? Or do I need to stick it another machine and reformat there?

and yup, I do have braodband.

thanks--

dg

You should be able to reformat the HD right in the 8400. Disconnect all peripherals except mouse, monitor and keyboard. Reboot and run BIOS setup to make hard drive setting is set to "RAID Auto/ATA". Then boot from the XP CD and follow the prompts. Accept to the offer to delete the existing partition and you're off and running...

When that's done, install DSS, chipset, video, audio, network drivers, other drivers, etc. Get firewall and antiviral running and go directly to MS site for all the updates and fixes. And when that's all done, update your antiviral software signature files.

Hope you have a weekend to spare ;)

Ron

Ron:


Yup, know what I'll be doing this weekend...

Your ordering of the process is a huge help. Three final points:

1) >>And when that's all done, update your antiviral software signature files.

Do you mean update those programs? [I use AVG AV plus FW, the paid version.]

2) I have the complete Documents and Settings folders for three accounts on this machine saved to an external drive. which I'll disconnect during the re-installation. Is it OK to replace the new, complete folder for each account? Or should I only replace the individual components within each folder [such was the emails, documents, etc.]? I'm assuming I do this last.

3) For my programs it's a mix of CDs and setup files I downloaded. Is it OK to copy the programs file to an external drive and work from the setup files within the root folder of each program? Before I reformat I'll have go thru my emails and locate the license keys for some. [I'm trying to avoid missing any, which is why I'm suggesting using the setup files within the program folders.]

Thanks again for all your help.

dg

Message Edited by dg27 on 03-30-2007 06:43 AM

1. Yes. Antiviral programs put out regular updates for new viruses. The installation file you have either on CD or downloaded will only have the last update at the time you got it. Don't know how AVG does it, but there may be a button in the program to click to check for updates. You can do this after you update XP. Just don't open emails or surf until AVG is updated.

2. You can probrably replace the folders on internal HD with the folders from external drive. This assumes the software will let you delete the folder you want to replace. Some don't let you delete an "essential" folder, in which case you may have to move the folder's contents from one HD to the other.

3. Depends. If the installation program allows you to specify an installation path on a different drive, your approach is probably fine. But, there may be instances where the installation program has to be on the same drive where the actual software is installed.

Don't forget to back up (export) your browser's favorites list, email address book, etc.

Post back and let us know you survived this ordeal. ;)

Ron

Ron:

>>>>1. Yes. Antiviral programs put out regular updates for new viruses.

Upon installation AVG automatically checks for updates, one of the reasons I like it.

>>>>2. You can probrably replace the folders on internal HD with the folders from external drive. This assumes the software will let you delete the folder you want to replace. Some don't let you delete an "essential" folder, in which case you may have to move the folder's contents from one HD to the other.

I'll probably just open Documents and Settings on the boot drive and copy to [replace with] the files in the recovered folder for each user.

>>>>3. Depends. If the installation program allows you to specify an installation path on a different drive, your approach is probably fine. But, there may be instances where the installation program has to be on the same drive where the actual software is installed.

If I have time I might just copy all the setup files to CD for the ones that I downloaded [that's worked in the past].

>>>>Don't forget to back up (export) your browser's favorites list, email address book, etc.

Those were all recovered by Retrospect and reside in the Docs and Settings folder on one of my external drives.

>>>>Post back and let us know you survived this ordeal.

Will be starting this tomorrow morning. Don't anticipate big problems, just a very long process!

Thanks again.

dg

Update: Haven't re-installed yet--decided to take a little more time this go 'round, since that machine is still working [though the XP install definitely has bugs galore]...decided to clean out a lot of the data I've been moving to new machines for years, as well as purge some programs--just won't reload them.--dg