Author Topic: Windows XP Pro troubles (Read 717 times)

Golfer · « **on:** April 06, 2005, 08:45:54 PM »

I just upgraded from Windows ME to XP.

There are a few things that aren't working out for me so far. The first I noticed is when I right click on desktop, the typical pop up menu does not come up, the machine freezes for a moment then an error box pops up saying DrWatson malfunctioned.

The second is now my Joystick no longer works in AH. Saitek X45, CH Pro USB pedals and CH Flight Sim USB Yoke are not located.

Little help please!

Thanks in advance.

Heater · « **Reply #1 on:** April 07, 2005, 02:41:29 PM »

Golfer...

Did you do and ugrade or clean install?

Golfer · « **Reply #2 on:** April 07, 2005, 03:48:42 PM »

Upgrade. It sure is annoying because I don't think I did anything wrong.

Maybe I need Sherlock Holmes to help me find and kill Dr. Watson.

FBRaptor · « **Reply #3 on:** April 07, 2005, 05:25:03 PM »

The error is not being caused by dr watson, it is being reported by it. To check out what is going on you can get to the dr watson program by the following.....

go to run....type in

drwtsn32

hit enter......this will open it up for you to check the dr watson error logs. Hopefuly this will shed some light on what is causing the problem with your desktop.

Also my Saitek X-52 works great with XP Pro...... try and reinstall the drivers and software.
good luck

Golfer · « **Reply #4 on:** April 07, 2005, 05:38:51 PM »

I was told that Dr. Watson was a Windows ME utility and I need to delete it from the system.

Does anyone have an idiot-proof guide for uninstalling windows ME and then installing fresh Windows XP? At one point I was proficient with DOS but that day is long gone.

Thanks.

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 07, 2005, 06:18:21 PM »

http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=93658

Golfer · « **Reply #6 on:** April 07, 2005, 06:53:55 PM »

Nifty. I have a question, can I backup all my files on C: drive so when I format it...I don't lose my entire friggin world including school, work and play files?

Cobra412 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 07, 2005, 08:17:59 PM »

Golfer do you have a spare hard drive laying around that doesn't have an OS on it? If so I'd just connect it temporarily (format it if needed) and transfer the files you want to keep. Or if you have a cd burner just burn all that info onto a disk. Or if you have a second pc temporarily setup a lan connection and transfer the files that way. I think the easiest would be burn the info if you have a burner.

I know with my XP Professional upgrade I never had to load the original OS (98SE) to install XP. I set up my bios so that the cdrom would be looked at first for an OS instead of the hard drive. I then placed my XP Pro into my cdrom and booted it. If I had a second OS loaded it would give me the option to boot to either that OS or the cdrom. I chose the cdrom and followed the on screen instructions to format the C drive. When trying to install it will ask you for a previous version of Windows(it will not ask you for the cd key of the original version). Place your ME disk in the tray and proceed. It will do a little reading then tell you to replace it with the XP disk. After the first time during the install that it asks you to reboot I change my bios back to normal during that reboot. Then continue the setup and your all done.

Note:

I know I had issues if my pc was connected to the LAN right away. So I saved the fixblast.exe onto a disk from my wifes pc and before connecting the lan I ran this to avoid getting that chitty virus that shuts your pc down after 60 seconds.

Golfer · « **Reply #8 on:** April 07, 2005, 08:23:16 PM »

I don't have the ME disk. It was crushed in a tragic office chair accident some time ago. I think I'll just burn things like Aces High, my picture/video/audio files (I have only a 56k connection so redownloading will be the biggest pain in the rear you ever did see) considering the 25 or so gig's of "stuff" i've loaded onto this computer.

Thanks for the tips I think i'll just save my files, format the hard drive and go straight in with XP. Sound like the easiest option?

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 07, 2005, 08:53:16 PM »

Didnt you say you have the upgrade version of XP? You'll need to have something to prove a previous version of Windows to it before it will install XP. If you cant come up with something, I believe I have an old recovery CD from an HP computer I rebuilt for someone awhile back, or I can make a copy for you of my Win95 or Win98 CDs. Come to think of it, if all you really need is the .CAB files I could just copy off that folder and zip it, it might be emailable (of course with a 56k download its going to take you awhile).

Golfer · « **Reply #10 on:** April 07, 2005, 08:57:41 PM »

I upgraded from ME to XP. There is an upgrade window printed on it and on the side it says it will only work if I have one of the windows versions listed. It says it will search my hard drive to locate them and I had no trouble simply booting up the computer normally and popping in the disc. It's just there are some things that don't work and it's quite buggy like something just isn't right. I'm at a loss now

Cobra412 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 07, 2005, 08:59:48 PM »

Golfer is the XP disk you have purely and Upgrade Disk? If so I don't think you can do it without another OS disk. There might be a trick out there to fool it but I'm not sure. If not ask a buddy. Granted it won't help you later if you need to reload but it will get it loaded until you can get another basic OS like 98 or ME.

If it's an original I'd say it's the easiest and cleanest way to go. If you have anyone near you who is nice and on broadband ask them if they'd mind downloading a bunch of windows updates and burn them to a disk like they described in that BBS link. That could save you some time if someone will help you.

I know just as precautionary measure I always partition my drive if it's fairly large so it will have basically a "save me" drive. That way if for some freak accident I have issues and need to reload windows I can always save that stuff to that partition if my burner isn't working and/or if I can't connect to a lan to transfer the info.

Cobra412 · « **Reply #12 on:** April 07, 2005, 09:03:14 PM »

I'm telling ya borrow a friends old 98 or ME disk. I use the same 98SE disk when reloading both my wifes pc and mine. Granted I've got two seperate XP upgrade disks but I still use the one original full 98SE to get it started. It won't ask for that disk again ever after it's seen it at the beginning of the load.

Golfer · « **Reply #13 on:** April 07, 2005, 09:03:56 PM »

I hate computers

Ok...so I save all the files I want on CD's.

I format my C drive

I now have a big paperweight of a computer.

With the formatted C drive...I pop in the windows XP disc.

During the startup sequence it asks for an earlier windows version disc...I put this in and it makes the disc happy.

I reload the XP disc (or follow the directions) from here and when it's over I have a computer with XP.

Is this correct?

Cobra412 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 07, 2005, 09:07:45 PM »

I hear ya Golfer. I tried the upgrade thing from ME once too. It didn't seem to like it much. So a friend told me I didn't need to load the main OS then do the upgrade. I just needed an original disk handy so it could see it when loading XP directly.