Help Please

[Thumchok]

A couple of questions for the computer buffs .

First problem .

Bought a desktop computer from Carrfour . Cost of around 15000baht . Didn't come with original windows disk , so had to pay one of the staff another 1000baht to load it up .

I understand partitioning a hard drive so that you have a backup drive should something go wrong , But why into four different drives ? Seems that two would be ample . How do I rectify this problem ?

The Thai guy that loaded it up also put a bunch of mp3s , and games that are a waste of space . I also installed a firewall program that even though it was a registered copy , the website will not remember the registration and keeps asking me to register it . It slowed the computer right down , so I tried to delete it with the windows add remove programs , but the computer still seems to have a lot of leftovers from it .

If I transfer what I want to keep from my main drive to another and format the drive , and reload windows . All the information I have stored will be available , won't it ?

Next PC ,

A Compaq that I bought from Australia with me .

I put a CD in the drive and although the little activity light flashes fore a while , it cannot read anything on the CD . If I click to the drive , it shows no programs on it , or no CD in the drive .

Is it possible that the laser has gone in it ? This condition has only just started , so what are my options ?

I just bought a new laptop the other day , But am wanting to set this old one up for my TGF .

Cheers in advance ,

Jim .

[penguin]

Partitioning into 4 drives sound like something you see on old computers with 10gb hard drives! If you are using XP then 2 partitions are fine, many people only have one.

I've seen a Thai computer guy install all kinds of stuff with Windows, no idea about spyware etc. they think if they don't install a heap of software then the customer will feel they are getting ripped off. I've run Ad-aware and Spybot on an almost new computer here and it has been unbelievable how many things were found. If you want to reformat then you really want to back up anything important to CD, DVD or a USB key. You do know you might have future problems with Windows update using the copy of Windows your Thai guy installed? A genuine Windows XP will set you back at least 4,000 baht or you could always try a version of Linux.

The firewall problem, which one are you using? The freeware Zone Alarm is good enough for most users, less problems than the paid version.

With your CD player can you try it in another computer? If it still doesn't work then maybe it's toast. Could always run one of those lens cleaners just in case. If it's been working before then it's probably not driver related but you could try reinstalling it. I wouldn't waste much time on it as CD/DVD prices have plummeted the last 2 years. A CDRW costs only 750 baht, a CDRW/DVD ROM 1,000 baht or a DVDRW 1500 or less if you look around somewhere like IT City for one that is not the latest release. If you don't have a DVD writer with your laptop you can now buy external models for under 3000 baht and make backups for all your computers.

[Naam]

"I understand partitioning a hard drive so that you have a backup drive should something go wrong , But why into four different drives ? Seems that two would be ample . How do I rectify this problem ?"

there's no such thing like a back-up when you partition a harddrive. if your "C" partition is effed up you are lost if you don't have an image CD of it or a second cloned drive. normally two partitions are made, however some people (like me) believe in single partitions only. but that's besides the point. the only good software i know which can change partitions without you losing data is "Partition Magic. official price around 90.- dollars, pirated copy a few hundred baht.

note: it is illegal to use pirated software!

[Thumchok]

Partitioning into 4 drives sound like something you see on old computers with 10gb hard drives! If you are using XP then 2 partitions are fine, many people only have one.

I've seen a Thai computer guy install all kinds of stuff with Windows, no idea about spyware etc. they think if they don't install a heap of software then the customer will feel they are getting ripped off. I've run Ad-aware and Spybot on an almost new computer here and it has been unbelievable how many things were found. If you want to reformat then you really want to back up anything important to CD, DVD or a USB key. You do know you might have future problems with Windows update using the copy of Windows your Thai guy installed? A genuine Windows XP will set you back at least 4,000 baht or you could always try a version of Linux.

The firewall problem, which one are you using? The freeware Zone Alarm is good enough for most users, less problems than the paid version.

With your CD player can you try it in another computer? If it still doesn't work then maybe it's toast. Could always run one of those lens cleaners just in case. If it's been working before then it's probably not driver related but you could try reinstalling it. I wouldn't waste much time on it as CD/DVD prices have plummeted the last 2 years. A CDRW costs only 750 baht, a CDRW/DVD ROM 1,000 baht or a DVDRW 1500 or less if you look around somewhere like IT City for one that is not the latest release. If you don't have a DVD writer with your laptop you can now buy external models for under 3000 baht and make backups for all your computers.

Thanks penguin ,

It has an 80GB hard drive . I didn't even recieve a copy of the windows disc with the computer , But I have a genuine copy from my old laptop & a genuine copy of XP professional with the new one that I just purchased .

I tried the lense cleaner with the DVD/CDRW and doesn't recognise that either . Being in a laptop , I would have thought they would be more expensive .

bitdefender , was the firewall/antivirus/antispam/antispyware/parental control program that I purchased . It was the only thing they had in IT city . Wouldn't recommend it to anyone .

Thanks again . Looks like an external CD rom may be the way to go .

Jim .

[penguin]

Being in a laptop , I would have thought they would be more expensive .

Sorry, misread your post, thought the CD was in a desktop pc so disregard my prices apart from the external DVD writer.

Looks like an external CD rom may be the way to go .

That's probably a typo but just in case, an external DVDRW is what you want. Blank dvds are now very cheap. I purchased a 10 pack of BenQ x16speed for 159baht last week. No name x8 speed are even cheaper.

I didn't even recieve a copy of the windows disc with the computer

Not unusual, even on a lot of big name computers they have a special recovery partition with an image of the original software so no install cd anymore.