Question about CPU speeds...

[Firestormalpha]

walmart also offers a 'build your own' through cyberpowerpc: http://www.walmart.com/ip/CYBERPOWER...ndingMethod=rr

I've also been browsing tigerdirects barebones kits, like this one: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...0&sku=B69-1583

But it's been over a decade since I put one together, plus I'll have to put up for the OS. So I'm a little iffy about it.

[Firestormalpha]

On a marginally related note, I've been using my dad's old-old averatec laptop (Averatec 2200 series, XP Home edition, HDD reads as 69.5GB, I'm assuming it's 80GB with 10 taken up by the OS, RAM is supposed to be either 512MB or 1GB) to look things up when I'm not sitting at my computer. It's riddled with issues. If I try to right click on the desktop or in any of the computer folders I get some kind of validation error, explorer shuts down and I have to do a manual reboot to get things running again. I installed ad-aware some time ago and at some point it detected some trojans, say about 4 of them. says it removed them and that I should reboot to make sure they're gone. Reboot and scan again, only to find they never really left.

The laptop came with some kind of subscription required system restore software called Phoenix or something like that. My dad never bothered to subscribe and the system didn't come with an option that I could find to create a restore disk.

What I want to know, is there anyway to totally wipe the system and re-install the whole thing, OS and all that? Like say, if I bought an XP OS disc (if I can find one) and ran it in the laptop would that work? If it even got things going that far, would I be missing some kind of proprietary files to run things like the touch pad, optical drive, or screen?

Mostly I'm just curious if I can squeak out a bit more life from the old thing. As it is, since I can right click on anything, I haven't a clue how much ram I'm working with or the processor speed.

Additional info that may or may not be pertinant:
Some time ago the powersupply went screwy and the AC adaptor manage to fuse itself to the socket (don't ask me how) couldn't be removed and it wouldn't function anymore. My brother's father-in-law works in the IT field. He did some work on it, replaced the socket, battery no longer functions, but the machine will run just fine (power wise) so long as it remains plugged in.

[ElfBane]

You will need the Driver disk for sure. If you don't have that it will be extremely difficult to get that machine up and running. You can go to the company website and see if they have a legacy driver suite... but I'm betting it won't be that easy, and you'll have to DL individual drivers one-by-one... if you can even find them.

[Firestormalpha]

XP OS disc runs between $100-150. Plus the headache of finding the appropriate drivers. It'd almost be better to spring for a $200 laptop... almost.

I think I'll just stick to my original plan and wait til I can afford the computer I want.

Thanks for the info all the same.

Update:
Not sure if she still has it, but I gave my sister my old XP Home install disc (not sure if it'll activate, having been installed on my first computer some time ago.) But I may be able to use that to reformat the OS.

As near as I can tell, there is no longer an Averatec website.

But I found this page: http://www.trigem.com/us/support/drivers.asp

which seems to have the drivers I need. I was able to find a section for averatec 2200 series drivers downloads.

[robertthebard]

So long as you have a valid product key, you can use any disc for that OS to install it. Win XP is, after all, Win XP. So if the laptop came with XP there should be a product key somewhere on the machine itself, or in the paperwork, assuming you can find it. I have used this system's WinXP disc to install XP on a couple of computers that came with XP just using their product key.

[Azred]

I concur with ElfBane--even if (when) you get an XP disk you will have to hunt down drivers, the website you found notwithstanding. This is the part I dislike the most about reimaging older systems.

This article might be a little old but the logic is sound, presuming that computer can boot from a USB drive. This is how we image computers here now.

[Firestormalpha]

Ok, got my dad's vista laptop up and running. Had some issue where it didn't recognise the speakers, or other audio outputs. Decided to run a system recovery. After which I had to re-update the system. The OS is pre-SP1. SP1 comes up in the windows updater.

When I try to install it, it takes all of half a second, says it's successfully installed, then lists it as an available update all over again. The installer tells me that my computer may restart several times during install, and that it could take some time. As I stated, I blink and miss it. Obviously SP1 couldn't have installed, especially if it's telling me it's still an important update to install.


Scratch that
>>>>>Tried finding a download on microsofts site, but they say they no longer support it. They have SP2 for download but it says that I need SP1 installed first...

What can I do?

Is there an alternate legitemate place to download Vista SP1?<<<<<
^Scratch that^

Found a download on microsoft... now I gotta see if it runs any better than whatever was Windows Updater was trying to do...

[Firestormalpha]

To revisit an issue I encountered a couple years ago. My dad's XP laptop (the averatec) has some issues.

Mainly, if I attempt certain tasks/actions I get an error message, and then explorer shuts down, leaving me with a nice view of the desktop image and nothing to interact with except the power button.

The error reads:
"Validation failed for C:\WINDOWS\system32\VSINIT.dll. You probably are missing a necessary root certificate."

A topic on microsofts support site says to run the Sfc scan, and it should fix the issue or ask for install media to fix the issue. I did as recommended and it did neither. Does anyone have any ideas how to solve this issue?

Most other sites are trying to push "scan now, pay before we fix software". I've looked them all up, they're reputed to be 'safe', but ineffective.

Could the answer be as simple as downloading and running a registry cleaner?

So far my best idea is to re-install XP and track down the drivers I'll need. Hopefully the Trigem site I linked to has what I need, as it appears to.

Alternately, I've considered attempting to download the driver install files one at a time and see if that works out the issue.

If I can't find my old install disc, or fix the laptop some other way, I may just send the unit off to an e-cycling location. At any rate, it'll be of severely limited use to me at that point.

[robertthebard]

XP should have some drivers that would at least let you get it where it runs, and can surf to find what you need. If nothing else, it should at least be able to run any USB ports, and you can just plug a mouse in, and maybe a keyboard if you needed to.

If all else fails, I have an ecycling outlet store by where I live, and I'm certain that there would be lots of them selling refurbished laptops for cheap. I think they sell them for 150 dollars at the store by me. I have run into situations messing with older computers where it was ultimately cheaper to just buy a "klunker" for what the computer was supposed to be doing.

[Firestormalpha]

Ok, managed to fix the validation issue.

Apparently it was related to corrupted files in a ZoneAlarm install.

Followed instructions to remove files and no more validation errors.