What laptops are available for purchase and would like to know if Windows can be installed on an external device so that it boots from there, not the internal Hard Disk. How would I be able to determine this so that I know the laptop's capabilities/limitations prior to buying it ?
I have an external hard drive (150GB) which is partitioned into two parts. One partition , about 145gb, is data and files of my own. Then there is an extended partition at 5gb in size, which contains windows xp installation files. What I did was take my windows xp cd, make an ISO, and then extracted the iso and put the files into the extended partition of my external usb hard drive.The computer I want to install to has a cd drive that is not working and thus i cannot install windows xp from a cd. The BIOS of the computer DOES support booting from a USB device.I have partition magic software and have used it to create the 5gb extended partition on the usb external drive. However, I don't know how to configure anything so that it will acutally know to boot from this partition and what files to use to start the installation.
I recently decided to start backing up my computer files. I read somewhere you can copy your drive so that way is something goes wrong with your main drive you can still boot from the backup.I have a Biostar P4M80-m4 Mobo, Windows xp is installed. I was wondering if I backed up to an external enclosure could I boot from that in case something happened to the main drive?The program I plan on used is R-Drive Image Since it has a 15d trial. I'm using the copy disk feature.
I recently purchased a 160 GB SimpleTech SimpleDrive (external-USB) for backup purposes. The enclosed software StorageSync (Pro) did a satisfactory job of backing up, although a little slow (1 hr - 40 min for 11.5 GB, no compression).
Neither the on-line manual or website gives information whether a restore is possible from a catastrophic-type incident of the O/S, requiring restoration from a bootup procedure. There's no instruction about preparing a "Recovery CD." I have Ghost 9.0; would this be more advisable to backup the image file; and would Ghost see the external HD from its Recovery CD?
I just installed windows service pack 3 and now I'm having trouble with my external hard drive. when I go to My Computer, and click on it, it says it can't be accessed because of an I/O error. It's a Western Digital MyBook.
I have a Sabrent SBT-EKU25 external enclosure with a 2.5 inch hard disk in it. This is a USB 2.0 drive and whenever I connect it to USB 2.0 port, it is not recognized (or "recognized" as an unknown device" ) on all my machines. It however is recognized as a drive and works fine on one laptop which has only USB 1.1 ports.I have tried separately powered USB hubs as well without success. So I don't think it's a power issue.I have even tried deleting all USB devices in Device Manager and let the machine rediscover them.
Insert any USB device to this computer, Computer keeps restarting and it wont stop doing that until I remove the usb device. I tried with all the usb ports on this computer and problem is the same. Even by hooking up a usb keyboard or mouse, computer wont get to the login screen. it keeps on restarting. It wont even go into 'safe mode'.Anyone have any clue whats going on and the solution to fix it?
I have installed a targus 7 port powered USB HUB on my computer. Device manager reports unknown device. I have deleted and it restalled the drived after the system rebooted. Device manager still saying unknown device. Their is not driver needed according to the manufacture. When the PC is booting it does see the IPOD mini and the Flash drive. But once the PC is fully out and login and I look a the device manager is still reporting unlnown device error (code 10).
I had some trouble last night and today with getting rid of a virus. Now that it is gone, I am having sound problems (maybe related, maybe not). This morning, when I opened iTunes I got a message that there was no audio device detected. After trying several things, I rebooted. Magically, I could play music again. However, a short while later, I again got an error message telling me that there is no audio device found, even though it shows up in Device Manager as working properly. The problem goes away for a short time after I reboot, but returns. It is Realtek AC 97. Why won't my computer keep recognizing it? (It tried going to Realtek's site to download an update. It has updates for Windows 98, 95, etc., but not for XP. Or at least I couldn't find it.)
Running Windows XP on Emachines ET1161-07. Installed all drivers that I could find, since EMachines does not represent XP. Tried Realtek audio and HD audio, tried Intel, didn't work. Tried NVidia, as it has an NVidia motherboard. Spent too much time on this computer. Can anyone lend a hand? I know it's got something to do with Audio, as there's no audio device detected in Sounds, under Control Panel.Customer has to have computer today.
I gotta a XP Home SP2 Machine was running fine then on boot up sound device not found. went to device mng and no items displayed. System restore had been didabled and Norton disabled as well. Done a spyware scan pull nout so did virus
I've been using a Buslink 40G disk-to-go for about 2 years and love it. Today I plugged it into the USB port and the drive did not display. I've searched forums half the night since this drive contains financial data that hasn't been backed up for a month (yes, bad practice, I know) and I need to get it working. I've uninstalled, reinstalled, updated drivers, removed and reinstalled drivers, rolled back drivers and tried everything short of bios changes I've seen recommended.
I had this problem last time when I fresh installed Windows XP Pro on my computer. I don't know the time, but it happens at least 30 days after I reinstall the OS and software. Today, my computer prompted me to install drivers for a PCI Input Device, but I haven't installed any new hardware for months. Basically, I haven't touched the inside of my computer for that long. So why is Device Manager prompting me to install this mystery device? Hardware ID shows that it is from vendor 1102, which is Creative, and I have an Audigy 1. Also, my FireWire port is Code 10, the device cannot start. So I'm thinking the mystery device is the same firewire port. But why show up as a separate device? I tried removing the devices and restarting the computer, but they return to haunt me again. The device properties for the PCI Input Device says PCI SLOT 7, AND I DONT HAVE A 7th slot! Can someone help me, please? Device manager shows my 1394 Net Adapter with a yellow exclamation, and it has code 10, device cannot start. There is an unknown device, the PCI Input Device, which doesn't allow me to install any drivers for it, yet it has the creative Vendor ID 1102. It shows itself as being PCI Slot 7.
I have a feeling that this is simply a case of some registry settings which need adding/modifying/deleting but exactly which ones and what values I do not know. No, I haven't tried re-installing XP.
The system seems to be very stable at this point in time. I run Norton Utilities and other maintenance sw as well as have a firewall/pest remover/anti-virus. Behavior - most things work fine on the USB ports, either the hub or direct connects. One digital camera will only work when direct connected(not thru the hub). I have a scanner that will only work on a 2003 Compaq Presario, but not on the whitebox on any port. Also, I have had two devices that won't work at all. I have noticed that the USB mass storage device icon doesn't seem to be present now when I attach a flash drive. This is recent behavior and doesn't predate every USB problem.
Last night I installed ATiTool 0.24 over my 0.25 version (stupidly). I also did a BIOS update and installed Cat6.3 and then AVIVO converter. When I rebooted, I had this new PCI device requiring a driver,but it's an unknown device and doing an auto update helped me.I can't get rid of this pesky PCI device (tried uninstalling but Windows detects it again after restart/boot-up). All my stuff is working, so I don't know where this critter came from?
I have a huge problem with two unknown devices in my "Device Manager" after formating and reinstalling fresh copy of Win Xp Pro.In my "Device Manager" there is two lines with Unknown devices.
I'm using XP SP3 Home Gateway desktop My device Manager has nothing in it. I don't know when it quit showing. I have checked Bios plug&Play, and it is set in Auto. I am also getting an error stating my recovery D: is running out of disk space.
My computer cannot detect any cd's in my DVD or CD drive. When I open Device Manager the CD/DVD devices have an error. This error: Windows successfully loaded the device driver for this hardware but cannot find the hardware device. (Code 41) Click Troubleshoot to start the troubleshooter for this device.When I run the DriverScan it simply doesn't even have an entry for the drives, probably since it thinks it doesn't even exist at the moment.
Anyone know how I can rename a device in device manager, (or the registry), so it doesn't show #2 after the device.I used the leadtek driver uninstall tool last night. And it removed the drivers I had for this Leadtek Deluxe tuner alright.BUT it also renamed my onboard Gigabit LAN (onboard) to #2 my scanner to #2, and removed my Nvidia drivers for the video card.And reverted the videocard drivers to MS Nvidia drivers.I managed to fix the scanner entry by uninstalling the drivers, then rebooting and reinstalling the drivers.And I managed to fix the videocard drivers, by reinstalling the Nvidia drivers.So, yup, anyone have any idea how I can change the board LAN, so it doesnt have #2 after it? sing XP Pro SP2
the other day I tried to insert my friends usb into one of the frontal usb ports, it said it couldn't recognize the device or that it had malfunctioned. From that point on, Anything connected to the pc via the usb won't be recognized. everything else on the pc works fine, so theirs either some really easy way of fixing this or i need to buy a new motherboard/serial bus.
I bought a WD Passport 160gb. and it worked fine I left it running on my computer for 2 weeks and now its not working error (USB Device does not recognize device) so I thought I broke it, I went out and bought another one and I am getting the same error with the new one and old one, on mulit computers that it worked on in the past, I even tried in on new computers.
This has happened several times and I don't know how to correct it, if anyone has a suggestion please let me know. When I uninstall. unplug and remove drivers, for a USB device (web cam) and then reinstall it later Windows says it #2 or #3 or #4 but there is no other device. Why does it name it that way and how can I make it install as just that device.This has also happened when I installed a replacement NIC card.I hope someone understands what I am trying to explain.
I haven't installed anything new on my computer but today after having my computer shipped to me via UPS I cut on my computer and where the XP load bar screen was I got: "reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device".Seeing this I knew I went into the BIOS setup and tried to turn the system priority to look at the HDD. Instead I only had the option of the DVD drive and the CD drive.I have no idea how to solve this problem and don't have any of the recovery CD's. I DO NOT WANT TO REFORMAT because like a bad little boy I did not backup my 4 years worth of work.
My HP pavilion xt973 CD ROM is nowhere in sight.not on "my computer" or in the BIOS...the HP tech say to pull the side panel and check the cables...my arthritis prevents this and the nearest repair shop is 80 miles away.My question is will windowsXP and my computer support an external CD ROM using a USB cable? I need to install a new printer and can't do that with a CD ROM.
If you get another hard drive cause yours is almost full and there fore messing with the virtual.memory. If you get an external harddrive is it better to move the pagefile to the new hard drive which is what I was going to do change the drive for the virtual memory, then I got thinking, in case you didn't use the external drive all the time hooked up for whatever reason they you wouldn't have a pagefile on the old one does that make sense? I thought maybe it would be better just to move a bunch of pics and music to the extenal drive and leave the virtual memory (pagefile) where it is on the old drive, or would it make any difference??
I have a Dell XPS with XP SP2 all patched up. I have 2 USB ports in the front of my system - in port 2 I have my external 500 GIG HD set as drive F:. when I plug in any USB flash drive tot he other port it makes my external HD go offline for a sec then they all come back up like nothing ever happened - Need help on this as I use my external HD to edit WWW sites and somtimes as a shared drive to my Ubuntu machine.
shows the brand of hard drive and says that it has installed it and is working correctly. The drive shows up under disk management but when you go into "My Computer", it's not there.