Originally posted by psycho_mushy
do u have a pirated copy? it does with that! I have experience!
Originally posted by psycho_mushy
well that explains it!
get a real copy and all the trouble goes away!
I got a real one and it works fine ass!
Actually, you're wrong here psycho_mushy. (I do own a legitimate corporate edition, legally obtained via UNSW).
psycho_mushy, the "pirated" version (or illegal copy) of Windows XP Corporate Edition is byte for byte, identical to the corporate copy of Windows XP that I had received legally. If Newbie is using a retail copy (pirated copy), then the code will also be the same for this edition. Windows XP RTM - all editions, will be very similar, with only minor differences between the OEM version that you would receive via a computer store, a corporate edition which you would receive via a volume-license and of course, the retail (store) boxed copy, which you can buy at almost any computer store.
The corporate, OEM, and retail (as well as any MSDN and 'hacked' X-in-1) versions are identical - the only difference is the type of product key (CD-key) they will accept. This is contained in a few files but this is not the point.
With Newbie's case, even if he shells out $600-700 to obtain a fully retail, boxed copy of Windows XP Professional, he will experience the same problems.
The code is the same - they are both the same build, it is the same version, but the key which will be used will differ between versions (corporate keys, retail keys, OEM copies tied to their BIOS, and so on).
Newbie, my question to you is: are you using the "famous" FCKGW key? Because that seems to be the (one of two) popularised CD-keys for Windows XP RTM (it is blacklisted in Service Pack 1; SP1 and SP1a naturally). Does my XP crash? No. But have I experienced problems (even BSODs, infinite loops, stop errors)? Yes.
My suggestion is to disable automatic restarts, so you can analyse the situation and read the stop errors (it should be "Stop Error 0x0000CE" or something similar). To do this:
Right click my computer, properties
Advanced (tab)
Under
Start up and recovery
Settings (button)
Under
System Failure
Untick Automatically restart
hit OK, then OK again (previous window).
Now, whenever your system decides to play up, it will not restart (automatically) so you'll have a chance to see the blue-screen and read it's code. Write the stop error down (if you are experiencing it) and come back here. What exactly am I talking about? Whenever your system "crashes" - I assume it either freezes completely, or restarts automatically. The above tip will prevent the restart, therefore your system will come to a complete halt, but you will be able to see what is causing the problem (via the stop error, or commonly known as the BSOD). Now, once you have discovered what the error is, you can back-track and discover what causes the common error, and solve it.
My only fear is that your system goes into an "infinite loop" like one of my systems before. For example: you turn on your computer, enter your login details, and Windows proceeds to login - before finishing the login process however, the system decides to automatically restart (yes, even in safemode) - after which, you are faced with the welcome screen (or logon prompt, for Windows Classic users) and the process repeats itself until you go into an infinite loop (repeating itself, restart-login-restart-login- ....)
So let me finish what I was saying before to psycho_mushy about pirated copies/editions of Windows XP. If Newbie has a pirated copy, then that is his problem to deal with. If he experiences problems, then he knows that he did not pay for the software and is not entitled to any technical support or help from Microsoft themselves (or any kind of warranty or guarantee that the software will work as promised, such as what you will find in a retail store, boxed copy).
When psycho_mushy says "it crashes with a pirated copy" - this is not true at all. Aforementioned, it
will crash if you use different copies of Windows XP, legally obtained or illegally obtained - this is because you are using the same system, with the same configuration, with the same software and esssentially, the same PC - the only difference is, the CD which is used for installation. Having a pirated copy (I do not condone piracy), does not "explain it" (using psycho_mushy's words).
And when psycho_mushy states "get a real copy" - I'm sure he meant to say "get a legal copy" - because the pirated edition, released two months ahead of the global launch of Windows XP (October 25) was the release-to-manufacturing, final, gold, RTM code. The code was frozen during mid-August and put into production/manufacturing for the retail launch on October 25, 2001.
Just because psycho_mushy has "a real one and it works fine ass!" does not mean that if Newbie gets a "real one" - it will also, work "fine ass". See my above paragraphs on the byte-for-byte code.
The only difference between an illegal copy of Windows XP and a retail store copy, boxed edition - is the type of CD-Key it will accept (this can all be changed, no doubt). OEM versions, which come with newly purchased PCs will have their editions locked to the BIOS. With the "pirated" (corporate) edition of Windows XP, there is no activation, as the VLK (volume licensing key) 'bypasses' the process using the VLM (volume licensing media, or 'corporate edition'). Retail editions are not VLM's and do not accept VLKs (again, anything can be hacked to pieces and made to suit the user's
illegal needs).
My
solution for Newbie? (I had to bold it, because people would have probably skimmed what I've typed out, and they only look at the bold words
)
Get someone, who is qualified or knows his stuff, (or even yourself, if you have the know-how), to clean install your copy of Windows XP (RTM, or SP1). What I would really do is take out what you don't need, and have a bare-bones system - the video card, the primary hard disk (if you have more than one, that's fine too), the CD-ROM and the basics. Take out your network card (if any), your sound card, and systematically insert the cards one-by-one
post installation.
Also take a look at the type of video drivers you are using.
Are they unsigned? Verified? Official drivers?
Have you updated to Direct X 9.0b? This could be the cause of your gaming problems.
Are you using an illegal (FCKGW) volume-licensing key (VLK)?
Can you update to Service Pack 1?
I would really suggest that you remove any PCI cards from your computer, and clean install Windows XP from scratch - backing up all of your data beforehand, so you don't lose anything. From there, if Windows XP installs successfully and detects the most basic setup you have (mainboard, RAM, no sound card, video card, CD-ROM), then you will be okay - see how the system runs without "touching it" for a while - after a fresh installation of Windows XP - also take a look at the hardware connections inside, any heating or temperature problems, the type of software that you have installed and any possible conflicts (say between ASPI layers and having multiple CD-burning software installed).
I would also look at your version of Direct X 9, assuming you have it installed. Visit Windows Update at
www.windowsupdate.com (or
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com) to download all of the critical patches and service packs (don't worry too much about the recommended ones). Update your system from a post-install of XP (cleanly installed, not an upgrade or repair), and see how it runs.
If you're still experiencing problems, reply.