[hide=DVD drive question]Alright, recently I bought WoW after a friend got me hooked on playing it. Now, he had 5 install discs, just regular CD's. I thought that would be fine, my CD drive opens if you use the drive release with a paperclip the first time, so I figured no big deal.

 

 

 

Well, I rode my bike up to Wal-Mart (it's only a mile or so to my house from there, and I was coming back from a friend's house anyways, cutting right infront). I bought the disc, opened it up, read through part of the manual, and went to install the game. I put the disc in, the drive sounds like its working, green light goes on, open up my computer...no disc? Right click > explore..."please insert a disc into drive"...huh?

 

 

 

I thought maybe it was a bad disc...I went on my mom's desktop, instant success (although her computer doesn't have enough RAM to play the game right)...

 

 

 

Well, my laptop can read the DVD as well...so is there any way I can link desktop to desktop, or laptop to desktop, and use the dvd drive from my laptop or my mom's computer as if it was the one for my desktop? I'd prefer not to go hunting for a new drive, as money is really tight around here, and finding a compatable one for cheap is no easy task (this motherboard is around 4-5 years old, limited connections).

 

 

 

If not, and I get the specs off of the Desktop, can someone help me find a cheap drive that is compatable with my system?[/hide]

 

 

 

[hide=System files question]Alright, I have a desktop computer that was recently hit with a major virus (which downloaded a whole bunch of crap, including winantivirus 2007 or something like that)...Well, I cleaned it out as best I could (running Norton, McAfee, Spybot, and Ad-Aware, and I may try Avira soon...

 

 

 

Well, after that virus hit me, and I started the cleanup process, my computer has been really slow to boot. I booted up in Safe Mode to try and troubleshoot the problem, and I found that my system hangs mainly on agp440.sys.

 

 

 

I did install some new parts just before the virus hit, including a new video card, and a ram chip, along with a new network card. I believe all the drivers and everything was updated recently, but I think this may also be cause for some of the slowdown.

 

 

 

Oh, I just remembered, yesterday I installed a second hard drive on the desktop. It is the same model, capacity, everything, just a few different files (it came off my grandparents computer when the motherboard and a few other parts quit). So, copying files from there would be the most sensible if I could.

 

 

 

Now, All 4 of the computers in the house run the same version of XP. Is there any way I can copy a good copy of this system file (agp440.sys) from one computer, and replace the bad one with it? Or, is there another course of action I must take? This slow startup is annoying, it was never really this slow, taking 20-30 minutes to boot up completely.[/hide]

 

 

 

Any help on either of the above is appreciated. Hopefully I can get back to my desktop soon.

Well, I can't answer the questions, so I will just sit there and read to learn, but I can help with antiviruses.

 

 

 

I would recommend trying Avira as you said it, since it's very good compared to Norton and McAfee, but beware of falsepositives.

 

 

 

Actually, you shoud try a good av, maybe it will find another virus, since Norton is the worst antivirus there is, and McAfee is not far.

 

 

 

I would recommend running the Housecall online scanner or using Kaspersky's, they're good, although I have only tried housecall, using Kaspersky Internet security myself, that is much better than Norton and corrected some problems Norton had caused on my system.

 

 

 

I recommend having NOD32 paired with Zonealarm or Comodo firewalls, and you have good antispyware already. I also recommend Kaspersky Internet Security suite, it's quite good and prevented me from getting viruses even before the webpage had loaded, halting the page.

 

 

 

As free protection, Avast is good, and Avira too. AVG is going down the hill and I don't recomend it anymore.

In regards to the system files question

 

Start -> Run -> chkdsk c: /r

 

 

 

Alternatively, have you tried to start your computer in "Last Working Configuration" mode. That usually tends to fix the problem for me.

 

 

 

In terms of the first question, im not too sure about linking between computers and being able to access the files remotely, but as an alternative, you could just make .iso files of the disk using a program like Alcohol 120% and then transferring the .isos and installing the game using those. Thats what i did to install WoW

First question: My belief is that you're trying to read a DVD from a CD drive, and that won't ever work. There's no way to use a DVD drive remotely that I know of, but you could just pull that drive out of your mother's tower (with her consent) and put it into yours. Just keep in mind you'll probably need higher than a 330W power supply to do this. If that doesn't work, my guess is that you should ask your friend for the five CDs, and use the key you paid for.

 

 

 

Second question: That machine I believe is hosed. Although, surprisingly enough, it's probably not 100% the virus' fault. You must understand this, and it holds true to computers, too -- too much of a good thing is a bad thing. [Although I'm still on the fence as to whether or not AV is a "good" thing...]

 

 

 

Anyway, I've heard good things about NOD32, and you should invest in that ASAP. Before you install it, though, be sure to wipe all the other AVs off.

 

 

 

Also, since we're not in the business of moving delicate system files from one (completely different) system to another, my advice to you is to try to disable the startup feature for *most* of those AV/anti-spybot programs. More or less, it's their fault that the system is taking *so* long to start up.

 

 

 

Try disabling the AVs first, then look into NOD32. Do not move one system file from one computer to another. That's just asking for trouble. If the AV thing doesn't solve the slow bootup, then your only other option is to treat it like scorched earth, get what you can off of it, and wipe the machine clean.

sbrideau2000, thanks for the post, but I already know what I should use for keeping my computer safe, after having made a post about it many weeks ago (believe it was lost in the rollback), and through my computer magazines.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

In regards to the system files question

 

Start -> Run -> chkdsk c: /r

 

 

 

Alternatively, have you tried to start your computer in "Last Working Configuration" mode. That usually tends to fix the problem for me.

 

 

 

In terms of the first question, im not too sure about linking between computers and being able to access the files remotely, but as an alternative, you could just make .iso files of the disk using a program like Alcohol 120% and then transferring the .isos and installing the game using those. Thats what i did to install WoW

 

 

 

I'll try all of the above and get back to you with the results. Thanks for the post!

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

First question: My belief is that you're trying to read a DVD from a CD drive, and that won't ever work. There's no way to use a DVD drive remotely that I know of, but you could just pull that drive out of your mother's tower (with her consent) and put it into yours. Just keep in mind you'll probably need higher than a 330W power supply to do this. If that doesn't work, my guess is that you should ask your friend for the five CDs, and use the key you paid for.

 

 

 

Second question: That machine I believe is hosed. Although, surprisingly enough, it's probably not 100% the virus' fault. You must understand this, and it holds true to computers, too -- too much of a good thing is a bad thing. [Although I'm still on the fence as to whether or not AV is a "good" thing...]

 

 

 

Anyway, I've heard good things about NOD32, and you should invest in that ASAP. Before you install it, though, be sure to wipe all the other AVs off.

 

 

 

Also, since we're not in the business of moving delicate system files from one (completely different) system to another, my advice to you is to try to disable the startup feature for *most* of those AV/anti-spybot programs. More or less, it's their fault that the system is taking *so* long to start up.

 

 

 

Try disabling the AVs first, then look into NOD32. Do not move one system file from one computer to another. That's just asking for trouble. If the AV thing doesn't solve the slow bootup, then your only other option is to treat it like scorched earth, get what you can off of it, and wipe the machine clean.

 

 

 

Your belief is way off base. I have both a CD drive and a DVD drive in my desktop. I tried the disc in the DVD drive (since it is a DVD), and the drive seemed like it was working, but it wasn't...Then I tried to see if the CD drive might work (weirder things have happened, so I gave it a shot), and nothing...I know for a fact the CD drive works because I had just used it.

 

 

 

Also, I can not use my friend's discs because the second one is corrupt. I try to install it, or even copy the file from the disc, and about halfway through, it says there's some redundancy error, and before that it said it couldn't read the file.

 

 

 

I'm not going to reformat the drives except as an absolute last resort. While it is an option (well..not reformat, but DBANing, which is a reformat and then some), it's the furthest one down on my list.

 

 

 

Never say my only option is to ditch the system if your one suggestion doesn't work..I'm sure many people, including those on this forum, would disagree with you (and some, including myself, may refer to a flogging/bludgeoning for such ignorant behavior).

First question: My belief is that you're trying to read a DVD from a CD drive, and that won't ever work. There's no way to use a DVD drive remotely that I know of, but you could just pull that drive out of your mother's tower (with her consent) and put it into yours. Just keep in mind you'll probably need higher than a 330W power supply to do this. If that doesn't work, my guess is that you should ask your friend for the five CDs, and use the key you paid for.

 

 

 

Second question: That machine I believe is hosed. Although, surprisingly enough, it's probably not 100% the virus' fault. You must understand this, and it holds true to computers, too -- too much of a good thing is a bad thing. [Although I'm still on the fence as to whether or not AV is a "good" thing...]

 

 

 

Anyway, I've heard good things about NOD32, and you should invest in that ASAP. Before you install it, though, be sure to wipe all the other AVs off.

 

 

 

Also, since we're not in the business of moving delicate system files from one (completely different) system to another, my advice to you is to try to disable the startup feature for *most* of those AV/anti-spybot programs. More or less, it's their fault that the system is taking *so* long to start up.

 

 

 

Try disabling the AVs first, then look into NOD32. Do not move one system file from one computer to another. That's just asking for trouble. If the AV thing doesn't solve the slow bootup, then your only other option is to treat it like scorched earth, get what you can off of it, and wipe the machine clean.

 

 

 

Your belief is way off base. I have both a CD drive and a DVD drive in my desktop. I tried the disc in the DVD drive (since it is a DVD), and the drive seemed like it was working, but it wasn't...Then I tried to see if the CD drive might work (weirder things have happened, so I gave it a shot), and nothing...I know for a fact the CD drive works because I had just used it.

 

 

 

Also, I can not use my friend's discs because the second one is corrupt. I try to install it, or even copy the file from the disc, and about halfway through, it says there's some redundancy error, and before that it said it couldn't read the file.

 

 

 

I'm not going to reformat the drives except as an absolute last resort. While it is an option (well..not reformat, but DBANing, which is a reformat and then some), it's the furthest one down on my list.

 

 

 

Never say my only option is to ditch the system if your one suggestion doesn't work..I'm sure many people, including those on this forum, would disagree with you (and some, including myself, may refer to a flogging/bludgeoning for such ignorant behavior).

 

 

 

Must've misread your post then, or I didn't necessarily understand that you were using a DVD drive. [specify, specify.] Anyway, if it doesn't work in one drive but it does in another, I doubt that the disk is bad. Could it be that the DVD drive is bad? You claim that the CD drive works, that's fine, but that's not exactly what we're on about here.

 

 

 

Second, go easy with the violence there. :-# It's not ignorant, it's honestly last-ditch. I don't go around, telling people to reformat unless they *need* to, and a 30-minute startup threw up a flag. Are you going to attempt to disable the AV startups? If so, let me know how that goes, and see if the machine starts up a little bit faster.

 

 

 

Sorry that I touched such a sensitive chord with you when I said "reformat". You took it better than most people I know, though. :P

urbestfreind, I'm gonna cut this to quick notes... 8-)

 

 

 

1.) If your DVD drive isn't reading the WoW DVD, then you definitely need to buy a new drive. I recommend something like This one at Newegg.com for your needs. (LiteOn FTW!!!) That or you can try the '.iso'-thing and virtual drive mounting. :ugeek:

 

 

 

2.) Use a comparator utility in regard to that "agp440.sys" file before you do any copying. Compare on at least 3 systems, if not all of them. I suspect, however, that a Driver Reinstall for your Graphics Card may be in order here. (That is, assuming that file has anything to do with it. I could be wrong here, as I forgot what the last mention of that file name was in regard to.) :-k

 

 

 

3.) You've got your AV managed for now, so I won't worry that much about that. But I must place one note of emphasis... Never run 2 AVs at the same time, for they will only conflict with each other. Stick to the auto-protect of one, only call the other when needed. :-s

 

 

 

 

 

And BTW, I hope everything turns out well for you. :

 

 

 

~D. V. Devnull