O.T. - Connection Problem:

Mark Twain wrote:
I downloaded the ISO file and put it on
the Patriot Key:

http://i67.tinypic.com/fx45xx.jpg - download complete

http://i67.tinypic.com/5y5f6e.jpg - Win 7 file on Patriot key

Robert

So if you need it, you're all set.

Paul

Yes, I still have my backup HD, and
spare HD's with the mrimgs.

The malwarebytes pop-up appeared again
when I logged on.

Here are the only disks that came with the 8500:

http://i67.tinypic.com/2cet2sw.jpg - drivers and documentation

http://i65.tinypic.com/20frl75.jpg - drivers

http://i68.tinypic.com/29yhzl1.jpg - drivers and utilities


Robert

Mark Twain wrote:
Yes, I still have my backup HD, and
spare HD's with the mrimgs.

The malwarebytes pop-up appeared again
when I logged on.

Here are the only disks that came with the 8500:

http://i67.tinypic.com/2cet2sw.jpg - drivers and documentation

http://i65.tinypic.com/20frl75.jpg - drivers

http://i68.tinypic.com/29yhzl1.jpg - drivers and utilities


Robert



While the monitor driver one is probably a driver,
in general I'm not getting a strong signal that
this is *the* driver disc. Normally, an OEM computer
encourages the user to burn a copy of the driver
disc, as part of the OS reinstall set of discs.
You will see brand names, like RealTek or Intel
or NVidia on some of the folders.

Such a driver disc is useful, if you have to use the
Win7 Sp1 Pro x64 disc you downloaded, to do the install.
Which might happen if the factory restore partition was
damaged or missing (alt-F11 or whatever the key press
is supposed to be, it doesn't work).

Missing the driver disc isn't a drop-dead issue
for a desktop. As long as the NIC is working
after the installation attempt, you can visit the
Internet and get the rest of the drivers. From
the Dell site, for example, in the section
devoted to the 8500.

Paul

I found the video card CD:

http://i67.tinypic.com/73dn4n.jpg - video card

http://i64.tinypic.com/2jiijn.jpg - drivers

Robert

I want to be sure I understand ,..the
ISO file is my Windows 7 Professional
disk?

Also how would you recommend I save all
my data and jpeg documentation?

We could also try one more Mrimg to see
if it works before reinstalling the OS.

Thoughts/Suggestions?
Robert

Here's my Mrimgs on the external WD HD:

http://i63.tinypic.com/20091t5.jpg - Mrimgs

Why don't we try using the very first
Mrimg I made(bottom). It surely would be the
cleanest copy and if you show me how to save
all my documentation I can bring everything
back up to date.

What do you think?

Robert

Mark Twain wrote:
Here's my Mrimgs on the external WD HD:

http://i63.tinypic.com/20091t5.jpg - Mrimgs

Why don't we try using the very first
Mrimg I made(bottom). It surely would be the
cleanest copy and if you show me how to save
all my documentation I can bring everything
back up to date.

What do you think?

Robert

You're the driver here, not me.

I just sit in the back seat and nag a lot :-)

*******

You have already used a recent MRIMG to restore
the machine. Any files in the Download folder that
weren't in the backup, would have been lost. So at
this point, you may have already lost a tiny bit
of information.

Since you have expressed concern about your Bookmarks
file in the past, I try to remind you to Export a fresh
copy and put it in a safe place, before restoring an MRIMG.

You can always copy your Downloads folder or whatever, onto
some form of storage media. Then anything you've acquired
over the years, will be in a convenient form to copy back
later.

If you do a Repair Install (run Setup.exe off the Win7 SP1
DVD), then your installed Programs would be saved. But,
exactly how much "Repair" would such an operation achieve ?
My guess is, if an application is messing around here,
you'd be right back where you started.

Whereas a Clean Install (boot the Win7 SP1 DVD and install
from there), would end up causing you to reinstall Firefox,
reinstall Avast and so on. After each major change to the
system, you would reboot, and see if the network icon
misbehaves. By means of such bisection, eventually you
add something to the computer, or use a tool that has
side effects, and the symptoms come back. And then,
you have some idea what is doing it.

If you complete the re-installation of all programs,
and the symptoms do not come back, then you've beat
whatever the (transient) problem was.

Now, in addition to using the Win7 SP1 DVD for doing
the "Clean Install", using alt-F11 and doing Factory
Restore is also a form of Clean Install. It would remove
Firefox (bookmarks and all). It would still have the original
Dell utilities that came with the OS. The downloaded
Win7 SP1 DVD would not have the Dell utilities. The
advantage of using the factory restore, is a very slight
reduction in "driver installing aggravation". But for the
most part, it's a Clean Install too, and removes all the
other Programs you carefully added. (You would still
need to install Avast, look up your license key and
so on.)

So this is a major undertaking, and you need a clear
head, to make a list of things that need preservation.
That might include driver packages for non-Dell added
hardware, copies of all the Program installers and so on.

You will also need to dig up your "license key collection".
Like, don't lose the email with your Avast license key
in it.

So where you keep your email, might also be important.
If you use web mail, all you need is a web browser
when the OS comes back up, and you have access to your
web mail. If, on the other hand, you use a regular email
client and POP3 protocol, then you'd need to carefully
copy the Inbox and related items that the email
tool keeps.

There are details, and looking through your C:\Program Files
folder might serve to remind you of all the things that
need preservation one way or another (license key, program
installer, driver installer, and so on).

If you took the PC to a shop, they'd only make
a mess of all these details. Only you have any idea
where the "good stuff" is kept on the PC, and you're
the best one, to be making backups.

So, what does Paul do ? Either an MRIMG before I start,
or clone the disk (for easy access). All the files
on the old setup, are still available. When I reinstalled
WinXP recently, now I'm running off "NewWinXP C:" but
I still have "WinXP D:" with all my data files. If,
golly, I lost my email files, well, they're on

D:\Documents and Settings\User Name\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\12345678.default\Mail\Lo cal Folders

and so on. I can move that profile over to the new C: .
I might have to edit the profiles.ini near that folder,
to finish the job properly.

And if you think I can make a 100% laundry list for this,
you're nuts :-) I can give a few hints, but you need to
use your eyes and spot stuff that needs doing. I'm just
sitting in the back seat here. I can think of a few things,
but I'm not Kreskin.

Paul

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm seems re-installing the OS
is the only answer,.... but from the sound
of it it sounds like your leaning towards
using the F11 option.

I've already extracted my bookmarks to the
same Patriot key as the ISO file. but I can do
it again.

When you say Win 7 SP1 DVD are you referring
to the ISO file on the Patriot key? Also it
seems I've lost Win 7 Professional by this.

So do a Mrimg to save my data prior to this,..

I have all the Avast stuff on Yahoo

Robert

Mark Twain wrote:


So do a Mrimg to save my data prior to this,..

I have all the Avast stuff on Yahoo

Robert

That can't hurt I suppose.

For at least some of my downloaded ISO files from
Microsoft, I modify the file name to help remind me
later, what the ISO contains.

This might be close to the one you've got,
which is Professional.

WIN7_SP1_PRO_x64_GSP1RMCPRXFREO_EN_DVD.ISO

3,320,903,680 bytes ( a.k.a X17-58517.ISO )

HTH,
Paul

The 8500 came up clean this time but too 20+ minutes
to connect. The previous two days I had the malwarebytes
pop-up so the only solution to this intermittent problem is
to re-install.

I'm going to try the F11 option first; but before I do I'll export
my bookmarks, then do a Mrimg, then cross our fingers,....

http://i67.tinypic.com/2d9oj1w.jpg - bookmarks

http://i68.tinypic.com/6elytg.jpg - Mrimg

Is this the video card driver I have?

http://www.geforce.com/drivers

It appears I have Win 7 Professional, Sp1 after all, and have FF,
Avast etc in my bookmarks,.. so after I import my bookmarks and
data I should be ok and will download each one as you said,.......

well,, here goes,.....

Robert

I tried Alt F11 and nothing happened.


So how do I use the ISO file?


Robert

Mark Twain wrote:
I tried Alt F11 and nothing happened.


So how do I use the ISO file?


Robert


Did you check the manual that came in the 8500 box ?
It might tell you whether it is alt-F11 or control-F11.
On some keyboards, the F-keys require pressing a blue
function key. So it might be alt-bluekey-F11.

*******

To do a clean install (blow away C: or *format*
the C: partition erasing all files), you boot
the Windows 7 DVD disc to do that.

So you'd need to burn the ISO9660 and make a
DVD out of it. Then, boot the computer with the
DVD in the tray. As long as the BIOS boot order
has the optical drive before the hard drive, it'll
start booting the Windows 7 installer disc.

During the reboot, when you see "Press any key to boot from CD",
you must be prompt to hit a key so the CD/DVD will be used.
Otherwise, it'll just ignore the disc and boot from
the hard drive again.

*******

This shows the Windows 7 builtin right-click burning option.
I don't use this, so cannot say how well it works. I typically
use Imgburn 2.5.0.0 and the upper left icon for burning an ISO.

https://s3.postimg.org/4k7ewclir/builtin_burn_win7.gif

Paul

I tried creating a Win 7 CD but it said there
wasn't enough room on the CD? These are Verbatim
700MB CD's.

http://i66.tinypic.com/i3xenm.jpg- Win 7 failed

In passing, why do one set of bookmarks have the
JSON file and the other I just made has HTML? Which
is correct?

There was no manual with the 8500,.. unlike the 8200
which had lots of disks including the Master disk for
reinstalling XP, and manuals (all of which I still have)
the 8500 only came with the two disks I mentioned and
that's all.

I called and asked them about it actually, since this
was a new purchase; they said it was their effort to
save paper.

This is all I have which you provided:

ftp://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-produ...nual_en-us.pdf

I checked page 119 for system setup:

ftp://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-produ...nual_en-us.pdf

and page 125 for boot sequence:

ftp://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-produ...nual_en-us.pdf


Robert

Mark Twain wrote:
I tried creating a Win 7 CD but it said there
wasn't enough room on the CD? These are Verbatim
700MB CD's.

http://i66.tinypic.com/i3xenm.jpg- Win 7 failed

The ISO9660 is 3GB, quite a bit larger than a CD.
You need a blank DVD to make a Windows 7 installer disc.


In passing, why do one set of bookmarks have the
JSON file and the other I just made has HTML? Which
is correct?

You make whatever kind the Import function wants :-)

If the Import option takes either JSON or HTML, you
could use either.

For human use (with a text editor), the HTML one would
be useful to have.

But you will likely want to Import the bookmarks back
into the browser, so check (if you can) as to what the
browser is looking for.

In terms of how the bookmarks are stored in the computer:

1) They're in a database, not a file.
2) Date of last-accessed is recorded. You can sort the bookmarks
by the date fields, in the bookmark editor, which can help
when you know you visited a particular bookmark recently.
3) The database may also record how often the link is used,
so that when it is searching, it can return the most likely
link in the URL bar.

So there is some "helper" info, which gets lost on an Export.
And if there was a format that recorded such information,
that would help with importation on the new browser.

You can always save the entire profile folder for Firefox,
and reuse it on the new installation. Look for "profiles.ini"
or similar. Where it is located, might be different on one
OS or another.

C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox
profiles.ini --- a text file, open with Notepad
Profiles
1234abcd.default --- bunch of .sqlite in here
this is a profile, recording where
you've been.

There was no manual with the 8500,.. unlike the 8200
which had lots of disks including the Master disk for
reinstalling XP, and manuals (all of which I still have)
the 8500 only came with the two disks I mentioned and
that's all.

I called and asked them about it actually, since this
was a new purchase; they said it was their effort to
save paper.

You're right. The manuals are rubbish.

Have a look at the last posting here.

http://en.community.dell.com/support...514/t/19454134

Open Dell DataSafe Local Backup-Basic Edition

Now, the person posting that, says the program (which should be
in your Program Menu), is this file. This is the file if
installed from scratch (if you didn't have it).

This happens to be

dslbdownload.datasafelocalbackup.com/DataSafeLocalBackup_Basic.exe

315,297,792 bytes

So this is our next problem. Has Dell no shame ?

"Why is there no Dell Datasafe Local backup documentation?"

http://en.community.dell.com/support...518/t/19578428

Now, I move on to my next link. This one has a table.

http://dslbdownload.datasafelocalbac...wnload-en.html

Dell DataSafe Local Backup (Basic Edition)

Restore your system back to factory state Yes
Create Recovery DVDs Yes

So those are the two functions of the basic edition,
while the paid edition is a lot more rubbish you don't need.

"Create Recovery DVDs" would give you, presumably, a
set of DVD-R discs. I would try to make any recovery DVDs,
before going any further. Of course, if your MRIMG has
recorded the partition with the factory files in it,
you're covered I suppose. I'm a belt and suspenders
person, so I make stuff like this anyway.

*******

Now, once everything is safe (and maybe your MRIMG would
have you covered for this), you can move on to the
actual procedure.

It says here, to press F8.

F8 Safe Mode still works in Windows 7. Doesn't work in Windows 10.

Ignore the "advertising" at the top of this page and see
the named section.

https://neosmart.net/wiki/dell-recovery-partition/

"Access the recovery partition in Windows 7"

The item you want, is circled in red.

https://s3.postimg.org/wm7xc8wtf/del...er_F8_menu.gif

See what hides in there... :-)

4) Select Repair Your Computer from the list.
Use the arrow keys to go up and down through the list.
5) The "System Recovery Options" screen will appear,
select your keyboard and click Next.
6) Log in as "Administrator". If you don’t have
this account, use any user account that has
administrative rights to Windows 7.
7) Select Dell Factory Tools (this is usually the last item in the list).
The name can also be Dell Backup and Recovery Manager.
8) Click Next to confirm the action.
9) Check the Yes, reformat hard drive and
restore system software to factory condition
check box.

Warning:
This will restore your computer to its default settings.
This action will delete all your personal files
(emails, photos, movies). Backup your files!

# The restore process will now start.
The process can take up to 10 minutes.
# When the process is finished,
click Next to restart your computer.

What one of the threads said, was the alt-F12
option was a WinXP era feature. So I guess every
OS shipped, has a glaringly different recipe.
And no documentation... "to save paper".

HTH,
Paul

Oh you just wanted me to go into the BIOS,...
but I wouldn't of known to go through all those
steps,....

I was able to make a Win7 Pro Sp1 DVD :

http://i66.tinypic.com/2ivmt61.jpg - Win 7 DVD complete

Then install all A/V,.... then bookmarks ,.. then data

However, before I do this a question arises,.. I
believe I have all of the A/V bookmarks on the 780
to get the 8500 up and going and I've saved my bookmarks
and should be able to import the HMTL version once I get
FF up and running.

but do I then use the latest Mrimg (8-25-16) to restore
my data and bring everything up to date? Otherwise how will
I safe and restore my data?


So once we have it set on saving my data I will try to use
system utilities to do this and keep the disk in reserve.

what do you think?

Robert