• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

Windows ME system32 error...

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.

Alchemy1

Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2004
My girl has been having problems with her computer. She has had the original install of ME on her computer since she got it new years ago. It is to the point where she could not scandisk or defrag. I have been telling her to reformat, but she has lost all her disks to the computer.

Long story short. She has been having problems with accessing her email and things of that nature. She decides to reboot and the computer comes up to a black screen saying system32 error....etc. She didn't copy down the message so I can't give it to you exactly. I told her it sounds like her OS has finally crapped out on her and she needs to reformat. Is this her only option? She has been told she can hook up the hard drive to another computer and recover her files and I told her if her OS is corrupt there is no chance in that. Can she save her data by doing this?

I told her I think it is time for a new computer in general...she will be starting to work on her PhD in the fall and this computer is way too old. She says she wants to get a laptop as her main rig so she can be mobile. I tell her to me that is not a good idea(she is kinda clumsy), they tend to be more tempermental than a desktop. They are much better as a secondary rig. What do you guys think? Would you trust your PhD data to a laptop that you are carrying aroud with you all the time?
 
Hummm. i know this is possible with windows xp but i dont know about windows me, just try to install the operating system in the same windows diretory so it will just reinstall the system files, of course your setting will be different but all of the files that you may not have had a chance to back up should still be there.....but like i said i dont know if you can do that with ME
 
Alchemy1 said:
She has been told she can hook up the hard drive to another computer and recover her files and I told her if her OS is corrupt there is no chance in that. Can she save her data by doing this?
Yep that should work (I've done it quite a few times).
Reinstalling WinME over the old install often works as well (It doesn't always fix the problems), I've done this several times as well.
 
You are right about laptops being tempremental. If she is going for a PhD, she needs a good desktop and if it is important that she be mobile, then get a lower cost laptop in addition. Even a used one from a local computer fair would work. :p

Laptops are notorious for dead hard drives, busted plug in cards, etc.

Also, laptops don't like coffee dumped on the keyboard in the coffee shop. :drool:
 
That is what I told her. I think she is goign to see what she can do with her's and go from there, but I told her she needs to look for a computer before the fall. Her old one is just too old.
 
My girl has been having problems with her computer. She has had the original install of ME on her computer since she got it new years ago. It is to the point where she could not scandisk or defrag. I have been telling her to reformat, but she has lost all her disks to the computer.

What kind of computer? Most of the major manufacturers will send you a new set of recovery disks for a small ($10-15) handling fee.

She has been told she can hook up the hard drive to another computer and recover her files and I told her if her OS is corrupt there is no chance in that. Can she save her data by doing this?

Works fine for me, and I do it at least once a week. Easiest and fastest way I've found to do data transfers to customers' new computers. You could also just toss in an old, small HD, install the OS to it, and use it to access the original drive.

Doing a reinstall over the existing operating system will work as well. Just keep in mind, although all your programs are still there, the drivers and libraries and such are all gone. So she'll have to reinstall every program as well.

I told her I think it is time for a new computer in general

I never disagree with getting a new computer. If all she's using it for is word processing and internet, she should be happy enough with a $400 eMachines tower.
 
I am trying to convince her to catch Dell when they are having that free LCD upgrade on the $499 systems. I think I may have her convinced.
 
Back