My stuff be mostly on cheap non-protecting power strips. The nice surge protectors are collecting dust. I really ought to change that around...

Ok, so he has downgrade rights...how do I get the CD key? Do I have to get the XP restore CD from the OEM?

:shrug: haven't done the downgrade process before

I've only ever done downgrades with open licensing, but I think for retail you have to contact the manufacurer to get media and keys.

I think the official way to downgrade retail involves torrents and :secret:

I want to run a proxy server on my computer for one friend to use. Anyone know a good Windows proxy server program that I can trust?

hmm i ran one called Squid but it didn't have a UI and was a PITA to set up. Once it was running it was fine though. Also I think it was originally for linux so probably not your best option.

/pointless post

Squid is good, and I just looked it up, available for teh windows. Privoxy too. Else I may just go to the effort of setting him up with ssh tunneling.

K peep this.

Dell Poweredge 2950 server. Basically brand new.
Server 2003


Dude remoted in after I switched a card that the phone line hooks up to (This machine is going to be used for our new telephone banking)

he had some error, I had to remove the card and let him do some adjustments.

This is the last email I got from him AFTER he'd made his adjustments, I'd re-installed the card, and thought all was good to go.

Well I went in and took a look and rebooted the server. It will go through POST, but when it comes time for it to start loading windows it just sits there w/ black screen. HDD's are inactive, etc.

I've tried safe mode, last known good config, removed card, put back in old slot, etc.
Nothing.

When I boot to last known Good config, it locks the machine instantly
When I do safe mode it gets to the windows/blah/blah/system part and freezes there indefinately.


What in the hell do I do besides blowing it away? I can't get the repair console to work b/c I can't get the SCSI/RAID controller drivers to load when I use the 2k3 cd to boot with.

need help
going to pick up a wireless router probably this week, i use phone lines to get service. now can i just connect teh router to any phone line and have it send out teh wireless signal or will it have to be connected to teh modem i got from teh company?

How did Windows get installed in the first place?

Can nLite slipstream the drivers into the 2k3 CD?
http://www.nliteos.com/

If not, try a variety of Linux LiveCDs to at least be able to read the bootlog, mess with files, and copy the registry to a USB drive to edit on another computer.

---------- Post added at 12:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:07 PM ----------

Cez, the router needs to be connected to the modem.

I did get it to boot with one Linux CD we have here, but I can't really find anything out of the ordinary..

HDD's 0 and 1 are re-syncing right now...just for the hell of it

Did you check the boot log?

:ffuuu:
so can i move my modem to where i want to place teh router?

...er, not that I've ever found anything useful in the boot log, but it should still be checked.

Cez, yes, you should be able to move the modem. If it's DSL make sure that the modem doesn't have a filter between it and the raw line.

as best i could.

can you dl the raid drivers off dells website to install during cd boot so i can get to the recovery/repair console?

alright cool. hope i can get this thing this week and mess with it.

Are you asking if it can be done, or are you asking if I can do it for you?

The answer to both is probably yes.

LOL no I was not asking you to do it for me.

I think I finally found them on the support site. I'm going to try that tomorrow. The 2 hdds are still syncing

Soooo.... here's a good one for you guys.

Guy I work with wants me to take a look at his laptop. He brings it to me and says, "It won't work." the standard diagnosis, right? Well, it won't boot.

First off, this thing is an off-brand (from what I can tell), old brick. Running XP. I'm thinking it has hard drive issues, given the fact that it hangs at the XP startup screen, then cycles back to the "Windows failed to boot properly" menu. And it's clicking... so yeah.

Anyway, not sure what to do about this one. He wants to save it, if at all possible, so I'm asking the pros. As Rick knows, I'm a few steps behind you guys on my knowledge, but I'm working on stepping that up and trying to break fully into the IT field. So little things like these are great for my skill building, but I don't want to end up totally killing the man's computer, you know?

Any advice?

Well you could pull the HD, put in another one (a spare if you have a little laptop drive laying around) and install xp on there. That way if it boots then you know it isn't any of the other hardware.

The clicking definitely makes me think of a bad HD like you said. I think Rick knows of some apps that may be able to recover some of the guys stuff from the old drive also.

Yeah... That's one of the problems. I don't have any extra drives laying around. I don't think he'd have a problem buying a new drive, but then I've got no way to load an OS onto it. I can get my hands on some Win2k Pro discs, and XP Pro Upgrade discs at work though. Royal pain in the ass, but that should work, right? And how could I make "backups" in case I need to do this again, and didn't have a way to borrow them from work... if you know what I mean. :secret:

If your willing to make "backups" and whatnot, you could probably just acquire a backup of XP and skip all the Win2K crap :imo

So what happens when I have to activate one of these "backups"? Is it legit since I have a valid product key? I've never messed with anything like that because it's basically not worth my time. But as I'm learning more, I'm realizing I've got more and more friends that are computer illiterate, so I could use a copy of XP. Probably get a few free dinners and beers, maybe even some cash out of it. You know the deal. "Oh, you know computers? How much to fix my shit?"

I know what you mean. Well if you have valid keys then you can just get a legit straight backup of an XP disc and you should be fine. There are other versions available that don't require registration but sometimes MS releases updates that break them and show "You may be the victim of software piracy" messages LOL