-pops- Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 I have to report the death of my first XP computer.I built it in the summer of 2001 for trialling the beta versions of XP (it wasn't called XP then but that's what it became). I obtained the true XP Pro disk on launch day, installed it and the machine has been in almost constant use ever since. OK, it's had new PSU's, hard drives, fans etc. but the main "brains" i.e motherboard and CPU are the originals.Thursday, last, I switched the machine on and went to make my early morning tea. When I returned the screen was displaying the BIOS setup screen. Hmmmmmm---, odd. I shut down and rebooted. The POST beeps were OK but immediately afterwards the BIOS screen came back. The date and time were haywire so I thought the battery had expired. In goes a new battery - no improvement. A second battery (I've had unreliable CR2023's in the past) no improvement.Anyway, leaving out the detail of a whole day of stripping the machine down and (effectively) rebuilding, nothing I did would get the screen to go any further than the BIOS setup.The machine has now been consigned to the spare parts and rubbish bin with something of a tinge of sadness. It has served me well for ten years; on all day, every day with little complaint. I wonder if it got upset that there was a W7 laptop sitting next to it most of the time recently?That was my last XP machine. I am now fully W7. Is this a good thing? I'm not sure. There are a number of (undefinable) quirks and foibles in XP that are lacking in the so-called improved W7 - and, equal and opposite, there are some irritants included in W7.Do I get another laptop of build a new desktop machine? For various reasons, many of them associated with my advancing years, arthritic joints and waning enthusiasm for fiddling about I'm thinking an extra laptop is the way to go.The point of all this is not to bemoan the loss of an old friend but to point out that I lost no data at all. My comprehensive backup keeping and retrieval of the contents of the hard drives saved me yet again from disaster. I am now up and running as normal, albeit one machine less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 Our deepest sympathy go with you. It's so sad to lose an old friend. I'm sure you will still remember it so it's not gone for ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 R.I.P.Death is nothing at all I have only slipped away into the next room I am I and you are you Whatever we were to each other That we are still Call me by my old familiar name Speak to me in the easy way you always used Put no difference into your tone Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow Laugh as we always laughed At the little jokes we always enjoyed together Play, smile, think of me, pray for me Let my name be ever the household word that it always was Let it be spoken without effort Without the ghost of a shadow in it Life means all that it ever meant It is the same as it ever was There is absolute unbroken continuity What is death but a negligible accident? Why should I be out of mind Because I am out of sight? I am waiting for you for an interval Somewhere very near Just around the corner All is well. Nothing is past; nothing is lost One brief moment and all will be as it was before How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanHo Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 Our bass broom - which is now 28 years old, has only had 8 new broom heads and 6 replacement handles and it is still going strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalph Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 Our bass broom - which is now 28 years old, has only had 8 new broom heads and 6 replacement handles and it is still going strong.You sound just like Trigger out of 'Only Fools and Horses'. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted June 2, 2011 Report Share Posted June 2, 2011 I have over the last two months lost 2 XP (laptop) computers. My guess was (from the BSOD codes) that the HDs have given up. It seems that 10 years is about the best you can expect from all the components working together as a computer.I am currently on my old Windows 2000 laptop, which is performing well, but slow. I don't know how long it is going to last, but after that it is Windows 7 for me too.I am actually looking forward to my first x64 experience... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyWhirly Posted June 2, 2011 Report Share Posted June 2, 2011 I am actually looking forward to my first x64 experience...Me too.I'm going to install it on a SSD drive at the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bludgard Posted June 2, 2011 Report Share Posted June 2, 2011 I am not entirely sure that a machine with 64 bit architecture is all that much of an improvement over 32 bit. I may just have a lot to learn.I started out with Windows 7 X64 and have been playing with XP on different machines and feel that XP is more responsive and is a lot less of a resource hog. I suppose with all the right high end hardware....As a matter of fact, I just bought a used Gateway M675PRR laptop w/3.4GHz proc. for schooling purposes and am very pleased with the machine. There was an invalid Vista installed on it and a bad hard drive. I bought a HD for $10 U.S. and armed with a recovery disk of the original OS (XP Pro) obtained from somewhere, I have a beautiful (albeit heavy) machine. Didn't even have to activate the install. Totally activated on it's own and validated through Windows Update.:D. Finding and installing the correct drivers did pose a little trouble, though. However, Within 48 hours I had everything sorted. No (!) marks in Device Manager.B) I am truely sorry for your loss, -pops-. I highly doubt the machine would have been around for 10+ years if you did not appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 Has a date been arranged yet for the funeral?B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D4\/!d Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 I am not entirely sure that a machine with 64 bit architecture is all that much of an improvement over 32 bit. I may just have a lot to learn.bludgard, I have to agree with you.I am on Win 7x64 Ult - with all the right high end hardware. But quite honestly it doesn't seem to respond like it aught to. I have set my machine up so I can dual boot with Win 7x32 Ult, if I fancy the alternative - and sometimes I do - but to be honest I notice no degradation in the performance when using x32.In fact with the x64 setup I am now finding that some programs take an age to load, or on some occasions sit there "not responding" and then after a wait begin to do what I clicked them to do. Not impressed. :(Like you, I may just have a lot to learn... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted June 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 Has a date been arranged yet for the funeral?B)The post mortem/autopsy is still being carried out and the organs suitable for transplant and being retrieved by my compute-mad granddaughter. Such a pity that there are all those redundant EIDE/floppy drive cables - and, of course all those IDE drives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D4\/!d Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 The post mortem/autopsy is still being carried out and the organs suitable for transplant and being retrieved by my compute-mad granddaughter. Such a pity that there are all those redundant EIDE/floppy drive cables - and, of course all those IDE drives.I bet your bits n' bobs box is a treasure trove of tried and tested tid bits n' treats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bludgard Posted June 4, 2011 Report Share Posted June 4, 2011 Like you, I may just have a lot to learn...I know that the computing standard will change eventually to something superior and I do want to be a part of that. However, at this time a 32 bit XP machine seems to be tops as far as my experience and fiddlin' abilities are concerned. I am glad that I am not alone in being unimpressed by "the new kid in town". I am in need of concrete evidence as far as the superiority of this new fangled technology. I am sure this will come about eventually.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D4\/!d Posted June 4, 2011 Report Share Posted June 4, 2011 I am glad that I am not alone ...".That's the beauty of this place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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