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Chris Parks
12th November 2007, 12:10 AM
The missus turns her laptop on this morning and then informs me it won't boot, so I looked intelligent then called a mate. He tells me that the boot files have become corrupted and the recovery discs will only do a clean install which I was aware of and trying to avoid. So I spent the afternoon getting the drive out of it, setting it up as a slave drive, copying all the files off it then re-installing all the software. That took about 8 hours all up when I could have been in the shed building cabinets. I left her to recover all the files off the LAN drive, she needs the practise.

blackhole
12th November 2007, 07:38 AM
Those little laptop hard drives are as slow as a wet week!


There is a hard drive recovery program called spinright available at www.grc.com, that might be helpful. If jou have already recovered the data files then spinright can still be used to fix the drive so that the fresh install does not get written onto bad sectors of the disk.

munruben
12th November 2007, 08:21 AM
The missus turns her laptop on this morning and then informs me it won't boot, so I looked intelligent then called a mate. He tells me that the boot files have become corrupted and the recovery discs will only do a clean install which I was aware of and trying to avoid. So I spent the afternoon getting the drive out of it, setting it up as a slave drive, copying all the files off it then re-installing all the software. That took about 8 hours all up Aren't computers beautiful:)

ptc
12th November 2007, 09:46 AM
I love my Imac !

horse
12th November 2007, 10:19 AM
I love my Mac too!

Barry_White
12th November 2007, 10:32 AM
I hate smug Mac users.

Geoff Dean
12th November 2007, 10:44 AM
Love my Macs as well:D:D:D

ptc
12th November 2007, 12:07 PM
it is pretty.

Chris Parks
12th November 2007, 10:46 PM
Well, it has done it again so I will now practise patience and not throw it off the balcony and we have a very high balcony over a pool, so tempting.

Big Shed
12th November 2007, 10:52 PM
Time for a new HDD Chris?

rileyp
12th November 2007, 11:21 PM
Often when the boot file is corrupt you can just boot to a command prompt (hitting f8) and then type fixboot
This will repair the boot sector and the files within and your pc wil start again!
Im not saying it will work every time But it has worked for me 2 or 3 times on different pc's
Dont you hate good advice 12 hours late:C

Chris Parks
12th November 2007, 11:25 PM
Time for a new HDD Chris?

Now let's not be to hasty Fred :U. I don't like machines getting the better of me so I will give it another go and then it might be time to drag the spare laptop out and give it to her. I really can't see it being the harddrive as it acts normally and I can do file transfers off it ok when it is set up as a slave. If the MBR was shot it would not boot, it is a Windows system file which went walk-a-bout and it repeated the same error after the re-install. The file is NDTLR and it is a known fault though I have never seen it before. Macs? I don't think so, I run some software for data logging on karts and it is PC based. I know I can run an emulator but I bet I can't buy a Mac laptop for anywhere near the price of a PC based machine. I have also heard some horrendous stories about Macs not being too reliable also.

rileyp
12th November 2007, 11:43 PM
Did you repartition the drive and clean format prior to installing windows.
If the drive formats etc without hassles then its probably the motherboard or bad ram on the laptop.
You can download hard drive fitness test from the manufacturers eg seatools westernd digital ,maxtor etc..

It may be the laptop motherboard swollen/leaking capacitors!

Chris Parks
12th November 2007, 11:52 PM
Yes, the recovery discs do a format and clean install with no option. I will check it in the morning and make a decision from there. I had it all apart to get the harddrive out of it and the board etc looks ok.

Big Shed
13th November 2007, 08:03 AM
Did you repartition the drive and clean format prior to installing windows.
If the drive formats etc without hassles then its probably the motherboard or bad ram on the laptop.
You can download hard drive fitness test from the manufacturers eg seatools westernd digital ,maxtor etc..

It may be the laptop motherboard swollen/leaking capacitors!

I had the same NTDLR problems with my previous laptop, it also turned out to be bad RAM, cooked because it was running a desktop Pentium 4 2.8G processor and it always ran pretty hot. This happened twice during its' lifetime, eventually the backlighting went on the screen. Replacing the RAM fixed it on both occassions.

I have replaced it with an Acer 660 laptop with a Pentium M Centrino, no more cooked laptops!:2tsup:

Geoff Dean
13th November 2007, 08:31 AM
but I bet I can't buy a Mac laptop for anywhere near the price of a PC based machine.

wouldn't be having this problem if you had a Mac:D:D


I have also heard some horrendous stories about Macs not being too reliable also.
The exception, not the rule. Like anything, you can have problems, but they are few and far between. And if you buy from a reputable dealer, backup and service is very good. (Once again, there can be problems, but that is generally the exception, not the rule.)

Have 6 macs and 3 PC's at work. The macs get flogged for 10-12 hrs a day and rarely give a problem. :D
The PC's are just rip servers or control units and are constantly being rebooted or repaired. :((

Chris Parks
13th November 2007, 09:02 PM
I got it going again, so I don't need a Mac :U.

weisyboy
13th November 2007, 09:15 PM
you lost me at boot.

frign computers never work when you want them to. a good thum usualy fixes mine.

noodle_snacks
27th December 2007, 05:13 PM
wouldn't be having this problem if you had a Mac:D:D


The exception, not the rule. Like anything, you can have problems, but they are few and far between. And if you buy from a reputable dealer, backup and service is very good. (Once again, there can be problems, but that is generally the exception, not the rule.)

Have 6 macs and 3 PC's at work. The macs get flogged for 10-12 hrs a day and rarely give a problem. :D
The PC's are just rip servers or control units and are constantly being rebooted or repaired. :((

Not to get into an argument here but, I have been through four ibooks (Every generation from the first white square ones), all four have had had serious hardware and software issues. The improved reliability is mostly a marketing thing. The quality of hardware construction in my view is poor. I guess this might not be an issue if you replace your computer every six months.

horse
28th December 2007, 01:27 PM
Not to get into an argument here but, I have been through four ibooks (Every generation from the first white square ones), all four have had had serious hardware and software issues. The improved reliability is mostly a marketing thing. The quality of hardware construction in my view is poor. I guess this might not be an issue if you replace your computer every six months.

Given I have be a Mac person using high end Macs all my professional life (about 25 years now) for doing high end photo retouching and image manipulation at the top end of the packaging and fashion industries, for some of the very best graphic design studios and advertising agencies in Australia (see some credentials attached). And don't forget that these industries (amongst others) are very extensively based on Macs, I find what you say very hard to believe. I have never ever had any problems with my Macs and I, personally, have had about 8 or 9 (maybe more) over the many years, each lasting up to 7 or 8 years or more before being turfed out (usually because of technology advances such as moving from scsii to firewire or usb, or advances in graphic cards etc). If you have had so much difficulty with your Macs, how come you kept buying them (4 all told you say)?

Often, people pass themselves off as Mac experts (through purported many years of use, or for various other reasons that are better known to themselves) who are simply trying to create FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt) to aid Microsoft which is really the only platform they have ever used. Hard to prove though, and I am not say it is the case here, but do you have any proof of your extensive Mac use? Have you seen inside the latest Macs (the tower interior is all beautifully laser machined high quality aluminium (it‘s hi-tech - no other manufacturer does that that I know off. Usually, others use the usual cheap moulded plastic interiors).

Given that most major software that is used on a Mac is also available on PC (except for Apple written software such as Final Cut Pro which is used by just about every major film and video studio around the world, plus all their sound editing and image management software used by big time professionals also, and especially written proprietary software), what software exactly have you had problems with on your Macs? Most problems have been with Microsoft software that has been badly transposed to work on a Mac.

I’m just saying that with all my years of professional use of Macs I have never heard or come across any of the serious problems on Macs that a few have mentioned on this site. Maybe I have just been lucky (but, then again, it is just not me). Most of what I have heard that has be derogatory about Macs has just been pure unsupported FUD. Your comments sound like FUD to me.

Cheers

Horse

The samples attached are the best I can show for now given I am on holidays and not at work or home.

ptc
28th December 2007, 01:49 PM
After many troublesome months with The M/s
I decided to lash out and get this.
A lot to learn on how to use it.
no virus's no updates every day and less running costs

wheelinround
28th December 2007, 05:29 PM
After many troublesome months with The M/s
I decided to lash out and get this.
A lot to learn on how to use it.
no virus's no updates every day and less running costs

Where's the rest of it Pete the workings the box the CD/DVD writer sound card inputs etc USB ports

ptc
28th December 2007, 06:05 PM
The pictures show it all.
its all behind the screen. cd and all that jazz is in the back
just two bits and thats it
the key board is aluminium and has two usb ports in it
go to apple site its called an Imac 20" screen usb etc at back of screen

wheelinround
28th December 2007, 06:16 PM
:o I could have a nice clean desk like yours then Pete will have to consider seriously for next upgrade.
How hard was it to learn the key strokes/commands etc
My other option is LINUX

ptc
28th December 2007, 08:42 PM
I would say you would take to it very Quickly.
try to get into a retailer. and try one.
i could not do that as i am 5 hours drive to nearest supplier.
very good tutorial;s but use lot of your download to use them
i only have 1gb a month.
so i only know a 1/4 of it !!!
also very good backup service (phone)

noodle_snacks
29th December 2007, 01:56 AM
Your comments sound like FUD to me.

Personally had this problem about three times (dead logic board):

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/03/12/12/owners_of_defective_ibooks_organizing_class_action_suit_against_apple.html

This one:

http://apcmag.com/3904/explosive_tales_of_apple_power_adaptors

Screen problems as mentioned here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBook#Quality_issues

And numerous other software and hardware problems. I have also seen a rather spectacular fire with one of those Magnetic power supplies too.

That said, I've used a few Dual G5 machines for audio editing. The quad core xeon Mac Pro I tried to use was completely useless for that purpose though (much of the audio software used was yet to be ported to intel, or buggy as a result). None of these desktop machines have given me any trouble, but then neither has my PC. I have nothing against macs in general, but I'd keep away from the laptops.

bsrlee
29th December 2007, 01:56 AM
Apple computer may be wonderful for some people, but if you get a lemon - as friends of mine have, then Apple & their dealers don't want to know you. Alleged 'repairs' take months waiting for parts, but then the machine comes back with the same problem - won't stay on for more than 10 minutes. They are more than a bit peeved at having several thousand dollars of top end graphics machine that has never worked, plus the inability to tender for current big dollar contracts as their other Apples are just not up to the latest gear. I have recommended they take Apple & the dealer to Fair Trading about dud goods & failure to repair or replace at the user's option.

Back to Mini's problem - if the laptop used a version of Windows pre-Vista, you should be able to make a boot floppy to kick start the beast (if the laptop is old enough to have a floppy drive :roll:). If that won't work, then it is the hardware that has the problem & the swimming pool is a good option - laptop repairs just don't seem to work.

Eli
29th December 2007, 03:05 AM
Re: the odd lemon, we've used nothing but macs for about thirteen years. Six towers, six notebooks, four ipods, four monitors. I've had one laptop logic board problem in that time, an ibook. I buy Applecare coverage for all our new machines. It's an expensive option only if you never need it. If you use it one time it's worth it. Any repair can eat up the comparable cost. We have used a data recovery firm once, when a drive crashed irrecoverably. I haven't used the repair service here in AU, but in the states a box shows up at the door, a man takes it away, a week or two later, it comes back fixed. That was my experience. Other than those two things, I fix everything software wise with ours, and I'm no computer genius.

I've frozen or crashed every PC I've ever tried to use, so I choose macs to combat my own shortcomings. My wife is a graphic designer, so that makes the choice easier, as pretty much everyone she does business with is mac.

I like the interface, it seems much more human, and the design is worth the money to me. I like using things that work well, and look good. FWIW, i think there is probably infinitely more variation available to the PC owner, but since a mac does everything I need, why look further?

munruben
29th December 2007, 07:03 PM
Horses for courses, whatever suits each individual then that is the right choice for them.
I have never had a Mac so can't really comment on them other than what I have heard but that varies too. Some say they are the best thing since sliced bread, others say they have had bad experiences with them.

I remember when I was in England years ago seeing an almost brand new Rolls Royce broken down at the side of the road and I was amazed. I thought Rolls Royce's never broke down. Well guess that proves that no matter what you got, nothing is above giving problems.

Incidentally Rolls Royce never admit their cars break down. Rolls Royce terminology for one of their cars breaking down is "The vehicle has ceased to proceed"

horse
30th December 2007, 09:42 AM
Thanks for the reads, Noodle Snaks. It does seem like you have had an extrordinary lots of bad luck with your Macs.

Anyway, here are some more reads written by those in the IT industry for some of the best publications in the world. It only covers 2006 to 2007 but maybe that is more than enough (I have more if you want it).

I’m not sure if the links will come through, and just in case they don’t come through I have attached a Word Doc that should have all the links. if not, I will do my best and send the URL to anyone if they are really interested.

Seems like links did not work, nor did the attachment. but you get the idea. Like I said if you want the link I will post the direct URL up here for all to read.

---

Microsoft’s Windows Vista dog slow; even outperformed by ancient XP - November 28, 2007
Survey shows IT pros considering Apple’s Mac OS X vs. migrating to Windows Vista - November 20, 2007
Baltimore Sun: 10.5 Leopard is most significant upgrade to Mac OS X since 10.2 Jaguar - November 15, 2007
ExtremeTech: Microsoft’s Windows Vista simply can’t compete with Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard - November 12, 2007
Computerworld: Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard spanks Microsoft’s Windows Vista - November 07, 2007
Salon: It’s time to buy an Apple Mac; Macs cost less to own than PCs - November 06, 2007
Chicago Tribune reviews Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard: Further proof that computing needn’t be stressful - November 03, 2007
Fast Company: Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard handily outshines all other computing interfaces - November 02, 2007
Houston Chronicle reviews Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard: A winner for Mac users and Windows switchers - November 01, 2007
MSNBC reviews Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard: ‘An even better experience with an already excellent OS’ - November 01, 2007
PC Magazine reviews Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard: ‘By far the best operating system ever written…’ - October 30, 2007
Apple sells two million copies of Mac OS X Leopard in first weekend - October 30, 2007
CNET’s Reisinger: Apple’s Leopard will open the Mac OS X floodgates and embarrass Microsoft - October 29, 2007
ZDNet’s Kingsley-Hughes: Mac OS X Leopard’s Time Machine ‘brilliant, fantastic, an absolute winner’ - October 29, 2007
Ars Technica reviews Apple’s Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard: ‘Absolutely packed with improvements’ - October 29, 2007
BBC: Apple’s new Mac OS X Leopard’s Time Machine and Quick Look alone worth upgrading - October 29, 2007
CNET’s Reisinger: Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard’s Time Machine interface is perfect - October 27, 2007
IT Business: US$129 for Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard is money well spent - October 27, 2007
Guardian Unlimited reviews Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard: ‘a very solid platform for the future’ - October 26, 2007
CNET reviews Apple’s Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard: ‘Excellent’ - October 26, 2007
Dallas Morning News: Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard is a leap forward - October 26, 2007
Apple pulls wireless backup from initial Mac OS X Leopard release - October 26, 2007
Wired: Mac OS X Leopard may be Apple’s most revolutionary product release of 2007 - October 25, 2007
Technology Review: Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard is ‘visually stunning, fast and stable’ - October 25, 2007
USA Today: With Leopard, Apple’s already superior Mac OS X widens lead over Microsoft’s Windows - October 25, 2007
New York Times’ Pogue reviews Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard: ‘Powerful and polished’ - October 25, 2007
Mossberg reviews Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard: ‘better and faster than Windows Vista’ - October 25, 2007
Mac OS X Leopard’s new Time Machine - October 12, 2007
Apple’s Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard shames Microsoft’s Windows Vista - August 31, 2007
Mercury News: Mac OS X already beats Windows Vista, Leopard will widen the gap - June 12, 2007
Apple need not rush Mac OS X Leopard to market; Tiger already superior to Windows Vista - May 03, 2007
Computerworld: Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard’s ‘Time Machine’ is truly remarkable - October 05, 2006
eWeek: Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard with 3-D Time Machine is amazing - August 08, 2006

Microsoft must abandon the Windows Vista albatross - September 26, 2007
Forbes: Microsoft’s Windows Vista and Office ‘Blunder 2007’ will drive a lot of users to Apple - September 17, 2007
NPD: Windows Vista retail sales down down 60-percent vs. XP - September 11, 2007
Apple’s Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard shames Microsoft’s Windows Vista - August 31, 2007
Pioneer Press reviews Apple iMac: ‘An ideal family computer; Mac OS X puts Vista to shame’ - August 17, 2007
2008 Olympic Games dump unstable, unreliable Windows Vista - August 16, 2007
Vista Nightmare: The ‘Oww!’ Starts Now - July 28, 2007
Ballmer: ‘Vista doesn’t get done by three people in a garage in three days’ - July 27, 2007
Acer chief slams Microsoft: ‘The entire industry is disappointed by Windows Vista’ - July 23, 2007
Mercury News: Mac OS X already beats Windows Vista, Leopard will widen the gap - June 12, 2007
Apple ought to send Microsoft flowers and nice ‘Thank You’ note for Windows Vista - May 21, 2007
U.S. News & World Report: Apple Macs are attractive, stable, secure, and more fun than Windows - May 16, 2007
The full horror of Windows Vista - May 14, 2007
Apple need not rush Mac OS X Leopard to market; Tiger already superior to Windows Vista - May 03, 2007
IDC: Apple Mac shows market share gains despite launch of Windows Vista - April 30, 2007
Windows Vista: Emperor Microsoft’s new clothes - April 29, 2007
Forget VIsta: Beleaguered Dell brings back Windows XP, people also asking for Mac OS X - April 19, 2007
Windows user spends 30 Days with Windows Vista: ‘It’s a lemon, an unstable operating system’ - April 04, 2007
Network World: Need a new PC for Vista? Switching to Mac may cost less and give you more - March 16, 2007
Analyst: Microsoft’s Windows Vista is very good for Apple Mac - March 13, 2007
The Register reviews Microsoft’s Windows Vista: ‘Don’t buy it’ - February 20, 2007
Forbes: ‘Windows Vista utterly unimaginative, internally discordant and woefully out of tune’ - February 09, 2007
Windows sufferer spends six hours trying to ‘upgrade’ to Vista, says: ‘I should’ve bought a Mac’ - February 07, 2007
Windows Vista woes push BBC News editor to regret never having ‘defected’ to Apple Mac - February 06, 2007
Microsoft’s Windows Vista: Five years for a chrome-plated ???? - January 30, 2007
Digit: ‘Microsoft’s Windows Vista may be the best reason yet to buy an Apple Mac’ - January 29, 2007
Pioneer Press: Windows Vista shows ‘Apple is an innovation engine; Microsoft, not so much’ - January 29, 2007
Windows Vista disappoints, so get a Mac - January 29, 2007
Analyst: Microsoft’s Windows Vista could be an opportunity for Apple - January 26, 2007
CNET Reviews Windows Vista: Is that all? Clunky and not very intuitive vs. Mac OS X; warmed-over XP - January 24, 2007
InformationWeek Review: Apple’s Mac OS X shines in comparison with Microsoft’s Windows Vista - January 06, 2007
Microsoft Windows Vista: If you can’t innovate… try to impersonate Apple’s Mac OS X - August 10, 2006
Analyst: Apple’s new Mac OS X Leopard sets new bar, leaves Microsoft’s Vista in the dust - August 08, 2006
Computerworld: Microsoft Windows Vista a distant second-best to Apple Mac OS X - June 02, 2006

Milar
30th December 2007, 01:16 PM
Ah, there is nothing like a good old PC v Mac discussion (argument)! BTW, A list from macdailynews.com (or similar) isn't really balanced! I've always used PC's because I like to tinker, I have 3 PC's in the house and will buy parts and hand down other parts to the older PC's. I can keep an eye on new developments and upgrade the bit that I feel appropriate to my setup. I agree that not everyone wants to know how to run their OS or how to upgrade parts etc. Macs have come a long way since being for creative types and even have a couple of games now! If you want it to just work, get a Mac. For an enthusiast, a PC give you more options for less price. And remember there are more OS's around for PC's than Windows. If it's between Vista and Leopard, Leopard looks to be the best. But that isn't a PC v Mac discussion.