# My HP 64 bit running Win 7 just "died" and refuses to boot



## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

I was transferring files and folders into a external hard drive, one folder would not rename OR delete, I searched and found a software "lockhunter", installed it, it allowed the delete but then computer died.
It will not boot!!! I tried system restore numerous times, (couple different dates), to no avail. Then using F8 I can get it to the Advanced Boot Options and to Safe Mode.
I have tried all the options on that screen but cannot solve anything to get the machine to boot, I hope someone has some ideas otherwise I guess I have a "boat anchor"! Thanks in advance.


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## monicahi (Oct 29, 2018)

If your computer fails to boot up as normal after you install new programs, you can try " Last Good Known Configuration" function in Advanced Boot Options.
"Last Known Good Configuration" is a recovery option that Microsoft built into all versions of Windows. You can try this function to repair boot issues that are caused by one of the following factors:


A driver update, a newly-applied Windows Update or Automatic Update;

Viruses, trojans, and rootkits interfering with the normal PC startup sequence;

Newly-installed hardware conflicting with other devices;

Newly-installed software incorrectly written or conflicting with other programs.

To use "Last Known Good Configuration", follow the instruction:
Step 1. Reboot your PC from the Windows installation disk or DVD, and click "Next" on the Windows Setup window.

Step 2. Click "Repair your computer".

Step 3. Then click "Troubleshoot" and then "Advanced Boot Options".

Step 4. On the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to choose "Last Known Good Configuration (advanced)" (it may appear subtly different in older or newer versions of Windows), and then press "Enter". Windows will start normally.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Thanks for your reply and I shall attempt to follow your directions and report what happens. 

I should point out that I've attempted to use this "Advanced Boot Options" yesterday but it did not successfully take me to a "Start Windows Normally", but I'm going to try again and report exactly what happens. 

First I need to report that the "Advance Boot Options screen" comes up as described below, that is to say that I do not need to use an installation disk or DVD it comes up as a result of the following actions.

This is what happens ---- I push the power button to turn it on and immediately press F8 (continuously) until the above screen appears then toggle down to "Last Known Good Configuration (advanced)". 

I toggle down to it and highlight it and press Enter.

It immediately takes me to the normal startup screen, with the M/S logo and message "Starting Windows".

Unfortunately the next choice I can make is on a screen that says "Start Windows Normally" or " Repair...."

That takes me to a Startup Repair screen which says "Startup Repair is checking your system for problems...
If problems are found, Startup Repair will fix them automatically, Your computer might restart several times during this process. 
No changes will be made to your personal files or information. This might take several minutes.
Attempting repairs....

Repairing disk errors. This might take over an hour to complete."

OK so about an hour goes by and things begin to happen that look promising until it comes to the screen that is titled "Windows Error Recovery".
Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause.

If Windows files have been damaged or configured incorrectly, Startup Repair can help diagnose and fix the problem. If power was interrupted during startup, choose Start Windows Normally, 
(Use the arrow keys to highlight your choice.)

Launch Startup Repair (recommended)
Start Windows Normally 

Description; Start Windows with its regular settings.

I'M GOING to choose the recommended "Launch Startup Repair"......I'll report what happens next.

I get a Windows loading files screen for a couple seconds then it goes to the "Startup Repair" AGAIN.

NEXT A POPUP SCREEN: "Startup Repair screen "Windows cannot repair this computer automatically" 
Sending more information can help Microsoft create solutions.

There are two options Send info about this product (recommended) OR Don't send. then at the bottom, "View problem details.

At this point I shall stop and ask you what your suggestion might be for I'm pretty well lost! 
Don't know if you've ever run into anything that is this badly screwed up but I'm grabbing for straws at this point.

Thankfully I run external hard drives and have my documents pretty well backed up, but I run Mozilla Firefox AND Thunderbird, and sadly all my saved emails AND addresses will be lost unless I can get this thing to come back to life. 
So at this point I'm going in circles.....your thoughts and/or suggestions please. I'm going to send this reply now
Thanks again for your help. John (Mighty1)


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## peterh40 (Apr 15, 2007)

Try booting into 'Safe Mode with command prompt'. Then login as administrator, if prompted and run SFC /ScanNow, this will check and replace any missing system files.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

I'm not sure exactly what you mean. I can get into Safe Mode if I push the power "On" button then stroke F8 continuously. 
At "Safe Mode with command prompt" the next screen loads a number of Windows\System32\ drivers then eventually takes me through a bunch of screens quickly to "Windows Error Recovery" then to "Windows is loading files", then eventually goes to "Startup reopla and says "Your comptuer was unable to start", and then a ""popup" screen says "Startup repair cannot repair the computer automtically and allows me to "Don't send" or "Send infomation about this problem (recommended)"

It moves through these screens pretty rapidly and I never do see a SFC\ScanNow (not sure what SFC means anyway), but don't see anything along those lines.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

At the end of the "Startup Repair Diagnosis and repair details" there is an entry that says "Test Performed:
______________________________ 
Name ; Bugcheck analysis
Result: Completed successfully, Error code OxO
Time taken - 1279 ms

Root Cause found:
_______________________________
A recent driver installation or upgrade may be preventing the system from starting. 

Repair action: System files integrity check and repair
Result: Failed. Error code = Oxa
Time taken = 7410 ms

My limited knowledge of computers, (at age 80 and completely self taught), prevents me from being very good at trying to figure this stuff out. My first experience with computers was in the Air Force in 1964 with the "electro-mechanical computer" system in the B-52 bomber was FAR DIFFERENT from what I'm trying to deal with her but I really appreciate any and all of you folks that are trying to help!!!!!


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## peterh40 (Apr 15, 2007)

BTW, SFC = System File Checker.

Boot from a Linux Live disc (see http://www.knoppix.org/) and try to copy your required to an external drive. If Linux is too foreign, you can try creating a Windows PE (Pre-environment) disc using the Auto Installation Kit from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5753

To back up Firefox files, backup c:\Users\name\Appdata\Local\Mozilla\Profiles and c:\Users\name\Appdata\Roaming\Mozilla.
To backup Thunderbird files, backup c:\Users\name\Appdata\Local\Thunderbird and c:\Users\name\Appdata\Roaming\Thunderbird.

Then you can boot from the Windows 7 disc and do a Custom Install so that will reinstall Windows to a new Windows folder. Existing installation will be moved to a Windows.old folder.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Sorry, I had to leave, I'll be back and hope you are around to help cause I know you are WAY ahead of me and maybe you can help me revive this so at least I can pick off some info that I should have already taken care of, thanks for your help so far.


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## peterh40 (Apr 15, 2007)

Another thing to try is to locate the errant system files by checking the System File Checker log in %windir%\logs\CBS\CBS.log, search for '[SR]' for the verify section.
See https://www.thewindowsclub.com/how-to-run-system-file-checker-analyze-its-logs-in-windows-7-vista

I did this once, when an old program installed some drivers that caused my system to fail to boot in c:\Windows\System32\Drivers, and removed the newly added files, and the system booted up ok.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Peter, thanks for the reply. Sorry I'm so computer illiterate but have to point out that your reply has me pretty baffled.
Since I cannot open windows at all, i don't know how to access the File Checker mentioned above. 
As I power up and immediately continuously press F8 I can get to "Advanced Boot Options". I suspect you know that screen very well but it's something new to me. 
So the options available to me at that point are; "Repair Your Compter", (been there, done that, is not able to do a repair), NEXT option is "Safe Mode", then "Safe Mode With Networking", then "Safe Mode with Command Prompt", then "Enable Boot Logging", then "Enable low-resolution video (640x480)", then "Last Known Good Configuration (advanced)", then "Directory Services Restore Mode" , then "Debugging Mode", then "Disable automatic restart on system failure" , then "Disable Driver Signature Enforcement", then "Start Windows Normally". 
At the very bottom it says, " Description: Start Windows with only the core drivers and services. Use when you cannot boot after installing a new device or driver.

Fact is, I hardly know what any of this stuff is so I'm not sure I'm able to follow you suggestion.

Maybe I should just forget this pc, junk it and get a different one. From what you've been able to see in my several posts does it sound like it's beyond help? OR maybe an alternative would be to simply replace the hard drive? I think that would at least make the machine operable again although I'd have to reinstall some version of windows. What are your thoughts, please. 
AND ONCE AGAIN I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ATTEMPTING TO HELP ME!!!! John


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## peterh40 (Apr 15, 2007)

Yes, replacing the hard drive would be an option, as at least you can keep existing data safe, and reinstall windows from scratch and copy data off the old HD later.

For the boot options explained:
https://neosmart.net/wiki/f8-key/
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/17419/windows-7-advanced-startup-options-safe-mode


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

So, Peter, if I understand your most recent reply, you are telling me that my existing data IS still intact on the old existing hard drive, the problem is that I cannot access it, is that correct? I was of the believe that the old hard drive was "junk" since I could not access it, (shows you how ignorant I am when it come to computers). 
AND so, if I read you correctly, if I were to install a new hard drive I could possibly access the old info on the old hard drive, (but only if I could somehow access it). This computer is so small that there is not room to put a second hard drive in the same box and so I don't understand how I could access the old one, for that is the problem, the old one will not open because Windows will not open. 
Am I wrong in my understanding of how this works? If I could take the old hard drive and substitute it in a working computer I might be able to access the info in that manner?


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

No, John. I believe when you were transferring files and folders, you may have inadvertently moved or deleted some important system file(s). That is likely what is not allowing your system to boot up. That drive inserted into another computer will still have the same problem, missing/corrupt system files. This is just my opinion, but from your original post, that's been my theory all along. The files you couldn't move may have been system files that were protected from being moved, and that software you installed permitted their removal. It could also be that the software itself was malware which corrupted your system.
If you were to purchase another drive, it would be totally blank. You would then need to install the operating system (Win7) on it, and activate it, hopefully with the Product Code on the bottom/side of your system. Once that is done, you can get a cable that will plug into a USB port and has a connector on the other end to plug into your old hard drive. Connected that way, you should have access to all the files/data on the old drive. 
That's kinda the high-level view without getting into all the details. You need to decide how important the remaining files are to you, how much you may value that old system, and how comfortable you are performing all this. Alternatively, you can find someone you trust that knows computers inside out and ask them to do this for you. This is the kind of thing I've done for people I used to work with for years. Ask around, see if any of your friends or relatives know of such a person.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Thanks "Dale" (3), (I'm a Kenseth fan, shirttail relation, & wish he was still driving, but....),
Your reply makes pretty good sense to me. I remember exactly the folder and file that I was trying to 1st rename, and then, (since it wouldn't rename), the hell with it I deleted it. I believe that's when the 'fun' started.
If I understand it, I would buy the new hard drive, pull out the old one and replace it with the new one then install Win 7 (I prefer it even though I know Jan. 20th no more support), then activate it. I've got the numbers on the side of the PC case that I would need, (I think) the label calls it a Product Key. I have a "transfer cable" around here somewhere, called a Belkin Transfer cable for Windows 7, that I believe I used to move files as I moved stuff directly from one computer to another a couple years ago. I think that's what you are talking about, right?
I think I could handle what has been described above, does it sound like I'm interpreting things in the right way?
I'm going to take my time getting this done, not be in any kind of a hurry and hope you will guide me from time to time as you have so far, and I REALLY want to thank you for jumping in to this mess, John


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

John, we're all here for you! We'll help with anything you need.
One of the users here has created a Win7 guide to help install it from scratch. It can be found here: https://forums.techguy.org/threads/updated-steps-for-installing-and-updating-windows-7-sp1.1222250/
The Product Key is used to activate Windows, yes.
I'm not sure that Belkin cable is what you'll need. I believe that will connect two PCs, either through parallel ports, serial ports or USB. The one I'm referring to is more like this: https://smile.amazon.com/UGREEN-Cab...1&qid=1577678093&sprefix=usb+to+sarta,aps,177
BTW - I was never a big Kenseth fan until he dumped Logano at Martinsville(?). I just never really cared much for Jack Rousch. Big Harvick fan since 2001!


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

I thought Matt got some unfair treatment from Rousch and so I'm not a big fan of his either.... 
I just wanted to reply, let you know my grandson just out of the Air Force where he "fixed computers" for six years, and he's agreed to try to help me.
With any luck we'll struggle through this but I sincerely want to thank you and the others that have responded and I'll keep in touch with 'techguy.org' and spread the word, (I've already clued one guy in that he should check out the site). Thanks again, and you might hear from me in the future, John


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

Best to you, John! Happy New Year!!


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Gr3iz, I'm back. Guy that was going to help failed to show up, so....
Before I start, let me point out that I can buy a 'refurbished' Dell with 8gb Ram and 1 TB Hard drive for $250 from Rakuten, AND I'll point out that I have purchase 3 computers from them in the past (several years ago),and all are fine, (except this one that has the bad driver, "my fault"), and so I've been ok with Rakuten. But once again I'm back to trying to see if I can access the info on the bad computer and recover it. 
Actually I have most of the stuff from the bad one, cause I had backed it up onto an external Hard drive, BUT I use Mozilla Thunderbird (email), and I would really like to be able to access emails saved in the Thunderbird.
I'm also sure that there are a few things that I did not back up on the External HD that I would like.
I don't have a problem spending the $$$ for a new one, it's just that it pisses me off that I can't get into this old one, but maybe I'm beating my head against the wall and should just toss it????
BUT,,,maybe it can be fixed without a lot of difficulty, (If a guy knows what he's doing---AND I DON'T), so

Maybe you can offer suggestions as I try to tell you what occurs when I attempt to start, (here's what I see).

It goes through the process that eventually takes it to the "Startup Repair" screen. It shows, "Checking systems for problems".

Then soon, a screen stating, "Cannot repair automatically" and it offers 2 options, 1"Sending info about this problem, (Recommended). OR

2"Don't send"

BUT then at the bottom of that screen, a button "View problem details".
I engage the button to a screen that shows Problem signatures, (as follows)
Problem Even Name: StartupRepairOffline
Problem Signature:01 6.1.7600.16385
" " " :02 " " "
" ' ' :03 unknown
" " " :04 21199788
" " " :05 AutoFailover
" " " :06 9
" " " :07 BadDriver
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.3.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033

Then "Read our privacy statement online---(I don't think you would want this),
AND below that,
If the privacy statement is not available............ (again, don't think that's helpful).

I'll stop there, send this to you and see if that offers a clue to you which might suggest 'what I might do next".
Thanks for any help, John

sA


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

One more quick question. Windows is installed and remains on the hard drive, correct? I've been told that a bad hard drive should not 'shut down' Windows because the operating system, (Windows), is not stored there?


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

John, does this "new" computer have Win10 installed? With Win7 being orphaned by Microsoft in the next couple of weeks, it may prove to be a better choice. If it is a desktop, there may be a place to install your old drive (the one you're having issues with now) in as a second drive. Then once you've gotten everything off of it that you need, you can format t as a spare, or even backup, drive.
If there s no room for it, however, you could still use that cable we spoke of in an earlier post to connect the old drive to the new system and pull your needed data off.
Windows, or at least most of it, is still on your old HDD. I think you may have moved or removed some particular system files inadvertently while cleaning, rendering the drive unbootable.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Here is info about that "new" computer mentioned. I am savvy enough to understand what you are suggesting as a possible method to acquire what I am after on the old "bad" one. 
However, maybe there is an alternative that I'd like to suggest to see what you think. I have purchased that cable (USB 3.0 to 2.5 "SATA III Hard Drive Adapter Cable/UASP SATA to USB 3.0 Converter), off ebay for 6 bucks, (will be here in couple days, looked like it should be the right one).
I have 3 other (operational) computers sitting here. Two of them are Win 7 (what I'll call 'mini-desktops", and one is Win 10, (a tower). I suppose I could remove the bad HD from the "old computer" and simply 'attach' them by way of this cable and see what I can do in terms of acquiring at least some of the old data. 
Does that sound to you like it might work?
Along another line, I have an old laptop with XP on it that I still use now and then. We both know that they quit supporting XP long ago, just as they will quit supporting "7" in a few days. My question with regard to that is, "just because they are not 'supporting' these older versions does not mean they will not work", correct? It simply means that they will be ok UNLESS they pick up a "bug" from use on the internet, correct?
As you are finding out, I don't know very much about computers, just enough to be "dangerous", right!!!!
Once again, thanks a ton for your help, I'm telling folks about what a great forum Tech-guys is proving to be. John
Info about the "proposed" new computer below, (I expect you'll say, "why buy that when you have the others" but I'm anxious to hear your comments, and, "one can never have too many computers", right, (joking of course). This seems pretty decent for $250.

*PRODUCT DESCRIPTION*
Description:This Dell OptiPlex 7020 SFF computer comes with Intel Core i5-3.3GHz Processor, 8GB DDR3 Memory, 1TB Hard Drive, DVDRW Optical Drive, and Microsoft Windows 10 Professional (64-bit) Operating System

Details: Brand and Model: Dell OptiPlex 7020 Form Factor: Small Form Factor Hard drive: 1TB Memory: 8GB DDR3 SDRAM Networking devices: Integrated Intel Ethernet LAN 10/100/1000 Number of Bays: 1 internal 3.5, 1 external 5.25 (slimline) Operating system: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional (64-bit) Optical drive: DVDRW Drive Package contents: Computer system, Power cord, Keyboard and Mouse Ports: 4 External USB 3.0 ports (2 front, 2 rear) and 6 External USB 2.0 ports (2 front, 4 rear), 1 RJ-45, 1 Serial, 1 VGA, 2 DisplayPort, 2 PS/2, 2 Line-in (stereo/microphone), 2 Line-out headphone/speaker) Power Supply: 255W Processor: Intel Core i5-4590 3.3GHz Recovery CD: No. Recovery Partition Only Slots: PCIe x16, PCIe x16 wired as x4 Sound card: Integrated High Definition Audio System Dimensions: 11.4 in. H x 3.7 in. W x 12.3 in. D System Weight: 13.2 lbs" Video: Integrated Intel HD Graphics


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

That does sound like it should work. That seems to be a decent system for the price! 

I agree, you can't have too many computers. We've got at least 5 working desktops and several laptops here.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Gr3iz said:


> That does sound like it should work. That seems to be a decent system for the price!
> 
> I agree, you can't have too many computers. We've got at least 5 working desktops and several laptops here.


With that thought in mind I'm going to mention that here in Wisconsin there is a location where the state sells 'used' equipment. Actually 2 different places, one an online auction location moving ALL kinds of stuff the other an actual physical location selling stuff that comes from our university system. I have purchased computers from them in the past, very reasonable, completely 'refurbished', etc. Maybe you have a similar opportunity where you live?
I'll let you know how it goes when I get the cable and try things out, thanks again for your help. John


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

I hadn't heard of anything like that around here, John. I usually build my own. I've got some commercial systems (mostly Dells), but I've always liked picking out my own components and building from there ...


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Ok, I got the cable, removed the HD from the 'bad' computer and plugged it into a different computer, (using the SATA plug into old HD and USB port into another WIN 7 computer), BUT I expected to see the old HD when I went to "my computer" where I normally see an addition, (such as when I plug in an External HD), but in this case I don't see any thing! )
How then do I access the old HD? All that is seen is on the computer that has the old HD plugged in by way of the SATA cable is "Local Disk (C) and DVD RW Drive (D).


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Now, I've looked at a You Tube video and it's showing actual installation of a second hard drive into the computer that I want to use to read the bad (questionable) HD so as to copy from it. BUT I don't want to install it into the 'reading' computer, (there is no room for it), but in watching it appears as if my problem is that connection with a USB plug does NOT provide power to the 'bad' HD, (no power coming through the USB plug, (correct)? If that's the case THEN WHAT?
I need to point out that the SATA cable I have is only 6" long with SATA on one end and USB on the other end. Therefore no power to old HD. I wonder if a guy can get a small "extension" cable to bring power from a computer to the HD that is physically located outside, (next to) the computer that I shall try to copy stuff into, (if I can ever access the bad HD)?


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

John, usually the cable will supply 5V to a laptop (2.5") HDD. Normally it is only the 3.5" desktop drives that require 12V as well, which USB does not provide. Now, having said that, it is possible that the USB port on the PC is not providing enough current to spin up the drive. That is more likely the older the PC is. You could try another USB port, especially one on the rear of the system, and see if that makes a difference.

With regards to installing it internally, even if you don't have the available space on that system's HDD, you could connect an external storage device, HDD, flash drive, etc.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

I guess I didn't communicate properly. I'm not dealing with a laptop. So, your comment about requiring 12v is no doubt the reason why the simply plugging it in using USB is not doing the job.
So the next thing I will try is one of the USB ports on the back and see if that allows me to 'see' the 'bad' HD.

Your last statement goes over my head. I think we are talking about two different things. When I said I didn't have enough space I meant physical space to actually put the bad HD physically inside the case of the computer that I'm trying to use to access the files that are in the "bad" hard drive.

In other words, if there was enough physical space I would put the bad hard drive inside the box along side the hard drive of the good computer that I'm trying to use so as to access files on the old, bad hard drive. Make better sense now?


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

Oh! Gotcha! Mea culpa ...


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

I have plugged the USB into the rear of the "other" machine with no results, and so then I went to a 3 machine and again, it is not being recognized. So I'm back to square one with my bad HD and SATA cable.
Any suggestions or should I just forget trying to acquire info from the bad HD.
To be honest if and when the bad one IS recognized I'm not sure if I know what to do next. But that's not a problem so far!


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

If you go into Disk Management, can you see the drive listed? Right-click on Computer and select Manage, then Disk Management.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Your reply confuses me. I think you have me mixed up with another case your working on. Allow me to refresh your memory.
I'm the guy with the computer that refuses to boot into Win 7. We've gotten to the point where I have pulled the hard drive from the problem machine due to the fact that starting it in safe mode and allowing it to try to "repair itself" has gotten nowhere.
So you suggested pulling the hard drive and attaching it with a SATA cable through a USB port to another working computer, (with Win 7), only to find that as I connect to either of two 'working computers' neither of them recognize the 'bad' hard drive and it makes no difference when I connect to either the USB ports on the front of those machines or the rear ports. 
It just seems as if if needs a "power supply" or for whatever reason it simply is not been 'seen' by other computers.
There is one last thing that I have not tried. That is I have yet a third working computer here that is running Win 10 that I have NOT tried, (reason being that I'm not sure if I would want to connect the 'bad Win7' hard drive to a Win 10 machine. So I ask you to educate me with regards to that, (or make any other suggestion that you might have).
In addition I have one more question. Where is the Windows application kept. My (uneducated) thinking is that the software that operates a Windows operating system is kept on the hard drive of a machine. And so, for example, if you remove the hard drive from a perfectly good machine it could not boot up into Windows because the software that allows Windows to operate would not be available. Is that correct thinking?


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

No, John. That was meant for you. With the drive attached, you should be able to see it in Drive Management. That was what I was attempting to have you try.

I believe you are correct in thinking that you may need a cable with a power supply. Connecting to the Win10 system should not be an issue.

Windows is, in fact, on the HDD. When you buy a new drive, it is blank. Nothing on it. You can use the drive in a Mac, gaming system, security monitoring system, SAN (Storage Area Network), Windows PC, Linux system, etc. You install it in a system and install whatever software (operating system, such as Windows, or other) via flash drive, CD/DVD, etc.

You may also be able to connect the "bad" drive as a second internal drive in one of those PCs, if you've got an extra power connector on the power supply and a SATA cable to connect to the motherboard.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

OK, one step at a time. I connected the bad drive using the SATA/USB. Then followed your instructions, that is I got into Disk Management. It's listed under "Storage - Disk Management"
However as I open that I see two things at the top of two 'sections', #1 is "Simple, Basic, (Status) Healthy (Active, Recovery Partition), 3.92 GB with 3.94 Free Space.
#2 is "Simple, Basic, NTFS, Healthy (Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition), 927.58GB with 874.98 GB Free Space. To be honest that doesn't mean much to me, but I'm pretty sure that the second one listed (927.58GB), is the hard drive for the 'good computer' that I've attached the "bad hard drive to".
Now the second portion of Disk Management shows the 3.94 GB with a bunch of cross hatch lines through that section and next to it is shown the other (C 927.58 GB NTFS. In that section the wording is; Healthy (Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition.
Beneath that it shows the CD-ROM.
Unfortunately I'm lost and can only ask, "where do I go from here?"

As far as connecting to the 3rd computer with Win 10 on it, same thing happens, the computer does not recognize that an additional drive has been connected. 
When I go to Disk Management on that machine it shows (C Simple, Basic, NTFS, and Healthy,(Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition.
On the second line: 
(Disk O partition 3) Simple, Basic, Healthy (Recovery Partition)
On the third line:
PASSPORT E WIN 10 (E Simple, Basic, NTFS, Healthy (Primary Partition)
And on the fourth line:
System Reserved Simple, Basic, NTFS, Healthy (System, Active , Primary Partition)
In my uneducated eyes it does not look to me as if it is seeing the additional (bad) drive.

As far as your other remarks in the previous email, I want to thank you for clearing up my understanding of where WIN is stored. Somewhere I got the notion that you could take a hard drive out of a machine and then expect it to boot up in Windows, (I thought that was incorrect).

AND as to your very last remark, these other computers, are what I will call "mini desktops" that is they are, (all 3, the bad one as well as the other 2 that have Win7), very physically small and there is not room for anything 'extra' inside the box. UNLESS I could disconnect the cable and power that currently is going to the CD Rom, but I'm not sure that would work, and I'd have to leave the 'box' open, (could not put the cover on it). But if that would work just to get the stuff off the bad HD ???????
To be honest, if I am ever able to see the bad HD I don't know what I'm looking for anyway in terms of trying to eliminate the software that caused all these problems but maybe I can find some of the other stuff that I'd like to salvage, although I would be very leery about copying things cause I wouldn't want to 'bring along' the 'bug' that caused this whole mess. 
Sorry for the length of this and once again, I owe ya!!!!


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## plodr (Jun 27, 2014)

For the connection to the first Good Computer, in Disk Management one drive has a size of about 4 GB and the other drive has a size of about 1 TB.
You should have an idea of the sizes of the good and bad hard drives if nothing else.
Somewhere on the bad hd that is now removed from a computer, there is a label with the size.

You are attaching the bad drive from bad computer 1  through a USB port on Good computer 2 then Good computer 3. Does the USB cable/adapter that you are using have a power supply?
I ask because I'm not sure if a USB port has enough power to "see" a hard drive taken from a computer and attached to it.
All my cable/adapters have a power supply as well as the connection adapters. The power supply is at the bottom right.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

plodr said:


> For the connection to the first Good Computer, in Disk Management one drive has a size of about 4 GB and the other drive has a size of about 1 TB.
> You should have an idea of the sizes of the good and bad hard drives if nothing else.
> Somewhere on the bad hd that is now removed from a computer, there is a label with the size.
> 
> ...


Yes, the bad HD does have a 'size' on it. It says the size is 750 GB which is considerably smaller than the 1.8TB that computer 2.
Yes, I'm attaching through a USB and it appears as if POWER maybe my problem for I cannot get it to be recognized on any one of 3 working computers. I'll have to go shopping for a SATA that has a power supply cord. Thanks for the help.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Gr3iz said:


> No, John. That was meant for you. With the drive attached, you should be able to see it in Drive Management. That was what I was attempting to have you try.
> 
> I believe you are correct in thinking that you may need a cable with a power supply. Connecting to the Win10 system should not be an issue.
> 
> ...





Gr3iz said:


> No, John. That was meant for you. With the drive attached, you should be able to see it in Drive Management. That was what I was attempting to have you try.
> 
> I believe you are correct in thinking that you may need a cable with a power supply. Connecting to the Win10 system should not be an issue.
> 
> ...


Here's a second reply to this suggestion......It makes no difference as I connect to the 3rd computer, (the Win 10 c0mputer). None of these three computers recognize the bad HD......I'm looking at other SATA/USB cables, (there are hundreds of them between eBay and Amazon,,,very confusing to me), and some of them have a power supply that plugs into 110v and then transforms to DC and apparantly is incorporated into the wiring so that the power is supplied through the 15 pin SATA then through the USB (I guess)? I'm loosing it with this thing, sad to say.


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

OK, John. It seems you will need an adapter with the power supply. Here's one from WalMart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/AGPtek-N...MIjuad8sr85gIVZf7jBx3cVgoTEAYYAyABEgJgwvD_BwE
Or Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/USB-2-0-Adapter-Supports-5-25-Inch/dp/B00LP6286C
Or Newegg: https://www.newegg.com/vantec-cb-is...re=usb_to_sata_adapter-_-12-232-002-_-Product
We'll be happy to help clear up any confusion you may have. Don't give up ...


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Gr3iz said:


> OK, John. It seems you will need an adapter with the power supply. Here's one from WalMart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/AGPtek-N...MIjuad8sr85gIVZf7jBx3cVgoTEAYYAyABEgJgwvD_BwE
> Or Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/USB-2-0-Adapter-Supports-5-25-Inch/dp/B00LP6286C
> Or Newegg: https://www.newegg.com/vantec-cb-isatau2-usb-to-ide-sata/p/N82E16812232002?Description=usb to sata adapter&cm_re=usb_to_sata_adapter-_-12-232-002-_-Product
> We'll be happy to help clear up any confusion you may have. Don't give up ...


Once again, THANKS, and I think I'm beginning to get a handle on this. I've been checking and found some SATA cables that seemed to me like it might be what I need but I wasn't sure, so your reply and the top (Walmart) cable is very similar to what I was thinking I needed. Based on your recommendation and what I had learned I just now ordered that one, (Walmart but comes directly from the supplier), so it will be a couple of days. On top of that there has been a death in the family so I'll be taking this a bit more slowly as I move forward, and there might be a slowdown in communication here but I'll keep at it and hopefully eventually get this all figured out. Thanks again, (you are making 'good points' for yourself and 'techguy.org'!!!!!


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

You are most welcome, John. I'm sorry for your loss ... Take your time. We'll be here when you're ready.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Gr3iz said:


> OK, John. It seems you will need an adapter with the power supply. Here's one from WalMart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/AGPtek-N...MIjuad8sr85gIVZf7jBx3cVgoTEAYYAyABEgJgwvD_BwE
> Or Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/USB-2-0-Adapter-Supports-5-25-Inch/dp/B00LP6286C
> Or Newegg: https://www.newegg.com/vantec-cb-isatau2-usb-to-ide-sata/p/N82E16812232002?Description=usb to sata adapter&cm_re=usb_to_sata_adapter-_-12-232-002-_-Product
> We'll be happy to help clear up any confusion you may have. Don't give up ...


Mark, I just opened the box for the new Hard drive converter, identical to the first two listed above in your note, (the Walmart one and the Amazon one. But there's a problem. None of the various connections will fit my (bad) HD.
The first SATA/USB connector fit but apparently didn't supply enough power. Now on the HD there is a 15 pin male connector and right next to a 7 pin connector. To the immediate side of that one is a different 4 pin male that is enclosed in it's own little "box". Those are all the connection devices on the HD. 
The new one that I bought has numerous connecting devices but none of them will fit this HD. They send along elaborate instructions; How to connect a 3.5 inch IDE to computer, OR a 2.5 inch IDE OR a 2.5"/3.5"/5.25" SATA, but nothing will fit my HD. 
So let me try to explain what I have. 
It is a Seagate S/N: 5QD1TJ52 
ST3750640NS
P/N: 98L148-269
Firmware: 3CNK
Date Code: 08097 Site Code: WU
Barracuda ES
750 Gbytes
+5v 0.72A
+12v 0.52A
So I think it's obvious that I bought a wrong one but I don't know what I should be buying. I can understand the need to have an external power supply and this new thing has that but none of the various connections will work ANYWHERE????? Now what, any other suggestions? I guess my problem is that I don't know what 'kind' of a HD I have. So here are the measurements, (if this helps at all), It is 3 15/16th wide, 5 11/16ths long and almost exactly and 1 inch in thickness.
I want to remind you that the first SATA/USB connected just fine, however there was not any 'extra' second cord to connect to a power source, and so I guess we have determined that there was not enough coming through the USB to power the hard drive. I don't know if I simply got the wrong kind of a cable on this second SATA/USB or what. Their instruction manual shows a number of combinations but absolutely nothing that will fit my bad HD. 
Glad I only paid $8 for it looks to be useless to me in this situation.
Thank you Mark, for your condolences regarding our families loss.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Mark, looking at the suggestions you sent me, I think I should have looked at the Amazon selection AND THEN LOOKED at the second product that's on that same page. Here is the first screen https://www.amazon.com/USB-2-0-Adapter-Supports-5-25-Inch/dp/B00LP6286c but at the bottom of the screen it shows what they call another consideration

* Consider this Amazon's Choice product with higher ratings *
Amazon's Choice
  
SATA to USB 3.0, SATA III Hard Drive Adapter Converter for 3.5/2.5 Inch HDD/SSD with 12V/2A Power Adapter 

If you look closely at the connector it has a different pin configuration with two separate set of pins. Think I should buy this ? I don't know if the other company will allow me to return but that's MY problem. It looks like 'second consideration has a power input and it LOOKS like the connector will be the same, that is there are two separate 'sets' of connector pins just like I see in my hard drive...NOPE as I look closer my pin configuration is different that is the small set of contacts is near the center of the hard drive hook up BUT the picture shows the small set of contacts to be on the end or on the outside of the 'bus bar' of contacts.....I'm lost again......
…


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

John, if you will notice this picture, from the Walmart ad, you will need to connect the included SATA data cable (the red cable in the picture) to the adapter and to the HDD.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Gr3iz said:


> John, if you will notice this picture, from the Walmart ad, you will need to connect the included SATA data cable (the red cable in the picture) to the adapter and to the HDD.
> View attachment 274067


I understand that, but that is not possible.


Gr3iz said:


> John, if you will notice this picture, from the Walmart ad, you will need to connect the included SATA data cable (the red cable in the picture) to the adapter and to the HDD.
> View attachment 274067


Hey, you got er this time!!!! I couldn't figure it out because I didn't recognize those weird looking connectors on the ends of the red cable. Never saw connectors like that and wouldn't even have tried the connection on the top of the adapter, but my grandson just out of 6 years Air Force IT work recognized them right away, hooked it up and bingo got it.
Now I have ordered a 5 TByte external HD and when it arrives I'll copy everything off and sort it and place it on an additional location.
I'm not going to mark this solved just yet because you are very good at explaining to a virtual layman and so as I move forward I may have an additional question or two and if I keep this "open" I'll know how to access you again.
I should point out that I was almost convinced that the little 'arms' that move over and read from the hard drive platters, (see, I've been snooping on You Tube), were stuck and was about to tear into the HD and see if I could gently move them back, BUT, I don't need to do that for that wasn't the problem. Now if I can just get the info off the drive and then maybe wipe the old Windows from it and replace it, I might just be back in business. 
BUT, I surely want to thank you for your help. I'm well on the way to solving my problem and it's all thanks to you for aiming me in the right direction, Thanks Mark!


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

You are most welcome, John! I'm glad it is proceeding and that you are learning something from all this. be aware, however, that opening a hard drive will likely cause more harm than good. I'm not sure how much detail that YouTube video went into, but the heads (tiny electromagnets on the ends of the moving arms) are "flying" over the platters. There is a minute cushion of air that separates them. If you open the drive outside of a cleanroom, you are subjecting them to dust particles that will appear as boulders to the heads. This could cause them to bounce and strike the surface of the platter, potentially scraping off the magnetic coating containing data. The data is packed so tightly that a small area may contain a LOT of data. That's a pretty simplistic explanation, but it is virtually impossible to keep dust particles out of the drive outside of a cleanroom. 
Best of luck, John! There's always someone here if you need any help!


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Gr3iz said:


> You are most welcome, John! I'm glad it is proceeding and that you are learning something from all this. be aware, however, that opening a hard drive will likely cause more harm than good. I'm not sure how much detail that YouTube video went into, but the heads (tiny electromagnets on the ends of the moving arms) are "flying" over the platters. There is a minute cushion of air that separates them. If you open the drive outside of a cleanroom, you are subjecting them to dust particles that will appear as boulders to the heads. This could cause them to bounce and strike the surface of the platter, potentially scraping off the magnetic coating containing data. The data is packed so tightly that a small area may contain a LOT of data. That's a pretty simplistic explanation, but it is virtually impossible to keep dust particles out of the drive outside of a cleanroom.
> Best of luck, John! There's always someone here if you need any help!


I will not have any need to open the hard drive at this stage of the game, able to access as you have taught me, thanks again. John


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Now I have yet another question.

Question regarding the "bad drive"--What's next.

Now that I'm able to access the files on the drive pulled out of the old computer I could copy it onto an external hard drive, OR, leave the files where they are and use the hard drive as an external drive. But maybe that's a bad idea.

On the other hand the old computer then can be thrown away for it's no good without a hard drive.

Part of my problem is I do not understand where the trouble lies with the old one. That is, it's been suggested that when I installed the software to "unlock" a folder so I could delete it, the software, (I think it was "Lockhunter" that allowed me to do that), must have had a driver that screwed up Windows.

So, that screwed up Windows software remains in some location. Is it sitting there in the hard drive that I am now about to pull files from? It must be. AND if that's the case then that old hard drive is like a bomb about to go off, and needs to be thrown away once I get my files off of it, right?

I mention again, I only paid something like $250 for the computer that is now lacking a hard drive, maybe I should just throw it. But, I'm wondering, what if I bought a new hard drive for it, (as long as it was not very costly), and installed it, then installed Windows on it would I be looking at a "NEW" computer?

I don't even know how to go about ordering a new hard drive. The stickers on the side of the case are about the only kind of ID that it has other than HP on the front of the machine.

Maybe a hard drive could be purchased for it, but I have no idea about what kind of costs might be involved in that and maybe it's just not worth screwing around with it.


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

John, that old drive may very well be good. Just because Windows is corrupted on it (as I suspect), doesn't necessarily mean the drive itself is bad, Once you get your files off of it (assuming you can), you can put it back in the system and (maybe test it first with the manufacturer's diagnostics) reinstall Windows on it. Otherwise, buying a hard drive is very simple. You can pick up a 1TB 3.5" drive for under $50 most of the time. I prefer Western Digital or HGST, but others swear by Seagate.
Only you can decide what that PC is worth to you. ;-)


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Gr3iz said:


> John, that old drive may very well be good. Just because Windows is corrupted on it (as I suspect), doesn't necessarily mean the drive itself is bad, Once you get your files off of it (assuming you can), you can put it back in the system and (maybe test it first with the manufacturer's diagnostics) reinstall Windows on it. Otherwise, buying a hard drive is very simple. You can pick up a 1TB 3.5" drive for under $50 most of the time. I prefer Western Digital or HGST, but others swear by Seagate.
> Only you can decide what that PC is worth to you. ;-)


So I think you are saying that after I copy and move the files I want, (I shouldn't really copy them "en masse" but instead individually (so I don't copy over the Lockhunter that started all of this and inadvertently move it onto another computer eventually) . But then again even though I think that a driver within Lockhunter is at fault I don't know enough to know how to avoid moving the thing and keeping it around, when in fact I really want to find it and delete it, don't I?

Eventually after taking what I want, I would delete ALL the files on the bad HD, (doing so will get rid of the old, bad copy of Windows), and then I would start over by replacing it in the old machine and the reinstalling Win from a Win installation disc I have, correct?

I know nothing about the "manufacturer's diagnostics" that you mentioned, but you sound like that may not be essential.

So I would reinstall Windows and (basically) be starting over with a "new machine", correct? That would be if I decided that the old, bad hard drive was clean and worth 'salvaging' to use again, right?

Thinking about just, (possibly), tossing old and buying a new hd, I looked at Western Digital store and see lots of internal hard drives but no clue as to what might fit my machine, (looks like many are for a laptop)?

So, back to square one. I have found the sticker that identifies my machine as a HP Model TS-H653 a little further down on the identification sticker it says HP-H653Q/HPDH and here is the S/N (6GCQC01918) if needed. I guess I also need to realize that I have a 3.5 inch, (that designates the width of the hd I believe). It's actually a shade over 3.5", (more like 3.75"), but I only see choices of 3.5 and 2.5, so I guess mine is a 3.5",

I do a Google search on HP TS-H653 and find lots of them.

I hope to have the guy I mentioned, (my grandson who just lost his mother), who spent 6 years fixing computers for the Air Force, help me with that but things are still in a turmoil because of that.

I'll stop at this point for now, just good to be able to put my thoughts and questions in print. As you know not in a huge rush to get this done although I wish it was over and done with, know what I mean.

One last question for today. Do you know much about Mozilla Firefox Thunderbird? One of the things I'm really after on the bad hd are several old emails that I stored. I'll need to learn how to access them but that's another puzzle and it's sort of off in the corner of the files on the computer and I'll have to learn how to find them eventually.
Thanks again for your help, John


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

You shouldn't need to remove all the files from the drive, once you've copied all the ones you do want. Re-installing Windows should wipe out everything on the drive for you.

The manufacturer's diagnostics are available through the drive manufacturer, Seagate, Western Digital, etc. Typically you would create a bootable media (flash drive, CD, etc.) and launch the tests from that. It is not necessary, but it would ensure the drive is still in good condition before you try using it again. 

Reinstalling Windows would be like starting from scratch. If it is a Windows disc, that will be all you have. If it is a manufacturer's recovery disk, you would likely have all the drivers and bloatware (trial versions of various programs) that originally came with the machine.

While you could get a replacement drive from HP, you would likely get a better deal from Amazon or Newegg, or wherever you like shopping for such items. A basic 3.5" SATA drive, whatever capacity you prefer.

Regarding Thunderbird, try looking online for migrating Thunderbird to new computer. I'm sure the files are kept in a location that should be accessible and easily transported.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Gr3iz said:


> You shouldn't need to remove all the files from the drive, once you've copied all the ones you do want. Re-installing Windows should wipe out everything on the drive for you.
> 
> ***I'll insert some comments above and mark them with ***
> ****Ok, thanks, I'll work on that when I can, but now I have other headaches.
> ...


****I've attempted working with Tbird help, and either I'm doing something wrong of the info they are sending me does not work for my situation. But it's not the end of the world if I can't get what I'd like. NOW I HAVE ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS.

I don't even want to mention this but suddenly my 'good' computer comes up with a problem. Windows Media Player is corrupted, (I guess). But I've been working on it and think maybe I have it fixed.


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

I inserted some things into your last reply please look for my 'mark' *** at the inserts. I thought it might be less confusing that way. 

I started a new thread about the Thungderbird stuff thinking maybe it was not your "cup of tea", (not trying to contact another person), 
Thanks once again


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

I caught that, John. Let us know if you want/need any assistance with anything. I haven't messed with Windows Media Player in years. I prefer VLC player. It plays just about anything I throw at it! It even plays music, though I prefer WinAmp for music, personally.

No offense on the other deal. I'm sure there are others out there that can do it better justice than I. This is a community. We're all here for each other ... ;-)


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## Mighty1 (Jan 16, 2018)

Gr3iz said:


> I caught that, John. Let us know if you want/need any assistance with anything. I haven't messed with Windows Media Player in years. I prefer VLC player. It plays just about anything I throw at it! It even plays music, though I prefer WinAmp for music, personally.
> 
> No offense on the other deal. I'm sure there are others out there that can do it better justice than I. This is a community. We're all here for each other ... ;-)


I just got through downloading VLC, have used it before and found it to be fine except it's a bit more complex but that's ok, I'll learn the ropes, and based on your comments I think it probably is the way to go. Great COMMUNITY you have here by God!!!


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## Gr3iz (Mar 9, 2009)

We like it! ;-)


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