ResNet killed my computer-twice!

AnneL

SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
Joined
Jul 11, 2001
Posts
15,946
Location
Wautoma, WI USA
ResNet is the computer service for my daughter's college. A few months ago, when she was home for spring break, she went and checked her university email from the house and the next day the computer refused to boot up. It kept telling me it had a registry root failure.

We thought it had just given up the ghost. It never really worked right to begin with. It's orginal operating system was Windows ME but we got fed up and put XP on it instead. We wound up taking it to the local computer guy. He put XP pro on it and got it all up to date for $89.

This weekend, my daughter who is now home for the summer, went to check her campus emails and the next day the computer was dead again! Same problem as before, a registry root failure. This was too much of a coincidence! This time, my daughter goes "Oh, that's the same problem my friend had with her computer after she logged onto the university system from off campus!" :mad:

Now I'm mad! Unfortunately, in logging on, my daughter has to accept a liablity waiver that says they are not responsible for any damage that occurs to your system! I feel like calling them up and reading them the riot act anyway. At the very least, they need to fix their security so this doesn't happen. At least it wasn't one of our business computers that got hit, just the junker we use at home for internet and home finances. Luckily, I backup after every use. Now I have to reinstall everything again!

faintthud.gif
 
Hi Anne,
You do run anti-virus software and a firewall on this machine don't you, and it is properly set up and kept up to date.
This fault is actually more likely to be be caused by a failing hard drive if all the above is true.
Mick
 
Yes, I do have anti-virus and a firewall. It isn't just a failing hard drive thing. It is something about the university's security system that causes hard drives to fail! My daughter's friend isn't the only person besides us that this has happened to. You logon from off the campus network, and something about their system can crash even the best of computers!
 
Hi Anne,

Can you describe exactly what happens when you switch on the computer and any error messages you get (exact wording). Do you get any sounds (beeps)from the internal speaker,if so can you describe them exactly. Do you have the original disk for XP pro. Are you familiar with the bios.
Mick
 
Actually, I already reinstall XP home on it last night. I have to bring home the Wacom drivers and internet connection info before I can go any farther. I know how to correct the problem, I'm just mad as **** that this happens every time my daughter tries to access her campus email from off campus. I was hoping maybe someone could tell me how to keep their system from crashing mine! Since we live with in commuting distance, she has a summer job on campus and look at her email from there. I just feel sorry for all those other people who just got home for the summer, went to go look at their grades only to have their computer refuse to start the next time they used it!
 
If your daughters machine came with Windows ME, I would guess tht the machine is about 5 years old. You also said that a "guy" installed Windows XP on it for $89. Windows XP license even in bulk costs more than that without labor to install. Did this guy completely clean the hard drive? And after a second time had a crash did you also clean the drive?

Did the machine try to retrieve updates from Microsoft? Your Windows XP home might be already registered to another system and they could have "popped" your system.
 
You have me intrigued.I have not heard of this type of fault being caused by a remote network, and can find nothing on the NGs.or internet relating to it.I can also find no reference to the error message "registry root failure"
If you let me know what Uni your daughter attends I will see if I can get some more information on their system, and possible causes of your computer crashing.
Mick.
 
Anne,
My guess is that the problem may be related to network devices/settings. I would definitely call the university and let them know. If this happens again, instead of reloading Windows, you may do the following first:
- Reboot
- While computer is starting, press F8
- Chose "Last known good configuration" from the
menu
Also, try this link: support.microsoft.com/?id=307545

Hope this helps
 
Thanks for the suggestions. We did try them all last time. My computer guy is a licensed Microsoft technician. He looked it over and reinstalled a better version. Unfortunately, that is now gone and I jsut reinstalled what I had before.

We aren't the only ones to have problems like this after logging on to the University's system. My daughter said that virtually everyone on her floor has had some kind of problem that has been caused by their system and one of her friend's had the exact same thing happen to her computer when she went to look at her emails from home. It doesn't happen right away, only after you turn the computer off. The next time you try to restart it, it gives you an error message telling you you have a registry root failure and that the hive is missing. Sounds scary but it just means that your system has dumped everything without your permission!
 
Hi Anne

I’m not sure what you mean by what you say….your Guy is a licensed Microsoft Technician and his ability to supply an a copy of XP Pro for €89………there is something amiss with that price……

I’m Microsoft trained in selling their software and the best price I can find is US$139 supplied only for a OEM copy of XP Pro…

I really think for your own sake you should ask your “GUY” how he is managing to supply and install a “Licensed” copy of XP Pro for $89……..Microsoft are getting very tough with people who are using unauthorised copies of their software……..they are presently piloting a program for users who have been sold unauthorised copies of software by unscrupulous computer supply/support business…to find a way to resolve this issue…….or to find a way forward to those who have being caught out by dodgy computer supply/support operators….

Dermot
 
Dermot, he may have just upgraded for me once he got it going again. I'm not sure what all he did but he has completed phase 1 of training with Microsoft to repair pcs and is working on phase 2. I know him to be an honest person. I've known him since he was little, he went to school with my daughter and graduated with her 2 years ago. I don't think he would put anything bootleg on there. Maybe he just charged me for his time. He works for the local Radio Shack.
 
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