Saving harddrive data - Windows Explorer won't operate

[LeopardLiz]

I have an old PC with original Windows ME - no patches or upgrades. I want
to save all of my data onto an external hard drive, but my computer won't
even allow me to use Windows Explorer. What should I do?

Also, I have my Comcast internet connected to this computer along with a
wireless router, and all my other computers in the house are able to connect
to the internet via the wireless router. However, when I try to access the
internet off this Windows ME computer, it does not allow me access and
freezes up! It was not always this way.

I just want to save my data and then do a clean install on this computer
with updated software. Can anyone help me? Thank you.

 

[Mike M]

> - no patches or upgrades.

I'm sorry but this says it all. Forget about connecting to the internet
if you can't even run Windows Explorer. Get Windows Explorer working
correctly and then work from there.

Can you boot to Safe Mode? What EXACTLY is wrong with Windows Explorer as
saying that your computer will not allow you to use it isn't that
informative.

Whilst I appreciate that you cannot currently go on-line but when
approximately did you last scan your PC for malware and the like using
your antivirus program? Which AV application are you using? When did you
last update its reference signatures?
--
Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com


LeopardLiz <LeopardLiz@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> I have an old PC with original Windows ME - no patches or upgrades.
> I want to save all of my data onto an external hard drive, but my
> computer won't even allow me to use Windows Explorer. What should I
> do?
>
> Also, I have my Comcast internet connected to this computer along
> with a wireless router, and all my other computers in the house are
> able to connect to the internet via the wireless router. However,
> when I try to access the internet off this Windows ME computer, it
> does not allow me access and freezes up! It was not always this way.
>
> I just want to save my data and then do a clean install on this
> computer with updated software. Can anyone help me? Thank you.

 

[LeopardLiz]

Thank you for your response.

To answer your questions, when I attempt to access Windows explorer, my
computer stops responding altogether. I cannot access any other programs and
have to reboot.

I've had problems where the computer starts back up in "Safe Mode", and I
end up restarting in "Selective Startup" mode. I am not sure if this is
causing problems in other areas such as limiting my access to programs/system
utilities, etc. I am not a computer "techie", but I am computer savvy.

My virus protection is not updated since I cannot connect to the internet
through this machine. I was using Norton Anti-virus, and it has detected
Adware/Spyware when I ran the scans, however, it was unsuccessful in removing
these programs.

My goal is to save data to an external hardrive in any way possible. I have
many photos and tax programs/data that I absolutely must save. Any
suggestions? Can I do this via DOS somehow? I have only limited DOS
language knowledge.

Can I download the patches to another computer, and then load them onto this
old computer, or is that not an option?

Also, what puzzles me is that this computer works to serve the purpose of a
wireless router for my other house computers. How is that possible if I
cannot access the internet on that same machine? It is obviously accessing
the internet somehow.

Thanks again...........

Liz

"Mike M" wrote:

> > - no patches or upgrades.
>
> I'm sorry but this says it all. Forget about connecting to the internet
> if you can't even run Windows Explorer. Get Windows Explorer working
> correctly and then work from there.
>
> Can you boot to Safe Mode? What EXACTLY is wrong with Windows Explorer as
> saying that your computer will not allow you to use it isn't that
> informative.
>
> Whilst I appreciate that you cannot currently go on-line but when
> approximately did you last scan your PC for malware and the like using
> your antivirus program? Which AV application are you using? When did you
> last update its reference signatures?
> --
> Mike Maltby
> mike.maltby@gmail.com
>
>
> LeopardLiz <LeopardLiz@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> > I have an old PC with original Windows ME - no patches or upgrades.
> > I want to save all of my data onto an external hard drive, but my
> > computer won't even allow me to use Windows Explorer. What should I
> > do?
> >
> > Also, I have my Comcast internet connected to this computer along
> > with a wireless router, and all my other computers in the house are
> > able to connect to the internet via the wireless router. However,
> > when I try to access the internet off this Windows ME computer, it
> > does not allow me access and freezes up! It was not always this way.
> >
> > I just want to save my data and then do a clean install on this
> > computer with updated software. Can anyone help me? Thank you.
>
>

 

[Mike M]

Liz,

The use of Norton AV is incompatible with Win Me and known to cause a
myriad of problems. So many that I'm reluctant to try and help.
Nevertheless when did you last run NAV, were the reference AV signatures
up to date at that time and finally how much has the PC been used since
then and was it connected to the internet?

> I've had problems where the computer starts back up in "Safe Mode",
> and I end up restarting in "Selective Startup" mode.

You mention being unable to boot to Safe Mode but instead having to use
selective startup. Which entries do you have to uncheck to get to the
Safe Mode desktop? Knowing this might help narrow down the area where the
problem lies.

> Can I download the patches to another computer, and then load them
> onto this old computer, or is that not an option?

No point. You need to get the Win Me PC running first. Patches, of
themselves, aren't going to fix anything.

> Also, what puzzles me is that this computer works to serve the
> purpose of a wireless router for my other house computers

Please explain. What hardware are you using. How is your Win Me PC
acting as a wireless router?

> My goal is to save data to an external hardrive in any way possible.
> I have many photos and tax programs/data that I absolutely must save.
> Any suggestions? Can I do this via DOS somehow? I have only limited
> DOS language knowledge.

Subject to your problems not being down to file system corruption then
there is no reason why you should not be able to recover all of your data.
Sadly however you cannot use an external usb drive when in Safe Mode nor
can you burn CDs. The easiest way, if you cannot get the present system
running will be to either reinstall Win Me but PLEASE do NOT attempt this
at this stage or to temporarily move the disk to another PC. One way of
doing this is to remove the hard disk and put it in an external usb
enclosure and then plug this in to another PC and copy the files that way.
--
Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com



LeopardLiz <LeopardLiz@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Thank you for your response.
>
> To answer your questions, when I attempt to access Windows explorer,
> my computer stops responding altogether. I cannot access any other
> programs and have to reboot.
>
> I've had problems where the computer starts back up in "Safe Mode",
> and I end up restarting in "Selective Startup" mode. I am not sure
> if this is causing problems in other areas such as limiting my access
> to programs/system utilities, etc. I am not a computer "techie", but
> I am computer savvy.
>
> My virus protection is not updated since I cannot connect to the
> internet through this machine. I was using Norton Anti-virus, and it
> has detected Adware/Spyware when I ran the scans, however, it was
> unsuccessful in removing these programs.
>
> My goal is to save data to an external hardrive in any way possible.
> I have many photos and tax programs/data that I absolutely must save.
> Any suggestions? Can I do this via DOS somehow? I have only limited
> DOS language knowledge.
>
> Can I download the patches to another computer, and then load them
> onto this old computer, or is that not an option?
>
> Also, what puzzles me is that this computer works to serve the
> purpose of a wireless router for my other house computers. How is
> that possible if I cannot access the internet on that same machine?
> It is obviously accessing the internet somehow.
>
> Thanks again...........

 

[LeopardLiz]

Thank you for your help. I don't have all of the answers to your questions
at this point. I will take your advice on transferring the files from the
hard drive to another computer via the method you suggested. I will contact
a computer store for assistance prior to doing this to make sure I am doing
it properly.

To answer your question about this computer acting as a wireless
router........
I have my Comcast internet cable connected to this PC. I also have a
Linksys wireless router connected to this PC. This enables me to access the
internet from the other computers in my house without any
trouble..........very strange.



"Mike M" wrote:

> Liz,
>
> The use of Norton AV is incompatible with Win Me and known to cause a
> myriad of problems. So many that I'm reluctant to try and help.
> Nevertheless when did you last run NAV, were the reference AV signatures
> up to date at that time and finally how much has the PC been used since
> then and was it connected to the internet?
>
> > I've had problems where the computer starts back up in "Safe Mode",
> > and I end up restarting in "Selective Startup" mode.
>
> You mention being unable to boot to Safe Mode but instead having to use
> selective startup. Which entries do you have to uncheck to get to the
> Safe Mode desktop? Knowing this might help narrow down the area where the
> problem lies.
>
> > Can I download the patches to another computer, and then load them
> > onto this old computer, or is that not an option?
>
> No point. You need to get the Win Me PC running first. Patches, of
> themselves, aren't going to fix anything.
>
> > Also, what puzzles me is that this computer works to serve the
> > purpose of a wireless router for my other house computers
>
> Please explain. What hardware are you using. How is your Win Me PC
> acting as a wireless router?
>
> > My goal is to save data to an external hardrive in any way possible.
> > I have many photos and tax programs/data that I absolutely must save.
> > Any suggestions? Can I do this via DOS somehow? I have only limited
> > DOS language knowledge.
>
> Subject to your problems not being down to file system corruption then
> there is no reason why you should not be able to recover all of your data.
> Sadly however you cannot use an external usb drive when in Safe Mode nor
> can you burn CDs. The easiest way, if you cannot get the present system
> running will be to either reinstall Win Me but PLEASE do NOT attempt this
> at this stage or to temporarily move the disk to another PC. One way of
> doing this is to remove the hard disk and put it in an external usb
> enclosure and then plug this in to another PC and copy the files that way.
> --
> Mike Maltby
> mike.maltby@gmail.com
>
>
>
> LeopardLiz <LeopardLiz@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> > Thank you for your response.
> >
> > To answer your questions, when I attempt to access Windows explorer,
> > my computer stops responding altogether. I cannot access any other
> > programs and have to reboot.
> >
> > I've had problems where the computer starts back up in "Safe Mode",
> > and I end up restarting in "Selective Startup" mode. I am not sure
> > if this is causing problems in other areas such as limiting my access
> > to programs/system utilities, etc. I am not a computer "techie", but
> > I am computer savvy.
> >
> > My virus protection is not updated since I cannot connect to the
> > internet through this machine. I was using Norton Anti-virus, and it
> > has detected Adware/Spyware when I ran the scans, however, it was
> > unsuccessful in removing these programs.
> >
> > My goal is to save data to an external hardrive in any way possible.
> > I have many photos and tax programs/data that I absolutely must save.
> > Any suggestions? Can I do this via DOS somehow? I have only limited
> > DOS language knowledge.
> >
> > Can I download the patches to another computer, and then load them
> > onto this old computer, or is that not an option?
> >
> > Also, what puzzles me is that this computer works to serve the
> > purpose of a wireless router for my other house computers. How is
> > that possible if I cannot access the internet on that same machine?
> > It is obviously accessing the internet somehow.
> >
> > Thanks again...........
>
>

 

[Mike M]

LeopardLiz <LeopardLiz@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Thank you for your help. I don't have all of the answers to your
> questions at this point. I will take your advice on transferring the
> files from the hard drive to another computer via the method you
> suggested. I will contact a computer store for assistance prior to
> doing this to make sure I am doing it properly.
>
> To answer your question about this computer acting as a wireless
> router........
> I have my Comcast internet cable connected to this PC. I also have a
> Linksys wireless router connected to this PC. This enables me to
> access the internet from the other computers in my house without any
> trouble..........very strange.

Why isn't the cable/adsl modem connected directly to the router which is
the normal way of doing things? Is there a special reason why you have
such an unorthodox setup? I can only assume that you are using ICS
(internet connection sharing) installed on the PC running Win Me. ICS is
normally used to allow a second PC to piggy back on the first and not to
then feed a router as the IP address mapping and allocation gets
unnecessarily complicated and this in itself can cause major problems.

A normal setup is as below

<--> ADSL or cable modem <--> router <---> wired PCs
|
wireless access point (WAP) ~~~ laptops & other wireless devices
--
Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com

 

[Mart]

Lateral Thinking?

Just can't get passed the first paragraph Mike, I'm not too sure whether Liz
is really referring to Windows Explorer or rather, Internet Explorer.

However, if she does really mean Windows Explorer *and* she can at least
boot into WinMe, then she could try the old Windows File Manager - Winfile -
to attempt to manage her files.

Start | Run and enter Winfile.exe in the run box.

An old trick - but it might just work! - But doesn't sort out the internet
and server issues though <h>

Mart



"Mike M" <No_Spam@Corned_Beef.Only> wrote in message
news:uJVsXYOnIHA.5368@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> - no patches or upgrades.
>
> I'm sorry but this says it all. Forget about connecting to the internet
> if you can't even run Windows Explorer. Get Windows Explorer working
> correctly and then work from there.
>
> Can you boot to Safe Mode? What EXACTLY is wrong with Windows Explorer as
> saying that your computer will not allow you to use it isn't that
> informative.
>
> Whilst I appreciate that you cannot currently go on-line but when
> approximately did you last scan your PC for malware and the like using
> your antivirus program? Which AV application are you using? When did you
> last update its reference signatures?
> --
> Mike Maltby
> mike.maltby@gmail.com
>
>
> LeopardLiz <LeopardLiz@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
>> I have an old PC with original Windows ME - no patches or upgrades.
>> I want to save all of my data onto an external hard drive, but my
>> computer won't even allow me to use Windows Explorer. What should I
>> do?
>>
>> Also, I have my Comcast internet connected to this computer along
>> with a wireless router, and all my other computers in the house are
>> able to connect to the internet via the wireless router. However,
>> when I try to access the internet off this Windows ME computer, it
>> does not allow me access and freezes up! It was not always this way.
>>
>> I just want to save my data and then do a clean install on this
>> computer with updated software. Can anyone help me? Thank you.
>