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Well,  it happened …
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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorGSyren
Profiling since 2001
Registered: March 14, 2007
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Sweden Posts: 4,508
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My PC just totally died. The power light comes on, but nothing happens. No attempt to boot, not even from a USB drive. Sigh. 

Fortunately I have backups of everything important. And I have already ordered a new PC. I had planned to retire my old one, but I would have liked to be able to do a more organized transition, e.g. preparing a list of all installed software. But it is what it is.

Moving to a new PC is always a slog. Even with a list of needed software it usually takes days to get everything downloaded, installed and configured. And without that list there will undoubtedly be some ”I had a program that did [whatever]. What was that called and where did I find it?” Especially for an old absent minded guy like me. 

What can we learn from this? The importance of having backups. Even if it's just a backup of your Profiler collection, make sure you have a backup, and that it will be available even if your computer commits hara-kiri. But you probably have other stuff that you don't want to lose. So, be prepared …
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Gunnar
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
Aim high. Ride the wind.
Registered: March 18, 2007
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United States Posts: 6,396
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Hey man, I have brought worse machines back to life. Could be something really simple.

If the hard drive is still in tact, that's all you need to recreate your system on the new machine if you want to do that. I am happy to walk you through it, by text, or by zoom / Skyoe whatever.

If it were my system, depending on how old your failed system is, the easiest scenario is:

(1) Download to a USB drive, all the hardware drivers, CPU and bios files compatible with your new machine
(2) Prepare a way to backup your new system (hard drive, server or cloud)
(3) Determine whether the hard drives of the two systems are compatible. If not, another more complicated scenario is required
(4) If so, remove the new hard drive from your new machine and protect it somewhere. I usually make a clone  of a new PC and use the clone and save the original drive
(5) Remove the old hard drive from the old machine and install in the new machine.
(6) Boot it up. There should be minimal errors. Windows will automatically install the necessary new hardware drivers. You might need a short call to Microsoft to revalidate your old license on the new machine.
(7) Install the machine specific hardware and bios drivers that you saved on the USB drive, rebooting as necessary
(8) Backup your system. You should have your old environment back, running on new hardware.
Thanks for your support.
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Hey, new product!!! BDPFrog.
 Last edited: by mediadogg
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorGSyren
Profiling since 2001
Registered: March 14, 2007
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Sweden Posts: 4,508
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Well, a fresh install may be a slog, but it's often worth it to get rid of old stuff that just takes up space and potentially slows the machine down. The old machine has a primary SSD drive and a secondary hard drive. I will remove the hard drive where all the important stuff is kept and mount it in my hard drive docking station. I also have a backup on another hard drive. So I should be OK.

I'm also getting a new monitor to replace my quite old one. So new stuff, but the same old tired man at the keyboard. Oh, maybe I ought to get a new keyboard as well. I wouldn't want to get key-bored … 
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Gunnar
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorWigram
Don't blink!
Registered: June 6, 2007
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Canada Posts: 949
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Quoting GSyren:
Quote:
Oh, maybe I ought to get a new keyboard as well. I wouldn't want to get key-bored … 

How about that one? 



But seriously, good luck on the new install!
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorGSyren
Profiling since 2001
Registered: March 14, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
Sweden Posts: 4,508
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Well, that's … different. I wonder if it is available with Swedish key layout? You know - å ä ö. No, I think that keyboard is incompatible with me. I'm too set in my ways to make a switch like that. Why, I'm even too stubborn to switch from Visual Basic to C#. 

Anyway, many thanks Wigram!
My freeware tools for DVD Profiler users.
Gunnar
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributorrdodolak
Registered: March 18, 2007
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United States Posts: 1,598
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It could be a power supply issue.
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
Aim high. Ride the wind.
Registered: March 18, 2007
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United States Posts: 6,396
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Quoting rdodolak:
Quote:
It could be a power supply issue.

Right, but I'm sure you've noticed by now that he so excited about getting the new toy that he has no desire to fix the old one! 
Thanks for your support.
Free Plugins available here.
Advanced plugins available here.
Hey, new product!!! BDPFrog.
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorGSyren
Profiling since 2001
Registered: March 14, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
Sweden Posts: 4,508
Posted:
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Quoting mediadogg:
Quote:
Quoting rdodolak:
Quote:
It could be a power supply issue.

Right, but I'm sure you've noticed by now that he so excited about getting the new toy that he has no desire to fix the old one! 

Well, you are not entirely wrong. My old PC is more than 10 years old. It's starting to show it's age. First I had a memory problem. Windows memory test didn't find anything, but Memtest86 found a single bit that failed. Apparently it was in a part of the memory that is seldom used, because I very seldom had any problem with it. So I ignored it, thinking that if it got worse I'd have to find out which memory board that had the problem,. and replace it. Or should I replace both memory boards just to be safe?

Then this happened. I had the same suspicion as rdodolak - power supply. But this just convinced me that it was indeed time to retire the old war horse. I do have a laptop, but I hate working with that type of keyboard. Give me a "real" keyboard and a mouse any day.

I hope to have it up and running some time next week. Until then I'll just be surfing on my iPad.
My freeware tools for DVD Profiler users.
Gunnar
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
Aim high. Ride the wind.
Registered: March 18, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
United States Posts: 6,396
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Quoting GSyren:
Quote:
Quoting mediadogg:
Quote:
Quoting rdodolak:
Quote:
It could be a power supply issue.

Right, but I'm sure you've noticed by now that he so excited about getting the new toy that he has no desire to fix the old one! 

Well, you are not entirely wrong. My old PC is more than 10 years old. It's starting to show it's age. First I had a memory problem. Windows memory test didn't find anything, but Memtest86 found a single bit that failed. Apparently it was in a part of the memory that is seldom used, because I very seldom had any problem with it. So I ignored it, thinking that if it got worse I'd have to find out which memory board that had the problem,. and replace it. Or should I replace both memory boards just to be safe?

Then this happened. I had the same suspicion as rdodolak - power supply. But this just convinced me that it was indeed time to retire the old war horse. I do have a laptop, but I hate working with that type of keyboard. Give me a "real" keyboard and a mouse any day.

I hope to have it up and running some time next week. Until then I'll just be surfing on my iPad.

Did you ever consider putting a watered-down development environment on the laptop, so that you could continue with projects during main system maintenance? (Get back to work!!!!  )

You can use the keyboard, mouse and monitor from our old system with the laptop, using inexpensive adapters. So stop loafing on the iPad. No more excuses!!! Keep the Tools Train rolling!!! 
Thanks for your support.
Free Plugins available here.
Advanced plugins available here.
Hey, new product!!! BDPFrog.
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorGSyren
Profiling since 2001
Registered: March 14, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
Sweden Posts: 4,508
Posted:
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Quoting mediadogg:
Quote:
No more excuses!!! Keep the Tools Train rolling!!!

Oh dear! Will it be OK if I just think tools until next week? 
My freeware tools for DVD Profiler users.
Gunnar
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar Contributormreeder50
I was outta bullets
Registered: March 29, 2007
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United States Posts: 2,713
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Once you start down that slippery road, there's no way back.    
Marty - Registered July 10, 2004, User since 2002.
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar ContributorRander
I hate mondays...
Registered: March 13, 2007
Denmark Posts: 668
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You did try "dead-resetting" it, right?

Unplug the power, then press and hold the power button for 10-15 seconds (you'll probably wee the power-LED flash and the fans move a bit). Re-plug it it and try and start it.
The future is here. It's just not widely distributed yet. (William Gibson)
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorGSyren
Profiling since 2001
Registered: March 14, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
Sweden Posts: 4,508
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Got all the hardware I need; a new impoved PC, a new improved monitor and an external blu-ray burner. Why is it that almost all desktop PCs seem to be aimed at gamers? And why don't they come with an optical drive?

Anyway, I got Windows 11 configured. I had almost forgotten how much fun it is to get trusty old peripherals to work with newer Windows. An old Canon printer, an old Brother label printer and an old CanoScan scanner. Plug-and-play? Hardly. Canon didn't have printer drivers for win 10 or win 11. I got it working with an older driver, though, after some twiddling. The scanner actually seems to work with the drivers that came with it on a CD. And the label printer works with the win 10 drivers that I downloaded. So that's one hurdle cleared.

I have downloaded and installed Visual Studio, and right now I'm restoring all my projects from my backup.
Much more stuff to download and install. Haven't decided if I should install Avast antivirus again, or if I should just trust Windows own antivirus. Phew!
My freeware tools for DVD Profiler users.
Gunnar
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantwoodg
Registered: March 21, 2007
Australia Posts: 154
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Quoting GSyren:
Quote:
An old Canon printer, an old Brother label printer and an old CanoScan scanner. Plug-and-play? Hardly. Canon didn't have printer drivers for win 10 or win 11. I got it working with an older driver, though, after some twiddling. The scanner actually seems to work with the drivers that came with it on a CD. And the label printer works with the win 10 drivers that I downloaded. So that's one hurdle cleared.


If you have trouble with the scanner, may I suggest VueScan from Hamrick Software. I have been using it for a few years now with an old HP ScanJet 5370C which wouldn't work with Windows 10. There is a trial version to test it with your scanner.

I have no affiliation, just a happy user.
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