Yeah, regarding the tech side of things—it’s compatible, so the graphics card should work fine. Just a heads-up though, there are links included where you can compare interface performance. The main thing you really need to double-check is whether the new card requires extra power connectors—you'll want to make sure your current power supply can actually handle the load and has enough wattage for the upgrade.
Sean Wells7 said:I’m planning a quick trip out to Riverdale this Friday, and I was wondering if anyone might have any leads on finding a pair of HD201 headphones or perhaps a decent gaming mouse, maybe something along the lines of a Logitech G400?
Also, if anyone happens to know where I could pick up a budget-friendly mousepad, I wouldn't mind that either...
Actually, I suppose an iPhone 5 would work too, if I'm being honest. :P
Hold on—you're basically asking for a thrift store experience while having really specific gear in mind. Even on Craigslist, the stuff you're after isn't exactly cheap.
I checked with some friends, and while they might find some headsets or mice, nothing quite matches your specific list.
The report from CrystalDiskinf is flagging a "current pending sector count" warning for X sectors. Usually, that’s a telltale sign of bad sectors on your drive. Since you mentioned you were already aware of some bad sectors, the real question is whether they're spreading. If that number keeps climbing, I guess you should probably swap out the drive ASAP—before it eventually just dies on you.
That said, if the number stays flat, there's a chance—though not always—that those sectors might actually be recoverable. There are a few different ways to handle it, and honestly, some folks here have already suggested better methods than mine;
Yeah, the drive has bad sectors and really ought to be replaced—isolating them is just a temporary fix, I guess. Maybe try something like a zero fill or a full format.
If you've got some extra space on your drive, I wouldn't touch the C partition—it’s probably better to just grab what you need from another partition for Windows 7. You'll need at least 20GB, though I wouldn't recommend anything less than 50GB if you want things to run smoothly. Just create a new partition and install Windows 7 there—basically, set up a dual boot.
Are all those little circles on the list the exact same shade of blue, or does one look a bit off? What’s it showing for the disk health status? Maybe just grab a screenshot if you aren't totally sure
Errors popping up during a Windows installation usually point toward a hardware issue—could be the hard drive, the RAM, or maybe something less likely like the power supply, motherboard, or even the CPU.
Have you checked the S.M.A.R.T. status using CrystalDisk Info? And does Windows XP actually run fine on this machine otherwise—no blue screens or anything weird?
Are you looking at a system upgrade or setting up a dual boot?
If you're upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7, I’d say save yourself the headache and just go with a dual boot—especially if you aren't looking to reformat your partitions. You can always just wipe a single partition instead of the whole drive, I guess.
If you can't find an uninstall option in the Control Panel or the Start menu—which happens more often than you'd think—one way to handle it is to just head straight to the program's installation folder. Usually, there's a specific file in there meant for this, something like unins000.exe or uninst.exe, or a similar variation.
There are also dedicated tools designed specifically to scrub out all those leftover traces from other software—something like IObit Uninstaller (http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_..._download.html).
Could you let me know the names of the programs you're trying to get rid of that aren't showing up in the Control Panel?
Just some friendly advice—and I think you’ve already realized this yourself—don't bother buying anything under 2 TB. If you can swing it, just go for the 3TB option. I used to think I'd never actually fill up a 2TB external drive, but looking back, I'll probably be hunting for one next 😁 . You can usually find a WD Elements 2TB with an external power supply for about $255, or maybe a portable 2.5" version without the extra power brick for around $267.
Personally, I think 3TB drives are the best value right now. A WD MyBook 3TB with an external power supply is roughly $308, or you could grab a WD Elements 3TB with an external power supply for about $333.
Maybe start by double-checking all your connections—specifically the cable going to the motherboard and the power cable plugged into the drive itself. I’d suggest pulling them out and plugging them back in just to be sure.
When you boot up the PC, try listening closely to the drive to see if the platters are actually spinning, or maybe just put your hand on it. If you don't feel any vibration at all, then yeah... it's probably safe to say the drive is dead.