h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

If anyone should wander over this space, be it known that Saturnine has been without a computer for several weeks now. Her screen stops at;
Verifying DMI pool data.
(blinking cursor)

Njan is attempting to help, I can't at all, but can anyone else?

That explains the absence then.


If there's a previous boot floppy available for when it all goes belly up like this, use that - you can 'rollback' the system to a time when it once worked. That worked for me once. (Though if I ever bother to make another boot floppy, it'll be the day Hell freezes over....)

Alternatively...

If the hard drive has been opened up, knifed and completely dissected and put back together again, this is the obvious cause. Buy a new one.

Seriously though. Any ideas as to when the problem occurs? Is it after it tries to boot from the hard disk, or as soon as it switches on? In the case of the latter, it may be a BIOS problem. An area of expertise I'm actually lacking in. If it is at all possible, try installing the hard drive in another machine. If it's the BIOS chip that's the problem, the hard drive will likely boot up (start Windows) in another machine (if that other machine is one that works. ). But if booting up is still a no-go area, I have two computers that I was going to sell... or scavenge for spare parts in - including a new (and I use the term loosely!) hard drive. (mind it's only a reeeeeeally old 1Gb hard drive. Don't laugh, it wasn't mine)



*awaits Saturnine's messenger to return with reports of technical thing-ery....*

Saturnine is going to be glad she got that printer...

After Googling for a while, I've come to the conclusion that the hard drive is very probably corrupted, and the hard drive (so say other sufferers) is failing to boot. What I recommend is, if you still have the Windows 2000 installation disk, (and product key!) format (wipe clean)the hard drive (there's a command for this... fdisk I think...) and re-install your operating system. This will start you off with a clean slate, but at least you'll be able to use it.

If you DO have a boot floppy, though, Use THAT. That'll allow you, usually, to take your PC back in time to whenever it worked last. The formatting of the hard drive and reinstallation of operating system is a last resort. Also note that you'll lose all your files; h2g2 won't recognise you until you login again, downloads of websites you frequent will seem a bit slower because they're not cached... Trillian will not be installed... Your IE favourites will disappear... It has the effect of buying a new computer.

Plus you need to get to a command line to be able to use fdisk. I can format it without a command line though - using a partition manager on a bootable CD ROM. If you want I can send you the CD. (But don't go ahead and install the operating system that the partition manager belongs to, I can get sued. (besides you'll need an activation key to use it))

*Waits for the messenger...*

Passed the info along and she would like the CD with *detailed* directions by post if you want and can. She says thank you very, very much and asks if you would get her address by email. Mine is:

[email protected]

OK then. I'll just boot to the CD and write down how to do it so I know what I'm talking about...

Although It shall be a while coming - If you care to read my blog (linked to from my Space). I'd still be happy to do it, though.

Great, thank you. Just email me at that addy and I will give you here address (actual, real, 3D type)

*her

Any progress?

aka and Njan are looking after it I believe.

OK, here is the story. An IT guy at work suggested that she unplug and replug the floppy drive to see if that helped. She did and now it says *Floppy Disk fail (40)*. I am of course blamed for this and she says that this is now an additional problem. The original problem was *Verifying DMI pool* with a blinking cursor. I think she doesn't want to open it up again to redo the floppy but she will when she gets her nerve up. Any suggestions?

Do they have to be polite and/or helpful suggestions?

I think unplugging the floppy drive was unlikely to help because it needs to be checked during boot-up. Does it not go on to produce the other error anyway? Is there an opportunity to interrupt the boot-up process early on?

NB One of the funniest computer errors is something like "keyboard not detected, press F1 to continue".

I'm a Mac geek so much of what is going on is a mystery to me. I am also getting this stuff second or third hand which doesn't help. The floppy suggestion was because one of the early warnings was that it wasn't being recognised. The IT guy said to disconnect and reconnect to re-seat the connections. I guess that either didn't work or it was done improperly. I won't be able to pass on info or hear anything about it until other people email me after they have all this information.

Well don't look at me, I can only fix a PC if the tool required is a large sledge hammer

I know you would help if you could! I understand she is getting quite frustrated being off the net, I wish I could do more.

Any luck? If worst came to worst, I might be willing to mail her a new (used) hard drive along with a less-than-legal windows 2k disk. In fact, I bet if I pre-installed it and had her just hook it up, that might work.

I *think* aka is looking after it, if I get another message I will let everyone know. Presently I am on the road a great deal (all this month) so I only get online now and then.

Any updates? I'd like to help out, if I can.

I have everything under control...
I'm going to snail-mail her a package including a previous hard drive of mine... I'm sending it off tomorrow, all being well. Think we'll miss the quiet when she comes back?

*begins handing out protective clothing and headgear to everyone in preperation for her return Will be good that it should soon be sorted

If she is still in her pink phase we won't be needing the rose-tinted version of the peril-sensitive glasses.