So my Media Center stopped downloading the guide, which basically means I can’t DVR anything anymore. In hunting down the problem, one site suggested re-syncing the time on my PC to one of the time servers. When I checked this in the clock’s “internet time” tab, I get this:
I’ve tried a few other time servers suggested around the web, but it won’t sync. Anyone have any ideas?
How far off is the time?
Try killing the service and setting it up again.
Start->Run-> cmd.exe
net stop w32time
w32tm.exe /unregister
w32tm.exe /register
net start w32time
Yep Jay, tried that too.
If the time is off at all, I can’t tell. The real problem I’m trying to hunt down is this (see below) when I try to download the guide. And the fact that windows can’t sync the time may have something to do with it.
I would look back in Add/Remove programs for Windows updates that were installed around the same time this broke…then roll them back.
You could also try disabling windows firewall…
Jay, I gave that a shot and it gave me a bit of grief, but it worked to sync the time. However my Media Center problem still exists…
I’m going to do that next. The firewall has been ‘off’ while I’ve been troubleshooting.
I found this link: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/910905
And was following what it said to do, but when I go to re-install Update Rollup 2, it fails and restarts my computer… 
Any specific error when the update 2 install fails? Never a good sign when windows updates start failing in the middle of being installed.
Maybe a critical error in the event viewer under application or system? (right click my computer, manage, expand event viewer).
Sounds like your OS is about as stable as old blue eyes after an Obama speech. I see a format/reinstall in your future. 
This is the error:
But I have bigger issues it seems… I’ve tried to restart the computer in Safe Mode, but it won’t work! I begins to load, then restarts again… WTF. Something is screwed up for sure.
does it give you a blue screen?
or just reboots… if you are getting a blue screen you might be missing the appropriate registry key (could be a quick fix) - typically caused by a virus
back-up your shit and re-format the bitch
No blue screen; it just reboots. I’ve figured out that I can manually set the DVR, so I’m going to ‘ignore’ this problem just a little longer until I get a new computer…
The problem with re-formatting is that it’s a custom Sony from early '05 and never came with any disks. And I’ve never messed with the ‘Vaio Recovery’ program, but I have a feeling that after all this time it might not want to work properly.
Anyone have a 2TB drive I can backup with?
You don’t necessarily have to backup EVERYTHING…
Yes, 2TB no problem onyxsyndicate.com unlimited disk space and bandwidth… That there is a sure fire way to piss off the hosting co.
Honestly though, I do have a 750 GB that you can use. It is completely blank. I also have a 500GB that is nearly blank, and I can transfer files and make it blank.
I’ve got ~1 TB free, have fun with taking a whole week to back-up to it though lol
Ok well my PC is fucked well beyond Media Center now. I tried to do a system restore, it started to restore then it froze…
So I had to hard-restart it. When Windows loaded, my antivirus picked up something that managed to get into my startup folder called ‘uninstall.exe’ … Windows loaded like normal, but after maybe 1 minute or so it dies. No blue screen either - the screen goes black and the hard drive shuts off… But the case stays on (I can play with the DVD drives, etc.) until I hard shut it down.
And that’s what it does now everytime I restart it.
Safemode won’t load.
Windows loads but only works for a few minutes.
With the help of RX3, we made a boot DVD that loads a Lunix (Linix?) OS and can move files around. I have 2 HDDs and the idea was to move all the important stuff from my main HD to my 2nd, then format / reinstall that drive. We tried it on his PC to see how it would work, and it did. BUT on my PC, it can’t access my main HD! The drive shows up as having a 0kb size…
So I’m stuck here… Anyone have any ideas? 
Repair Install…Find a Windows XP disc from someone with the service pack you have and run a repair install. It keeps all of your files, settings, user accounts, programs, all of that good stuff, but reloads all of the windows files like a fresh install.
Hum… Is there anywhere I can download a disk or do I have to find someone with one? I have what ever the latest service pack is.
If that fails, the next step would be to install XP on a 3rd HD and setup the main drive to ‘slave’ and pull my files off that way… But I really don’t want to loose the programs, etc. that I have on my main drive… Fuck.
your problem is obvious?
:evolve2:
I actually just came across a disk and key at school. If your in the ROC area I can hook you up