Might I need new hardware? [ Not Solved ]

Thanks much. Did Windy 10 install. Have 8GB usable ram now. Have not tried to install Ubuntu 18 yet.
Made USB stick of Tails Linux to try out also. Only problem with Windows so far is my favorite game “Warzone 2100” freezes up on start up. Always worked great on Windows or Ubuntu before. I haven’t
purchased the SSD drive yet. But It seems to me I can install the SSD and then install Windows 10 from the same USB stick I just used. Is that correct? Or do I need to make another USB install media?

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Tried to run Tails after successfully downloading and verifying. Made the USB stick exactly as they instructed. Everything went as they said. But the USB stick would not boot. Windows even erased the Image file download and the downloaded program I used to make the USB. The USB stick is not even recognized by my computer. Windows fried it me thinks.

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At this juncture, before trying to install a second OS or do anything else.

Diagnose your computer with HP’s help. I’m not familiar with HP.

I’m with Dell, they offer an online diagnostic test, where you download a their app, to test your computer for faults, the recommended drivers, BIOS updates, etc.

HP site: https://support.hp.com/us-en/topic/diagnostics?category=computing

The “WarZone 2100” game that freezes at the start, maybe due Nvidia drivers, possibly missing…?

If you are going ahead with fitting a SSD, this will improve your computers overall performance, along with the ram upgrade, transform your computer.

Second OS suggestion, is either MX Linux or Linuxmint Xfce, both have easy enabling of Nvidia driver.

:sunglasses:

Great Suggestion thanks Mack

Well I downloaded and installed The HP Diagnostic tool 3 times. It starts to load…I get a 2 second flash of the Diagnostics program and then it completely disappears. It doesn’t even load the diagnostic program.

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tried to install a UFEI diagnostic from HP. It would not install said too many partitions on HD.
Reading further said it was from playing with Linux and not knowing how. I’m afraid I may have trashed this machine beyond repair

Okay, we’ll have go through some rudimentary checks, as a process of elimination.

When you install windies, did anything seem off…Odd…?

If not, you say you have since encountered two issues, post install.

  1. Opening war game
  2. Unable to run HP diagnostic tool

Before these problems, how long had you run the computer for, i.e open/close browser, play CD in window media player. Write a letter using Word, email, routine stuff without issue.

Have you checked the Activation Page, to see if your current install has an embedded digital license.

I DO NOT enter any product key license number during the install, because Windows Pro 7/8 qualify for a free upgrade to W10 Pro.

Check the following light codes:

Then
Graphic card drivers: Official Drivers | NVIDIA

:thinking:

This test would be more appropriate as you said you experiencing frozen apps.

Edit 02/03/19 1525hrs

You have a NON UEFI computer, UEFI appeared on post 2013 machines. I’m not surprised it did not work.

The other test would Window Issues tests: Fix Windows Operating System Issues | HP® Support

Thanks mack. I’m actually logged in to HP support now. Their online detection program can’t even find my computer type I’ve watching the little spinning icon for about ten minutes now.

So far the only thing that I was allowed to do was update the NVIDIA driver to latest version. Selected the “clean install” driver installation in case I might have messed with something. Didn’t change anything having latest driver though.
None of the HP Diagnostic Programs will load, including the ones you have linked to. They will install but not load even after multiple installs and reboots. I even installed latest “HP SUPPORT ASSISTANT” program.
It works but says there are no updates for my computer. I was hoping it would tell me to upgrade BIOS or Firmware or something. Seems like a pretty useless program.

Not sure at this point if I should bother installing SSD. It definitely seems that cloning is out of the question since I’ve got this HD all messed up with partitions.

Okay, no joy with HP diagnostic site.

To find your current BIOS version, at BOOT press repeatedly F2 or delete key to enter BIOS. The only HP BIOS I’ve seen was a laptop, and it was totally different other brands i.e Dell, Lenovo and Asus.

There should be a summary page detailing BIOS version in use, ram (type, slots in use, amount), CPU, GPU etc.

I would imagine it is out of date.

Dell include an onboard diagnostic system. Try F12 at boot and see what they list, in Dell this is a one time Legacy Boot, BIOS Update Flash, Diagnostic, BIOS Setup, Device Configuration.

See drivers note below.

HP Guide:
https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/hp-compaq-dc5800-microtower-pc/3658081/document/c01362772

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01362760

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01363847

Drivers:

Be careful, HP are not supporting your computer with W10, and consider their drivers in W10 as untested. Plus inform you to go to Micro$oft site to check. Or go to HP community forum for up to date drivers.
https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-compaq-dc5800-microtower-pc/3658081

:sunglasses:

BIOS = 786F2 v01.04
Firmware Version 3.0.4.1120

Tried to look up on HP website but no way.

Last BIOS update is from 2011.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/swdetails/hp-compaq-dc5800-microtower-pc/3658081/swItemId/vc-80219-1

Still trying to figure out what is “LiveCD” and “gparted” and where to find them

Cool Thanks Looks like I’m about three versions behind. Would there be any problems if I load the latest BIOS version bypassing the earlier versions?

Okay downloaded BIOS from your HP link. But it wont install as per their instructions. I’m guessing that’s because the install program is designed for Windows XP instead of Windows 10.

Okay, I’m currently using a Ubuntu LiveCD. As you have experienced the Ubuntu DE.

That means I have burnt an Ubuntu iso to a USB stick, this gives me a live desktop environment, on top of a donor machine. It doesn’t matter if it is installed or not.

gParted is a formatting tool to format a SSD or HDD, prior to installing.

Example of gParted partitioned SSD drive

:sunglasses:

Now I get it. Cool. So I could use my Ubuntu 16 LiveCD?
Would Gparted allow me to straighten out my partition problem on my HD?

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Yes.

As I expected, the drivers and BIOS update are no longer do-able.

A suggestion:
Install Ubuntu 16.04, sort to your preference. In LiveCD mode, follow below instructions

Open GParted, delete Windows 10 partitions. There should be x2.
Go menu bar entry **Device** > Create partition tables
Pop up page, apply MSDOS
Go menu bar entry **Partition** > New
New pop up page, format to ext4
Apply all operations to clean and format disk

After installing Ubuntu and sorting to your preference, install the Synaptic Package Manager

sudo apt install synaptic via the terminal.

Now install Gnome-Boxes from the Synaptic Package Manager.
Install W10 to Gnome Boxes using the W10 install media. If there a problem with license.

Try this method: https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.com/p/virtualbox.html

:sunglasses:

Edit

Note to @Jimany, in future, when making an edit or adding info to your post, please do so with an edit, as I have missed them.

Clean up instructions 02/03/19 21:38hrs

I wonder if I could install Windows 7 using the virtual box and then update BIOS

@Jimany

Please mark both your ongoing topics as UNRESOLVED.

  1. Might I need new hardware?
  2. Upgrade to Ubuntu 18 will not boot

I have sent you PM.

:sunglasses: