Hello,

I wonder if you can help. I bought the E-machine computer (details below) 8 years ago. Occasionally I have used the recovery discs which came with it to restore it to factory settings to clean out viruses, etc. On the last occasion because the problems were particularly bad I sent it to a reputable, local repairer. The computer was working fine when it was returned but when I next came to using the recovery discs I got a message:


Symantec Ghost 7.0.0.260 Copyright 1998-2001 Symantec Corporation

Error - Single user version cannot do multiple loads


Can anyone advise?

Many thanks.



E 350 MACHINE

Purchased 15.6.02

Serial No. QLU24 507 00484

Other Ref.1348299

1.3GHZ

128MB RAM

40 GB Hard Drive

DVD

CD RW

56K Modem

Speakers

Intel 810e Graphics

Microsoft Works 2000?

Hi,

I've done a little online research for you and have found someone else that had the same problem on a similar PC. In their case, they found that they were simply using the wrong CD/DVD drive - the recovery disc was a DVD, not a CD. I notice that your PC also has a CD drive and a separate DVD drive. Have you tried using the recovery disc in the other drive?

If this doesn't work, then another possible cause is that hardware inside the PC has changed. For example, a component such as a modem has been added or removed or, perhaps, the hard disk was changed when you had the computer repaired. The Ghost software may be doing some kind of copyright protection check by enumerating the different hardware components inside the PC. The only way to get around that would be to put it back to how it was the last time that the recovery discs worked.

Let us know if that helps

Hi DJNafey,

Many thanks for your kind efforts to help. Unfortunately, my CD R/W drive does not work and I don't think it will be practical to try to get the computer back to its previous state. I think after 8 years it is time to buy a new one. Any recommendations for a 'home' general purpose desktop at the lower end of the price range?

As you're in the UK, I have lots of recommendations!

Brand
If you don't mind buying online and waiting up to 4 weeks for delivery, Dell is usually the best deal for low-end home / home office desktop PCs. My business is a Dell Premier Partner although, to be honest, we've actually switched to Fujitsu now as Dell have become very unreliable on delivery and customer service. Our experience so far is that Fujitsu PCs offer similar, if not better, performance for a comparable price and they can be sourced much more quickly. We haven't been using Fujitsu for long enough to gauge reliability, although the build quality certainly seems good. The key here is to check out the small business ranges, as well as the home / consumer ranges, as the small business models are often a better deal at the low end.

Windows
If you go into a retail store, you can now only buy Windows 7. Most of the low end PCs will have Windows 7 Home Premium, which gives you all of the fancy interface improvements. If you buy a Dell or Fujitsu small business PC, you can still get an option to have Windows XP Professional pre-installed and the upgrade discs or recovery discs will be included to allow you to re-install with Windows 7 Professional at no extra charge whenever you're ready.

Applications
If you've got a license of Microsoft Office (e.g. Word and Excel) on your old PC, you can only move that license to a new PC if it is a retail boxed version. Microsoft Office licenses that came pre-installed on the PC when it was new (and where you were given the CDs in a small shrink-wrapped cardboard packet) cannot legally be installed on any other computer. New PCs do not come with Word, Excel, etc. as standard - this is an extra software package that you have to purchase separately if you want it. Microsoft Office 2010 Home & Student is about £70-£80. However, there are alternatives. Many PCs do come with Microsoft Works, which is Microsoft's cheaper word processor, spreadsheet and calendar package aimed at home users. Also, you can now create, edit and share Word documents, Excel spreadsheets and Powerpoint presentations for free online using Microsoft's Office Web Apps (see www.microsoft.com/office).

Printers etc.
If you want to use your old printer, scanner, copier or other devices, you'll need to check whether Windows 7 supports them. Most will work fine but it might be time to buy a new printer / scanner / copier all-in-one device, which cost as little as £40 now. Our favourites for basic home use are the HP Photosmart models.

Processor
For most standard home and small business needs, a dual-core processor is best but that doesn't mean it has to be expensive. Avoid cheaper AMD processors like the plague and even Intel's budget "Celeron" range, as these are all pretty disappointing. Intel's more expensive Core 2 Duo processors are great but the Intel Pentium Dual Core range is almost the same but significantly cheaper. We almost always specify Intel Pentium Dual Core processors as they give the best performance-per-pound.

RAM
Although most home PCs will run Windows XP optimally with 1GB RAM, Windows 7 needs a lot more. It's widely agreed that 2GB RAM is a sensible minimum and that 3GB or even 4GB RAM may be better for intensive applications and heavy multi-tasking.

Hard disk
Any new PC is likely to have a SATA hard drive that is at least 160GB in capacity, four times larger than the IDE hard drive that you probably have now. SATA drives also work much faster than the old IDE hard drives.

Optical drive
Almost every new PC has a DVD-ReWriter drive, allowing you to play and record CDs and DVDs. It's unusual for a PC to have two optical drives these days (e.g. a CD-RW and a DVD-ROM) as the one DVD-ReWriter will do everything. It will probably also record discs much more quickly than the optical drives in your old PC.

Monitor
If you're intending to keep your old monitor, check the connections. You will have a blue D-Sub (a.k.a. "VGA" or "RGB") connector on the monitor but probably not a newer white DVI connector. Some new PCs will now only have a new digital DVI output, not an old analog D-Sub connection.

Warranty
Dell's 3 year on-site warranty upgrade for about £50 is well worth the money. Other manufacturers tend to charge more though. Be sceptical about the quality, value or level of cover of shop assistant-endorsed warranty extensions!

Hope that helps

That is helpful indeed. Many thanks.