Scary start to the day

[rickf77]

Morning gents; I flashed up the pc this morning, looked at the email and then clicked on the site. My pc froze up, and I had to finally turn it off by pressing and holding the power button. When she started again (thank goodness), it started a disk check (I think that's what it said). This took about 10 minutes. I was informed that it could not read 4 files. Later in the process, I was told that 2 kuids were being deleted. They were strange looking kuids; the first, KUID2 126773 210023. There may have been a space between the last 2 and 3. The second number was KUID21~1. That's just the way they looked, no ":" in the numbers. Everything seems fine now. I'm going to launch trainz in a moment, hope all is well. I'm just curious about this, I've never had this kind of thing happen before.

Cheers....Rick

 

[oknotsen]

Open your Content Manager and check the "Missing Dependencies" tab. See if anything new popped up which might give you a hint about what is no longer there. Might require a database repair for this to actually show changes.

I advice you to make a back-up of your system really soon. It might take some time, but this will happen again and you might be a lot less lucky then (if you would consider this first time lucky at all of course).

 

[rickf77]

Morning oknotsen; I am going to do as you said in a couple of minutes. I have never done a back-up of my system before. Can you give me an idea of how to do this?

I've been saying my route to a cdp every couple of days. I did not do it yesterday. It looks like about 75% or more of what I did yesterday is not there. I'm going to have a look at the "Missing Dependencies" and do the database repair for now. If this back up of my system is a complicated thing, could you give me an idea of where to find some info on the subject? Thanks for the help.

Cheers...Rick

 

[oknotsen]

It all depends on how much money you want to invest in this and your personal situation.

Some people will claim you need to make a back-up every day, to an off-site location in a nuclear resistant bunker far above water level with multiple back-up power supplies. Some people will claim you never should bother with making a back-up. And of course you got all versions in between.

Here is what I did: I got myself an external HD a few months ago. Connected via USB, cost me about €70 for more space then I need. I copy the files I don't want to loose to that 2nd HD every few days. I don't bother with copying my whole TS12 folder, since I have a life-time FCT and consider that part of my back-up strategy. I don't use 3rd party content, but if you do you might want to have a safety copy of that on a 2nd HD.
If you also use your PC for your work, you could look into one of those cloud services a lot of companies are offering. I know my dad keeps a back-up of his system that way and then if his laptop fails when he is Mexico, China or wherever he had ended up this time he can still access his back-up via internet.

See what fits your situation.

 

[rickf77]

Hello again oknotsen. Dang, I made a reply on the wife's pc while the database repair was running, and lost it, after I was told that I was not logged in. I WAS logged in. Anyway, I do have an external HD and save my route to a cdp every couple of days, I guess this should be a daily thing. I also copy everything in the user data file, about once a week. It takes a long time. I'm sure I don't need everything in the user data, but I'm not sure what's important so I copy all of it.

Well, here's what I've found out so far. Kuid2:60850:24586:3 Sig UQ Jcn 2 Comb Left Branch LHS Author bloodnok is showing as corrupt and unreadable. Unless this was on the list of downloads that show up when you first launch the game, I would not have downloaded this item. I do not plan on using any signals on my route at this time.

I'm going to do the check disk thingy. When I look into the errors, I get a pop up from the bottom bar saying that it's corrupt and unreadable and to please run Chkdsk Utility. I think Shane, bless him, has a tutorial about this.

It IS showing as a downloaded item in the content manager. It must have been on the list that shows up when you launch trainz.

Thanks for your help and info. I'm going to take a fast peek at surveyor and see if my work from yesterday is still gone, and then try the utility.

Thanks again, my friend, cheers...Rick

Whoops, one more thing...I guess you can tell 3rd party content by the kuid number?

 

[oknotsen]

I guess you can tell 3rd party content by the kuid number?

I think the easy way to find 3rd party content is by setting a filter on "locally modified = true" and exclude your own items from that list ("and not author = rickf77"). Sure, the DLS stuff that you modified will now also be listed, but you might want to save that stuff also as you don't want to do those modifications again most probably.

 

[JCitron]

Rick,

This is why I can't stress how important backups are. Believe me! We don't think about them until something happens then scramble to backup our data only to find that it can't be done because of some issue or another! I hate to say it, but consider this a lesson learned. I had mine a few years ago, and I still haven't recovered. And yes, I should have known better! I've worked in the IT industry for decades. I was responsible for backing up other people's data every night. The only thing is I didn't think my stuff was just as important as everyone else's data.

The thing is we don't think it will ever happen to us. Every day we power up our PCs and everything comes up fine. We don't notice the little slowdowns here and there because PCs do run slow due to various issues not related to hard drives. Then one day, there's nothing. It's gone off to the bit heaven in the sky! In the process of panic, we think of trying to backup the stuff we have, we try all kinds of things, but nothing. It doesn't work. Sometimes we're lucky and have some stuff, but not the most current stuff. We can sometimes get by with that, but then again, it's not the best.

Once you've got things stable, you could try to run Trainz, but you may have to reinstall because of the data corruption. With this kind of crash, this could mean the drive its self is on the way out. I'd be very suspicious of something else happening again, and you don't want to be caught short again! You can purchase a drive at a BestBuy or some other store and put it in yourself. You'll then have to reinstall everything from scratch, including the antivirus and of course Trainz TS12. Your data, what you have backed up, can be reimported again into the fresh Trainz install. All in all, the process should take about 2-3 hours after all the little patches and tidbits you need to get Windows up and running and safe, perhaps longer if you have a lot of stuff to install.

Sorry for writing a book, but I again I can't stress how important backs are.

John

 

[rickf77]

Good morning John; I'm not sure what to back up. I have been copying my route and everything in the user data folder. I put them on my external HD. In fact, right now I am copying the user data folder, it takes some time. I don't think I need everything in that folder, but since I'm not sure, I copy all of it. I've backed up all my TransDem stuff. I'm hoping I never have to start this route over again. I usually also back these items up on a usb "stick" or whatever ya call them. I've been slacking off with the second back up, but am doing that after I finish my back ups on the external HD. Are there more items I should back up? The reason I make 2 back ups is because I tried to defrag my external HD before I had trainz, it did not go well, and I lost a lot of stuff.

After this episode happened, the pc started a "disk check" on it's own. That's when I saw the kuids mentioned above. I did a data base repair. I was asked to do a disk check and did, twice. I was away from the pc and when I came back the pc was getting ready to start the disc check again. While I was reading what was on the screen, I came to something like. "you have 2 seconds to cancel", and it started another disc check. After that, everything was back to normal.

I lost most of the work I did the day before, but I believe I caused this. I do all the work in the route layer, it may be wrong, but it's been working for me. I was having a problem placing crossing boards, sometimes they would work, most of the time I was informed that they could not be place in this layer. I decided to try the session layer, and the boards worked great. It was the first time I left the route layer. I have a nasty habit of deleting things that seem to be just taking up space. Every so often, I delete the sessions, I would have hundreds of them by now. Well, that day I decided to delete the sessions and I guess that's what happen to the days work. Yesterday I discovered that I could place the boards (in the route layer) on a bridge and then drag them along the tracks to the area I need them. I am never too far from a bridge. I have no reason to leave the route layer now. I have used the sessions now and then to run a loco along the track to make sure everything is nice and smooth.

I think that explains what happened to the day's work. I have no idea what caused the pc problems, maybe one of those kuids. Everything seems fine now. I ALWAYS believe something is going to happen to my pc, but I'm still shocked when something does happen.

So, my friend, is there anything else I should back up? I have back ups for the TransDem stuff, my route is saved to a cdp (every single day from now on), and I back up everything in the user data folder.

I did not have to re install trainz, everything is still there, except the work some bonehead deleted!

Thanks John, cheers........Rick

 

[shaneturner12]

When it comes to backing up Trainz data, the crucial items are UserData/Original, Userdata/local and UserData/Screenshots (if you have screenshots you want to keep).

If you have any payware N3V addon packs, you will also need to backup the relevant .ja files in <trainz install folder>/Builtin.

Regarding chkdsk, I do indeed have a tutorial on that utility on my tutorial site.

Shane

 

[Robert2d6]

A problem where chkdsk keeps running, would indicate to me that the drive is developing some serious problems. I use Macrium Reflex to make an image of my entire drive as well as back up all my files. It is automatic, you set a schedule and it will follow it. If anything happens to your drive , instead of spending hours and hours trying to find and reload your system, updates, programs, patches, data on your PC, you buy a brand new hard drive, install it in your PC, and Reflect will automatically build your new drive so that it is a mirror image of your old one. http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx The rule I use about harddrives, is, it is not "if" but "when" the drive will go bad. Really important data like financial records, I back up in the cloud as well like Google Drive which is free up to 5 GBs. So I have 3 copies of that data, on my PC, on my external drive and in the cloud. Anything less, isn't bullet proof.

 

[shaneturner12]

Indeed, as chkdsk will only run automatically if the disk is marked as 'dirty' (i.e. if it suspects an error), or if scheduled to using Windows.

Shane

 

[rickf77]

Morning guys; Scary stuff indeed. With the chkdsk, here's what happened: Started the pc, looked at the email and then tried to go to this site. The pc froze up, could not do anything but press the power button for about 5 seconds until it shut down. I have not had to do that for a very long time. Something in my old flight sim used to cause this to happen now and then. OK, when I turned the pc on again, it wanted to do the chkdsk. I let it run, and it said it was deleting the kuids. After this I did a database repair, and it said in a window from the bottom bar on the monitor to please do a chkdsk. I did this the way Shane's tut says to (thanks for the tut). I left the pc to do some work around the house, peeking in now and then to see how much longer it would take. I came back, and it was getting ready to start another chkdsk, and did, before I had a chance to stop it. When it finished this chkdsk, it restarted and all was normal. Now, the first chkdsk did not just start all by itself, I had the option of running it or not. I read it was strongly recommended, so I ran it. The next chkdsk, I did myself, following the tut, after reading the pop up that appeared after I did the database repair. While the second one was running, I looked in now and then and saw no mention of problems. Why it ran again, I have no idea, but after that all SEEMS to be fine.

At the moment, I am backing stuff up. I do have a few payware items from the site (which I have now uninstalled and have no plans of installing again) and some locos and rolling stock I had a fella do up for me. I have those items backed up on my external hd and on a usb device. At this time I am copying all the important stuff from the external hd to another 32 gb usb device. There's not enough room for everything on the 32 gb device, but I should have 3 back ups of everything when I'm finished.

I'm guessing my pc is between 4 and 5 years old, I think it's high time for something in there to give up the ghost. The only thing I'm really concerned about is the Trainz stuff. I use the pc for nothing else. This pc had never been connected to the internet until I got Trainz. When, I finish the route, it will be off line once again. I have another pc that I share with the wife. I have copies of TS10 and TS12 which I have not even opened yet. I'm thinking that if I install TS12 on the other rig, I will be able to download from the site and transfer the downloads to this pc. I'm beginning to think that the route is never really finished, and something may show up in the DSL that I just have to add to the route.

I've done the thing where you restore the pc to the "factory settings" before. I learned my lesson the first time I did this, and started backing things up ever since. I only have at the most 10 items that I have installed that I can see in the programs files. I'm going to make sure I have those items backed up.

Thanks guys. Bob, I will take a look at those items you mentioned, sounds like trouble is heading my way! A couple of years ago, as soon as something like this happened, I would be heading to the "Future Shop" and ordering the best pc they could get for "gaming purposes". These days I just can't throw my money around.

Cheers...Rick

 

[shaneturner12]

Can I ask a question - what operating system does your system have?

Shane

 

[rickf77]

Hi Shane; sorry, Iv'e been working on my route since my last post. Boy, I'm awful at pc lingo. Do you mean like Vista? That's what I have. Here's all I know about it: Vista Home Premium 64-bit SP2, Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q9300@2.50 GHz, 8.0 GB Ram, Nvidia Geforce GTX260. Are ya coming over to check it out for me!? It's a HP machine, and was close to the high end models, back when I bought it. I had the GTX260 put in, replacing a Gforce 9800 (I think that's the name). I was looking for more fps for my flight sim. To tell the truth, I don't think it made much of an improvement.

Cheers....Rick

 

[JCitron]

Hi Shane; sorry, Iv'e been working on my route since my last post. Boy, I'm awful at pc lingo. Do you mean like Vista? That's what I have. Here's all I know about it: Vista Home Premium 64-bit SP2, Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q9300@2.50 GHz, 8.0 GB Ram, Nvidia Geforce GTX260. Are ya coming over to check it out for me!? It's a HP machine, and was close to the high end models, back when I bought it. I had the GTX260 put in, replacing a Gforce 9800 (I think that's the name). I was looking for more fps for my flight sim. To tell the truth, I don't think it made much of an improvement.

Cheers....Rick

Hi Rick,

I would still think about replacing the hard drive. They're not that expensive and it will solve this problem, I think. By the sounds of what's going on, your drive is failing mechanically. You don't need to purchase an SSD-type. A regular hard disk will do.

Put the drive in and do a factory restore from the DVD if you can. I hope you made backup DVDs!

Once Windows and everything is up and running, reinstall Trainz and restore your data.

For my Trainz backups, I do two kinds. I do a full backup - meaning the complete Auran folder at least once a month. The other incremental backups are just the Userdata folder and then I synchronize my data every day to catch any new downloads or modifications I may have made. This process has saved me when I replaced a couple failed hard disks about a month ago. I was able to copy the Trainz install back, and then restore any differences in the Userdata.

John

 

[shaneturner12]

Hi Shane; sorry, Iv'e been working on my route since my last post. Boy, I'm awful at pc lingo. Do you mean like Vista? That's what I have. Here's all I know about it: Vista Home Premium 64-bit SP2, Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q9300@2.50 GHz, 8.0 GB Ram, Nvidia Geforce GTX260. Are ya coming over to check it out for me!? It's a HP machine, and was close to the high end models, back when I bought it. I had the GTX260 put in, replacing a Gforce 9800 (I think that's the name). I was looking for more fps for my flight sim. To tell the truth, I don't think it made much of an improvement.

Cheers....Rick

OK - that's one possible solution out the window....

I would make sure though that you have all relevant windows updates installed though.

Shane

 

[rickf77]

Good morning guys; OK, a new hard drive it is. As soon as I get a little extra, I'll get one. I'm not poor, we own two houses free and clear, no auto payments, no credit cards (well, the wife has some). I paid off and got rid of my credit cards years ago. I just can't stand the thought of owing money! My bank has been after me for years, wanting me to get a visa card or something. I was very proud of myself for not owing anybody anything, but now I have no credit rating at all. Anyway, I have an appointment on the 20th and I'm getting a dang visa card. Oh joy! Not only do I have to get the card, I have to use it! So, I will get a new hard drive then, or knowing how stupid I was in the past, I'll most likely come home with the best pc that I can get my hands on. It's real tight for me this time of year. I got to pay the taxes on the houses, truck ins, 2 power bills for this house will be about 650 each, next year's wood and a couple of other big bills, all before the middle of May. So please, don't think I'm not listening to your advice. If I could, the first time a new hard drive was mentioned, I would act on it right away.

For now, I will copy the whole Trainz install and keep it on my external hard drive. I've made sure I have all important trainz stuff backed up on the external hd and also on usb devices. Today, I'm making sure I that I have back ups for defraggler, and a few other items.

Well, the pc SEEMS to be humming right along, no more problems. The only thing I've noticed is that the pc "stalls" now and then, for a couple of seconds when I'm working on the route. This started a couple of weeks ago. I thought perhaps it was from all the work I've been doing on the route. I've been working in different areas, just to get away from doing the same thing day after day. It's common for me to put in 4 hours a day just putting in tree splines. I might be half finished with the tree splines. When that's done I put in single trees, bushes and grass close to the tracks. It's taking forever! If I was a pc, I'd want a little rest now and then myself!

Thanks a lot guys, it's really great of you all to help out a pc moron!

Cheers.....Rick

 

[Robert2d6]

Good morning guys; OK, a new hard drive it is. As soon as I get a little extra, I'll get one. I'm not poor, we own two houses free and clear, no auto payments, no credit cards (well, the wife has some). I paid off and got rid of my credit cards years ago. I just can't stand the thought of owing money! My bank has been after me for years, wanting me to get a visa card or something. I was very proud of myself for not owing anybody anything, but now I have no credit rating at all. Anyway, I have an appointment on the 20th and I'm getting a dang visa card. Oh joy! Not only do I have to get the card, I have to use it! So, I will get a new hard drive then, or knowing how stupid I was in the past, I'll most likely come home with the best pc that I can get my hands on. It's real tight for me this time of year. I got to pay the taxes on the houses, truck ins, 2 power bills for this house will be about 650 each, next year's wood and a couple of other big bills, all before the middle of May. So please, don't think I'm not listening to your advice. If I could, the first time a new hard drive was mentioned, I would act on it right away.

For now, I will copy the whole Trainz install and keep it on my external hard drive. I've made sure I have all important trainz stuff backed up on the external hd and also on usb devices. Today, I'm making sure I that I have back ups for defraggler, and a few other items.

Well, the pc SEEMS to be humming right along, no more problems. The only thing I've noticed is that the pc "stalls" now and then, for a couple of seconds when I'm working on the route. This started a couple of weeks ago. I thought perhaps it was from all the work I've been doing on the route. I've been working in different areas, just to get away from doing the same thing day after day. It's common for me to put in 4 hours a day just putting in tree splines. I might be half finished with the tree splines. When that's done I put in single trees, bushes and grass close to the tracks. It's taking forever! If I was a pc, I'd want a little rest now and then myself!

Thanks a lot guys, it's really great of you all to help out a pc moron!

Cheers.....Rick

You have a chance now to install a new drive and use the software that comes with the new drive to make an image of the old drive and duplicate it on the new drive. If you wait until the old drive fails, which it is certainly sounding like it will very soon, then it is much harder to install the new one and get it going. If it were me, I would be down to the store this morning and buying the new drive, bring it home, and installing it. The next time you turn that PC on, may be it's last time, with that failing drive.

 

[rickf77]

OK, Bob, I'm going to do my best to make it to Staples, it's the closest place, after I get a few chores done. I'm most likely gonna have a lot of questions, when I try to install it. At this time could you answer these questions?

When I get the new hd, do I need a certain type for my computer? What I mean is one that will be right for my HP premium elite M9360f?

I'm a little leary about getting one of these "new" ss hard drives. I guess you cannot defrag them?

Do I need anything else? Like, how does the new hd make an image from the old one? do I need a usb cable or something?

I had that GTX260 put in a couple of years ago. They told me that it just managed to fit in the box. Will this be a problem?

I will not have a great selection to choose from, I'm sure. Any suggestions about what to buy?

What time can I expect you to show and put it in for me? hee,hee

I don't mind telling you I'm more than a little nervous about doing this. I've only took one side of the cover off this machine, trying to clean the dust out. I had one of those CO2 looking things, but honestly, I think I could blow the dust out of there myself better than that thing did. I keep hearing that if you know how to use a screw driver, you can build your own rig. Well, if that's true, I may stand a chance of doing this.

I hope you're still around to give me advice on what to pick up at Staples, before I leave. I have a couple of hours before the wife needs to go to the shop. After that I'll head for staples, and hope they have something that will work for me, and be better than the one I have now. I guess 8GB RAM (whatever that is) is not much, these days.

Thanks, Bob, you scared me into getting off my butt and get cracking on this!!!

Cheers......Rick

 

[Robert2d6]

OK, Bob, I'm going to do my best to make it to Staples, it's the closest place, after I get a few chores done. I'm most likely gonna have a lot of questions, when I try to install it. At this time could you answer these questions?

When I get the new hd, do I need a certain type for my computer? What I mean is one that will be right for my HP premium elite M9360f?

I'm a little leary about getting one of these "new" ss hard drives. I guess you cannot defrag them?

Do I need anything else? Like, how does the new hd make an image from the old one? do I need a usb cable or something?

I had that GTX260 put in a couple of years ago. They told me that it just managed to fit in the box. Will this be a problem?

I will not have a great selection to choose from, I'm sure. Any suggestions about what to buy?

What time can I expect you to show and put it in for me? hee,hee

I don't mind telling you I'm more than a little nervous about doing this. I've only took one side of the cover off this machine, trying to clean the dust out. I had one of those CO2 looking things, but honestly, I think I could blow the dust out of there myself better than that thing did. I keep hearing that if you know how to use a screw driver, you can build your own rig. Well, if that's true, I may stand a chance of doing this.

I hope you're still around to give me advice on what to pick up at Staples, before I leave. I have a couple of hours before the wife needs to go to the shop. After that I'll head for staples, and hope they have something that will work for me, and be better than the one I have now. I guess 8GB RAM (whatever that is) is not much, these days.

Thanks, Bob, you scared me into getting off my butt and get cracking on this!!!

Cheers......Rick

You can find out much information right on this site. http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/product?cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&product=3747348
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...=2100&product=3747348&softwareitem=pv-60719-1


If you are really nervous about doing this yourself, you may want to see if there are any computer repair places in your town. It is fairly easy to install a new drive, so you might call around for an estimate of the total cost.