MarkSport
Member
Registered: 22nd May 09
User status: Offline
|
Hi All
My brother had a desktop pc, all working fine until the other day when the street had a power cut. we switched it back on and got the blue screen of death appear. we called my brothers mate in to have a look and he told us that the hard drive has had it. it keeps trying to boot but only goes as far as the "start in normal or safe mode" option then goes back to normal.
been looking at sata drives as thats what the original is.
question is... if I get a sata drive for it, obviously i know it will be blank...will i need to just buy a windows xp cd or whatever software i want to run on it and it will work or will i need any adapters to plug into the hard drive to make it work?
cheers
|
Brett
Premium Member
Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
User status: Offline
|
So because the computer tries to boot and then blue screens he's diagnosed it as a faulty HDD 
|
Sam
Moderator
Premium Member
Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
User status: Offline
|
Your hard drive is probably OK.
I would say, one or more of the following is probably fucked though:
- power supply unit
- RAM (memory)
- any cards that slot into the motherboard, like a video card for example
It's hard to say exactly what is the problem because you can only find out through the process of elimination.
It's a shame you're out Tamworth way - if you were nearer to Dudley you'd be in my catchment area so I could come out and sort it for you (I run a computer maintenance company).
I'm sure there's gonna be a local PC place to you that you can take it to though.
[Edited on 24-11-2011 by Sam]
|
kazazza
Member
Registered: 5th Oct 09
Location: Herne Bay, Kent
User status: Offline
|
I once had this kind of thing happen to me while using Linux when the power went out... I think if you cut the power while the hard drive is in use it can mess things up...
I'd suggest using a Ubuntu Live CD and just try booting from that, you MAY be able to get your files back. If you can access your files then chances are your hard drive is fine and all you need to do is download XP and format/reinstall.
Of course if your not worried about getting your files back, you could just download XP and format straight away.
|
MarkSport
Member
Registered: 22nd May 09
User status: Offline
|
How much do you charge sam? I could possibly bring it over as you're not too far away. just to make it clear, it wont boot from a cd or anything. it comes on, goes as far as the black screen with "start windows normally, in safe mode or last known command that worked" after clicking any of them it restarts
|
Brett
Premium Member
Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
User status: Offline
|
I assume you've been into the bios and set it to boot form CD? Sounds to me like you just need to repair windows. Yes, something could be causing a conflict and make it blue screen like fault ram etc as said, but I very much doubt the HDD is knackered.
|
MarkSport
Member
Registered: 22nd May 09
User status: Offline
|
Yeah I put boot from cd as first optin mate, still no good. tried running a windows cd and it's having none of it 
|
Rob E
Member
Registered: 1st Jan 06
Location: Madeley, Stafford....I want to live back in Wales!
User status: Offline
|
If your going to install XP on a sata drive, make sure you have the sata drivers to hand too. If you google "Streamline sata xp install" it will tell you all you need to know 
|
John
Member
Registered: 30th Jun 03
User status: Offline
|
Depends on the motherboard/controller, I've not needed the drivers in a long time.
|
Rob E
Member
Registered: 1st Jan 06
Location: Madeley, Stafford....I want to live back in Wales!
User status: Offline
|
My dell laptop refused to install xp without them. It is an old copy of XP media centre though
|
csweatherston
Member
Registered: 16th Jan 06
Location: Devon
User status: Offline
|
I had a dell in the other day for repair, that was the hdd..Symptoms were the same, power cut - no boot.
Got one off ebay, same as the original for £8.
|
MarkSport
Member
Registered: 22nd May 09
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by csweatherston
I had a dell in the other day for repair, that was the hdd..Symptoms were the same, power cut - no boot.
Got one off ebay, same as the original for £8.
brilliant mate, sounds about right 
|
Brett
Premium Member
Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
User status: Offline
|
Sceptical myself tbh
|
kazazza
Member
Registered: 5th Oct 09
Location: Herne Bay, Kent
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by MarkSport
How much do you charge sam? I could possibly bring it over as you're not too far away. just to make it clear, it wont boot from a cd or anything. it comes on, goes as far as the black screen with "start windows normally, in safe mode or last known command that worked" after clicking any of them it restarts
Oh ok, in that case, have you got a spare CMOS battery? I once had this problem with a customers PC, and after swapping that, it worked.... not saying you have the same problem, but a CMOS battery is only pennies, so might be worth a try?
|
Ian W
Member
Registered: 8th Nov 03
Location: Wirral, Merseyside
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Brett
Sceptical myself tbh
Yep, I agree.
Can't see how the hdd is at fault when its attempting to boot, have you tried booting in safe mode?
|
csweatherston
Member
Registered: 16th Jan 06
Location: Devon
User status: Offline
|
I would also be sceptical about it being the hdd - from an internet diagnosis.
However, the one i repaired had a faulty boot sector, every repair failed.
Swapped a hdd for a doner, installed xp and it ran fine.
Logic would say the order of damage from a power cut to be:
psu - cpu - ram.
|
Sam
Moderator
Premium Member
Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
User status: Offline
|
CPUs rarely fail in my opinion. It's usually PSU, RAM or HDD in that order when it comes to power related issues.
|
