Third Hour Forum Rules - Please be familiar with these rules before posting

Help! major computer problems!

MarginOfError

By MarginOfError,
in Advice Board

 Share

Recommended Posts

MarginOfError

MarginOfError

Posted
Posted

I installed a second hard drive about 8 months ago. We use it for storing movies and photos. Everything has been working great until the past week. Suddenly, any time we were connected to the internet, the browsers would crash within a couple minutes. Then the internet browsers would result in the blue screen of death. Then if you just left the computer running, you'd get the blue screen of death.

The computer was lagging anyway, so I figured I'd just do a reboot of the operating system and start over. Backed up all my files, formatted the partition for the OS, installed it. Started loading browsers and other programs, but Windows was telling me that _every_ file was corrupted. Naively, I decided to try the reboot again. Now I can't get the thing to boot at all. I'm stuck on the message

"Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem:

1. Insert your Windows installation disc and restart your computer.

2. Choose your language settings and then click 'Next.'

3. Click 'Repair your computer.'"

Following those steps results in a message that the problem cannot be repaired automatically.

The other piece of information I have is

"Info: Windows failed to load because a critical system driver is missing or corrupt."

So just how hosed am I?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mnn727

mnn727

Posted
Posted

Well from this point you really have only one choice, Format your hard drive -- get to a command prompt and do a

format c:

then when done, reload Windows.

If you can not get a command prompt to open in Windows you may have to get an Ubuntu disk and use that. (google it to find it, its a Linux operating system that many use to fix a Windows computer.

Question: do you have a specific reason for wanting your drive partitioned? Most people don't and don't know how to use them if they have it done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dravin

Dravin

Posted
Posted

Well from this point you really have only one choice, Format your hard drive -- get to a command prompt and do a

format c:

then when done, reload Windows.

If you can not get a command prompt to open in Windows you may have to get an Ubuntu disk and use that. (google it to find it, its a Linux operating system that many use to fix a Windows computer.

Alternatively there is Darik's Boot and Nuke, it's a smaller download.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MarginOfError

MarginOfError

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Well from this point you really have only one choice, Format your hard drive -- get to a command prompt and do a

format c:

then when done, reload Windows.

If you can not get a command prompt to open in Windows you may have to get an Ubuntu disk and use that. (google it to find it, its a Linux operating system that many use to fix a Windows computer.

Question: do you have a specific reason for wanting your drive partitioned? Most people don't and don't know how to use them if they have it done.

I didn't have the drive partitioned, actually. I have a second drive on my system and it was listed as 'another partition.' I'll give this a shot right now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MarginOfError

MarginOfError

Posted
  • Author
Posted

When my computer experienced the same problems it was due to a hard drive failure. You many need to replace the hard drive.

That's what I'm thinking too, but I don't want to go spend money on a hard disk until I"m a little more certain.

Is it true that I have to buy a new operating system if I buy a new hard disk? Windows Vista came preloaded on my machine.

About to try Boot and Nuke (can't seem to get to the command prompt)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LittleWyvern

LittleWyvern

Posted
Posted

This seems like a hardware failure to me. I'd try the following:

  • Remove all unnecessary hardware and try booting.
  • Failing that, replace necessary hardware (keyboard, monitor, etc) with others from other computers
  • If you have your windows disk, try booting from it and choosing the System Repair option. You'll want it to re-install your drivers

If you do decide to replace your hard drive, you would have to re-purchase Windows unless you got the Windows disk with your machine (always do this in the future!). You could just put a user-friendly version of Linux on it (I'd recommend Linux Mint) until you get Windows.

Linux Mint would also be a good way to explore your drives and re-partition them (using an included program called "gparted") if necessary off of the Live DVD.

Be warned, though: Boot and Nuke will delete your entire hard drive. Just make sure you've prepared for that.

EDIT: If you are reinstalling Windows, let Windows do the partitions for you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MarginOfError

MarginOfError

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Well, I can't even get Boot and Nuke to work.

I'm trying one last time to delete the partition the OS was on, repartition, and reinstall. If this doesn't work, I think I'm buying a new hard disk (I did make sure to get the reinstallation disk when I bought the computer because I like to wipe the OS every 18 months or so).

Thanks for your time guys. Keep feeding me advice if you have it.

I'd love to go to Linux, but my wife's photography software won't work on Linux without some major work on the OS. I'm not prepared to do that :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LittleWyvern

LittleWyvern

Posted
Posted

Well, I can't even get Boot and Nuke to work.

Try using the gparted live CD. I think it will give you the option of creating a new partition table.

I'd love to go to Linux, but my wife's photography software won't work on Linux without some major work on the OS. I'm not prepared to do that :(

I was just suggesting that as a "until you get Windows" kind of thing :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jerome1232

jerome1232

Posted
Posted

Assuming you have a Windows Key, you can get a windows 7 installation iso here They are a bit down the page, those are authentic iso's from a licensed vendor, nothing shady about them.

Assuming your drive is smart enabled, I'd use a Linux live cd (I know Ubuntu has a smart monitor in a program called "Disk Utility") to run a smart test on the drive to see if smart shows it as faulty, there are a number of reasons you can get file corruption (repeated crashes to blue screens being one of them) and those blue screens could have been caused by a great number of things.

edit: I just noticed you were on Vista, I don't know of a way to get installation disks other than contacting your computer vendor for a disc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
skippy740

skippy740

Posted
Posted

Hard drives are pretty cheap. About 5 years ago I bought a 250GB hard drive for $50. Should be even cheaper today.

Go with what fits the budget.

Or, go with a Solid State Drive. They have no moving parts, therefore VERY difficult to have a failure. They are more expensive than a standard hard drive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Anddenex

Anddenex

Posted
Posted

That's what I'm thinking too, but I don't want to go spend money on a hard disk until I"m a little more certain.

Is it true that I have to buy a new operating system if I buy a new hard disk? Windows Vista came preloaded on my machine.

About to try Boot and Nuke (can't seem to get to the command prompt)

When this happened to me I was still under warranty, and I didn't have to replace my OS when I received the new hard drive.

They sent me the hard drive and I installed it, then I rebooted the computer and all the software was still on the computer.

So I am not sure if the hard drive they sent came with the OS, I am assuming it did.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MarginOfError

MarginOfError

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Look at the system log in computer management. It definitely appears to be a HDD issue, but the system log will give some more detailed information.

Brilliant suggestion. This gave me an error code that pointed to the memory. I started running memtest and isolated the original memory chips as the source of the problem (by which I mean, the error code disappeared when I took out those chips--they're six years old).

The computer is running smoothly now with just two GB of RAM. I can pick up two more for $35 and have an improved system (the two chips I took out were only .5 GB each).

Thanks so much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
 Share
Go to topic listing