My spare computer is (I believe) completely dead.
When I start it up, it either says that some config file is corrupted, or something about an I/O disk error. I put in a reinstall disk to install windows XP, and it will not load it up. This happened while I was playing Minecraft. The computer just decided to shut off at a completely random time during the game. The computer is about 9-10 years old, so could the harddrive simply have failed? I am not really too sure what is going on. I had not noticed anything wrong with the computer for years. It has never had any problems at all. When I originally bought it, it had around 200MB of ram, but we upgraded that to around 1GB a few years back. I don't think that is the problem.
This is what it shows:
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p223/scotman_2006/DSC_0588.jpg)
Sorry for blurry image, it's hard to take a close up picture with my camera.
Yeah it doesn't have anything to do with the RAM. The hard drive has most likely failed, but it also could be bad cabling or something like that. Do you know what manufacturer the drive is from? You may be able download their diagnostic tool and check the condition of the drive.
Also, is the drive making any clicking noises or any other sound that is out of the ordinary? That could indicate a drive problem such as static friction that has stopped the drive needle or general mechanical failure.
I may be able to help you recover most of the data off of the drive if it has failed, but there's no sure-fire way to recover all of it or even the majority without a clean room environment like the professionals use. However, there are ways to get maybe 70% of drives to work long enough to get a large portion of data off of them.
There wasn't really anything important on the harddrive. A copy of Minecraft, Microsoft Word 2004 and Google Chrome were the only things installed. And no hard drive clicking noises were heard, this was COMPLETELY unexpected. And I am not sure what manufacturer the drive is from.
EDIT: If this is taking too much of your time, you don't have to try and help. It's not that big of a deal, this was simply a spare computer we keep upstairs. It's not like we actually need to have it.
Ha it's nothing, I like to help with these kinds of problems. :P You could always check the drive by opening up your computer and taking the drive from the bay if you can't see the drive label clearly. You could boot up from a Linux Live CD and check hardware specs there but it would be more a lot more complicated with some Terminal commands and such. I'd be happy to walk you through that if you don't want to open up your system though. :P
I'd say go ahead and take the opportunity to replace your drive if you can't figure it after a while though xD
It's the least of my concerns at the moment. I can't get Minecraft mods to work properly at all. I posted a question on the MC topic :/
Oh :/ I'll go over there then.
Quote from: Kiegruen on July 30, 2011, 11:00:00 PM
Oh :/ I'll go over there then.
No no it's alright, sorry.
And um, what did you mean about that Linux Live thing?
Did you delete system 32...?
Quote from: Freeforall on July 30, 2011, 11:07:44 PM
Quote from: Kiegruen on July 30, 2011, 11:00:00 PM
Oh :/ I'll go over there then.
No no it's alright, sorry.
And um, what did you mean about that Linux Live thing?
It's a Linux operating system on a CD or USB. I recommend Ubuntu as it's fairly easy to use. Check it out:
http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download
There should be a tutorial on how to burn it to a CD or use it on USB flash drive.
Download it and install it to a CD or USB drive, then set your boot order on your BIOS at the startup to start the CD/USB before your hard drive and everything else. To do that, when your computer is at the BIOS screen, before Windows starts up, there should be a key set to edit BIOS options. Its usually F1, F2, DEL, ESC or F10.
Once you're into BIOS setup, navigate to Boot Order with your arrow keys. If you're using a CD, set the drive that the CD is in to the top of the list, usually by hitting enter on that and pressing the up key until it's at the top, then enter again. If you're using a USB, the BIOS should register the device as a removable drive or USB something or other, so move that one to the top of the boot order. Exit the BIOS setup, making sure that it saved the changes, and your computer should restart.
If done correctly, the drive that has the Ubuntu files should start up before your hard drive and you should be in Ubuntu. Once you get this far I'll explain the next step. I hope that my directions aren't too long-winded. :P
Quote from: Forum on July 31, 2011, 01:48:39 PM
Did you delete system 32...?
If he deleted system32 himself, I'm pretty sure he shouldn't touch computers anymore. I don't think he did.
Probably another reason would be that your circuit boards melted. Do any of your family leave the computer on at night?
Quote from: RayRay on July 31, 2011, 03:05:33 PM
Quote from: Forum on July 31, 2011, 01:48:39 PM
Did you delete system 32...?
If he deleted system32 himself, I'm pretty sure he shouldn't touch computers anymore. I don't think he did.
Probably another reason would be that your circuit boards melted. Do any of your family leave the computer on at night?
I didn't delete system32, I'm not that stupid xD And the computer is left on, but it's usually in 'sleep' mode.
EDIT: We leave our computers on all of the time, and I have never had that happen.
EDIT2: I downloaded the Ubuntu.iso thing. It took about 10 minutes. So... I just burn it to a disk or what?
Do I have to like, partition the harddrive?
EDIT3: Erm... turns out the download did NOT finish. It just says 'Interrupted' and I can't resume the download. :/
EDIT4 T_T: Guys, someone help me out. Should I install Ubuntu, or a copy that I found in my pile of disks on Windows NT Workstation 4.0? :o This computer is fairly old, I don't know if it will run Ubuntu properly.
Sorry for the double post, but I really need some advice on this.
I burned the Ubuntu ISO on a disk. One extracted, one not. They both would not load and the
computer have me the same error. I also tried Windows NT 4.0 ISO. One extracted, one not. Both of
those also failed. Am I doing something wrong?
When you say it does not load, have you configured the BIOS to boot from the disk? Does it show any sign of attempting to boot such as 'Press any key to boot from CD. . .'? Have you tried the method of booting Ubunto off of a flash drive?
Quote from: sly 3 4 me on July 31, 2011, 08:29:29 PM
When you say it does not load, have you configured the BIOS to boot from the disk? Does it show any sign of attempting to boot such as 'Press any key to boot . . .'? Have you tried the method of booting Ubunto off of a flash drive?
I have set it to boot from a CD, and it just gives that same error that I put in the picture at the top.
I have to take the trash out and play on cat-pla.net for a little bit, then I will try a USB.
EDIT: Do you want a picture of what I set the BIOS to do? I think I did it right.
EDIT2: I have a few questions.
1. When I burn an ISO, do I have to extract it? And should I select (Burn like a USB) or (Burn like a CD/DVD)?
2. If the harddrive failed, will it even install at all?
Quote from: Freeforall on July 31, 2011, 08:31:49 PM
Quote from: sly 3 4 me on July 31, 2011, 08:29:29 PM
When you say it does not load, have you configured the BIOS to boot from the disk? Does it show any sign of attempting to boot such as 'Press any key to boot . . .'? Have you tried the method of booting Ubunto off of a flash drive?
I have set it to boot from a CD, and it just gives that same error that I put in the picture at the top.
I have to take the trash out and play on cat-pla.net for a little bit, then I will try a USB.
EDIT: Do you want a picture of what I set the BIOS to do? I think I did it right.
EDIT2: I have a few questions.
1. When I burn an ISO, do I have to extract it? And should I select (Burn like a USB) or (Burn like a CD/DVD)?
2. If the harddrive failed, will it even install at all?
1. You don't have to extract it, but did you burn it with an ISO burner like ImgBurn? If not, that could be the problem. http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download
2. You don't have to install it, it will run of the disc if you set it to do so. If you click Try Ubuntu when the disc starts up it won't install it to the drive.
Hope this helped :)
I didn't use a program, I just copied the file over.
I am burning it with DiskJuggler now.
EDIT: I get to the screen that says 'Try Ubuntu' and 'Install Ubuntu' and my mouse and keyboard
do not work. The USB is still lit up, but the mouse/keyboard won't work at all.
EDIT2: I tried to install Windows NT 4.0. I formatted the harddrive, created a new partition and clicked install.
It has been stuck at 1% for about an hour now. The computer sounds like it's running something, but
I think it might be stuck?
EDIT3: I'm pretty sure the hard drive is toast. I turned off my computer after the setup of windows 4.0 crashed,
and I heard a ticking noise. It was stuck on the screen where it says 'COMPAQ' in big letters. When I pressed F1 to
go into the setup, it said 'Entering Setup'. About 15 minutes later, it FINALLY loaded it. I think it's toast :/
Setup can't find a harddrive. Also, I hear a weird grinding noise in the machine? I think this is bad.
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p223/scotman_2006/DSC_0596.jpg)
Update guys! I might have just got a fix for my computer! I was looking through
my attic and found a 1TB External Harddrive and installed Windows 98 on it.
Installing!
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p223/scotman_2006/DSC_0597.jpg)
I like your desk. Very plush.
I cancelled the installation. Turns out, that harddrive had 300GB worth of movies on it. Luckily, they are still there.
So... can I install an OS on a USB?
EDIT: I got it to boot up Ubuntu, but I can't use my keyboard or mouse. Help?
Hey, forget ubuntu. It's decent enough, but it's not what you are going to be used to. And it sounds like you're having some odd troubles with it. Look, you have an operational computer, so...take the 300 GB of movies off of your spare hard drive. Put it somwhere else for now. Maybe your main computer hard drive. Compress it. Okay? Now proceed with the installation. When you're done, put it all back. Simple, no?
Alright, I'll ask my Dad if I can try it, as it's his harddrive.
EDIT: I have tried about 4 Live CD operating systems. Whenever they boot up, ALL USB Devices are disabled. They are enabled in the BIOS, so I don't see why this is happening. I'm about to trash this computer!
Well, I can't remember how we did it on my computer, but there's a way to check if your computer is detecting the hardware(even if the hard drive is dead). It scans the computer to see if it's detecting hard drive/ video card/ mother board i think?
But anyways, when my hard drive died, we went in there and looked, and it didn't detect any hard drives at all.
The first time my hard drive died, it died slowly. It would start making really loud noises every now and then. Eventually my computer would get slower and slower and freeze. Until it got to the point where it no longer loaded windows.
The second time my hard drive died, it did it more suddenly, it just wouldn't go to my desktop anymore.
But that blue screen saying it can't detect hard disc drives installed on your computer, I'm probably gonna say your hard drive passed on. (though it is not a professional opinion, just opinion from my hard drive deaths. lol)
Haha yeah. And this was like, sudden death. I was in the middle of playing Minecraft when it decided to cut off.
And I have just got a 13 GB Hard Drive from my dad's school. I don't know what's on it, or if it even has an OS on it.
But I guess I'll find out later c:
I installed a new hard drive that I got from the school, installed a 'copy' of Win98, booted it up and it works great :)
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p223/scotman_2006/DSC_0598.jpg)
Dud your keyboard looks like mine!! But it doesn't have those buttons near where it says "hp" and it doesn't have "hp" or the text in the upper right corner. Either way it looks really similar :P
I have like 4 keyboards like that, lol. And I just got another computer today. I'll post some pictures later this week.
I have NO IDEA what it's specs are. I got it from my computer teacher. It's got a silver case with blue LED lights in it. (Looks awesome)
Apparently, when this was made 8 years ago, it was VERY powerful, and still has enough power to run Win7 smoothly.
You use your computer on the floor? :o
Quote from: stick d00d on August 04, 2011, 11:45:17 PM
You use your computer on the floor? :o
I put it there so it would be easier to take apart, and I just never moved it back. I have a desk for it, lol.
Rofl i just noticed to, i thought it was just a big desk
A desk with leopard print? That would be sweeeeeet.
Quote from: DarkTrinity on August 05, 2011, 10:09:33 PM
A desk with leopard print? That would be sweeeeeet.
Lol, yeah, it would. It's just the carpet though xD That's our media room.
Oh, and is it safe to keep the computer on the carpet like shown in the picture?