Main PC Has Gone Clunk

[yawner]

Any advice would be appreciated as I've just lost the use of my main PC. Here's what happened:

I was trying to copy a DVD using Roxio software. This failed half way through, but I thought I'd try to look at the half-created DVD. This caused the whole system to freeze up to the extent that I decided the 'Big Stick' approach was necessary, so I bludgeoned the on/off button to switch off.

When trying to switch on, I briefly get the Dell logo, then just a blank black screen. On subsequent starts I've done the old F8 and selected "safe mode" - even that doesn't work - I end up with a screen full of text as follows:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS\system32\ntoskrnl.exe
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS\system32\hall.dll
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS\system32\KDCOM.dll
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS\system32\BOOTUP.dll
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS\system32\config\system
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS\system32\C_1252.nls
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS\system32\C_437.nls
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS\system32\L_int.nls
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS\FONTS\vgaoem.fon
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS\AppPatch\drvmain.sdb
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS\system32\DRIVERS\APCI.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS\system32\DRIVERS\WMILIB.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS\system32\DRIVERS\pci.sys
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)WINDOWS\system32\DRIVERS\isapnp.sys

and from there on it just sits.

any ideas other than "you're fuxxored" or "I'll send you some disks"?

Thanks folks! 

[Matt]

There are a couple of things I would try: you would require the original XP (Or Vista/Windows 7 Disk) - before I write it all out do you have these? Or a recovery disk that came with it?

[Chris H]

Boot into BIOS and see if it detects the disk

Also make sure all cables are in tight,

If all ok then get a proper operating system live cd and see if you can mount and read the drive.

[yawner]

Or a recovery disk that came with it?

got a (still sealed) Windows XP Pro Dell "Reinstallation CD"  Matt

(thanks Chris - I may come back to you mate!)

[yawner]

got a (still sealed) Windows XP Pro Dell "Reinstallation CD"  Matt

currently booting from this disk.......

[yawner]

got a (still sealed) Windows XP Pro Dell "Reinstallation CD"  Matt

currently booting from this disk.......

Right - I have the choice

1 - set up Windows XP

2 - repair Windows XP installation

Option 2 - er, right? 

[Chris H]

Before you press 2 check with Matt and see if your documents folder becomes history.

You may need to find some way to get hold of the data.   

[yawner]

Before you press 2 check with Matt and see if your documents folder becomes history.

You may need to find some way to get hold of the data.   

Thanks Chris. I'd hate to lose some of the stuff on there. All my photos!!!! Gasp.

[Matt]

You can do one of two things:

(first off check if this is a blue screen with right writing saying windows setup - IE Not some manufacturers recovery system)

Im a little concerned this is a Dell recovery system, in which case I cant tell you what their recovery bit does, and if its a reset to factory settings repair or the same one Im describing.

If it is:

(should look like images here: http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic8356.html)

XP Repair install

Please read carefully and make sure you followed the warning links before initiating the Repair Install. You can print a text version for reference. repair.txt

1.Boot the computer using the XP CD. You may need to change the boot order in the system BIOS so the CD boots before the hard drive. Check your system documentation for steps to access the BIOS and change the boot order.
2.When you see the "Welcome To Setup" screen, you will see the options below   
This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft
   Windows XP to run on your computer:

   To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.

   To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R.

   To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.

3.Press Enter to start the Windows Setup.
  do not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press  R", (you Do Not want to load Recovery Console). I repeat, do not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press  R". 
4.Accept the License Agreement and Windows will search for existing Windows installations. 5.Select the XP installation you want to repair from the list and press R to start the repair. If Repair is not one of the options, END setup. After the reboot read  Warning#2!
6.Setup will copy the necessary files to the hard drive and reboot.  Do not press any key to boot from CD when the message appears. Setup will continue as if it were doing a clean install, but your applications and settings will remain intact.

[yawner]

This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft
   Windows XP to run on your computer:

   To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.

   To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R.

   To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.

thats EXACTLY what I've got Matt (sorry I was paraphrasing a bit above)

Good job you told me about the recovery console.........

Right - I'm about to hit ENTER (To set up Windows XP now...)

[yawner]

I won't lose data will I Matt? 

[Matt]

I won't lose data will I Matt?  

I never promise it mate, but if any data is lost by doing a repair (the second repair) then it will already have been lost IYSWIM? That one Ive linked to doesnt delete data, it does an inplace re-install of windows.



Make sure what your doing is the above, and not the one below!! (IE the one with the yellow arrow, this is the screen you should see after pressing enter)

[yawner]

ok done that - "setup is copying files..."

[Matt]

Okay it will now do a complete re-install of all the XP files and when it reboots it should be your XP again, but all the core files re-installed.

It might fail, in which case we will have to investigate further.

Might take up-to half an hour tho. Let me know...

[yawner]

Its re-booted, but I'm back with a blank screen (should I have removed the recovery disk?) 

[Matt]

Yes sorry, you dont want it to boot again to the disk, so either change the bios options or remove the CD....you should be able to restart it and it will pick up again

[yawner]

change the bios options or remove the CD...

Done both, rebooted, blank screen 

[Matt]

change the bios options or remove the CD...

Done both, rebooted, blank screen 

Okiee dokes.

1 -Did you notice how far it got in the installation? It seemed to be very quick?
2 - Do you have another PC to put the HDD in as a slave to get the data off?
3 - We can try some other options in the recovery console as well, it could be a dodgy boot sector, and we can rewrite that, and we can do a chkdsk/r on it. But first off, did you try what Chris said about checking in the bios to see if it lists a HDD at all? Im presuming it does because you saw the XP install to repair.

Reboot with the CD in, go through it again but this time we do want the repair console up.

 When your in the recovery console, you will probably be at home as its a command line setup.

You want to fixmbr and fixboot and then do a chkdsk/r - type each in and follow the instructions.

BUT at this point it would be great if you could put it in as a slave to another machine BEFORE the above as I mentioned, do you have one around? If yes I can call you and talk you through it if youve never done it before although Im sure you have a riough idea...)

The above shouldnt make it worse, but again no promises because it could make it even less likely to boot (but not damage data)

[yawner]

Thanks very much all this Matt, but I am getting the call from Mrs Y - she's made me a special feast on this, the eve before my birthday, so I have to leave this for now.

Please don't think me rude, l'm so grateful for all your help so far - but I've had "the call" 

If I could take this up with you another time, I would really appreciate it. 

Thanks again bud!

[Matt]

Thanks very much all this Matt, but I am getting the call from Mrs Y - she's made me a special feast on this, the eve before my birthday, so I have to leave this for now.

Please don't think me rude, l'm so grateful for all your help so far - but I've had "the call" 

If I could take this up with you another time, I would really appreciate it. 

Thanks again bud!

No probs, I got the call hours ago

Enjoy your feast, and just gimmie a shout when you want to progress it buddy

[yawner]

Birthday is over so I'm back on this.

First job is to stick the HD as a slave in my old PC and save my precious data.

Well - that was fine in theory, but turns out my new (current) machine has SATA drives, while my old (spare) uses IDE. Even I can see that the 2 are incompatible so I've sent off for a "docking station" which will take the SATA and then connect via USB to the old machine.

It should arrive tomorrow (express delivery £££). Tell me I've done the right thing. Please. 

[Dud]

Yawner just unplug one of your cd drives and use the cable for the hdd.

[Matt]

Dud that won't work. They are IDE and his HDD is SATA

right thing for sure. You can get IDE to sata convertors cables nut a dock you can use in the future

[yawner]

right thing for sure.

phew 

And thanks to Dud for offering help. 

[robwhizz]

Dud that won't work. They are IDE and his HDD is SATA

I might be out of touch as I've been out of the PC support game for a few years, but if yawner's PC is a year or two old, I'd have thought that there was a good chance of it having at least one IDE channel.

I used to find that many OEM builds use single channel IDE cables on CD drives. Pick up an 80-pin cable and he could run the HD as master and CD as slave.
I think this was the point Dud was trying to make. Of course it's possible that it's a SATA-only system. Either way, it's still very useful to have an IDE to sata dock.

[Matt]

Am I being totally daft?

I thought Yawner said his current HDD he wants to get data off is a SATA HDD

His old PC is IDE only - so there is no way he can connect his new HDD into his older computer, as their are no SATA sockets or cables

Thats why he needed a SATA to USB Dock....

Or am I missing something?!

Dud that won't work. They are IDE and his HDD is SATA

I might be out of touch as I've been out of the PC support game for a few years, but if yawner's PC is a year or two old, I'd have thought that there was a good chance of it having at least one IDE channel.

I used to find that many OEM builds use single channel IDE cables on CD drives. Pick up an 80-pin cable and he could run the HD as master and CD as slave.
I think this was the point Dud was trying to make. Of course it's possible that it's a SATA-only system. Either way, it's still very useful to have an IDE to sata dock.

[yawner]

Am I being totally daft?

I thought Yawner said his current HDD he wants to get data off is a SATA HDD

His old PC is IDE only - so there is no way he can connect his new HDD into his older computer, as their are no SATA sockets or cables

Thats why he needed a SATA to USB Dock....

Or am I missing something?!

Thats absolutely correct Matt. 

Its arrived now, so a quick Mrs Y breakfast and I can get on with saving all my Yawner Towers CCTV bedroom movies. 

Rob - thanks for your help, I'm never the clearest at explaining my plight in these situations.

[robwhizz]

Am I being totally daft?

No. That would be me. 

I mis-read the bit about the 'spare' being IDE. I thought he meant the spare drive was IDE and he was hooking it up a machine with only SATA drives.

On re-read, Yawner, your explanation was clear, it was my eyesight that was not

I bought one of these http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136214 a few years ago and it's proved invaluable. Supports IDE and SATA 2.5" or 3.5" drives and comes with power supply to runs to a molex (and a molex to SATA converter).
Without that it would have took an age to install windows 7 on my laptop as I would have had to upload over 100GB of files to the server before swapping the hard disk for a clean install (for the cost of a hard drive I know that I can quickly swap in the old OS in a pinch just in case). With the old laptop drive on USB it only took a few minutes to transfer the files.

Anyway, as you were.

[yawner]

You want to fixmbr and fixboot and then do a chkdsk/r - type each in and follow the instructions.

Done all that and.............

..its exactly the same.

Its fuxx0red isn't it? 

[Chris H]

So get yourself some disks Mr Y.

Nothing to lose with booting up a live cd. Then at least you can rescue the vacation pics.