My PC has got itself stuck!

[Spudders]

Was using PC at home last night and the screen froze. So I pushed the power button in for about 5 seconds to turn it off, thinking it'd just reboot when I put the power on again.

 

However now when I turn it on, it comes up with a couple of screens, the first one is just rows of writing, then it moves on to a screen that gives me some options, such as safe mode (plus a couple of other variations of safe mode), last known good configuration or start windows normally.

 

Whichever option I choose though, it just freezes on me each time, so I am a bit stuck. I've tried it again this morning and the same thing happens (I was clutching at straws to think it would all be ok in the morning ).

 

Anyhew, if I have to get a rebuild then that's not the end of the world, but will be gutted if I've lost all my music, photos and documents.

 

Any of you had anything similar before? Any suggestions for a simple fix, or more importantly are all my files lost forever?

 

Cheers.

 

And yes, of course I know I should have backed it all up, this maybe a case of learning the hard way

[Mewsta]

I would say it's just an OS issue and you won't lose everything on the hard drive.... A couple of things you can do:

 

1. Remove the hardrive and plug it into another machine and access/backup your data that way.

2. When it boots and you select safe mode, you will see that it show's you a list of files that it is loading, make a note of the file that it get's stuck on and then seek help with that particular issue.

3. You can run the repair tool on the original XP Disc, just whatever you do, DO NOT format the hard drive, you'll defo lose all of your data then!

[St Landrew]

Not to worry. If, after checking things out, you find that your HDD is suspect, then remove it. and go get yourself a new one, and install a new system on that. Hopefully, you'll have the discs, which will make it all rather easier. Once you are up and running with your, as yet, uncluttered new system, reconnect your old HDD [as a slave if it is IDE]. Once it is recognised by the system, you can begin retrieving data from it. You may even find that in a new role as a mere data carrying disc, it is happy to idle along, read and writing information you wish to store. Just remove it from the duties of being the main drive.

 

All is certainly not lost.

[saint_stevo]

Not to worry. If, after checking things out, you find that your HDD is suspect, then remove it. and go get yourself a new one, and install a new system on that. Hopefully, you'll have the discs, which will make it all rather easier. Once you are up and running with your, as yet, uncluttered new system, reconnect your old HDD [as a slave if it is IDE]. Once it is recognised by the system, you can begin retrieving data from it. You may even find that in a new role as a mere data carrying disc, it is happy to idle along, read and writing information you wish to store. Just remove it from the duties of being the main drive.

 

All is certainly not lost.

 

But RIP for his current set-up

[Mewsta]

But RIP for his current set-up

 

Change isn't always bad!

[Spudders]

Thanks gents, sounds positive then

 

I've got a mate looking at it in the morning who fixes computers as his job.

 

I don't mind change, so long as it doesn't involve losing all the music I've accumulated on the PC.

[saint_stevo]

Thanks gents, sounds positive then

 

I've got a mate looking at it in the morning who fixes computers as his job.

 

I don't mind change, so long as it doesn't involve losing all the music I've accumulated on the PC.

 

at the worst you can get one of these-

 

http://www.usbnow.co.uk/Adapters_&_Connectors-USB_to_SATA_Adapters/c42_49/p42/USB_2.0_to_SATA_Hard_Drive_Kit_+_Power_Adapter_(VE250/385)/product_info.html

 

And attach it to a p.c, copy your stuff across and shazam

[St Landrew]

Not knocking semi complicated approaches to solutions in any way, but I always find it strange why people would want to buy external HDDs or other means of backup to their data, if all they are going to do is keep the data on the same machine, and transport a few gigabytes at a time. Simply buy another HDD and slot it into the machine you already have. It couldn't be simpler or cheaper, and is pretty damn reliable too. System HDDs have a lot to do, which is why it's a good thing not to saddle them with personally important information, as well. But ones sat in the next bay, purely holding data, pretty much idle away the hours unless they are accessed.

 

As one upgrades from one PC to the next, it's a simple process to unscrew this second HDD and put it in the newer one, and with a couple of strings, almost totally, taking your intact data with you. Occasionally, you may have to change from IDE to SATA, as the technology changes, but it's not rocket science, and all but the densest could do it with a little nudge of online instruction [even the sometimes iffy instruction from here ]. Just check the conditions of your guarantee first though. Some computer manufcturers will allow you to open the box [e.g. Novatech], provided you tell them what you propose, and it won't invalidate the guarantee.

 

Honestly, if you're reading this on your PC, and it has one HDD doing all the fetching and carrying, then look up the price of the correct decent sized HDD [say 250 to 500 Gb] to install alongside it. Once you have the thing in place, you've have little need to worry anymore about data loss. You can even redirect your My Documents folder to live on the second HDD too, so that everything becomes completely seamless.

Edited 23 May, 2009 by St Landrew

[St Landrew]

Spudgun, don't take any notice at all of the above..! Only kidding. After several years of first being a system disk, for a short while, and for the main part, being a data disk, the Maxtor 120Gb HDD on the very computer I wrote the above post, has decided to give trouble. I think it's the recent rise in temperature, and it has decided to start warning me, so I can't really trust it anymore. Never mind. Several years having a fully functioning Maxtor HDD is a bit of an achievement anyway. I'll be a bit kinder to it while I get another HDD sorted and the important data transferred.