Point of no return?
My friend brought their compouter over this weekend for me to remove a virus for them. (Typically I can run a few basic programs and have it gone in a few hours).
I was running one of the search and removal tools, and the computer completely froze up. I tried ctrl, alt, delete but that did not work. I didnt see any alternative but to simply shut it down manually. BAD MOVE.
Now It won't boot at all. It boots to the select Last known good config, safe mode, safe mode network etc. But no matter what one I select - It simply loops right back to this black screen asking me to select again.
We found their orignal O/S cd and tried to boot from that. From there, it aks us to do a new install or a repair. If I pick R for repair, I get the blue screen of death.
If I pick new install, I get the blue screen of death as well.
I am lost. All the forums I read on this say that chkdsk may fix it. But how can I perform any tasks if I cant get to the repair console?
It is XP Home. I just downloaded the mem check and will attempt to run that, but any help in pointing me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.
I was running one of the search and removal tools, and the computer completely froze up. I tried ctrl, alt, delete but that did not work. I didnt see any alternative but to simply shut it down manually. BAD MOVE.
Now It won't boot at all. It boots to the select Last known good config, safe mode, safe mode network etc. But no matter what one I select - It simply loops right back to this black screen asking me to select again.
We found their orignal O/S cd and tried to boot from that. From there, it aks us to do a new install or a repair. If I pick R for repair, I get the blue screen of death.
If I pick new install, I get the blue screen of death as well.
I am lost. All the forums I read on this say that chkdsk may fix it. But how can I perform any tasks if I cant get to the repair console?
It is XP Home. I just downloaded the mem check and will attempt to run that, but any help in pointing me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.
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Comments
Running memtest is a good place to start. If that comes up clean you might want to run the test from the hard drive manufacturer as well.
It wouldn't hurt to give us a more detailed description of the system, too. What CPU, MB, Video Card, PSU, etc.
REGISTRY_ERROR
*** STOP: 0x00000051 (0x00000003, 0X00000001, 0X00003000, 0XE1188030)
I am not good with the tehcnical side of things. I do programming but am lost with the technical aspect of it all, but I will do my best to give you the specs you requested:
Gateway Tower
Pentium 4
Windows XP Home Edition
Unfortunately that is all the information I can find listed anywhere on the outside of the tower. And, I can't boot to get more details.
Can I get the information you are requesting in a different manner?
This error seems to be related to a registry problem, which could logically have occurred due to the abrupt shutdown. (Don't feel bad, I'd have probably done the same thing you did under the same circumstances.)
Other things to try might be to see if the BIOS has a "Force Update To ESCD" feature, or something similar. Gateway machines are noted noted for having a lot of BIOS settings which the user can alter, but anything you can do to lower memory timings, etc, might be worth a shot, too. If you see an item with options like "Normal>>Fast>>Turbo>>whatever" try and go for the slowest one. A BIOS reset would also be worth trying, but make sure you write down all of the current settings so you can plug them back in later if needed.
Finally, how much time pressure are you under to get this going again? It may pay to bite the bullet and use a third-party data recover tool, format the drive, then start over. That's harsh, but if none of the fixes I've suggested so far do any good it may be be the quick way out in the long run.
Good luck.
In my regards to my name (RingoDestarr), haha thanks. And (just in case you were wondering) no, I don't play the drums lol It's a long story.
I am just curious, how it runs - if I can't boot the hard drive? It just loops around and around to safe mode, normal, etc . . but no matter what I select it just loops right back. If I boot from O/S cd i get BSOD.
If anyone has used PC Inspector . . does it need to be installed? Can I still use it on my hard drive if I cant boot to windows or recovery/new install set up panel?
EDIT: Sorry, I was confusing PC Inspector with another program which I don't much care for. Since it is free as well, I'd say go for it.
Here's a suggestion originally made for someone in the same boat.
One of my favorites is a program called TestDisk.
Thanks . . I'm a complete knuckle head, so bear with me.
To get you started, the UBCD is basically a collection of computer utilities which have been assembled on a bootable cdrom. Download the image (I believe it's an .iso file) and use your burner software to "Burn Image To Disc".
Then set the cdrom drive as the first boot device on the computer in question (done in the BIOS), put the disc you made in the drive, and restart the computer. You'll be taken to an index screen listing the various categories of tools you can then use to try and set things right. The TestDisk program I mentioned earlier is among them.
I went to the UBCD site and it offers exe and zip downloads. I tried the basic zip and it saved a torret file locally, but I can not open it?? What software do I use to unzip the file?
I haven't updated mine in a while, but I think the .exe version uses WinXP's built-in burning capability.
I am able to boot off of the ubcd. Any suggestions on where to go from here? What should I run ?
When I go in the free Dos mode
I want to run chkdsk on C drive (hard drive)
But it tells me Can Not Access Drive
I don't know where to begin, as I really don't know what any of these applications really do.
I ran the antivirus software AVG, and Mcaffee . . but it does not seem to run on the hard drive, it says 0 files scanned and 0 files infected ?? am i missing something?
In the meantime, give TestDisk a try. Have it do a deep scan for partitions on the drive. If it finds one, let it repair it.
I don't know what I am doing in there atl all, so I will wait and see if anyone can give me some advice from here.
Here is what I am thinking. I am going out to buy an External Hard Drive Enclosure. I want to remove the hard drive. Plug it into my working PC, and attempt to do some Data Recovery. Then Format the old Drive and replace it back in the tower. Re-install Windows, etc.
Can someone help me out. I am new at the tech stuff. I opened the tower and well, at least I figured out where the memory stick is, but everything else looks greek to me.
What does the hard drive look like?
Where is it located?
How do I remove it safely?
I noticed at (Circuty City web site), they have all kinds of External HD Enclosurers, ranging from $20.00 - $100.00
What do I need to know before purchasing one? Are they universal? Will any work??
Once, I plug the external into my USB . . do I need a data recovery software? I see a few free ones out there. Can someone recommend a good one? (if needed)
I need to know the process of
A) Removing/Recovering the Data from the external drive
b) how to format the external drive
c) how to reload the O/S
Thank you kindly, in advance. You are my only hope before I just give up and throw this monster in the dumpster.
They look like this. They can be located anywhere inside the case, but are typically found toward the front end.
To remove it safely, shut the computer down and unplug it. Remove the power connector and data cable, then look for the mounting screws on the sides of the drive and remove them. Take care not to let the drive fall and hit something.
See if this helps. Let me know if the cables attached to the drive resemble the ones in the pictures, since this will identify the type of drive.
Maybe, maybe not. Let's get the drive hooked to the working computer first, then we can determine what to do from there.
A) Hook the drive from the bum computer up to a spare IDE or SATA Channel in the working computer. An answer to the question regarding identifying the type of drive is needed before you proceed. Rather than list numerous different ways of doing it, let's find out what you are working with and narrow the answer down to the one which applies to your particular situation.
Tell us the following:
1) Do the drives in the bum computer and your working one use the same fat data cable shown in the pictures I linked to above? If not, describe them.
2) Does each computer have just one hard drive, or does one (or both) have two or more?
3) How many CDROM and/or DVD drives are in each computer?
First things first. Let's get the data safely recovered before we move on to this. It is usually an easy and straightforward process, so if we can get your data safely moved you can expect this to likely be the easy part.
None of us sprang from the womb with the ability to do what you are about to do. If you are patient and stick with it you will not only have a good chance of saving your data, you will also learn a tremendous amount about computers at the same time. This experience will prove quite valuable to you down the road, and as unlikely as it may seem right now, you will probably look back at this event as having been a great opportunity for you.
Most of the geekiest of our members started out just like you, over a barrel and desperate for help. You are going to be surprised at how easy a lot of this stuff can be once you have been through it a time or two. We are all volunteers here, so we aren't always available, but as long as you are willing to keep trying we will be glad to help you out.
I was thinking of purchasing the external case, simply because I worry about mucking things up on my first attempt. I am more concerned about my computer then the one I am fixing.
Is there a chance I can damage my computer by installing the problem hard drive inside, rather then using an external case that simply plugs in?
There are two cables need to hook up a hard drive. One is the power cable, which can only be inserted one way. The other is the data cable, which is also easy to connect. If it is an IDE drive (like the one in the picture shown in the link I posted previously) you may also have to set a jumper on the drive. This involves nothing more than moving a small piece of plastic from one place to another. (Don't worry, we can tell you exactly what to do.)
If you go the external enclosure route you will still have to hook the drive up inside the enclosure, and in exactly the same way you would be doing it inside the other computer.
As always, it pays to ask questions before acting, rather than look for explanations after something has gone wrong. Take it step-by-step and don't be afraid to ask for elaboration if you're not clear on something. You can do this.
B
1) It appears they both have the same type of cables that you showed me in the pictures.
2) Each computer only has one HD
3) Faulty computer has one CDROM 2nd computer has 1 CDROM and 1 DVD drive
I have located the hard drive in both computers ,but have not actually unplugged/removed the faulty one.
Waiting for your instruction to move forward.
BTW, thank you soo much for taking time to help me with this!!!
I followed the online instructions to install the faulty drive as a slave drive in my own computer. I was relieved at how simple it was. THANKS
I booted my computer and I it showed C: local and D: local drives.
I went into D: drive and I just have to pause and smile. There are all the files!!!! Good, so far.
Next is data recovery and formatting. Should I run my virus (mcaffee) on that drive before I back up any files?
Is it as simple as copying the files to a CD by dragging and dropping?
Trace the cable from each computer back to where it hooks into the motherboard. Is the hard drive the only drive attached to that particular cable? Is this true in both computers? On the "good" computer, are the CDROM and DVD drives attached to the same cable, with the hard drive on a separate cable?
The reason I'm asking is that we can simplify matters even more by avoiding the possibility of needing to mess with jumpers on the drive.
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(Print the next part out before starting so you won't have to worry about missing something)
Assuming that your answers to the questions above are "yes" in each case, here's what you need to do:
1) Shut both computers down and unplug them from the wall
2) Remove the power and data cables from the hard drive in the problem computer.
3) Remove the screws on each side of the hard drive in the "bad" computer and physically remove the drive from the machine.
Take a deep breath, you're doing fine. (By the way, these instructions would have been exactly the same had you gone with the external enclosure.)
4) Lay the "good" computer on its side on a stable surface. If there is any way you can do this without unplugging all the stuff connected at the back (mouse, keyboard, monitor, etc), do it that way. The plan here is to get the problem hard drive connected in the good computer without having to physically mount it in the case. Unless the case is quite large, that would possibly entail moving other stuff around. What we're aiming for is to make it as simple as possible to put the "good" computer back to it original state once we're done.
5) Being careful not to accidentally bump or unplug anything else, unhook the IDE Cable (that's the wide ribbon data cable) from the CDROM and DVD drives in the good computer. Leave the end which is attached to the motherboard undisturbed. Important: Note which one of those drives is connected at the end of the cable and which is on the middle connector. You'll want to put them back the same way.
6) Find a spot where you can place the "bad" hard drive such that you will be able to hook the IDE Cable you removed from the CDROM, etc, to it without stretching or yanking the cable. Make sure the drive is not touching any components inside the case and that it is resting stably.
7) Hook the end of the cable to the "bad" hard drive. Make sure the side with the colored wire is closest to the four-pin power connector.
8) Attach a spare power connector to the "bad" hard drive. (You can use one from the CDROM or DVD drive if there is no spare handy.)
9) Take a good look around and make sure that you haven't bumped anything in the case and that everything is connected firmly in place.
10) At this point, you can plug the "good" computer back in and hit the power button. If Windows boots properly you should see the "New hardware detected" icon down by the clock. If you don't, let me know and we'll get that straightened out.
Assuming all this results in Windows finding a new drive (which will be the one from the bad computer), open Windows Explorer and see if the contents of the drive are visible.
Once you reach this point, post back here and we'll move on to the data recovery process. It would be a good idea to talk to the owner of the drive and get as clear an idea of what data they want recovered. In some cases, it will merely be the contents of the My Documents folder. If they had two or more User accounts set up on the machine there will likely be several places you need to look. Essentially, you are trying to get as complete a list as possible of items which can't be replaced.
Good luck.
It took me half an hour to write all that!
OK, so typing isn't my strong suite...
Run a full virus scan on the entire computer - you don't want the virus they had to claim another victim.
Drag and drop ought to do it. I'd recommend making a new folder on your hard drive and saving everything to a central location.
I think it's good information. And your time typing is not wasted. There are many people out there who can use this simple to understand guide.
Full virus scan is running. This should take a few hours. . . Then I will drag just the needed files into a folder I create on the good drive. (just curious, would a RW CD be ok, if I am worried about my own hard drive? in case Mcaffee missed something?) Or will a CD not hold it all?
And, while you are still here . . . can you go ahead and give me a few more steps . . .Format and then Installl O/S (as I know you are not on line 24/7 and this way I can come back here for reference when the virus scan is done)
I have the original Gateway O/S install disk, is that good enough?
If it will all fit, go for it.
My next step after the virus scan would be to right-click on the troublesome drive, left-click Properties, then go to Tools>>Error Checking>>Check Now. Put a check mark in both boxes and let the test run. If today is your day, Windows might be able to fix the errors, in which case you might be able to simply plug the drive back into the original computer and go to town. It is also possible that the virus scan will set things right on the "bad" drive. It's worth a quick try to see if the machine will boot on its own before you bite the bullet and wipe the drive.
It should be. If it comes to that, see if there is an option to save the data. There probably won't be, but if it comes down to a choice of format/reinstall or simply reinstall, choose the latter. In either case, your list of options will probably be fairly clear and the install process should walk you through everything (including the format, if necessary) automatically. A side benefit is that any of the extra programs which came with the computer originally should also be reinstalled.
Good to hear that things are looking up.
Tools>>Error Checking>>Check
It was not my lucky day. Took about 2 hours, but finally did complete.
I rebooted the problem drive in the old tower and I got the same thing. Can't open in normal, safe or last good config, and booting from O/S gives me blue screen of death. REGISTRY_ERROR
I am going to make backups of the data. . .
I guess I need to ask how to format the hard drive once I do that? And do I do that in my own computer or in the original tower?
The Gateway discs should lead you through the process automatically, just boot from the main disc and go from there. Re-read the last part of my previous post.
I know you say to format it in the original tower - but ummm . . if i cant get it to boot, how do I format it at all?
The O/S disk from gateway only allows me to go to the BSOD
It asks me to install new, or R repair. both take me to BSOD
If you can't get the UBCD version to work, download this version and extract the files, then double-click the one named Install.bat to make a floppy disk. Boot from the floppy and the test will start automatically. Once you see that it has completed one or two full passes, report back with news of any errors it may have found.
Pass 1 Errors 0
Are you thinking it may be something other then a windows isssue and that the format and new install may not help me?
Moving forward . . . I have everything backed up off the bad drive. Next would be to format??? And, if so, how do I do this in a pc I cant boot?
If you still can't get the Gateway disc to work at that point, you either have a bad disc or something (other than RAM) is bad hardware-wise.