Re: New Hard Drive vs. New Computer
- From: Paul <nospam@xxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:09:22 -0500
Joy wrote:
Not sure since the desktop won't open, how we could download anything?
When you do maintenance on a computer, it helps to have a second, network
connected computer present. You can download things, and transport them
to the broken machine via floppy, CDROM, USB stick and so on.
As an example, if you had a broken Seagate hard drive, you'd go to another
computer and prepare a "SeaTools for DOS" floppy. If the broken computer
does not have a floppy, then you'd try a CD version, if one was available
for download. The nice thing about SeaTools for DOS, is this one is
self-booting, and doesn't need a working OS when you're in need of
a diagnostic test.
http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?locale=en-US&name=SeaTools&vgnextoid=720bd20cacdec010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD
After fake registration trash, you end up on this page.
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/seatools/seatooldreg
SeaTools for DOS Version Floppy Diskette Creator or ISO CD-ROM Image
------------------------ ----------------------- ----------------
v2.13b (Graphical)
and would carry on from there.
Some hard drive manufacturers, provide no tools support to speak of. It
would suck to buy one of their products.
If you're in need of other tools to work with, a Linux LiveCD is
better than nothing. You would burn the CD on another computer,
after roughly a 700MB download. If a disk is visible, while booted
in an environment like that, you may be able to copy files and do
simple maintenance.
So there are some good, free things you can download. Some tool
packages are so large, you really need a broadband connection
to make them practical. The SeaTools for DOS is small enough,
you could download it over a dialup connection.
Paul
.
"Pegasus [MVP]" <news@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:ebFLFSwaKHA.2680@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxThere are two types of hard disk errors:
a) Physical errors
b) Logical errors
Chkdsk.exe checks for logical (=file system) errors. It can repair some but not all of them.
The hard disk diagnostic program that your disk manufacturer has on his web site will check the disk for physical errors. This is the one you should download and run right now.
Transferring the old disk's contents to the new disk makes sense: If it works then you save yourself a lot of trouble. If it fails then nothing is lost: Just do a clean installation of Windows on the new disk.
"Joy" <joymp2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:OxI%23JGwaKHA.4688@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxThanks for your reply.
There are two basic errors; that appear at different times. One appears in white print on a black screen and says "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: System32\DRIVERS\pci.sys You can attempt to repair this by starting Windows Setup using the original Setup CD-ROM. Select (r) at the first screen to start repair."
When my husband took the computer to the tech, he took along the CD-ROM, but the tech didn't get that particular error message! (The toothache that stops when you go to the dentist. <S>)
The other one appears on a light blue screen and says "Checking file system on C: The type of the file system is FAT32. One of your disks need to be checked for consistency". Then it proceeds to apparently do that checking and gives the % of how much it checks. It DID go to 100% and then the desktop would appear, but lately it stalls at a lower % and just sits there. Turning the computer off and on again is like the lottery, you don't know which screen and which error message you'll get. If the desktop DOES come on, it doesn't stay long. I've been TRYING to get a copy (or picture) of what programs are in the computer so I'll know what I'll have to put back in when we decide about a new hard drive, but it won't stay on long enough.
By cloning, or disk imaging, do you mean in order to put the current contents on the new hard drive? I had asked the tech about that, and he said the only problem with that is that the errors (or faults or whatever) would be transferred to the new hard drive.
I'm curious - why do you say that Windows 7 is not a option?
The other
"Pegasus [MVP]" <news@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:%23NuzU2vaKHA.5156@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"Joy" <joymp2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:uGzJDyvaKHA.3668@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxMy husband's computer is getting various error messages and our computer man said he needs either a new hard drive or a new computer. He currently has a Toshiba laptop, bought in 2001, updated to WinXP (it had Win98). He doesn't need a laptop; it was passed on by another family member, it uses a docking station. I'm still using WinXP myself (no desire to go to Windows 7), and I'd just as soon keep his with WinXP, which would mean a new hard drive rather than a new computer. Any advice/suggestions?If your computer technician is confident that your error messages (which unfortunately you do not quote) are caused by a failing disk then replacing the disk is your most economical option. Some disk manufacturers make a free cloning program available on their home site. You could also use some disk imaging program such as Acronis True Image.
Upgrading the machine to Windows 7 is not an option.
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