Windows freezing up

**Mombo** · April 23rd, 2003, 02:51 AM

Ole girl just called me up: says her computer was making clickin noise. She shut it off for three hrs, started it up, clickin noise is gone but now freezes at WIndows ME screen at boot up. Does the same thing in Safe Mode and step by step confirmation. I am to go over tomorrow afternoon and look at it for her. I talked her into setup over the phone. Primary Master is detected still. Not sure wtf it problem yet. cCould be loose cord or cable, pci card shot to hell came loose, dog bumped into puter and smashed it into wall. (goofy phukkin dog she has). Worse comes to worse, I will dump it and reinstall Windows. She may have d/l a program it dont like. She did say she went and got some wallpapers from a site, she could have d/l a bug....??? virus?? Opinions? suggestions? I have to isolate whether this is hardware or software related problem first thing. then go from there. aight?

**Trouble** · April 23rd, 2003, 05:59 AM

Could be hardware.How bad was the clicking noise? Could be that the HDD has gone to God.Dont forget to take a boot disk with ya just in case she hasnt got one.

good luck....

**dunbar** · April 23rd, 2003, 07:58 AM

Name that hard disk! Seriously, hasn't IBM just had a severely bad design nicknamed the Deathstar? nudge nudge....

**Mombo** · April 23rd, 2003, 09:21 AM

Hard disk is a WD 8.4 gig.. bout 3 yrs old now. 5400 RPM

**Bill in SD, CA** · April 23rd, 2003, 09:25 AM

Take the manu diagnostic disk with you.

Bill

**NeoStarO1** · April 23rd, 2003, 01:01 PM

Yes if its a western i'd also get westerns datalifegarud tools on disk to take with you so you can test the hard drive.

**PyroSama** · April 23rd, 2003, 01:05 PM

Head crash maybe.

PyroSama

**Mombo** · April 23rd, 2003, 01:05 PM

Im taking a spare drive with me and some floppys in case I need to access the internet. Ive already emailed her the WD link i need to get the diagnostic utilites.. Have to see what happens when I get over there.. I'll post back with what I find out.

**Mombo** · April 23rd, 2003, 10:35 PM

Have computer here with me. Makes clickin noise if you tap it lightly. Drive is smoked. Now, is there a way I can salvage her data on it even tho it wont boot? Any software or data recovery I can use> I have "uneraser" now, or is all just lost? I told her I would try to save what I could off of it. Could I slave it to another drive and access it that way? thanks

**Trouble** · April 24th, 2003, 01:07 AM

Hard to say if you can salvage data or not.
I would go with your first thought and try to slave it to another unit to see if you can access it.

good luck.....

**Mombo** · April 24th, 2003, 01:43 AM

too late, its smoked, formatted, and gets up to about 14% install of Windows ME and error box pops up and say " windows encountered an error and cannot be installed on this drive" or something like that. I tossed it. Still goes clickety-click when you tap it.. I believe it to be shot to hell and what have ya.

**beppodmime** · April 24th, 2003, 06:56 AM

Hmm, could that drive still possibly have a 3 year warranty on it?Or was it in a name-brand system? May be worth your while to check into an RMA replacement with WD. If it's older than 3 years, though, then forget I said anything.