BIG PROBLEM

[Kruiz 136]

Right, I've just started my computer up and the start menu, task bar & system tray have completely disappeared from my computer. The desktop background is there, but I can't right click it etc.

 

I can open the the windows task manager, but thats about it, nothin else works. I managed to get to the system restore page, but there are no earlier restore points, its as if its lost its memory or something. Worse still, it is constantly whirring noisily and sounds as if its loading something up, hopefully thats not the sign of hackers??

 

I would reformat but I don't really want to lose all my data, is there any other way?

 

Thanks, from a very worried Kruiz

[Mr Beef]

Hi kruiz

From what you describe it sounds like a hard drive problem.

If you can get to it listen to the hard drive to see if thats where the noise is comming from.

Hope Im wrong.

Mr Beef

[Guest Scrapman53]

It may be a good thing if it is the HD. You can get a decent sized one for not a lot of money these days. If you do need to buy another one, you might be able to copy any files needed from the old one onto the new one.

[Dazza290]

If ever I get any trouble with my hard drive now, I buy another and put a fresh install of windows onto it and do a fresh install of everything else.

 

I reckon that and a new graphics card may solve alot of the lag problems you have been having.

[Kruiz 136]

Thanks for the advice guys, thats the second hard drive I've broken now, in 4 years, any reason why this migh be? I've reinstalled windows, but nothing changed, I might try a reformat but by the sounds of it it probably is a hard drive problem. My last one was 145GB, but I only had about 35GB on it... although its never been cleaned in its 4 year life, so maybe it overheated? I will beg my dad for a new one for xmas lol.

 

Any ideas what I need to be looking for? Are there different types etc for different types of motherboards?

 

 

 

Thanks for the responses guys,

 

Kruiz

 

P.S it was very noisy for the first 30 mins - 1 hour of breaking, but now its silent again, like it should ll be fine.

Edited December 11, 2007 by Kruiz 136

[Kruiz 136]

I have jst found that I can access all the files on my HD form the windows task manager by using the browse option. It is a lot slower than normal, but they are all there. Is this normal if the HD has broken?

 

Thanks

 

Kruiz

[drumbstick]

I have jst found that I can access all the files on my HD form the windows task manager by using the browse option. It is a lot slower than normal, but they are all there. Is this normal if the HD has broken?

 

Thanks

 

Kruiz

 

Kruiz

 

When you press ctrl alt delete click on new task and then type explorer.exe and see if that starts windows.

 

[Guest Scrapman53]

How can you access your files if you reinstalled Windows? I would think yours would be this type of HD. http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist....d=59&mfrid=

How old is the PC?

I would do what I said and that way you can see your files on the old HD if you connect it up as a slave. When I format my HD I move anything I need to my slave drive and then copy it back when Windows is installed.

[Nick M48]

My laptop sometimes boots up only showing exactly what you are saying yours does but luckily for me if I reboot it sorts itself out, I've worked out that it occurs when I switch it off before it has finished writing to the hard disc after I've shut down Windows (it stopped shutting down completely on it's own after I installed SP2 ). Apart from the noise you mention it sounds as though part of the hard disc has become currupted, maybe creating a new Windows user might be worth a go.

Weird noises coming from a hard disc are never a good sign though, so it's worth getting a new one asap by the sound of it.

Edited December 11, 2007 by Nick M48

[Kruiz 136]

Yes drumb, it brings up the windows button etc, but only for 10-20 seconds then disapears again. It does the same thing when I first boot it up.

 

The computer is 3 years old this christmas, and is a Dell.

 

The alarming noise stopped last night, but still becomes very noisy and very very slow when loading something up.

 

I can access all my files through the task manager, by clicking new task.

 

I have found out that my hard drive is a Maxtor 160GB.

 

I ran a diagnotics test on the hard drive using the utility mode, and it after about 3 hours of searching, it brought up 7 or 8 blocks of 'unrepairable errors'. I assume this means the hard drive is in fact corrupt.

 

I can still access things such as Windows media player, AOL and even rFactor through the task manager, but when I play videos, they don't work very well, all the colours are bright blues, green yellows etc. I don't know what this has to got to do with the hard drive, but I assume it must be linked. Also, sorry if it takes aw while to reply, as I can now only access the internet from college as it freezes up on mine when i load a website up.

 

I already have 3 windows names and the same thing happens on them all also it happens in safe mode., but I will try and create another one anyway.

 

Thanks for the help so far guys, much appreciated.

[Woka Snr]

Good luck with it Kruiz, I'd take Scrapman's advice before the hard drive gives up altogether. That way you might be able to retrieve a lot of stuff off (what seems like) a dying hard drive. I'd even think about getting 2 hard drives, binning the ailing hard drive once you've transferred all you need from it. That way you should have a sound backup of your stuff should one of the new hard drives finally pack in.

 

If you're not sure about how to go about adding a 2nd hard drive etc, there's lot's of help online, just did a quick search and this might help should you go the route of getting a new hard drive and making it the master etc.

 

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/adding-a-hard-drive1.htm