Tina Norris Fields
tinanfields at torchlake.com
Mon Jan 17 09:59:43 CST 2011
Right-on! Thanks, Jim. T Jim Lawrence wrote: > Just re-image on a new hard drive and you will be good to go another 10 > years. ;-) > > Jim > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com > [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Tina Norris > Fields > Sent: Monday, January 17, 2011 7:10 AM > To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues > Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] Trying to revive a computer - solved for now > > Jim, > Thank you for your response. I, too, think the drive is failing. > Here are my results so far: Spin-Rite did find and correct some disk > errors. It also reported at least one uncorrectable error. After I > looked up how to use the Microsoft Recovery Console, I ran chkdsk /r on > the drive, which reported finding and correcting some more errors. After > that, I was able to use the Windows installation CD to repair the > existing WinXP installation. Got that essentially finished last night, > so the computer would boot. A couple of files were reported by the > installation program as not being able to be registered - I made notes > and will check on them later; it couldn't find a dll that it needed - I > checked where it was in my computer, which helped me locate it on > theirs. Then, I reinstalled Vipre and set that up to scan at 1 this > morning. Then, I started the Defraggler and went to bed. This morning, > I've re-established the wireless adapter and the Internet connection, > and I've run 70 some updates to Windows - I will still need to get SP3 - > since the original install CD is WinXP SP2. But, at least the computer > is running again, and my son-in-law is serious now about backing it up. > Good, because, as noted above, I do believe the hard drive is failing - > it's an old machine that gets lots of use and has been moved from one > place to another many times in its life - and most of its users are very > young. > Best regards, > T > Jim Lawrence wrote: > >> I think your idea of running Spinwrite is a great idea as it sound like >> > you > >> hard drive is failing. >> >> I was looking at a discount place and they had Dell computers, 1 GB RAM >> > and > >> XP home...no idea what the hard drive size is but the price was $88. With >> these sorts of prices around it seems hardly worth wasting time on. >> >> OTOH, Tina, your comments suggest a HD failure and if you want to save the >> drive for its contents, run Spinwrite and when the drive is recovered, >> > image > >> the drive with a bootable CD with something like DriveImage XML, install a >> new drive then re-image it back and use EASEUS Partition Master to clean >> > up > >> and re-partition the new drive. Reboot and you're done. >> >> It is a little more complex than that of course but if you have the tools >> > it > >> will take about an hours worth of your time but a couple days computer >> > time. > >> Jim >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com >> [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Gary Kjos >> Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2011 2:24 PM >> To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues >> Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] Trying to revive a computer >> >> I've not done any dual booting. John Bartow, Drew and Jim are your >> best bets for advice on this one. >> >> Good luck, sounds like you have done the right stuff so far. If you >> could run SPinrite from a CD or floppy maybe that would be able to fix >> the disk problems if there are any. >> >> GK >> >> On Sun, Jan 16, 2011 at 1:55 PM, Tina Norris Fields >> <tinanfields at torchlake.com> wrote: >> >> >>> Me again, >>> Did a little searching and found some information about using the >>> > Recovery > >>> Console. Started a chkdsk without switches, which got stuck at about >>> > 50%. > >>> Restarted the whole shebang, and this time when I got to the Recovery >>> Console, the two installations of Windows were listed - they had not been >>> listed in any of the previous visits to this console. >>> I logged in to the first Windows installation and am now running chkdsk >>> > /r > >>> >>> >> - >> >> >>> we'll see how that goes. Still looking for any great ideas you guys >>> > have. > >>> T >>> >>> Tina Norris Fields wrote: >>> >>> >>>> Hi Guys, >>>> >>>> Maybe you can help me bring a computer back to life. It's a dual boot >>>> setup - Win 2000 Pro and Win XP Home. It began its life as a Win 2000 >>>> >>>> >> Pro, >> >> >>>> and was updated with the second operating system added on a couple of >>>> >>>> >> years >> >> >>>> later. The Win 2000 Pro was kept because of a game that wouldn't play on >>>> >>>> >> Win >> >> >>>> XP. >>>> >>>> This computer belongs to our kids, Cheryl Lynn and Brad, and their >>>> >>>> >> family. >> >> >>>> It's sitting here in my office until they finish putting together their >>>> library and study area in their house. The girls often use it to do >>>> >>>> >> homework >> >> >>>> and to visit online with their friends. Three days ago, I saw it had the >>>> awful blue screen of almost death - the one that says if this is the >>>> >>>> >> first >> >> >>>> time you've seen this screen, reboot, otherwise go get professional help >>>> >>>> >> or >> >> >>>> call the undertaker because your computer is dead - or something to that >>>> effect. >>>> >>>> I rebooted. It reached the point where Win XP should start and stopped. >>>> >>>> >> It >> >> >>>> displayed this message: >>>> >>>> "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or >>>> >>>> >> corrupt: >> >> >>>> system32\DRIVERS\pci.sys >>>> You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows Setup using the >>>> original Setup CD-ROM. Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair." >>>> >>>> I thought I'd try the other operating system. When Win 2000 tried to >>>> start, it displayed this message: >>>> >>>> "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or >>>> >>>> >> corrupt: >> >> >>>> <Windows root>\system32\hal.dll >>>> Please re-install a copy of the above file." >>>> >>>> I had to find my way into the BIOS to switch the boot sequence - by >>>> > guess > >>>> and by golly to find which function key it needed (I think it ended up >>>> >>>> >> being >> >> >>>> F2, but I'm not sure), because it was A:, C:, D: - and I needed D: to >>>> >>>> >> come >> >> >>>> before C: Got that done, and put in the Setup CD-ROM and booted. >>>> >>>> Setup went through a process of loading lots of files, then came to the >>>> first screen. I selected the 'r' choice. It brought me to what looked >>>> >>>> >> like a >> >> >>>> DOS screen with the following message: >>>> >>>> "Microsoft Windows XP(TM) Recovery Console. >>>> The Recovery Console provides system repair and recovery functionality. >>>> Type EXIT to quit the Recovery Console and restart the computer. >>>> C:>" and a blinking cursor >>>> >>>> There were no other instructions on the screen and I am not familiar >>>> > with > >>>> this Recovery Console. First, I thought that perhaps some recovery and >>>> repair functions had happened in the background and it was time to EXIT. >>>> >>>> >> So, >> >> >>>> I typed EXIT and pressed ENTER and the machine began trying to restart - >>>> >>>> >> of >> >> >>>> course, I still had the CD in, so we went back around. I removed the CD >>>> >>>> >> and >> >> >>>> rebooted, with precisely the same results as before. >>>> >>>> I have run Spin-Rite on this computer at three different levels, 2, 4, >>>> >>>> >> and >> >> >>>> 5. There is a consistent uncorrectable error reported in the same >>>> > section > >>>> >>>> >> of >> >> >>>> the partition. In the technical report screen, it is at the far right of >>>> >>>> >> the >> >> >>>> screen, and it says "01." >>>> >>>> When the computer goes through the boot sequence, the POST sound is >>>> > fine, > >>>> but when the operating system selection is made, there is a sort of >>>> "squishy" sound that reminds me of the noise made by that failing hard >>>> >>>> >> drive >> >> >>>> I worked on last year - a sort of high-pitched little squishy peep. I >>>> >>>> >> think >> >> >>>> maybe the drive has a really bad spot right where some critical >>>> > operating > >>>> system files are. >>>> >>>> I don't know what commands to use in the Recovery Console. If I did, I >>>> would certainly give that a GO. Does anybody on this list have any good >>>> advice - in addition to getting a new hard drive, or new computer >>>> altogether? >>>> >>>> I did try to let Windows install itself, but it came back with the >>>> >>>> >> message >> >> >>>> that the partition was too full or sick or something and would have to >>>> > be > >>>> formatted before installation could proceed. And, no, my kids do not >>>> > have > >>>> their stuff backed up from this computer, so I did not move ahead. >>>> >>>> Thanks for any ideas, >>>> >>>> T >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> dba-Tech mailing list >>>> dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com >>>> http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech >>>> Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> dba-Tech mailing list >>> dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com >>> http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech >>> Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> > _______________________________________________ > dba-Tech mailing list > dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com > http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com > > _______________________________________________ > dba-Tech mailing list > dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com > http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com > >