PC down.

[Flyby PC 23]

I have a hard drive failure, asking me to insert a Win7 installation disk. I do so, it loads windows files, then tries to start windows but freezes  on the startup page with the 4 coloured logo.

 

I piggy backed the hard drive onto a WinXP machine, which ran an integrity check on the damaged hard drive. It took 9 hours to 'fix' the sectors errors, orphaned files sector things etc, and now the hard drive loads as a data drive without prompting integrity checks, but when I put the hard drive back where it belongs, I get the same routine: I need the installation disk to install from the DVD, but it hangs / freezes loading windows.

 

I don't understand why XP can fix the drive, at least as a data drive, but Win 7 cannot seem to correct itself or re-write its own startup protocol.

 

Confused... I like Win7, but how can I get it to fix itself? It feels very close to working, but hangs at the same point.

 

Any suggestions?

[+pcpilot 181]

There's a lot I don't know. Not sure why it is freezing up on bootup; likely some key file is missing. You may have even picked up a virus. But I'll suggest this...on the initial BIOS bootup when it checks your computer, you should hear a single beep. If so, the hardware is functioning. Which would seem to indicate you have a software/OS issue. I would then suggest a safemode bootup. While in the BIOS startup routine, after you hear the beep, press and hold F8. You should then be given the option to start in safemode. This loads Windows with minimum drivers, etc. Once computer has finished booting, then I suggest running checkdisk to ensure your harddrive is serviceable. If so, then try running system restore to restore windows to a previous version as you may have picked up a virus. You can also run your viruscanner in safemode. 

 

If the computer wont boot into safemode at all, then you've gone into a new realm. If your checkdisk in XP fixed errors, I'd wonder how you got those errors to begin with. It could be the harddrive has indeed gone bad, or a virus has had its way with you. I would try a complete re-format then. If it can be re-formatted, then it was probably a virus that got you.

 

If nothing else, with the harddrive in the winXP computer, you can at least save any files you may want to keep and either do a complete format and re-install or if it is the harddrive malfunctioning, get a new harddrive. Good luck. This is one of those frustrating times for a computer owner.

 

There is also this that might help... http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/repair-recovery-help#repair-recovery-help=windows-7

Edited September 12, 2013 by pcpilot

[Tamper 9]

Well, one thing that affects this is that there is far more to being able to boot from a drive than it just being able to read as 'data drive'.

 

Windows 7 can boot a machine from scratch (otherwise, installing Windows from the DVD would never work *lol*).  But, if there's an errant driver somewhere trying to load, that driver - unique to your system - probably isn't on the Windows DVD, therefore Windows can't repair it by using the Windows disk.

 

One thing you didn't mention - have you tried booting in Safe Mode to see how far the boot gets before freezing?  Press F8 during the boot, and you'll get a text menu with Safe Mode as the first option.  Although it might not be exact, you can look for a clue while Safe Mode is booting, since it should show you each line being loaded/processed during the OS boot.

 

Also accessible using the "F8" boot is booting to the "Last Known Good" configuration.  This might work as well.

 

Finally, although it sounds as if it might not be much help (sorry!):  There's a lot about W7 I don't like, but one thing I absolutely *love* is the built-in ability to make a "System Image".  This free "disk cloning" tool works every time I've used it, and it allows you to store a recovery image of your system onto a DVD or external USB drive.  Microsoft finally did something right!! (although it generally will only work if you have a fairly straightfoward, 1 or 2-drive system).  It may not help now, but I hope it might help you later on.

 

Good luck.

Edited September 12, 2013 by Tamper

[MAKO69 186]

I have a hard drive failure, asking me to insert a Win7 installation disk. I do so, it loads windows files, then tries to start windows but freezes  on the startup page with the 4 coloured logo.

 

I piggy backed the hard drive onto a WinXP machine, which ran an integrity check on the damaged hard drive. It took 9 hours to 'fix' the sectors errors, orphaned files sector things etc, and now the hard drive loads as a data drive without prompting integrity checks, but when I put the hard drive back where it belongs, I get the same routine: I need the installation disk to install from the DVD, but it hangs / freezes loading windows.

 

I don't understand why XP can fix the drive, at least as a data drive, but Win 7 cannot seem to correct itself or re-write its own startup protocol.

 

Confused... I like Win7, but how can I get it to fix itself? It feels very close to working, but hangs at the same point.

 

Any suggestions?

How old is your system, how often and how do you use it, have you tried to start it in safe mode, have you had the blue or black screen of death that states your pc will or is in hard drive failure?

[Typhoon 5]

When we suspect a HD failure one thing we do is remove the suspect drive and connect it to another machine that has DiskCheckup 3.1 installed and run a diagnostic on it. DiskCheckup is a free download from here:

 

http://www.passmark.com/products/diskcheckup.htm

 

goodluck

Tony

[Flyby PC 23]

Thanks fellas. I can't get as far as a launch in safe mode. I need to alter the BIOS boot order to load files from the recovery DVD, I get it to load files, then it crashes. If I boot from the hard drive, it fails, and tells me to install the installation disk and restart. I can't even get to a command prompt.

I thought the drive was a write off, and only piggy backed the drive to try recovering some data. After the big long disk integrity check, I was surprised to see everything still there.

The hassle is its my only Win 7, the old pc & a borrowed laptop are both XP. Lots of my files are newer versions and I can't open them.

Its frustrating that I can't fire up the drive with Win7 and have it re-install itself.

I don't think its a virus, the PC was moved in a car. I will try that drive analysis check disk thing...

[almccoyjr 7]

I think tamper is on the right track about an errant driver trying to load. The W7 install cd is having a problem getting by the hidden MBR on the primary partion which is probably C:\ .

 

If you're trying to get the hdd to run in order to reinstall W7 and not concerned with any files left on it, I'd use Hiren's BootCD. You need to completely "nuke" the hdd, then using the BootCD, run an integrity check. Once that's done and the hdd comes back as ok, you should be able to cleanly boot and install using the W7 install disc. IF your disc is actually a recovery disc and not an install disc, you're in trouble. PC's that use recovery discs rely on the MBR and some driver(s) to reinitiate the install/repair sequence. A recovery disc is not an install disc.  A recovery disc is a cheap way for an OEM to save money by not having to issue a Windows cd.

 

When you reintall W7, format using the install disc or with Hiren's CD and don't create a dedicated MBR partion. You're just asking for trouble down the road if you have a dedicated MBR partion.

 

plug_nickel

[Tamper 9]

Flyby - if you would, please, could you answer a few questions?  Sorry, I'm just not sure I completely understand the issue and I didn't want to misunderstand.

 

- Do you have a 'good' hard disk, or are you concerned about the viability of the drive itself?

 

- Do you have a Windows installation disk, or a 'recovery disk', like Al asks about above?

 

- Are you OK with doing a complete re-install of Windows, if it were possible?

 

- Do you have a legit Windows license/Product ID?  (Typically, this means you'll have a sticker on the case showing a Microsoft PID number).

 

- Can you copy any needed files off the hard drive to a safe place temporarily?  (Never mind that they're 'newer versions', for now)

 

If you could answer these, it might be possible - depending on the answers - that your situation is fairly straightforward to remedy.

 

Thanks,

Edited September 13, 2013 by Tamper

[MudWasp48 3]

I had this problem a couple of years ago. Drove me crazy.

Sometimes it would boot. Most times it asked for the installation disk to run repairs and would hang

 

It wound up being the sata plug-in attachment to the motherboard wasn't fully seated. No clue how it became loose.

[Flyby PC 23]

Hi, sorry to be slow in reply.

 

The pc which failed is a half size PC, and the motherboard has only capacity for one hard drive at a time, although I suppose I could use an external hd.

The win 7 installation disk is downloaded from the internet and burned onto a cd. I do have a legit code for it.

I'm not 100% confident with the hard drive which has failed, since its already failed once. I'm a stonemason, and we also get faults causing power cuts from time to time, so the dust and sudden shut downs is hard on hardware with moving parts.

I suppose I could put a new hd in the pc, and turn the repair into an upgrade, but I don't know to reinstall all the software wholesale.

The immediate complication is I'm also working away from home during the week and I've not had much time.

I'm wondering whether to bite the bullet and just get a new desktop. There seem to be some good deals on big square desktops, but not sure I'd like win8.

I'd like to fix the one I have.

[Tamper 9]

Please take this as an altruistic offer of help - i know it's "easier said than done', but these things can easily pay for themselves in time you'll save not fighting with problems, but also spare you the aggravation, which you cannot put a price tag on, I'm sure :)

If the dust is bad enough (hard to say without seeing) find some way to put a filter on it; you can get filter type material for very little money and cut something yourself in no time, or even using plain old cloth will probably help.  I oversee tech support for literally hundreds of PCs outdoors in unfriendly environments, so I know there are ways to deal with it.  The easiest way to try first is some type of filtering (again, depending on how big of a problem it is - if it's not real severe, the answer is often just to open it up and clean it; takes 15 minutes every couple months.)

 

As for the power problems (and this is more a MUST than just a good idea):  Get a UPS, or what is commonly called a "battery backup".  Inexpensive ones can go for as little as $50, and that is a small price to pay for protecting the PC from those power glitches 7x24.  You'r right, it definitely is hard on a PC, and TBH I'd never dream of running one in such an environment without some kind of power protection.  Like the filters above, it's 'cheap insurance'.

 

Once you do get everything back together - or even if you build another PC, or whatever, I cannot more strongly recommend the Windows Imaging utility I discussed above.  You can get everything installed on your PC as you need it, and for as little as the cost of DVDs, have a complete system backup to restore at any time, in very little time.  Again, I am sorry it's not much help now, but do keep this in mind.

 

All that being said, I'm afraid only you can decide whether you want to try to fix what you have, or get a new unit.  I can understand if there are programs installed on the machine that you don't have source installation media for, but as long as the drive can work as a 'data drive' you should be able to get anything you created off it. 

 

Unfortunately, there's not much anyone can do if the machine refuses to boot, and you have programs installed but don't have installation disks for them.  It may help to know that there are some fairly capable, legitimately free alternatives (like OpenOffice for the Microsoft Office, for example) - maybe if you could tell us more about your exact scenario, we could offer more suggestions about that.

 

If you want to save yourself the cost of new hardware by keeping what you have, and don't mind reloading everything from scratch, that may be the best choice.  That, combined with the few 'preventive measures' I discussed above, will hopefully spare you the trouble in the future.

 

 Of course, others here have recommended some 'recovery' type tools; I don't use any of these so I can't offer anything in that area.  If you really cannot afford to start a clean install, a recovery type tool seems the only choice.

 

I truly hope this is of some help.