Solved Computer won't boot - HELP!!!

[pombonted]

ok now they are back

 

[pombonted]

HI Tom, sorry I kept missing u earlier. I'm gonna have to go to bed shortly as it's 1.30am here and I'm fading fast.

I just can't understand why everything works with this other program and I can't access my actual hard drives??? There was an error msg saying something about unstable hard-drive/disc and to do an urgent back-up but it went on for mths so I considered it "NON" urgent based on the recurrent msg.......I am BLONDE btw

I'm wondering if I can access this stuffed computer from the home network from my laptop (which also is nearly full and hasn't been backed up) .......maybe that should be my 1st morning task

 

[pombonted]

Hi Tom,
I took a screen shot for you, I don't know how to get this into dos from here with the different versions

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19935409/home/ubuntu/Pictures/Screenshot from 2012-05-19 08:40:24.png

 

[pombonted]

http://www.vistax64.com/graphic-cards/296277-computer-wont-boot-help-3.html

 

[tom982]

Hi pombonted

My apologies for the late reply! I'm right in the middle of exams at the moment and things are quite hectic.

Here's how to attach screenshots to your post: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/289032-screenshots-files-upload-post-vista-forums.html

I'll reboot to Ubuntu now.

Tom

 

[tom982]

Hi pombonted,

When you boot into Ubuntu, you'll be presented by your Desktop. At the top of the screen, you should see a taskbar. I have a slightly different version of Linux, so mine may be slightly different, but at the top of mine I have Applications, Places and System. When you click on Places, you should be presented with something like this:



Click on Computer. You should now get a list of your devices, like so:



Can you take a screenshot of this view for me please?

Tom

 

[pombonted]

Hi Tom,

Thnx, sorry to be a burden. I think our time zones are out of sync as well

It's not giving me my hard drives, I have a C and D.

Then I don't know how to access into DOS from here as this version is different to the other old one and so is the error msg.

 

[pombonted]

OK got it up now & here's what happens if I look at network (i have a wireless router and laptop - that's why it's calling it a network I think)

 

[tom982]

Hi Tom,

Thnx, sorry to be a burden. I think our time zones are out of sync as well

It's not giving me my hard drives, I have a C and D.

Then I don't know how to access into DOS from here as this version is different to the other old one and so is the error msg.

View attachment 25614

OK got it up now & here's what happens if I look at network (i have a wireless router and laptop - that's why it's calling it a network I think)

View attachment 25616

Yes, I think there's a fair time zone difference between us - about 7 hours if I've worked it out correctly! But it's not a problem, I can try to work around it.

Wow, Ubuntu has changed a lot since I last used it. No wonder we had a little confusion about finding the Places!

On that first screenshot, there is an entry called file system. Can you double click on it, then take a screenshot of the contents for me please?

Tom

 

[pombonted]

Yep in progrss

 

[pombonted]

 

[pombonted]

Hi Tom, any suggestions??? I have a medical & legal deadline next week that I need to prepare for. Do u think we can get this working? Sorry I know ur also under pressure. Maybe u can paoint me in the direction of some other way of getting it going????

Many thnx Pom

 

[tom982]

Hi Pom,

It's not a problem I know how stressful computer problems get.

It's very odd that the drive isn't showing at all, there's a possibility it may have failed. I'll try and find someone else to help out here as well because you need this up and running ASAP In the mean time, can you do the following please (in Ubuntu):

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open terminal
2. Copy and paste the following command into terminal and press enter:

/sbin/fdisk -l

That is a lower case l

This should output lots of information about your drives, can you copy and paste it into your next post please

I would also like you to try doing a repair install with your Vista disc:

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html

Tom

Edit: I have asked for help from the others A lot of our members here reside in the states, so they're probably asleep at the moment, please be patient.

 

[johngalt]

It really sounds like the hdd is dead, which would explain the lack of mounting it in Ubuntu, as well as why nothing is showing on the screen initially when attempting to boot Windows. If the computers BIOS is set to NOT show any of the hot keys (bios entry, boot menu, etc.) or else is set to show an image instead of the actual POST info, and said image has been damaged, then it may not show anything.

Best bet at this juncture is to try to power off the computer, then power on and start hitting F2 repeatedly to see if it goes into BIOS. Of course, it may not be F2, it may be DEL, ESC, CTRL + S, or another key / keystroke combination. Regardless, if the BIOS does not show with the F2 key, power off, then power on again trying ESC, etc. A search online cab give sol the different keystroke combinations for getting into the BIOS, but these are the most popular, IIRC.

If the computer can be placed into a BIOS access screen, you can then 1) ascertain if the HDD is being recognized or not, and 2) check other settings like hot key display, image versus POST, etc.

HTH

 

[pombonted]

Hi Pom,

It's not a problem I know how stressful computer problems get.

It's very odd that the drive isn't showing at all, there's a possibility it may have failed. I'll try and find someone else to help out here as well because you need this up and running ASAP In the mean time, can you do the following please (in Ubuntu):

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open terminal
2. Copy and paste the following command into terminal and press enter:

/sbin/fdisk -l

That is a lower case l

This should output lots of information about your drives, can you copy and paste it into your next post please

I would also like you to try doing a repair install with your Vista disc:

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html

Tom

Edit: I have asked for help from the others A lot of our members here reside in the states, so they're probably asleep at the moment, please be patient.

Hi Tom,

Thnx

I tried both with & without a space but nothing happens.

Here it is below:



Also I can't boot into safe mode or get anything. I also tried a Vista Home Premium Disc but don't know how to try to get it to boot from that. Also don't know if it's the right version or upgrade as my PC came loaded and any material telling me what it all was would be stored in the PC somewhere. I did have an error msg for weeks telling me to backup bc of some kind of HD instability.....can't remember the exact msg.

I ill try what Johngalt suggests as well and let u both know what happens.

Also ondering if I can access something thru the home network, don't know much but both pc's are supposed to be able to access some shared info. I could open the laptop in the Ubuntu menu under networks....I think???

 

[pombonted]

woops wrong screen

 

[pombonted]

OK powering down and trying reboot will be on the laptop if u need to talk to me, bye & thnx

 

[pombonted]

Nope nothing. When I try with any of the buttons it starts beeping until I stop the keys but nothing happens on the screen.

If the HD is dead is that bad? Will I be able to get my info off it somehow???

Of course, it may not be F2, it may be DEL, ESC, CTRL + S, or another key / keystroke combination. Regardless, if the BIOS does not show with the F2 key, power off, then power on again trying ESC, etc. A search online cab give sol the different keystroke combinations for getting into the BIOS, but these are the most popular, IIRC.

I don't know what to do....is this really bad????

 

[pombonted]

Oh boy, nothing works.....i'm in a lot of trouble as I have 8 yrs of medical, legal and financial stuff from my injury on there with really no back-ups ......DUMB blonde!!!

Any ways of trying to access the HD if it's dead? Mouth to HD??? anything
????

 

[tom982]

Oh boy, nothing works.....i'm in a lot of trouble as I have 8 yrs of medical, legal and financial stuff from my injury on there with really no back-ups ......DUMB blonde!!!

Any ways of trying to access the HD if it's dead? Mouth to HD??? anything
????

Hi Pom,

There are a few advanced methods that we could try if you want, I know of some very powerful recovery tools. But not only is this not guaranteed to work, but it will take a lot of time. I've your disk has really died, this won't work, this is only for file and partition table errors (i.e. data errors).

Alternatively, there are a number of data recovery services available, my parents once had to use one when the hard drive containing all of the family photos died. If I remember correctly, it cost roughly £100 and they were able to recover 99% of the files, they couldn't get 4 of the photos (there were thousands).

The latter option is more likely to work

Tom