 Windows Not Booting Up After Bios, Hard Disk error |
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 Oct 31 2007, 05:18 PM
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#1
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Member  Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: 25-October 07 Member No.: 165,345  |
When I boot up my computer, I get an error after the initial startup, where the windows loading bar normally would go..It goes to a blank screen with a blinking underscore in the top corner, and after hanging there for about 10 seconds it says "No boot device available" followed by F key instructions I've tried unplugging and replugging all plugs, using different power cables for the HD, using a different SATA cable to connect to the mobo, and still same error. Sometimes I'd hear a loud clicking after startup and it will say it had trouble auto detecting the secondary hard drive and says press F1 to continue, and then follows the keypress with No boot device available. I'm not sure what that message is about as I've never had a secondary drive. Any suggestions? |
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Oct 31 2007, 05:29 PM
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#2
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 Computer Masochist Group: Moderator Posts: 10,660 Joined: 27-January 07 From: Cleveland, Ohio Member No.: 108,618 |
Loud clicking and no boot device = failing hard drive
most likely possibility Mark -------------------- Mark
 why won't my laptop work? Having grandkids is God's way of giving you a 2nd chance because you were too busy working your butt off the 1st time around Avatar by Handplane |
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Oct 31 2007, 05:30 PM
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#3
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Member Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: 25-October 07 Member No.: 165,345 |
does that mean it's not recoverable?
I seriously would hate to lose all those files.. |
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Oct 31 2007, 05:41 PM
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#4
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 Forum Addict Group: Members Posts: 1,026 Joined: 11-March 07 From: Very South Jersey Member No.: 116,928 |
Can you describe the loud, "clicking" , a little more, is it coming through the speakers, or some place else ?
-------------------- When you don't have to worry about your computer anymore, you can start living again !  Success is a result, not a goal. . . . Flaubert |
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Oct 31 2007, 05:51 PM
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#5
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Member Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: 25-October 07 Member No.: 165,345 |
It's similar to the clicking the system makes when you do a hard shut down by holding down the power button for a few seconds
Edit: But seeming to come from the area with the HD This post has been edited by MythicalArcher: Oct 31 2007, 05:52 PM |
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Oct 31 2007, 06:13 PM
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#6
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Forum Addict Group: BC Advisor Posts: 7,460 Joined: 3-September 05 From: Killeen, TX Member No.: 33,068 |
That blinking screen with the underscore...is indicative of a bad MBR.
Black Screen (fixmbr) - http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;314503 Louis |
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Oct 31 2007, 06:16 PM
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#7
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Member Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: 25-October 07 Member No.: 165,345 |
Ok how can I create a boot disk without the use of a floppy? My PC doesn't have a floppy drive.
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Oct 31 2007, 06:19 PM
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#8
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Forum Addict Group: BC Advisor Posts: 7,460 Joined: 3-September 05 From: Killeen, TX Member No.: 33,068 |
Boot disk for what?
Louis |
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Oct 31 2007, 06:26 PM
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#9
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Member Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: 25-October 07 Member No.: 165,345 |
Recovery steps say you need a boot disk..from that link
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Oct 31 2007, 06:42 PM
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#10
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Computer Masochist Group: Moderator Posts: 10,660 Joined: 27-January 07 From: Cleveland, Ohio Member No.: 108,618 |
Go into the BIOS and change the first boot device order to the CD drive as number one and just use the XP CD
Mark -------------------- Mark
why won't my laptop work? Having grandkids is God's way of giving you a 2nd chance because you were too busy working your butt off the 1st time around Avatar by Handplane |
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Oct 31 2007, 06:52 PM
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#11
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 Forum Regular Group: Members Posts: 211 Joined: 22-October 07 From: beachmere qld aus Member No.: 164,717 |
mate if you are hearing clicking, stop using ur pc, unplug that drive and get a new one, dont use it till you get all your data off.
as garmanma said, click hdd = failing hdd, and fast.. if you go to get the data off, and find that it kinda stopped working, stick your HDD in the freezer for a bit, that shud give u some time to get the data off -------------------- =)
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Oct 31 2007, 06:53 PM
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#12
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Member Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: 25-October 07 Member No.: 165,345 |
Can't find the CD..but will post back when I found and have results.
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Oct 31 2007, 06:55 PM
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#13
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Member Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: 25-October 07 Member No.: 165,345 |
So then how do I retrieve data from it if it has an OS on it? Even if I get a new one and plug that in to transfer..wouldn't the OS conflict?
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Oct 31 2007, 07:22 PM
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#14
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Forum Addict Group: BC Advisor Posts: 7,460 Joined: 3-September 05 From: Killeen, TX Member No.: 33,068 |
You remove the hard drive...connect it to a known good system long enough to copy/transfer files...disconnect and put it back in the original system. You will be able to see all files, just won't be able to run any programs from that drive.
Louis |
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Oct 31 2007, 07:32 PM
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#15
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Forum Regular Group: Members Posts: 211 Joined: 22-October 07 From: beachmere qld aus Member No.: 164,717 |
yeah hook it up as a slave drive(make sure jumpers are set correctly), check your boot order to make sure that its still the same(not booting off of the newly added, possibly faulty drive).
when you boot windows, doulbe click my computer, you should see your old drive :D then start copying! if you are going to be copying a fair few GB's worth of stuff, use karens replicator (http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp) - beats your copy process failing at 95% and having to start again! -------------------- =)
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