Is it stuffed

astroron (Ron) · #1 22-12-2010, 03:28 PM

I closed my Laptop down and went out for about 2 hours,
When I tried to start it up again I get this message,

A disk error occurred
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart,

I do this and all it does is to bring me back to this message

Is the computer Stuffed

:questio n:
Any help appreciated

Cheers

AdrianF (Adrian) · #2 22-12-2010, 03:39 PM

Have you tried to start the pc in safe mode?

Adrian

astroron (Ron) · #3 22-12-2010, 03:41 PM

Adrian, I cannot get passed that message?

duncan · #4 22-12-2010, 03:42 PM

Hi Ron,
Whilst i have not had exactly the same problem, i have had times when the damn thing just would not start at all.
In the end i just removed the battery for about a minute, put it back in and away she went.
Duncan

Tandum (Robin) · #5 22-12-2010, 04:06 PM

Most likely, the hard drive has file corruption. You need to boot from a windows cd, get to a command prompt and try doing a diskscan.

astroron (Ron) · #6 22-12-2010, 04:14 PM

Thanks Robin.
cheers

astroron (Ron) · #7 22-12-2010, 05:54 PM

I tried to reboot of the disk and no go

So it looks like it is Stuffed

BlackWidow (Mardy) · #8 22-12-2010, 06:03 PM

Hi Ron I am a Computer Tech by trade so I will try and do my best to help you. Are you able to give me the Make and Model of your Laptop please. It does sound like you have had a hard drive fail on you. However it could also be the CD Drive in which case your data will be safe.. Anyway give me some details and I will see if I can assist.. I get so much assistance and advice on this site it good to try and help back.

Seeing Stars
Mardy

Cosmic (Daniel) · #9 22-12-2010, 06:43 PM

Gday Ron

Dose the motherboard screen pop up eg Asus,Toshiba ...so on?

When the computer turns on repeatedly hit F5 or F8.....that will depend on which windows op your running... You want to get into safe mode if you can!! Otherwise it gets a bit tricky from here on in.

Also what Mardy has said + extra..check USB flash drives and external HDs and all other connections to the computer (disconnect every thing). Beacuse when the pc loads it check most/all USB drives. A dodgy USB thumb drive will give this error.

supernova1965 (Warren) · #10 22-12-2010, 06:48 PM

you could also try to boot from a live Linux cd too see if you can access the HDD from within the Linux operating system

astroron (Ron) · #11 22-12-2010, 07:30 PM

Thanks guys,I cannot get into safe mode
I cannot get past
A disk error occurred
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart,
If I put in the XP disk it takes me all the way through the install system then asks me if I want to repair or install another widows,if I install another windows I will loose all my stuff and be back to square one

When I do the repair it tells me it has tried and failed

The computer is a compaq 6220
cheers

supernova1965 (Warren) · #12 22-12-2010, 07:41 PM

So you can boot from a CD if you download a Damn Small Linux ISO image from another computer and burn to a CD using nero iso burning you can boot from it and possibly rescue data from the HDD to an external HDD of a USB memory stick

supernova1965 (Warren) · #13 22-12-2010, 07:53 PM

Hi Ron

This is very advanced but you may be able to follow it I reckon you are one smart cookie so have a look at this tutorial it may help if the HDD is not dead and the boot record has been corrupted. I would still try the live CD to recover any files if possible.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

BlackWidow (Mardy) · #14 22-12-2010, 07:55 PM

If Ron has gone through the XP repair option it's most likley that the data is now gone. XP repair does not reallwork to well. The problem is not the CD Drive as Ron has been able to run XP,. Most HP and Compaq computers have a recover system and it is activated by prexxing ALT F11 or ALT F12 at startup. You will loose all the data if you go ahead. However if you allow the option to start and it goes into the menu it will confirm a hard drive failure or not. If the unit does not go into the menu, you are in trouble. If it does the date may be able to be saved.

Seeing Stars
Mardy

Tandum (Robin) · #15 22-12-2010, 07:57 PM

There is a screen before where it asks you to repair or reinstall. Where it stops at that first screen is where you can get a command prompt going. That's where you need to be to do a scandisk. I think the command is scandisk c: /p but if you do a scandisk /? it will print the available switches for it. You want to force it to do a full scan and see what happens. If it corrects errors you will probably have to do another repair to get windows going seeing the last repair failed.

astroron (Ron) · #16 22-12-2010, 08:37 PM

Thanks guys ,I cannot get to any of those steps you both suggested

So have given up for the moment till I can get someone who knows what they are doing

Cheers

astroron (Ron) · #17 22-12-2010, 08:44 PM

Thanks Warren

but as far as Computers are concerned I am not very smart at all

Cheers

RobF (Rob) · #18 23-12-2010, 10:57 AM

I'm feeling for your Ron.
I left my astro laptop plugged in recharging then went out - on the day we had the monster thunderstorm recently!!!

Getting terrible BSODs and reboots now. Sigh.

Only consolation is you can't see the sky at the moment anyway.

astroron (Ron) · #19 23-12-2010, 11:15 AM

Thanks Rob, long time no hear

I hope you get yours sorted out soon
All the best for the Christmas
Cheers

RobF (Rob) · #20 24-12-2010, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astroron

Thanks Rob, long time no hear

I hope you get yours sorted out soon
All the best for the Christmas
Cheers

Thanks Ron
All the best to yourself too - hope you have a great Chrissy.

Rob