Computer problems

[Everskyward]

I woke this morning and found this on my computer. What does it mean?

The computer will not boot on its own, with a recovery disk, with the original disk or with a Windows 7 disk. I have not made any changes to it, especially since last night when it was working.

It's a Gateway GT5692 running Windows 7 although it originally came with Vista. I tried the Gateway chat support and he had me reset the BIOS settings to standard (I hadn't ever changed them before) but that didn't work. He suggested reloading the OS but that's not working either since it won't boot off the Windows 7 disk. This computer is not under warranty so that's about as far as I can go with Gateway.

I also downloaded a BIOS file which has a newer date than the computer but I have no idea how to install it. Right now it's on a USB flash drive.

Any suggestions?

 

[denverpilot]

If you're getting that far your BIOS is probably fine.

Why it won't boot from CD/DVD is a bit more troubling though.

I'm suspecting hardware failure on this one.

Can you pull the hard disk and see if it's readable via a USB adapter on another machine?

I wouldn't boot from it necessarily (could be a nasty virus), just need to narrow down the variables.

A) Do your OS boot disks work in another machine?
B) Can the hard disk be read in another machine?
C) If you disconnect the hard disk in your machine does the OS boot disk then boot ok (even though it will fail because there's no drive to install to).

Other important questions prior to doing anything...
- Do you have data that's not backed up elsewhere on the hard disk that needs an attempt at recovery?

I would ask if you've attempted to boot to Safe Mode but it doesn't look like it's making it that far.

I would also be curious to know if any OS or driver updates were installed just prior to this starting if the drive works ok in another machine.

 

[Everskyward]

A) Do your OS boot disks work in another machine?

I pulled the hard disk out but I don't know how to connect it to another machine. I don't have another desktop and I don't see how to connect it via USB.

B) Can the hard disk be read in another machine?

Don't know, see above.

C) If you disconnect the hard disk in your machine does the OS boot disk then boot ok (even though it will fail because there's no drive to install to).

Yes. It boots OK and gets to the screen where you start to install Windows.

Other important questions prior to doing anything...
- Do you have data that's not backed up elsewhere on the hard disk that needs an attempt at recovery?

Everything is backed up enough.

I would ask if you've attempted to boot to Safe Mode but it doesn't look like it's making it that far.

It wouldn't boot into safe mode or any diagnostic mode either.

I would also be curious to know if any OS or driver updates were installed just prior to this starting if the drive works ok in another machine.

I don't think so but I don't know what is included in Windows updates.

 

[mikea]

What he said. It's 1) BIOS issue or 2) hardware issue.

What I would try is going to the BIOS setup and doing a "reset to factory" You should see something like "Press [F12] for setup. If you don't get that then you're in pull the disk and try on another PC territory.

An adapter like this will let you see the disk on another PC over USB:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/U2NV2SPATA/
http://www.amazon.com/External-Enclosure-Case-Blue-Laptop/dp/B000FNBYKW/ref=pd_bxgy_e_text_c

FYI, I have both of those. The second one for $6 will do you fine.

What NOT to do: Don't take it to a Geek Squad. I'd try reading the drive first to make sure you can save your data, although it does man you have to get on another PC somewhere. If your laptop is far out of warranty I'd buy another one (Lenovo!) rather than getting a repair from Gateway.

Good luck!

--Mike

 

[Everskyward]

What I would try is going to the BIOS setup and doing a "reset to factory" You should see something like "Press [F12] for setup. If you don't get that then you're in pull the disk and try on another PC territory.

I tried that already, in fact that was the first suggestion by the online chat technician.

An adapter like this will let you see the disk on another PC over USB:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/U2NV2SPATA/
http://www.amazon.com/External-Enclosure-Case-Blue-Laptop/dp/B000FNBYKW/ref=pd_bxgy_e_text_c

FYI, I have both of those. The second one for $6 will do you fine.

I'll think about this.

Edit: I don't see how that second one works. How does it plug in to the HD?

Since it seems to boot OK without the HD installed maybe it's just the HD.

I also should have said that I ran the Windows memory diagnostic tool and it checked out OK.

 

[mikea]

I tried that already, in fact that was the first suggestion by the online chat technician.

I'll think about this.

Edit: I don't see how that second one works. How does it plug in to the HD?

The black endcap you see has a USB socket on the outside and the connector for a 2.5" SATA laptop disk on the inside. You can use that all by itself, using the USB for power. The rest of it just puts an enclosure around the drive so it's packaged better to become a portable data store. A hacker would just put the drive on a non-conductive surface and plug away.

Since it seems to boot OK without the HD installed maybe it's just the HD.

I also should have said that I ran the Windows memory diagnostic tool and it checked out OK.

If it's just the HD you should get a boot fail message like "Missing operating system" The ACPI message comes from the hardware or BIOS or OS drivers failing elsewhere, and it CAN be messed up Windows drivers.

How did you get Windows anything? You booted from a CD?

 

[Everskyward]

The black endcap you see has a USB socket on the outside and the connector for a 2.5" SATA laptop disk on the inside. You can use that all by itself, using the USB for power. The rest of it just puts an enclosure around the drive so it's packaged better to become a portable data store. A hacker would just put the drive on a non-conductive surface and plug away.

I see. It just seems like the blue case looks thinner than my HD.

Edit: OK I see you think this HD came from a laptop but that's incorrect. It is out of a Gateway desktop.

If it's just the HD you should get a boot fail message like "Missing operating system" The ACPI message comes from the hardware or BIOS or OS drivers failing elsewhere, and it CAN be messed up Windows drivers.

How did you get Windows anything? You booted from a CD?

After I took the HD out as per Nate's instructions it booted from the Windows CD. While the HD was still installed it would not boot from the CD

 

[denverpilot]

That's really sounding like an HD hardware failure.

 

[Clark1961]

Sounds like the boot order should be changed in bios - might be able to boot from the windows CD and force a re-install. Of course any data might be toast if that is done...

I do have plenty of disk space and can see if the suspect HD can be read on one of my desktop machines.

 

[Everskyward]

That's really sounding like an HD hardware failure.

Should I still try to test it out on another computer? I would need to get one of those USB connectors. I don't think the second one Mike linked to would work but there is this from Amazon too.

http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Adapter-Converter-Optical-External/dp/B001OORMVQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t

I also looked at hard drives and they seem to be in the $40 range which is OK.

This is what I have now.

http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digit...d_t=201&pf_rd_p=1292106222&pf_rd_i=B000Q82PIQ

 

[Everskyward]

Sounds like the boot order should be changed in bios - might be able to boot from the windows CD and force a re-install. Of course any data might be toast if that is done...

The first boot device has always been the CD, I think. I can't tell any more now that the HD is removed though.

I do have plenty of disk space and can see if the suspect HD can be read on one of my desktop machines.

That would be cool. Do you have the appropriate connectors too? I think that's my problem right now since I think if I had the connectors I could use my laptop (my Windows laptop) to read it.

 

[Clark1961]

The first boot device has always been the CD, I think. I can't tell any more now that the HD is removed though.

That would be cool. Do you have the appropriate connectors too? I think that's my problem right now since I think if I had the connectors I could use my laptop (my Windows laptop) to read it.

I can read SATA or EIDE on my desktop. I don't have an external adapter. I imagine Microcenter has an adapter.

 

[denverpilot]

The first boot device has always been the CD, I think. I can't tell any more now that the HD is removed though.

You should be able to get into the BIOS even with both drives removed!

That would be cool. Do you have the appropriate connectors too? I think that's my problem right now since I think if I had the connectors I could use my laptop (my Windows laptop) to read it.

I was just going to tell ya to get over here and we'd figure out if that drive is really dead, but I can't find my USB to SATA adapter. Ugh. Where'd it go?

I really need to clean the workbench and desk up in the basement. Sigh.

Sadly it'll turn up about a day after I go buy another one from MicroCenter. Ha.

 

[Everskyward]

You should be able to get into the BIOS even with both drives removed!

LOL, what I mean is I can get to the BIOS settings but it doesn't give the HD as an option any more since it isn't there.

I was just going to tell ya to get over here and we'd figure out if that drive is really dead, but I can't find my USB to SATA adapter. Ugh. Where'd it go?

I really need to clean the workbench and desk up in the basement. Sigh.

Sadly it'll turn up about a day after I go buy another one from MicroCenter. Ha.

I guess I need to look up this Microcenter place! I'm assuming it's in the Denver area.

 

[Clark1961]

LOL, what I mean is I can get to the BIOS settings but it doesn't give the HD as an option any more since it isn't there.

I guess I need to look up this Microcenter place! I'm assuming it's in the Denver area.

Just off of 225 and Tamarac.

 

[Everskyward]

When you get back into town, call me. I'll bring the portable external drive box (to put yours in) and my laptop, we can see if the HD is good or not.

Great! I have a day trip tomorrow but nothing scheduled most of next week. I don't see anything Monday and I have Tues/Wed/Thurs off.

 

[murphey]

Great! I have a day trip tomorrow but nothing scheduled most of next week. I don't see anything Monday and I have Tues/Wed/Thurs off.

I've got an external case that we can put the HD into and try to connect it to another system. Monday afternoon or anytime the rest of the week.

I'm trying to understand why, as a 100% software geek, I've got so much extra hardware hanging around, as well as all these gadgets.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

is there a place we can send condolence cards or flowers? I hate these things!

 

[Everskyward]

is there a place we can send condolence cards or flowers? I hate these things!

One good thing is that I learned my lesson before about backing up so if I lost everything on that hard drive it would be OK. It's just a PITA to have computer problems. At least I have spares!

 

[Steve]

is there a place we can send condolence cards or flowers? I hate these things!

I could pinch them

 

[Everskyward]

I could pinch them

Oh my...

 

[Skip Miller]

There is definitely something awry in the cosmic supply of electrons! I just got the same blue screen! (now using a trusty old laptop...)

The symptoms are a bit different. When I tried to reboot, there is a problem with the video. The entire screen looks like there are two images being shown. Not simply two images. I get about 90% of one image and 10% of another, with small groups of pixels, part of the 10%, spaced at random on the screen. The next time I rebooted it looks like a series of vertical dark bars was overlaid on the screen.

I have two hard drives installed, each 40gig. I routinely back up the sensitive data from one to the other. So I am not worried about data loss... yet. I'm more inclined to replace this old 6yrs Dell desktop with a laptop with docking station for an external keyboard and monitor.

Thoughts?

 

[Steve]

There is definitely something awry in the cosmic supply of electrons! I just got the same blue screen! (now using a trusty old laptop...)

The symptoms are a bit different. When I tried to reboot, there is a problem with the video. The entire screen looks like there are two images being shown. Not simply two images. I get about 90% of one image and 10% of another, with small groups of pixels, part of the 10%, spaced at random on the screen. The next time I rebooted it looks like a series of vertical dark bars was overlaid on the screen.

I have two hard drives installed, each 40gig. I routinely back up the sensitive data from one to the other. So I am not worried about data loss... yet. I'm more inclined to replace this old 6yrs Dell desktop with a laptop with docking station for an external keyboard and monitor.

Thoughts?

Possibly the graphics card/adapter is failing.

 

[Clark1961]

There is definitely something awry in the cosmic supply of electrons!

I lost one of the PCIE slots in one of my desktops a couple weeks ago. I don't know exactly what the primary failure was but I ended up using the second PCIE slot with a new video card and also had to replace the KVM switch. At least the computer works again (its only four months old).

 

[Everskyward]

I had the same thing happen to my computer a few months ago. I went through the same process - resetting the BIOS, pulling & then replacing the the motherboard battery to see if that would help, doing a windows repair CD, safe mode, etc. Nothing worked. I reinstalled Windows and it was fine again, and I had most of my files on a partition so I still had all of my data. Then decided that was one crash too many for my seven year old heinz 57 computer so bought a new HP.

This computer is only three years old but out of warranty. If it's the HD I think I will replace it but if it's the computer itself I'll probably switch to a Mac. I bought a MacBook Air recently and I really like it, although there was somewhat of a learning curve. The Apple people are pretty helpful, though, and I've taken some lessons. Heck, they even helped me install Parallels and Windows 7. I bought the $100 One to One package which gives you unlimited instruction for a year. I could go back every day if I wanted to.

 

[Everskyward]

Thanks to Murphey we discovered that the problem is not with the HD as it can be read on her computer and also on my spare computer. Just for kicks I tried booting the malfunctioning computer through the USB port with the HD. It gets to the point where it tries to load the Windows files but it will not boot into Windows. It just goes back to the screen where it wants you to pick the repair mode or to boot Windows normally.

I also know where MicroCenter is now.

 

[denverpilot]

I also know where MicroCenter is now.

Now you're forever doomed!