bluewaterstream 0 #1 November 7, 2005 I'm not sure what just happened, but I had photoshop open and was surfing dz.com and my computer started moving super slow and making noises like it was downloading something. I initially thought that Norton was automatically updating its virus definitions with a Live Update. I tried to do a Ctrl-Alt-Delete to see what was going on and the pc just locked up. Now when I reboot it brings me to my Windows Xp login screen, I type in my password and hit enter, it makes that noise like its downloading something for about 15 - 20 minutes, then it flashes a blue screen that says something about physical memory dump for about 2 seconds, then either the screen goes black and says something like can't find operating system or it tries to reboot the system again. Can I get this thing into safe mode and try something or is this computer totally shot? SHIT... as I was typing this I just received this new error on a black screen: SMART Failure Predicted on Hard Disk 0: TOSHIBA MK602A-(PM) WARNING: Immediately back-up your data and replace your hard disk drive. A failure may be imminent. Press F1 to Continue What now? How do I back up everything from this black screen? Should I hit F1 or just shut it down? Here's what I'm on: Sony Vaio laptop - Windows Xp - Pentium 4 - Firefox Browser - Norton Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
incode 0 #2 November 7, 2005 its hard to say what could be causing the problem. Probably the best thing to do would be plug in an external HDD and backup all your data that you might need to save and then try booting the system up off the windows xp cd, then go into recovery console and select the operating system using the number displayed next to it, then while you are in the recovery console type chkdsk /r and let that run, it will take about half an hour and if that fails you know the disk is F@$ked or it will find problems and attempt to repair them, once tahts done try and boot back into windows. The important thing is to backup anything you could not cope with loosing because if there are ploblems with the disk when you run a chkdsk /r it is possible you will lose data. Hope that helps Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites bluewaterstream 0 #3 November 7, 2005 Quotebackup all your data that you might need to save Can I use my CDRW Drive to do this? Quotethen try booting the system up off the windows xp cd My Sony Vaio didn't come with the Xp cd Quotethen go into recovery console and select the operating system using the number displayed next to it, then while you are in the recovery console type chkdsk /r and let that run How do I get into the recovery console? What is that? Is that the same as DOS? The only way I know how to get to DOS is with cmd in the Command Prompt. How can I get there from this black screen? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Guest 1010 #4 November 7, 2005 what incode said. Back up your stuff pronto. But before getting really drastic, see if the system will just boot (or stay up) and back up your important stuff. (You might zip it and send it to a web-based email account if no other hardware is available. USB keys and such are cheap and easy now too.) If the system is under warranty - call and tell them about the error, they should replace the drive (they'll want that one returned). Many (but probably not all) modern disk drives nowdays monitor themselves, and when some threshold is crossed (reads, writes, crc errors, seek time etc etc etc), they send a message to a monitoring system if it is available, so it can be swapped out while still funtional. A couple years ago only the "good" drives had it, so that's the upside, you have a good quality system, but it needs a new disk. Is this a Compaq (aka HP) system? You can have it good, fast, or cheap: pick two. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Guest 1010 #5 November 7, 2005 Quote Press F1 to Continue yep, press F1. It'll most likely boot normally. If it doesn't then it is system repair time, but first see if it just continue to boot. (also I see it is not a compaq.) You can have it good, fast, or cheap: pick two. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites bluewaterstream 0 #6 November 7, 2005 How do I back up everything from this black error screen? Can I use my CDRW drive for the back up? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Guest 1010 #7 November 7, 2005 "F1 to continue" didn't work? You can have it good, fast, or cheap: pick two. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites pilotdave 0 #8 November 7, 2005 Had something similar happen with my work computer. Kept locking up, occasionally giving me hard drive errors during the next bootup. Finally got in touch with the right helpdesk guy who left me a message saying back up the hard drive ASAP. Problem was, it died for real before I got the message. I had backed up the really important stuff as soon as I got the first signs of a hard drive problem, but I did end up losing some important stuff. Hard drive failures SUCK. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites bluewaterstream 0 #9 November 7, 2005 I just hit F1 and I can hear the hard drive cranking away again. It will probably do this for at least 15 - 20 minutes. Is this some virus bullshit that I'm dealing with here? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites incode 0 #10 November 7, 2005 you probably have to back the data up in recovery console so no you wouldnt be able to use a cd, because loading windows could possibly corrupt the drive, thats why its giving you the message to back up, you could try and load windows and back up to CD but you run the risk of data corruption. question 2 links in with 3 if you dont have a windows xp cd you cannot get to recovery console, but if you can get your hands on one all you have to do is put it in the cd rom drive, restart the machine and it will ask if you want to "boot from cd press any key", so boot off the cd then wait while it loads all the drivers and it will come to a screen saying "press enter to setup windows xp", press enter key at this screen then press F8 to agree to the end user licence agreement. The next screen will present you saying "press R to enter recovery console", press the R key and it will take you to recovery console then ask you to select an OS so just press the number 1 key and press enter. This will bring you into recovery console then type chkdsk /r and let it run Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Guest 1010 #11 November 7, 2005 Quote I just hit F1 and I can hear the hard drive cranking away again. It will probably do this for at least 15 - 20 minutes. Is this some virus bullshit that I'm dealing with here? ::1010 thinks ruh-oh:: no, it probably is your disk. Check out incode thoughts on using the system repair disk to get your system back. I'm not versed enought to speak about it. (But our SMART-enabled disks at work toss these errors a few times a year keep on trucking until replaced.) If no CDs are provided with your PC then call a local computer geek to help out ... or try your luck talking to tech spt. 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bluewaterstream 0 #3 November 7, 2005 Quotebackup all your data that you might need to save Can I use my CDRW Drive to do this? Quotethen try booting the system up off the windows xp cd My Sony Vaio didn't come with the Xp cd Quotethen go into recovery console and select the operating system using the number displayed next to it, then while you are in the recovery console type chkdsk /r and let that run How do I get into the recovery console? What is that? Is that the same as DOS? The only way I know how to get to DOS is with cmd in the Command Prompt. How can I get there from this black screen? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest 1010 #4 November 7, 2005 what incode said. Back up your stuff pronto. But before getting really drastic, see if the system will just boot (or stay up) and back up your important stuff. (You might zip it and send it to a web-based email account if no other hardware is available. USB keys and such are cheap and easy now too.) If the system is under warranty - call and tell them about the error, they should replace the drive (they'll want that one returned). Many (but probably not all) modern disk drives nowdays monitor themselves, and when some threshold is crossed (reads, writes, crc errors, seek time etc etc etc), they send a message to a monitoring system if it is available, so it can be swapped out while still funtional. A couple years ago only the "good" drives had it, so that's the upside, you have a good quality system, but it needs a new disk. Is this a Compaq (aka HP) system? You can have it good, fast, or cheap: pick two. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest 1010 #5 November 7, 2005 Quote Press F1 to Continue yep, press F1. It'll most likely boot normally. If it doesn't then it is system repair time, but first see if it just continue to boot. (also I see it is not a compaq.) You can have it good, fast, or cheap: pick two. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bluewaterstream 0 #6 November 7, 2005 How do I back up everything from this black error screen? Can I use my CDRW drive for the back up? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest 1010 #7 November 7, 2005 "F1 to continue" didn't work? You can have it good, fast, or cheap: pick two. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #8 November 7, 2005 Had something similar happen with my work computer. Kept locking up, occasionally giving me hard drive errors during the next bootup. Finally got in touch with the right helpdesk guy who left me a message saying back up the hard drive ASAP. Problem was, it died for real before I got the message. I had backed up the really important stuff as soon as I got the first signs of a hard drive problem, but I did end up losing some important stuff. Hard drive failures SUCK. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bluewaterstream 0 #9 November 7, 2005 I just hit F1 and I can hear the hard drive cranking away again. It will probably do this for at least 15 - 20 minutes. Is this some virus bullshit that I'm dealing with here? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
incode 0 #10 November 7, 2005 you probably have to back the data up in recovery console so no you wouldnt be able to use a cd, because loading windows could possibly corrupt the drive, thats why its giving you the message to back up, you could try and load windows and back up to CD but you run the risk of data corruption. question 2 links in with 3 if you dont have a windows xp cd you cannot get to recovery console, but if you can get your hands on one all you have to do is put it in the cd rom drive, restart the machine and it will ask if you want to "boot from cd press any key", so boot off the cd then wait while it loads all the drivers and it will come to a screen saying "press enter to setup windows xp", press enter key at this screen then press F8 to agree to the end user licence agreement. The next screen will present you saying "press R to enter recovery console", press the R key and it will take you to recovery console then ask you to select an OS so just press the number 1 key and press enter. This will bring you into recovery console then type chkdsk /r and let it run Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest 1010 #11 November 7, 2005 Quote I just hit F1 and I can hear the hard drive cranking away again. It will probably do this for at least 15 - 20 minutes. Is this some virus bullshit that I'm dealing with here? ::1010 thinks ruh-oh:: no, it probably is your disk. Check out incode thoughts on using the system repair disk to get your system back. I'm not versed enought to speak about it. (But our SMART-enabled disks at work toss these errors a few times a year keep on trucking until replaced.) If no CDs are provided with your PC then call a local computer geek to help out ... or try your luck talking to tech spt. You can have it good, fast, or cheap: pick two. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
