Serious Computer Problem.

Lydesia

Hey guys.

I have pretty extensive computer knowledge and have build machines before. I just wanted to get some opinions on a problem machine I looked at today.

Basically this guy said he got a ton of Virus/Malware type gunk on his computer, he had enough and tried to reinstall windows but said he had no luck.

After looking at the computer I turned it on. I got the message after the boot screen "Windows did not start properly the last time it was attempted..." and gave the options "Start normally" and "Safe Mode" etc. I tried normal, it simply restarted and I got the same screen again. I also tried Safe Mode with the same result. I switched the BIOS boot priority to read the CDROM which it failed to do. I initialized the "Fail Safe boot" in the BIOS. Then I got the "DISK FAILED TO BOOT" error and so I entered the BIOS to config IDE & Turned SATA on again, (the single HD is on a SATA) still no luck with any kind of boot. I was told I could format the disk no problem, so I tried to use "Active Killdisk" a program I used before with great success. After booting off the CD I got to the program, it identified the fact a drive is there (giving size 236 GB) but couldn’t seen to provide any additional info such as brand (although it gave a serial number)

After starting the one pass Zero's eraser it simply hangs on "0%" and doesn’t do anything.
At this stage I have a feeling there may be a hardware problem, with the disk.

What do you guys think? What action should I try next?
I was going to try another HD in the machine tomorrow...

Thanks for the advice.

kippy

From what you have said it looks like a hardware problem. Either the disc is fried or the connector to it is.
Do you have any software to scan the disc or failure?
Kippy

aidan_walsh

kippy wrote:

From what you have said it looks like a hardware problem. Either the disc is fried or the connector to it is.
Do you have any software to scan the disc or failure?
Kippy

Since it doesn't boot from the CD drive, I would be more inclined to blame the motherboard, or the processor.

majiktripp

Throw the disk into another computer on a spare SATA connector and you'll know quick enough whether indeed its the hard drive itself or your motherboard...I'd be inclined to agree that it could be the hard drive,could just have been a moody cd you were trying to boot from....

Lydesia

Thanks a lot lads that's what i reckon.
I tried the CD in another drive & it worked no problem.
I will check the hardware then..

Thanks again !

Ziycon

It sounds like a hardware problem but it has been known to happen from 'Boot Sector' virii!
They are rare enough though!