PC Crashed On BD Miss CPF

The computer Murphy gave me the first crash I haven't been able to recover from since I bought the PC in 2001. Can't do a restore & it won't recognize the drives so I can't re-install the Me operating system. It worked fine the evening before but booted up with only five desktop items and a blue sceen. Most files are not recognized.

Perhaps I'll log in again in a few days incase any of you have suggestions I might try before paying for a wizard.

I sure miss the excellent company the many great CPF members provide - you have become my extended family since joining in 2003. Can't believe how far I fallen behind.

It'll be awhile, I suspect, before getting my PC running again.

Good luck jay.

We'll do the special CPF dance for you!
(...I bet you "think" I'm joking! There will be NO pics though!) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Hope ya' get it all fixed up soon!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif

B@rtster - just where do you come up with these pics! ROTFLMAO!

Well I'm not a computer expert or anything - just experience learnt the hard way...

First off - this might sound stupid - open up the computer and push in the cables connecting the hard drives - sometimes they come loose. Do the same for the other ones that go to the motherboard (the big board). Follow normal precautions (static strap, turn off the power).

Second - try to boot it up and note the exact blue screen error. Try to give it to us here /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif You say the drives aren't being recognized if they're not recognized at BOOT time - that's usually a hardware error. If it's just windows that doesnt recognize it I would be thinking windows troubleshooting time.

Next, boot up in safe mode (press f8 when you boot up). See if you can see your files and stuff at this stage. If you can, now is a very excellent time to get your stuff off the pc (usb disk, to another hard drive, etc).

I'm not familiar with win me but try to do a repair install with the cd at boot time (you'll have to go into the bios at boot up time to set the computer to start up from cd first).

Last of all - try the hard drive in another computer - if it doesnt work there I guess you do really have a problem with the hard drive itself...

I have a sneaking suspicion it might be a corrupt hard drive . In which case you can try a) recovery utilities (software) or b) send the hard drive to forensic hard drive specialists (expensive).

I hope that helps. I don't think I've said anything too destructive there...

Jayflash, not being able to re-install WinME is a good thing.

Sorry, couldn't resist. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

***deleted double post***

Most of the HD manufacturers have free HD scanning & repair utilities on their websites. These might help you out if there's a problem with the HD media itself. Barring that, go to www.bootdisk.com and get a copy of a Win98/ME bootdisk, make a boot floppy from it, boot from that and see if the machine will allow you to reinstall Windows from the original CD.

Do what Grox said...all good ideas. One more thing you can do after you check your drive. Put it in a ziploc bag and freeze it for an hour or so. Then take it out and immediately hook it up and try to boot up. Sometimes this trick works. But if your computer is approaching four years old, then having a hard drive problem is not out of the question.

Last resort, if you need some data recovered, mail me the hard drive carefully packed and I'll see what I can do to recover your files.

go buy a cheap hd and reinstall windows on that..