MY WIFE DROPPED IT

[DBUR0727]

My wife accidentally dropped the cpu. She powered the system up and it started a scandisk on the C: drive. It stopped at 2% and will not continue. I thought about reloading Windows, but if the hard drive is physically damaged that won't help.

[YODA74]

Sorry to hear that you could be in a whole world of trouble but if it fires thers hope.first i would open her up a the(cpu) and check to make sure that every thing is seated properly fans are working and nothing is cracked on heat sinks, mobo,check out throughly.and then post sys. specs and in detail specific problems from start up. that way every one here can start trying to put her back to gether. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/eek.gif

[BigBlue66]

Hi and Welcome,

As you can well imagine, this is not a good situation. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/eek.gif Harddrives are very susceptible to shock from being handled roughly, let alone actually dropped.

No doubt it's time for a new harddrive. And, while you're inside the case, taking preventative measures against static electricity, check and re-check all connections for secure fit. This would include wiring, CPU, memory, IDE ribbon cables, etc. You get the idea.

First thing to do though, is get a new harddrive. If you need help installing and/or getting it ready for an OS, post back and we will help with that, too.

Good luck.

Big Blue 66


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"Right turn Clyde!"

[DBUR0727]

I suppose I may have made it sound worse than it may be. She only dropped it from about 10-12 inches. Everything is still connected. Windows 98 appears to starting like it should. Once the scandisk starts, it freezes on 2% and does not recover. The hard drive still may need to be replaced but I'm hoping for good news.
Thanks

[bassman]

Are you forced to go thru the Scandisk or can you cancel it and go on? Is there anything running in the background? have you tried Scandisk from DOS?

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If I tell you to think for yourself, then you're not doing it.
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This is not directed at those asking questions in order to gain knowledge. That shows you are thinking.

[DBUR0727]

Nothing is running in the background. The first Windows screen appears and then goes directly to scandisk because Windows was not shut down properly. I have tried booting from the Windows boot disk and then running scandisk but it freezes during that operation also.

[Supa Dupa]

DBUR0727, did your wife drop the CPU or the hard drive? I've dropped an hard drive onto a hardwood floor from about 4 feet and it still fired up(man was I nervous 'cause it was my brother's father-in-law's machine that I was working on and he loves to litigate). What does the HD sound like when you boot up? Any grinding noises or clicks that weren't there before

Supa Dupa

[dazed&confused]

Before you rush out and buy a new hard drive, simply try re-installing Windows. Like YODA74 said, if the drive is doing anything at all, then there's hope. It could be that an isolated sector is damaged, but the remainder of the drive is still OK. Of course, you've probably already resigned to the fact that your files may be unrecoverable, so what else do you have to lose?

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"Many times I've wondered how much there is to know." -Led Zeppelin

[mjc]

Also was the machine on or off, if it was off the likelyhood of it just being a single sector that is damaged is greater than the whole thing being fried...also hit <f8> or <ctrl> while booting to bring up the boot menu and select 5. Command Prompt and type in scandisk_/autofix /surface(space instead of the underscore) and see if you get any further along.....

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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

Gun Control...hitting what you aim at!

[DBUR0727]

OK. I TRIED THE COMMAND PROMPT, SCANDISK /AUTOFIX /SURFACE THING AND IT STARTED A SCANDISK. HOWEVER, IT STOPPED @ 47% AND WOULD NOT CONTINUE. wE PROBABLY DO NEED A NEW HARD DRIVE BUT HAVE WE LOST ALL DATA. CAN WE PUT THE OLD DRIVE BACK IN AS A SLAVE OR BACKUP DRIVE AND RETRIEVE THE DATA WITHOUT GOING THROUGH ANOTHER SCANDISK?
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP!

[YODA74]

??? You've probobly damaged the heads in it they can extract your info. off of it you'll probobly need to take it to a repair shop for that? I don't see any reason to re-use this HD it eventually is just going to give you further problems down the road.once there damaged they make great boat anchors if you get enough of them. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif But i can say you did bring it up from 2%

[This message has been edited by YODA74 (edited 08-31-2001).]

[bassman]

Have you tried to "Cancel" the scandisk and then see if you can use it?
If you can read anything on the drive, then save all you can and go for the new drive.

------------------
If I tell you to think for yourself, then you're not doing it.
.
.
This is not directed at those asking questions in order to gain knowledge. That shows you are thinking.

[classicsoftware]

Try going to the website of the drive manufacturer. They have diagnostic and repair utilities for the drive. My daughter drop kicked a running system wuth a Western Digital Hard drive. There were a few damaged sectors that scnadisk would not fix, but the WD software did. Try the software from the drive manufacturer before you do anything that will erase the information.

[classicsoftware]

Try going to the website of the drive manufacturer. They have diagnostic and repair utilities for the drive. My daughter drop kicked a running system wuth a Western Digital Hard drive. There were a few damaged sectors that scnadisk would not fix, but the WD software did. Try the software from the drive manufacturer before you do anything that will erase the information.