no alt+ctrl+delete, crashes and reboot by itself

[beginner33]

Hi, I've got W98 SE and Compaq 7478. Please help me to determine the cause. Here are the symptoms. Original pro was unable to access to CD/DVD, drive E wasn't in Control Panel. A guru opened the box, changed the IDE cable to see if it was the pro but it wasn't so he put back the original one. After that I started to see 'unable to write in C' msg contantly whatever I do then it got worse, unable to ShutDown, ScanDisk C, invalid long file name error msg, scan for Windows, surface scan detected bad clusters but it counldn't fix it and I couldn't get to IE w/o those steps. So I took it to a pro and replaced a hard drive as they suggested. But I noticed problems when I brought my PC back still. It hangs often when doing anything (IE or connected to the net) and doesn't respond when I press ctrl+alt+delete to restart, it even crashes w/o warning and reboot by itself. It was rebooting ok for a few weeks after ScanDisk, but now surface scan found 3 bad clusters just like it did before. It seemed to fix the pro and rebooted ok but I never know when it comes back again. Could you please give me an advice for this matter? Any more additional info necessary, I'd post more details. Thank you very much.

[beginner33]

I read my previous post and tried to make it more clear. Please read this post instead. Thank you.


************************************************** ***********************
The original problem was unable to access CD/DVD, drive E wasn't in Control Panel but everything else was fine. Since my guru opened the box, changed the IDE cable, but put the original one back, 'Unable to write in Disk C' msg started to appear contantly even when simple operation like opening a file.

Then it got worse as follows: it freezes/unable to ShutDown properly/
Ctrl+Alt+Delete doesn't work and had to run ScanDisk---> 'Invalid Long File Name' detected in Windows---> the surface scan found some bad clusters.

So I took it to a pro and replaced a hard drive as they suggested. But now
the same problem came back and I just marked 2 bad clusters in my only 2 weeks old drive just like what happened to the old one.

I might add that since the new drive was replaced, 'No Operation System Found In Any Devices, press any key to try again' error appears after
COMPAQ sign while trying to reboot by itself. But no response when I press any key and I only hear Floopy Drive clicks and I'm stuck with the same error msg. So I'm forced to turn it off improperly.

Here are my Qs:

1)cause of this

2)Is there anyway to get out of this "No Operation Found...." error
w/o shutting down improperly by turing off the main switch?

3)What does that do to the drive if I keep shutting down improperly and
could it cause more bad clusters?

4)I've already marked a few bad clusters, is it ok to keep using the drive
as long as it works after scanning or should I take it to a pro ASAP?


Win98SE, Compaq7478, AMD-K6 at 533MHz, 56MB RAM, everything 2 yrs old

PC and OS are US versions but using converter to 230v (living in Europe)

Replaced to WD60GB 7200RPM but this symptom continues so obviously it
wasn't a hard drive issue.

Thank you very much.

[mjc]

Hmm...it seems like you may have a couple of problems there, the new hard drive should not be showing bad sectors after only a couple of weeks, but if they are the only ones to show up it may last quite a while, but personally I wouldn't trust it it, especially with data that I would want to keep. Get the manufacturer's diagnostics and run them on the drive...that should tell you if it is a canidate for replacement (again)...

The OS not found error could be from one the the damagaed sectors having contained a critical file for Windows operation...if scandisk could not repair the damage or move the file then you would need to run a restore with the Compaq restore disk (but then again this jsut should happen on a new drive....), you will probably have to do a full restore, so you will lose any additional items you installed since you got it back.

Running through a converter may be the root of your problems, some of them are not capable of handling the power requirements needed for a computer and its peripherals, so the computer's power supply may be under powered...so I would get a Euro cord and switch the switch on the psu or get a Euro psu...and not use a converter (but if you must use a converter get one that looks like it might be overkill).

------------------
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.

[beginner33]

Hello, Grand Master MJC,

THANK U~~~! I am so appreciated for your reply. I am totally new to PC and Windows and your advices are like a voice from heaven. I don't dare to touch anything so I'll get someone else to do the diagnostic tests as you suggested. I'll also look into changing power source to a local one. The clock in the tray acts weird and maybe it's also the power issue...

But this problem, bad clusters and all happened after someone opened the box and played w IDE cable. Could this cause all this?

Right after he put everything back again (including original cable), I started to see "Unable To Write In Drive C" as I was trying to install a digital camera software because he successfully recovered the drive and DVD was working (that was the original issue and I had no pro with OS or drive for 2 yrs before this incident).

Then I kept trying even the same error msg kept coming. So I suspect it was caused either by me ingnoring the error or the guru opened the box did something physically inside. Any guess?


~~~MJC's Quate~~~~~

The OS not found error could be from one the the damagaed sectors having contained a critical file for Windows operation...if scandisk could not repair the damage or move the file then you would need to run a restore with the Compaq restore disk (but then again this jsut should happen on a new drive....), you will probably have to do a full restore, so you will lose any additional items you installed since you got it back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for the detailed advice!!!

I know one bad cluster was used for /NET~1/MCAFEE~1/AVCONSOL.INI file and I didn't get the other one what it was used for. I just marked them and so far I didn't hit the surface scan yet so I'm not sure if the ScanDisk fixed the problem yet. I'll post again if it didn't.

But how come the damaged sector for Windows still stay there even they did the full restore when they replaced the new drive... I never saw this "OS Not Found" error before. When it appears I get stuck because hitting any key doesn't do anything. Is it ok to shut down improperly or this behavior will cause more bad clusters???

Again, MJC and anyone else out there who could give me any advice, I am really appreciated. Thank you so much.

[mjc]

Unless the guy who openned it up threw it in the back of his car and drove around with it, it is unlikely the bad sectors were caused by his playing with the cables........can't write to drive error could be a sign of a bad or dying drive, again not vey likely from just playing with the cable, but some of the problems could be caused by a damaged cable (not the bad clusters though)

The OS not found could be just what it says the drive is still blank...there is nothing on it to boot...if you have the WIndows boot disk, put that in the floppy drive and boot to it, select "with cd=rom support" and after it is donw type c: <enter> (when I type <enter> I mean hit the <enter> key) at the a:\ prompt (the a: with the little flashing line after it), the at the c:\ prompt type dir....if nothing shows up then put your Compaq Cd in the drive and reboot.....and run a full restore, following the onscreen directions.......


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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.


[This message has been edited by mjc (edited 03-08-2002).]