I need help please

[Wendy L]

I have got problems with the pc. It keeps clicking as if a relay is going on and off. The pc then freezes and I have to hit the button to turn it off. I tried to post this just now and it all died on me. Does anyone have any idea what is wrong.

[JacksDad]

Have you added anything new to the pc latley?
Or do you think it may be the harddrive clicking?

[Wendy L]

It did it again then. No JD we haven't added anything new. Chris has taken the cover off and he seems to think that the clicking is coming from the hard drive, but before she gets change to listen mor closely the pc freezes and we have to hit the on/off button.

[Keith]

Sounds very much like a hard disk about to die :( <gulp>

First things first, if you have anything important on there that you don't have backed up (documents, letters, important emails etc.) you need to immediately write them to floppy/cd, print them or do whatever you need to save them. Don't put it off, do it immediately (if ithe hard drive is on its way out, you may be able to read your stuff now but it may not even boot up next time you try)

After that, you can investigate a little more... if you're using XP, you can go into START - CONTROL PANEL and double click "administrative tools". Then double click "event viewer"

When event viewer starts, click onto application and see if there are any warnings or errors in there and what they say (click on them to see) do similar in the "system" bit of event viewer. Feel free to post here so we can see.

It's also worth checking that all the cables connecting the hard drive to the motherboard are firmly in place.

[ukwdwnut]

if its the hard drive clicking sounds like its on its last legs, dont use it anymore, get a new hard drive, build it so you have the opeating system on it, then attach the old hdd as a slave then copy all data you need from it to the new hdd, thats what i would do anyway :D

is it on long enough to copy any data from it, if not do as above at least then it wont fail before you copy the data :fingers:

[Wendy L]

The hard drive is less than a year old :( and I am at present backing up onto dvd I thought I'd better do that just in case.

[Keith]

perfect! grab the data whilst you can ... then worry about the age :( it should'nt fail that quickly but trust me, it's been known ESPECIALLY if it's an IBM deskstar drive (or IBM deathstar as we call them in the industry ;-)

[Wendy L]

Chris has just said that a few weeks back we did try and put on XP service pack and we had problems. Windows would not load properly afterwards so we had to uninstall it whilst in safe mode. Could this be related. The hard drive is a Maxtor.

[Keith]

maxtor's are usually good these days but hard drives are like that they can just die :/

it sounds more like a hardware problem to me I'm afraid but yeah once you've backed everything up, you can always try a reinstall of xp... nothing to lose once you've got your data safe

[ukwdwnut]

the hdd should have a 3yr warranty nearly all do these days some have a 5yr

glad you can copy it off to something

[Keith]

yeah agreed once your data is safe, you ought to be able to get a replacement HD without too much trouble

[ukwdwnut]

i just bought a maxtor and and have had a few b4 too, have found them perfectly reliable

[ukwdwnut]

Chris has just said that a few weeks back we did try and put on XP service pack and we had problems. Windows would not load properly afterwards so we had to uninstall it whilst in safe mode. Could this be related. The hard drive is a Maxtor.

wendy sounds like sp2 dont like a driver or software on the pc for it to do that, ive had no probs with sp2 cos i aint installed it, dont see the need really
have installed it on a client pc no probs

[Wendy L]

Thanks Keith and Nut, ok, system all backed up, checked Event Viewer and in System there are loads of errors (20 or so) relating to Disk (11) - the driver detected a controller error on device/hard disk 1. Linked to MS help page and it says loose or faulty cable :confused: There are other errors, DCOM and Service Control manager but not as many.

Ideas on a postcard please :D

[Keith]

well if it's not the cable or connection (if you have a spare, it's worth trying) then its the drive (and it sounds more like its the drive to be honest).

Outside possibility of the driver but I doubt it

[ukwdwnut]

ok push the cable in at both ends, if its not loose change the cable to see if this rectifies it, but im still gonna go for a dodgy hdd :D

[ukwdwnut]

i've never loaded a hdd driver in 10yrs keith

[JacksDad]

DCOM and Service Control errors are caused by someone futzing with the system or a nasty virus that could cause a bad block sector on the HD.
Try to reinstall XP before you go for the HD.

[Keith]

sure but the thing is, theyre still in there ;-) they just come in the OS and if SP2 did something nasty to it like replaced one part but not a dependency, all sorts of weird things can happen but yeah, like you, I think it's the drive still

[Keith]

DCOM and Service Control errors are caused by someone futzing with the system or a nasty virus that could cause a bad block sector on the HD.
Try to reinstall XP before you go for the HD.

Gotta be worth a go hasnt it!

[ukwdwnut]

yeah cant hurt can it, might in the end save you a few quid, but a cable i would not have thought made the hdd click like that, im going for a near end of life hdd :wink: :D

[Keith]

Ive had cables do it... and bad sectors do it.... its basically a continual reset and reseek.. but far more usually its bye bye hd :(

[ukwdwnut]

i agree with the sectors, but never come across the other b4 tho, well you learn summink every day in this game dont ya :lol:

[JacksDad]

I've noticed SP2 doesn't always respond well as an update.
Especially when Service Control is error.
The best way to update is to do it from the start menu.
Start/All Programs/ Windows Update or
Start/All Programs/ Accessories/System Tools/ Windows Update.
The pronlem is when it got SP1 it didn't take the proper installer for updates.
That needs to be re downloaded from Mr. Gates.
Then SP2 goes in clean.

Whew! That tired me out.

[ukwdwnut]

i've only loaded it from the cd

[Keith]

yeah likewise these days... always got sp2 in my cd case and then prepare myself for the millions of calls "it keeps saying block/unblock?" etc

[ukwdwnut]

still dont see the need for a fully patched pc tho, i read it has put right quite a lot of stuff but there is still a few probs it has caused :eek:

[JacksDad]

There's no problem as long as it's installed properly.
The only issues are programs that aren't compatible.

[ukwdwnut]

:iagree: JD

BTW have you got my card yet?

[Keith]

Although... considering the whole internet as a trusted local network for the purposes of file sharing can hardly be said to be the most intelligent setting in the world for a security update to make <G> at least they've fixed that one now

[JacksDad]

Although... considering the whole internet as a trusted local network for the purposes of file sharing can hardly be said to be the most intelligent setting in the world for a security update to make <G> at least they've fixed that one now
:rotfl::rotfl::lol::lol:

So true.
Notice I don't defend Microsoft.
That kind of thing keeps me employed! http://www.wdisneyw.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[Wendy L]

I am using an old old pc to get online, the other one does not want to play. When I turned it on it would not finish loading windows, it froze. The only way to turn it off was to keep my finger on the on/off button. When I turned it on again I had to open in safe mode. It then said something about solving the problem so I clicked yes (I think) and it flash up a box which said unknown hard error. I've now turned it off again as I need to move the broadband connection. What shall I do - wait for Chris to come home or try something else. He is going into PC world on the way home to pick up a new cable, as he said the one that is there has a really back kink in it, shall I tell him not to bother.

[Keith]

well it's almost certainly either the cable or the hard drive so I'd get that new cable and try that first. If that works then great if not then you need a new hard drive. Did you manage to get all your data backed up ?

[Wendy L]

Yes thank goodness, all our holiday photos were on as well, which Chris had converted as he had taken them all in RAW mode. I can't believe how slow this old thing is I have to wait for it to catch up when I'm typing :whistle: :lol: Still at least it's a backup. Guess I'll leave it all for Chris to sort out when he comes home.

[Wendy L]

Ok it seems it was definitely the hard drive, the cable made no difference. Have ordered a new drive which should be here today, so hopefully Chris will fit it soon. Once it is fitted, do I just load XP and then the recovery disk with the drivers on it?