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Ruined hard drive?

Bob the LurkerBob the Lurker Registered User new member
edited January 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
Hi all. Longtime lurker firsttime poster. My dad's computer was having a weird problem where it would say on start up that there were unrecognized file types and that he needed to insert his Windows CD. The computer is pretty old and he couldn't find his disc, so I hooked his hard drive up to my computer with an old HD enclosure and backed up all his data. I disconnected my PC's hard drive and booted from an XP CD that came with a computer he doesn't use any more, and everything installed fine but when Windows went to boot up I got an blue screen error that said something like "If this is the first time you've seen this error disconnect any new hard drives and try again" and then something about running CHKDSK.

So is this just a bad hard drive or a product of installing Windows via a USB adaptor?

Bob the Lurker on

Posts

  • I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell UpI'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    if you used a cd that came with a different computer, chances are it had drivers for that computer loaded on it. Essentially, that just means you are trying to load a computer on the wrong drivers. At least that's my first guess. get an actual cd and you should be able to reinstall windows (though Id make sure you can find your computers drivers first, because if it's that old they might not have 'em). if that doesn't work, then yes, replace the hard drive

    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up on
  • Bob the LurkerBob the Lurker Registered User new member
    edited January 2009
    So really I shouldn't be trying to install it on my machine at all, I should just do it on his? I was just using mine since I already had it there to back up his data and because his optical drive doesn't work all that well.

    Bob the Lurker on
  • I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell UpI'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    no if you load it on your computer it will probably have some problems when you move it over. as far as the optical drive not working all that well, it sounds like this is a nice excuse to get a new computer if you have the money for it. premade systems run pretty cheap nowadays and it comes preloaded with vista and new working stuff... not to mention a warranty as well.

    if you can't afford a new one then yes, load windows on his machine, if you absolutely have to you can move your optical drive over to his computer for the time being as it's better to move an optical drive after an install than what is essentially all of the hardware

    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up on
  • JaysonFourJaysonFour Classy Monster Kitteh Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    It would be easier on you and him if he got a new PC and at least got the old one scanned for malware before moving everything over. It's either that or he has to format and upgrade to XP and all that entails.

    If your dad's PC is as old as I assume it is (Windows ME or older), it might be time to get him closer to today than he is. I think ME is the oldest version of Windows that Microsoft still supports.

    JaysonFour on
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  • blakfeldblakfeld Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up wrote: »
    if you used a cd that came with a different computer, chances are it had drivers for that computer loaded on it. Essentially, that just means you are trying to load a computer on the wrong drivers. At least that's my first guess. get an actual cd and you should be able to reinstall windows (though Id make sure you can find your computers drivers first, because if it's that old they might not have 'em). if that doesn't work, then yes, replace the hard drive

    With the drivers, thats probably not the problem. Even if it installs the drivers it shouldn't cause a BSOD, its something we do all the time at work. We have a Dell disk with XP HOME and an HP computer that just so happens to need XP home and has a key for it, it works just fine. I would lean a lot harder towards a bad hard drive

    blakfeld on
  • I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell UpI'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    blakfeld wrote: »
    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up wrote: »
    if you used a cd that came with a different computer, chances are it had drivers for that computer loaded on it. Essentially, that just means you are trying to load a computer on the wrong drivers. At least that's my first guess. get an actual cd and you should be able to reinstall windows (though Id make sure you can find your computers drivers first, because if it's that old they might not have 'em). if that doesn't work, then yes, replace the hard drive

    With the drivers, thats probably not the problem. Even if it installs the drivers it shouldn't cause a BSOD, its something we do all the time at work. We have a Dell disk with XP HOME and an HP computer that just so happens to need XP home and has a key for it, it works just fine. I would lean a lot harder towards a bad hard drive

    I've gotten it occasionally where it does, it doesn't happen often but it has been known to happen

    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up on
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