Hi all,

 

My mates got a problem with his PC. It wont boot up, not even in to safe mode. It's running Windows ME and I can get it to boot up using a boot up disk, but that's about it. Most of the time it will just hang and the odd occasion it brings up error boxes. Can anyone help?

 

Cheers

 

Vijay

Have you got a boot disc with a scan disc or check disc on? Its probably best to try do that.

 

Can you get into a dos prompt?

Hello mate,

 

Just finished a scandisk with no problems. Yes I can get to the dos prompt.

 

Vijay

Have you made any recent hardware changes?

 

try removing all cards & extra ram & re-insert 1 by 1

No hardware's been added or removed. I think he may have run adware recently, but that's about it.

 

Vijay

sounds like a virus to me.... :/ get a hold of mcafee or some other... I wouldn't recommend norton tbh... it caused me more probs than it solved

 

:)

i thought a virus seeing as he's always on the net and has no anti-virus at all. How can I run something from the dos prompt, will it allow me?

 

Thanks

 

Vijay

sounds like a virus to me.... :/ get a hold of mcafee or some other... I wouldn't recommend norton tbh... it caused me more probs than it solved

 

:)

 

 

Why whats wrong with Norton? I have had it for 4 years without any problems :confused:

If your computer is not booting up the best way is to take your HDD out and put it as a slave in some one elses computer and let them do a scan disc.

 

The internet is so bad now that you should never go on unless you have a virus checker and a fire wall.

Hi Stuart,

 

Problem is it's a laptop so cant transfer it :(

 

Vijay

Hi Stuart,

 

Problem is it's a laptop so cant transfer it :(

 

Vijay

 

 

Yes you can ;)

 

My mate bought a caddie for £3 or something which allows you to put a Laptop HDD into a PC. I will try to find out where he got it and if he has any spare.

that sounds like a plan, would be even better if I could connect it via USB ;)

 

Vijay

I will ask my mate. But I think connecting via USB will be quite a bit more expensive as you are talkling abot a different thing to just a caddie.

that sounds like a plan, would be even better if I could connect it via USB ;)

 

Vijay

 

Vijay,

 

Try this link. It is a DOS util that takes care of common virii, and also fits onto a floppy. Give it a whirl, it is by Kasperksy labs and is similar to the Stinger W32 app provided by NAI.

 

Phil.

You're gonna have to install Win ME over the top of the original install to get it back TBH, just don't format the drive!

The internet is so bad now that you should never go on unless you have a virus checker and a fire wall.

 

Well it keeps me busy, lol.

Hi Phil,

 

Thanks for the anti virus link but unfortunetly it's broken :( I tried to find it on their site but couldn't locate it.

 

Vijay

If when the laptop starts it doesnt say 'Starting Windows....' Then the boot sector has been wiped, most likely by a virus, you may be able to find a utility that will re-write the boot sector and get you running again....

Running ME!!!

 

Burn the ******* and put a half decent Operating System on it.

 

Not very helpful, sorry.

Hi Phil,

 

Thanks for the anti virus link but unfortunetly it's broken :( I tried to find it on their site but couldn't locate it.

 

Vijay

 

Vijay,

 

Try this link.

 

I downloaded a version from here. If it breaks in the meantime, PM and I'll send you a copy.

 

Phil.

Cheers Phil :)

 

Vijay

Hi Phil,

 

It says it can't be run from DOS :(

 

Vijay

Fdisk it and do a reinstall

the only problem with a format/fdosk is that is he doesn't back up anything and he's got personal info on there.

 

Vijay

Hi Stuart,

 

Did you have any luck with the cradle?

 

Cheers

 

Vijay

This

 

http://custom1.farnell.com/cpc/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CPC+Catalogue&category%5Fname=Computer+and+Office+%2D+Computer+Hardware+and+Accessories+%2D+Drives%2C+Caddies+%26+External+Housings&product%5Fid=254072

 

Which I think connects your laptop HDD to fire wire. Quite expensive though

 

 

http://custom1.farnell.com/cpc/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CPC+Catalogue&category%5Fname=Computer+and+Office+%2D+Computer+Hardware+and+Accessories+%2D+Drives%2C+Caddies+%26+External+Housings&product%5Fid=254051

 

USB version, slightly cheaper.

 

 

http://custom1.farnell.com/cpc/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CPC+Catalogue&category%5Fname=Computer+and+Office+%2D+Computer+Hardware+and+Accessories+%2D+Drives%2C+Caddies+%26+External+Housings&product%5Fid=254068

 

Very cheap one, which allows you to plug it into an IDE

 

Hope these help