Oh windows 7 how I love you, or not.

04-28-11, 05:11 AM

Okay so I've come here to maybe help troubleshoot this nasty little problem my fathers computer is having, he has the same computer as me a Dell Inspiron 560ES with windows 7 4gb ram and a 2.6 ghz processor and records alot of music on it with external objects (He has alot of vinyls well he bought a thing to turn vinyls into Mp3 music so he could make backups of all his music) and yesterday it just gave him what I call a black screen of death. Its a screen that looks like when you shut windows down in the middle of a proccess where it says start windows in safe mode, start normally, etc etc.
EXCEPT this screen says that there is a Hardware or Software problem and windows couldn't start and needs repaired, the two options are, let windows repair itself, or start windows normally. So he was all bummed out and I took a look at it, at first I clicked start normally, no dice, it took me back to the same screen. Next I click repair, after about 45 minutes it basically said windows could not repair itself and to seek further help. So yeah, he hasn't downloaded, installed any programs, or connected any major or minor new hardware lately either (Save for a face camera he connected for like video chat) it just turned to that screen he said. So I come to you PC/hardware forum for help, has anyone had this problem and how may you have fixed it? I really want to fix this for him because he just seemed so depressed, he has litterally thousands upon thousands of hours of music and was on like his 2000th CD and now ALL of that music is gone. Its just sad to see him like this.
Casey.

Skybird · 04-28-11, 05:38 AM

Those music files are just this: files. In case of emergency you could get a new HD, connect it as main HD and install Windows new on it, then connect the old HD as well and safe the music files by just copying them over - as long as the old HD has no hardware problem and the file structure has not been destroyed by the measurements so far.

The magical word is "backup". For that, the tip of the day: here and here.

Sailor Steve · 04-28-11, 11:52 AM

I know practically nothing about computer matters (as witnessed by my own 'Virus' thread), but my first question is this: Just because the part that loads the OS in the first place, does that mean that the data is truly lost? Can the computer be taken to an expert to see if the data can be salvaged?

One thing I really hate is when people give advice on what you should have done after the fact, but in this case I feel like I have to. I too have a huge music collection, and I keep it on an external hard drive separate from the main computer. If your father's information can be saved that would be my suggestion for the next step.

Good luck with this. I know how I'd feel if all that was gone.

longam · 04-28-11, 04:28 PM

Boot from the OS disk and do a system restore. In windows 7 it will not effect any of your data files like windows XP did.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w.../top-solutions

You can also create a repair disk for your system for future problems.

NeonSamurai · 04-28-11, 04:40 PM

The files are not as of yet lost. From the sounds of it either windows or some hardware on that computer are screwed up. I cannot tell which it is from what you have told me though. I also assume that safe mode is non functional.

There are a couple ways of approaching this. First question is if this is a laptop or a desktop. If it's a desktop then you can take the hard drive out and plug it into another computer with a working windows OS and backup the files, or do the option for the laptop.

If it is a laptop you will need to use a bootable disk that can read ntfs file systems. Backup software often comes with such disks and can have a gui interface. I could also poke around the net for something like that that is free. Once you have such a disk (or usb key), you will need an external drive to backup the files to.

A system restore may or may not fix the problem (nor may a repair disk) depending on what the problem is exactly. I would suggest doing a manual backup beforehand just in case.

I strongly recommend that everyone should have an external hard drive as a backup. I have 3 myself.

Skybird · 04-29-11, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeonSamurai

I strongly recommend that everyone should have an external hard drive as a backup. I have 3 myself.

Voila! Like me!

Each of them holds one Acronis-made and one Windows-made backup.

kiwi_2005 · 04-29-11, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

Those music files are just this: files. In case of emergency you could get a new HD, connect it as main HD and install Windows new on it, then connect the old HD as well and safe the music files by just copying them over - as long as the old HD has no hardware problem and the file structure has not been destroyed by the measurements so far.

This is a good quick fix an old way of doing it but it works. And what longam said is new to me good to know that a Windows 7 system restore wont overwrite your old files.

I would be depressed too if I lost up to 2000 music files at least you have a few options to fix the problem.

05-13-11, 09:41 PM

Well I thank you all for the advice on here, however he and my mother had decided to take it to Geek Squad instead who said that the harddrive needed wiped and re formatted and he would lose everything on it. They fixed it it looks like, and he's not as bummed out now as he was too. He had everything on hard copies so that was good on his part. Its amazing how much music he has to go through. Thanks!

04-28-11, 05:11 AM	#1
reignofdeath Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Oh windows 7 how I love you, or not. Okay so I've come here to maybe help troubleshoot this nasty little problem my fathers computer is having, he has the same computer as me a Dell Inspiron 560ES with windows 7 4gb ram and a 2.6 ghz processor and records alot of music on it with external objects (He has alot of vinyls well he bought a thing to turn vinyls into Mp3 music so he could make backups of all his music) and yesterday it just gave him what I call a black screen of death. Its a screen that looks like when you shut windows down in the middle of a proccess where it says start windows in safe mode, start normally, etc etc. EXCEPT this screen says that there is a Hardware or Software problem and windows couldn't start and needs repaired, the two options are, let windows repair itself, or start windows normally. So he was all bummed out and I took a look at it, at first I clicked start normally, no dice, it took me back to the same screen. Next I click repair, after about 45 minutes it basically said windows could not repair itself and to seek further help. So yeah, he hasn't downloaded, installed any programs, or connected any major or minor new hardware lately either (Save for a face camera he connected for like video chat) it just turned to that screen he said. So I come to you PC/hardware forum for help, has anyone had this problem and how may you have fixed it? I really want to fix this for him because he just seemed so depressed, he has litterally thousands upon thousands of hours of music and was on like his 2000th CD and now ALL of that music is gone. Its just sad to see him like this. Casey.

04-28-11, 05:38 AM	#2
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 40,643 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	Those music files are just this: files. In case of emergency you could get a new HD, connect it as main HD and install Windows new on it, then connect the old HD as well and safe the music files by just copying them over - as long as the old HD has no hardware problem and the file structure has not been destroyed by the measurements so far. The magical word is "backup". For that, the tip of the day: here and here. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

04-28-11, 11:52 AM	#3
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	I know practically nothing about computer matters (as witnessed by my own 'Virus' thread), but my first question is this: Just because the part that loads the OS in the first place, does that mean that the data is truly lost? Can the computer be taken to an expert to see if the data can be salvaged? One thing I really hate is when people give advice on what you should have done after the fact, but in this case I feel like I have to. I too have a huge music collection, and I keep it on an external hard drive separate from the main computer. If your father's information can be saved that would be my suggestion for the next step. Good luck with this. I know how I'd feel if all that was gone. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

04-28-11, 04:40 PM	#5
NeonSamurai Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Socialist Republic of Kanadia Posts: 3,044 Downloads: 17 Uploads: 0	The files are not as of yet lost. From the sounds of it either windows or some hardware on that computer are screwed up. I cannot tell which it is from what you have told me though. I also assume that safe mode is non functional. There are a couple ways of approaching this. First question is if this is a laptop or a desktop. If it's a desktop then you can take the hard drive out and plug it into another computer with a working windows OS and backup the files, or do the option for the laptop. If it is a laptop you will need to use a bootable disk that can read ntfs file systems. Backup software often comes with such disks and can have a gui interface. I could also poke around the net for something like that that is free. Once you have such a disk (or usb key), you will need an external drive to backup the files to. A system restore may or may not fix the problem (nor may a repair disk) depending on what the problem is exactly. I would suggest doing a manual backup beforehand just in case. I strongly recommend that everyone should have an external hard drive as a backup. I have 3 myself. __________________ SH3 Newbie Guide Links and other helpfull stuff

04-28-11, 04:28 PM	#4
longam Admiral Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,014 Downloads: 26 Uploads: 0	Boot from the OS disk and do a system restore. In windows 7 it will not effect any of your data files like windows XP did. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w.../top-solutions You can also create a repair disk for your system for future problems.

05-13-11, 09:41 PM	#8
reignofdeath Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Well I thank you all for the advice on here, however he and my mother had decided to take it to Geek Squad instead who said that the harddrive needed wiped and re formatted and he would lose everything on it. They fixed it it looks like, and he's not as bummed out now as he was too. He had everything on hard copies so that was good on his part. Its amazing how much music he has to go through. Thanks!