Machine wont boot I'm stumped...

SteamWake · 10-10-10, 09:47 AM

So I was sitting here talking with my wife with the desktop sitting idle at the desktop. No programs running when BEEP ... what in tha ?? The machine decided to re-boot itself except now it wont boot.

It goes through the POST and BIOS then halts at a black screen with a blinking cursor.

I can get it to boot from the XP disk and get to recovery console run a chkdsk and fixboot. Attempt to boot from the C:/ drive again and same results. Hangs at a _ prompt.

Unfortunatly I dont have another PCIE video card to swap out to see if that is the issue. But I'm thinking it is the fixed disk but I'm not sure.

If it was the disk why would it all of a sudden reboot itself while idle?

antikristuseke · 10-10-10, 10:17 AM

I would wager that the HDD has failed.

Arclight · 10-10-10, 11:17 AM

That or the HD controller. Normally you would at least get an error from the board saying that it failed to boot from disk or failed to find it.

*might have a look in the BIOS and see if it detects devices, or durig POST.

SteamWake · 10-10-10, 01:02 PM

Well its looking like the boot sector of that drive.

I had another terrabyte drive unused. It is formatting right now.

The 'failed' drive can still be read from but of course with no real backup

I'm hoping I can atleast recover some of the data off the bad drive.

On the bright side I now have over 2 terrabytes of storage

antikristuseke · 10-10-10, 01:06 PM

if it is just the boot sector you should be able to rewrite that, if not maybe hte warranty on the drive is still good and you can get it replaced.

SteamWake · 10-10-10, 02:46 PM

No warranty on the drive that failed its like 4 years old.

Heh... still formatting. Formatting a 1 TB drive takes a loooooong time like 3 or 4 hours.

AVGWarhawk · 10-11-10, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by antikristuseke

I would wager that the HDD has failed.

10-10-10, 09:47 AM	#1
SteamWake Rear Admiral Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 13,224 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Machine wont boot I'm stumped... So I was sitting here talking with my wife with the desktop sitting idle at the desktop. No programs running when BEEP ... what in tha ?? The machine decided to re-boot itself except now it wont boot. It goes through the POST and BIOS then halts at a black screen with a blinking cursor. I can get it to boot from the XP disk and get to recovery console run a chkdsk and fixboot. Attempt to boot from the C:/ drive again and same results. Hangs at a _ prompt. Unfortunatly I dont have another PCIE video card to swap out to see if that is the issue. But I'm thinking it is the fixed disk but I'm not sure. If it was the disk why would it all of a sudden reboot itself while idle? __________________ Follow the progress of Mr. Mulligan : http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=147648

10-10-10, 11:17 AM	#3
Arclight Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,467 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 10	That or the HD controller. Normally you would at least get an error from the board saying that it failed to boot from disk or failed to find it. might have a look in the BIOS and see if it detects devices, or durig POST. __________________ Contritium praecedit superbia.*

10-10-10, 01:02 PM	#4
SteamWake Rear Admiral Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 13,224 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Well its looking like the boot sector of that drive. I had another terrabyte drive unused. It is formatting right now. The 'failed' drive can still be read from but of course with no real backup I'm hoping I can atleast recover some of the data off the bad drive. On the bright side I now have over 2 terrabytes of storage __________________ Follow the progress of Mr. Mulligan : http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=147648

10-10-10, 02:46 PM	#6
SteamWake Rear Admiral Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 13,224 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	No warranty on the drive that failed its like 4 years old. Heh... still formatting. Formatting a 1 TB drive takes a loooooong time like 3 or 4 hours. __________________ Follow the progress of Mr. Mulligan : http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=147648

10-10-10, 10:17 AM	#2
antikristuseke Silent Hunter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Estland Posts: 4,330 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	I would wager that the HDD has failed.

10-10-10, 01:06 PM	#5
antikristuseke Silent Hunter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Estland Posts: 4,330 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	if it is just the boot sector you should be able to rewrite that, if not maybe hte warranty on the drive is still good and you can get it replaced.