Need help please

[Barndog]

Been having a lot of trouble since last weekend when a mate of mine messed about on my pc when i was out, anyway now a lot of programmes wont respond like nero and clone dvd, im trying to encode films and burn them but having a torrid time, ive reinstalled the programmes as well and still the same, even now in my control panel where its always displayed my system specs is blank with no info there? i really think my mate has messed this up big style, yesterday my pc kept starting and re-booting also, i put my disc in to try to re-install but it tells me im using a more up to date version of windows than my disc? and wont let me continue, im lost here and if anyone has any advice i would appreciate it....thanks

[Philip]

have you tried a system restore to a date before last weekend?

[Simon]

That's what I would also have suggested.  If it won't work in Windows mode, try it in Safe Mode.  If you don't know how to get into Safe Mode, reboot and keep tapping F8 after you see the first boot screen, then select Safe Mode from the boot menu.

Secondly, have you done a virus / spyware scan since the trouble started? 

Thirdly, try Start > Run > then type msconfig, and hit OK.  Look in the Startup tab and see if there's anything unusual in there that you don't recognise.

Come back to us if you need any more help, and I'm sure some proper techie peeps will be around later  (God!!  Bloody Hoobs!!) 

[Barndog]

Thanks guys for the replys but system restore has helped me out loads in the past, that was the first thing i tried this morning, unfortunately it goes about a quarter finished and then my pc shuts down, even in safe mode, ive tried scans of all kind and still the same, the only thing that has been changed that i know of has been my power button, my nephew pushed it in to much and broke it, i left it into a repair shop to have it fixed, could it be that thats whats causing it, mybe  shorting or something and thats why my pc keeps shutting down?

[Rik]

It sounds a mess, but I can't decide whether it's hardware or software. What happens if you boot into safe mode, does it still shut down?

[Barndog]

My pc wont shut down in safe mode normally Rik, but when i try system restore it always fails, it will try to start then shut down on me, what a mess like you say, most programmes wont respond either

[Gary]

If it stays on long enough, use the original windows disc, I take it its XP? If so try putting the disc in and running this cmd from Run.
sfc /scannow  Somethimes you can run it without the disc, depends on your pc, it will look for damaged crtical windows programs and repair them, you may have to run windows update after again, failing that I would run a spyware and antivirus program on it as suggested, possibly a really good rootkit scanner like IceSword you can get that here with instructions, if nothing shows after scannow your AV and IceSword I would say its a hardware fault but like Rik, I'm not sure, it could be an overheating cpu, a mobo issue or powersupply problem. Have you tried opening the case up to look for a clogged cpu cooler maybe? Also how long after the power supply button issue did this start?

[talos2]

Is there any chance it could be a power supply problem, I had something similar, it appeared to start up would shut down as soon as any load was applied.

[Rik]

It's a distinct possibility.

[somanyholes]

hey

click on start, then run, in there type eventvwr, like on the system log, are there any red errors in there at the top?

[Barndog]

Typed in what you said in run, clicked on applicatin and its full of red errors, mostly applicaton hang and application errors and some from something like winmig, as far as the power button being broke, once i got it back from the repair shop it worked ok for a day then this all started, i can now sometimes hear clicking from inside my pc, seems to be comming from where the power button would be, not good at all, i might try booting from my disc and repairing from there, thing is i have never done this before and a bit scared it goes the shape of the pear...thanks for the help guys

[Rik]

Do you know anyone with a spare power supply that you could try swapping in?

[Barndog]

Do you mean a psu Rik, i have switched over psu a few times and still the same, infact with one in it keeps shutting down,i phoned the repair guy that supposidly fixed my power button and told him about my problem and all the clicking and he now says it sounds like the hard drive going, as i speak to you its clicking away, starting to get really worried now, if i tried my mates case of his, are they mostly normal fitting and would do mine or are they different cases for different pcs?

[somanyholes]

Hey Barn

Not sure if you do this, but now would be a very good time to backup any important data that you have.

[Baz]

total shot in the dark here but it sounds similar to a problem I had a few years back, especially now you mention the clicking noise. I had the same symptoms as you so I took the side off and delved about while the system was running, turns out I had a dodgy connection to my HD as when I gently touched or moved the power lead to the HD it clicked clicked then re-started. Got a new lead and it solved the problem

HTH in some way.

[Philip]

does sound like the hard drive to me, can you back up all important data then run checkdisk, you may have some bad sectors. I had a similar thing to this on my daughters lappy and checkdisk found and fixed the errors

[Barndog]

Thanks doctor, i have taken the side of, to find the broad creamy coloured cable thingy that connects to the mb and something else has got 2 rips in it, would that have anything to do with it? where can i find checkdisc...thanks

[Philip]

Thanks doctor, i have taken the side of, to find the broad creamy coloured cable thingy that connects to the mb and something else has got 2 rips in it, would that have anything to do with it? where can i find checkdisc...thanks

Check Disk

# Open My Computer
# Right-click with the mouse on the disk or diskette to scan
# Click Properties
# Click the Tools tab
# Press the Check Now... button in the Error-checking box

as for the rips in the cable, if it is just the plastic then don't worry, my HD cable is ripped and twisted in the middle, I have no idea why, thats how it came

While you have the side off, it will be worth looking for any build up of dust round the fans and cpu, and also check all the cards, ram are seated securely and check for loose cables. Good luck

[Rik]

as for the rips in the cable, if it is just the plastic then don't worry, my HD cable is ripped and twisted in the middle, I have no idea why, thats how it came

It's usually where the cable is split to provide a master/slave connection.

[Philip]

It's usually where the cable is split to provide a master/slave connection.

you learn something everyday

[Rik]

You should see a twist at that point, Philip.

[Niall]

From what has been said, I'm certain your hard drive is dying. The noise you're hearing is what people refer to as "the click of death". It's called that for obvious reasons. I've only ever heard drives clicking twice in my experience, and the drives have both failed within days of that blood curdling noise

You can get two new drives dirt cheap now. Use something like Norton Ghost to copy the main drive onto a new drive. Either that or just backup your main files you want to keep onto that, and install the O/S onto the other new drive.

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Products.ASP?CatID=16&FilterCategories=173&Thumbnails=yes

Dirt cheap ATA drives above.

Dirt cheap SATA drives below.

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Products.asp?CatID=16&Category=Hard+Drives+Int&ThumbNails=Yes&FilterKeywords=&FilterMinPrice=&FilterMaxPrice=&FilterCategories=240&OrderBy=1