Having a problem with startup

[Guest]

Im having a problem with my start-up when I start my computer i get a
blackscreen that asks me to hit del to resume or F12 to see boot menu WHy am
I getting this and I also have a log in my event loga about my hard drive
predicting it will fail What is all this going on all of a sudden Ive had my
computer for about 4 years and I keep it thourghly clean Im freaking out
because I cant figure it out!!! HELP~~~
Karen

 

[guestuser]

Im having a problem with my start-up when I start my computer i get a
blackscreen that asks me to hit del to resume or F12 to see boot menu WHy
am
I getting this and I also have a log in my event loga about my hard drive
predicting it will fail What is all this going on all of a sudden Ive had
my
computer for about 4 years and I keep it thourghly clean Im freaking out
because I cant figure it out!!! HELP~~~
Karen

Backup all you important files and data now! That warning about your hard
drive failing is not to be ignored! After getting ALL of your important
files and data off the hard drive, run the diagnostics included with the
drive or at the least check the disk for errors and run defrag. A four year
old hard disk could be failing, but you just never know. Like your car, a
hard disk may run flawlessly for many years or it may die within weeks after
you buy it. Back up your data now!

 

[q_q_anonymous]

Im having a problem with my start-up when I start my computer i get a
blackscreen that asks me to hit del to resume or F12 to see boot menu WHy am
I getting this and I also have a log in my event loga about my hard drive
predicting it will fail What is all this going on all of a sudden Ive had my
computer for about 4 years and I keep it thourghly clean Im freaking out
because I cant figure it out!!! HELP~~~
Karen

agreeing with the guy that said to backup.

first thing is important data - e.g. word files. should all fit on a
CD.
a DVD certainly. Can make it with nero, if you can get into windows. If
you can't get into windows, and you want to back up data, you'll have
to seek other ways.

whether you scucessfully backup the data, or give up trying.
Get/'put in' a new hard drive, install windows,

 

[Guest]

How do I back up my data????? That I have no idea how to do

 

[Guest]

How Do I back up Im going to buy a new hard drive today I need help with
this!!!!

 

[Anna]

(And she later adds...)
How Do I back up Im going to buy a new hard drive today I need help with
this!!!!
--
Karen


Karen:
1. When you say "I keep it thourghly clean", referring to your computer,
what exactly do you mean? You get inside your computer's case to the "guts"
of the machine and clean out the "dust bunnies"? So you know something about
what's inside your computer's case and you're able to uninstall/install
various components in your machine such as a hard drive, optical drive, etc?
I assume that must be so since you say you're about to purchase a new HD and
I guess you're the one who's going to install it, right?

2. First of all, check out your present HD with a diagnostic utility that
you can usually obtain from the drive's manufacturer. It's generally
available from the manufacturer's website for download and is quite easy to
use.

3. When you ask about "back up" I have the feeling you're really asking
about transferring the contents of your old drive to the new one after you
install the latter. Am I right? Or are you simply asking about general
backup methodology/programs? If the latter, then just access XP's Help and
Support and do a simple search for "backup". But I would think that since
you've used your computer for about four years you know something about
backing up your data, yes?

If you're really interested in transferring the contents of your old drive
to the new one -- assuming you're purchasing a retail, boxed HD, it will
include a CD that contains a disk copying ("cloning") program that you can
use for this purpose. This program will generally be also available from the
manufacturer's website.
Anna

 

[q_q_anonymous]

How do I back up my data????? That I have no idea how to do

you don't have to back up your data. backing up your data means copying
your personal stuff onto e.g. a CD so that you can then put it on the
new hard drive. So you don't lose that personal data. Like, homework
files.

When you install the new hard drive, and install windows and drivers,
everything is fresh, like a new computer.

If you backed up your data then you can copy it onto your new hard
drive.

It's actually easier if you choose not to backup! You only have to
backup if you want your old personal data.

Installing a new hard drive will mean Opening up your computer. Are you
willing to do that?

You will also 'later' have to reinstall windows, set up your email,
e.g. outlook express(involves callign ISP). your printer, your internet
modem or router. e.t.c.

 

[Guest]

To Both questions Yes I am familiar with the inside of my computer They
only time I had a problem with it Dell walked me thru it and I never had to
worry about backing up data I have already pulled my photos off onto cd just
incase I bought a new hard drive and my windows xp disk has a file transfer
program so I am hoping that will work So I dont have to redowload all my
installed programs (windows, dsl, games, monitor Etc So I hope the new disk
cd helps me too Thanks

 

[q_q_anonymous]

To Both questions Yes I am familiar with the inside of my computer They
only time I had a problem with it Dell walked me thru it and I never had to
worry about backing up data I have already pulled my photos off onto cd just
incase I bought a new hard drive and my windows xp disk has a file transfer
program so I am hoping that will work So I dont have to redowload all my
installed programs (windows, dsl, games, monitor Etc So I hope the new disk
cd helps me too Thanks

Glad you backed up your important data.

If you can get the hard drive in there, then Dell could walk you
through installing windows and all key drivers and programs that the
comp came with.

Perhaps Dell can even help instalilng the hard drive. Actually, maybe
Dell do that for you

 

[Guest]

No More Dell Warranty therfore no more free service I bought a seagate 300
gb and it has a cd with it soooooooo i hope it all goes well Thanks for your
help

 

[q_q_anonymous]

No More Dell Warranty therfore no more free service I bought a seagate 300
gb and it has a cd with it soooooooo i hope it all goes well Thanks for your
help

The CD that came with the seagate drive won't help. It's for diagnosing
hard drive problems. You don't have hard drive problems anymore when
you remove that faulty hard drive.

Ideally you want the CDs that came with the Dell computer.
As far as I know, Dells come with 2 CDs.

One with on it Windows
One with drivers on it.

 

[Anna]

"Anna" wrote:>> Karen:

To Both questions Yes I am familiar with the inside of my computer They
only time I had a problem with it Dell walked me thru it and I never had
to
worry about backing up data I have already pulled my photos off onto cd
just
incase I bought a new hard drive and my windows xp disk has a file
transfer
program so I am hoping that will work So I dont have to redowload all my
installed programs (windows, dsl, games, monitor Etc So I hope the new
disk
cd helps me too Thanks

Karen:
Understand that the XP file transfer program (the Files & Settings Transfer
Wizard program - see
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/mgrtfset.mspx
for a description of what this program is designed to accomplish) -- I
believe that's what you're referring to -- is really *not* designed to move
programs from one HD to another HD, let alone the Windows XP operating
system. As a practical matter, if you undertake a fresh install of the WinXP
OS on your new HD you will (in most cases) have to install whatever programs
you desire onto that HD. Whatever data *you* created on your old drive can
generally be easily copied over the new HD but in nearly every case,
programs & applications need to be freshly installed.

But there is an alternative...

You can use the disk copying utility that's included with your new HD as I
described previously. In effect, using that process will "clone" the
*entire* contents of your old HD to the new HD. But keep in mind if there's
system files corruption that exists on your old HD (which possibly accounted
for the problems you were having) that same corruption will carry over to
the new drive -- if you clone garbage, garbage is what you'll get. So
consider that carefully.

So if you do decide to use that disk copying utility, if would be wise to
first copy any important data files to removable media, i.e., CD/DVD, memory
drive, etc. before you undertake the disk cloning process.

And as I previously suggested -- check out your old HD with a diagnostic
utility. If the drive is sound you can use it as a backup device or
auxiliary storage.
Anna