Vista corrupt?, DVD drive, hard drive

Discussion in 'Software' started by darkriku12, May 18, 2012.

  1. darkriku12

    darkriku12 Private E-2

    Hi I'm having a MAJOR headache with my Dell XPS 630i.

    First my DVD drive was not rotating the disks, it just makes click sounds. However, the computer doesn't recognize this so it just pops the CD out saying that nothing is in the tray. Is there a way I can fix or check and see if it's dead?

    Then, when I was about to take my computer to best buy (I was desperate), my windows now crashes right after the Dell BIOS screen. It barely says Microsoft Corporation before bluescreening and restarting. Safe mode crashes and Troubleshoot Launch doesn't load.

    It might be my hard drive, as when I scan it with AVG boot, it says error after while and stops working. But I'm not sure.

    Please help!
     
  2. baklogic

    baklogic The Tinkerer

    The click sounds could possibly be the hard drive failing.
    Try disconnecting the hard drive, and see if it boots to the bios. If it does, hard drive a rank possibility. Also while its diconnected, look in the bios, and see if the dvd drive is showing.
    You can also try putting your disc in the dvd drive, and watch to see if it tries loading, with the hard drive disconnected, or, clicks as before.
     
  3. darkriku12

    darkriku12 Private E-2

    I ran a diagnostic test and the clicking only happened when the optical drive tests were occuring. I unplugged the drive and did the test again, no clicking. BIOS also recognized both drives.
     
  4. darkriku12

    darkriku12 Private E-2

    I just bought a new DVD drive and ran the repair software. It said it couldn't automatically repair my problems and had a list of about 8 error reports. Also, no recovery points or images were found.

    Do I really have to format and reinstall? or is there something else I can do?
     
  5. baklogic

    baklogic The Tinkerer

    Sorry the last reply went to my junk mail, and I missed it, until today (off-line yesterday)
    If its chucking up error reports, I would try to save anything important data/pictures etc:to a usb stick, if you can. If still unable to get into windows, then unless you can connect the hard drive up to anothr pc, and copy that way, you will probably lose the data/pictures.
    I use one like this, if I need to, although I have caddy's too.
    http://www.usbnow.co.uk/p52/USB_2.0...ct_info.html?gclid=COXG5qTHjrACFRQrfAodcSWDpQ

    typical caddycaddy
    http://cpc.farnell.com/1/1/2855-hdd-enclosure-usb-sata-esata-nl-hd28-newlink.html

    If you do a re-install, and the hard drive has errors,it might not re-install, as Vista, like windows 7 will often get stuck on re-installing with a faulty hard drive.

    ATTEMPT REPAIR
    With cd and using command prompt at startup- scroll down to method 2
    http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/194765-system-recovery-options.html

    Then type in chkdsk C: /r/f, as in method 2 here
    http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67612-check-disk-chkdsk.html



    Vista will then try to fix file, and sector of hard drive errors.
    I fsuccessful then you should be able to get back in to Vista
     
  6. darkriku12

    darkriku12 Private E-2

    Thanks for all the help :). However, I luckily found my own solution while waiting.

    For those who might have the same problems:

    -First and foremost, I bought a new DVD-R drive. I think the old one needs repairs that will cost more than just buying a new one ($35. Cmon just buy one).
    - I put in the CD and ran install and treated the previous install as another version of windows, which the program copied everything to a folder called "windows.old".
    -The new windows installed and then, EXTREMELY luckily, my computer performed a consistency check on my hard drive. It then proceeded to delete and repair corrupt sections and files of my hard drive. There were SO many problems listed. I was surprised.
    -Windows finished installation and everything worked so far.

    Then, I had to recover. I used this guide to join my old windows with my new build:
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933168

    On the next boot, the windows shut down again (so then I knew that it was the OS), so I used last known good configuration (which didn't work previously) and by luck it started up, faster than before with the new installation.

    For program files (x86), I had to download a program called Set Ownership, which allowed me to copy those files that were denied access.

    Now everything is working perfectly so far. Even installed games and programs. And i didn't even have to lose a single file.
     
  7. sach2

    sach2 Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Hi, do you happen to have a link to the "Set Ownership" program you used? That is usually a manual procedure and I am curious how the program works. Thanks!
     
  8. baklogic

    baklogic The Tinkerer

    darkriku12 - Youdid wellwith that 'rollback' - I only ever did that once, and it does not always go so smoothly- well done.
    QUOTE--It then proceeded to delete and repair corrupt sections and files of my hard drive. There were SO many problems listed. I was surprised.
    It did its own CHKDSK /R/F- SAVED YOU THE JOB- Hard drive, and file errors repaired, on the old sector,as you had installed further on a nother sector the hard drive- What you have done is Upgrade to Vista (although you already had Vista) this enabled it to fix the erroring sector(s)
    Well done
     
  9. darkriku12

    darkriku12 Private E-2

    I got it from this website:
    http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/wind...ership-to-explorer-right-click-menu-in-vista/

    It basically works as two registry entries, one install the other uninstall, that adds the option to "Set Ownership" upon a folder on which you right-clicked.

    So there is a command for consistency checks? Which I would've known that sooner lol. But wow I guess I just had a little bout of noobie luck with this. I've yet to have a problem on several restarts except sometimes slower performance for games. But I can deal with that until I get a gaming laptop to replace this 4 year old XPS desktop. Thanks for all the help! :)
     
  10. sach2

    sach2 Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Thanks for posting back with the ownership information. I think I have seen that before but never installed it. I will keep it in mind. :)

    One thing on your original problem is since you had several errors you might want to check your HD health just to verify that is was random file corruption unrelated to the health of your HD, so you know that you are good for a while. You could run chkdsk /r again and pay particular attention to the results looking to see if it finds anything in "bad sectors" which implies a problem with the HD.

    And maybe do a HD diagnostic to see if the extended test finds any errors. Or at least the short test to see if the SMART (early warning for disk failure) is good or bad.
     

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