Laptop crashed----help!!!!!

[kyle]

Hey all. Long time no see. Ok, here's the deal, and i'm hoping to get some help here. My laptop crashed---got the blue screen. Ok, when you power it back up, it goes to a black screen and says" disk read error---press ctrl+alt+del to restart". When i do this, it just repeats this, over and over. Ok, now, my acer inspire has a hidden recovery partition to restore to factory defaults. On the splash screen, you press alt+f10 to access it. When prompted, you enter your password. After i put it in, the error is displayed" type mismatch." after i close it, the comp. Says wait a moment, and sticks on this application. So, looks like i'm screwed? Is my hard drive toast? Is there a way to go into bios and do chk dsk or run a utility to fix the hard disk? Any help with this would be really appreciated. Thanks all---

kyle

[RoyalBeluga]

I'm by no means a computer whiz but it sure sounds like you have problems

[GottaDash]

Can't help...sorry. My computer cracked a couple weeks ago and I'm still having nightmares. After re-installing everything, trying a new hardrive, new memory...I ended up buying a new computer.

It felt like someone cut off a major body part.

Good luck. I hope you find an easy fix.

[JPmonopoly]

My 1 laptops hard drive has crashed 4 times now. It was always under warranty till now ugh! If you have the operating system on cd you can buy a new hard drive and save it

Good luck
Posted via Mobile Device

[geowhiz]

Originally Posted by kyle

Hey all. Long time no see. Ok, here's the deal, and i'm hoping to get some help here. My laptop crashed---got the blue screen. Ok, when you power it back up, it goes to a black screen and says" disk read error---press ctrl+alt+del to restart". When i do this, it just repeats this, over and over. Ok, now, my acer inspire has a hidden recovery partition to restore to factory defaults. On the splash screen, you press alt+f10 to access it. When prompted, you enter your password. After i put it in, the error is displayed" type mismatch." after i close it, the comp. Says wait a moment, and sticks on this application. So, looks like i'm screwed? Is my hard drive toast? Is there a way to go into bios and do chk dsk or run a utility to fix the hard disk? Any help with this would be really appreciated. Thanks all---

kyle

Yes, your hard drive has crashed. It happens to me on my work computers (Dell) every few months, but luckily we have everything backed up through the shared network drives. There is a chance your data can be extracted off the disk by an expert, although when you get the blue screen every boot it's probably too late. I sure hope you backed up your important stuff onto an external drive.

Hate when that happens..

[What]

Just throwing this out there. Have you tried putting the windows CD in and chosing the repair option. But yes, the hard drive is toast. Occasionally, a repair can fix windows and isolate the bad part of the drive.

[kyle]

Well, thanks all. I pretty much figured it was toast, but was hoping to find a way to get it back by running some kinda bios utility. Looks like a new hard drive is in my immediate future. Btw geowhiz, we have 5 people on our network and 2 servers. We have to buy new computers every few months too, because of viruses. Even though you run all the spy ware and virus protection---those damn blankity blankin things still find a way through!

Thanks!

Kyle

[RoyalBeluga]

Originally Posted by kyle

Well, thanks all. I pretty much figured it was toast, but was hoping to find a way to get it back by running some kinda bios utility. Looks like a new hard drive is in my immediate future. Btw geowhiz, we have 5 people on our network and 2 servers. We have to buy new computers every few months too, because of viruses. Even though you run all the spy ware and virus protection---those damn blankity blankin things still find a way through!

Thanks!

Kyle

I had to re-install windows a couple of times but never had anything major happen to my hard drive, I guess I'm one of the lucky ones

[geowhiz]

Originally Posted by kyle

Well, thanks all. I pretty much figured it was toast, but was hoping to find a way to get it back by running some kinda bios utility. Looks like a new hard drive is in my immediate future. Btw geowhiz, we have 5 people on our network and 2 servers. We have to buy new computers every few months too, because of viruses. Even though you run all the spy ware and virus protection---those damn blankity blankin things still find a way through!

Thanks!

Kyle

These guys run Symantec AntiVirus at the highest filtration level and their own site restriction software through IT. Very strict. Im amazed I can even mess with the IIF at work.


Anyway, sorry bro. My wife and I are religious now with backing up pics and important files every month or so onto an external hard-drive. Bottom line Ive never had a laptop last more than 2 years.

[geowhiz]

Originally Posted by RoyalBeluga

I had to re-install windows a couple of times but never had anything major happen to my hard drive, I guess I'm one of the lucky ones

Happens when you least expect it and for no particular reason. I dont trust any computer. Back your stuff up. Avantor, Sandisk and Maxtor make decent 250 GB drives that are easy to use and fairly cheap.

[Dinar_OS]

Got nothing to lose, so try:

Press and HOLD these four keys on the keyboard:
Command Option P R
then press the button to power on, continue to hold the four keys until you have heard four sets of chimes, then release.

[kyle]

Hey thanks dinar_os for the suggestion, but i'm not sure which keys are the command option ones---help?

Thanks,

kyle

[matororre]

Originally Posted by kyle

Hey all. Long time no see. Ok, here's the deal, and i'm hoping to get some help here. My laptop crashed---got the blue screen. Ok, when you power it back up, it goes to a black screen and says" disk read error---press ctrl+alt+del to restart". When i do this, it just repeats this, over and over. Ok, now, my acer inspire has a hidden recovery partition to restore to factory defaults. On the splash screen, you press alt+f10 to access it. When prompted, you enter your password. After i put it in, the error is displayed" type mismatch." after i close it, the comp. Says wait a moment, and sticks on this application. So, looks like i'm screwed? Is my hard drive toast? Is there a way to go into bios and do chk dsk or run a utility to fix the hard disk? Any help with this would be really appreciated. Thanks all---

kyle

try to format first with window 98 and then use your recovery disc ,this wil help you to fix bad segtor on the hard disc ,and save you some money .it will take time ,but its better then spen some money .

[jcav]

Originally Posted by RoyalBeluga

I'm by no means a computer whiz but it sure sounds like you have problems

Big help you are RB.

I think you need to take it to the guy. He can fix it.

[Bart]

Originally Posted by kyle

Hey all. Long time no see. Ok, here's the deal, and i'm hoping to get some help here. My laptop crashed---got the blue screen. Ok, when you power it back up, it goes to a black screen and says" disk read error---press ctrl+alt+del to restart". When i do this, it just repeats this, over and over. Ok, now, my acer inspire has a hidden recovery partition to restore to factory defaults. On the splash screen, you press alt+f10 to access it. When prompted, you enter your password. After i put it in, the error is displayed" type mismatch." after i close it, the comp. Says wait a moment, and sticks on this application. So, looks like i'm screwed? Is my hard drive toast? Is there a way to go into bios and do chk dsk or run a utility to fix the hard disk? Any help with this would be really appreciated. Thanks all---

kyle

Kyle,
Sure does sound like a failing hard drive. This would also explain the error with the hidden recovery application (which is also on the hard drive).

I deal with blue/black/no screens at least once per week at work. Most often I can recover data by putting the drive in an external enclosure and using a functional computer to pull it. It's a little harder with a failing drive, but I can sometimes coax it to work long enough to get the data (sometimes it's impossible)

If the data is critical, there are data recovery companies out there, but not cheap. I'm currently dealing with one of these.

Geo,
Keep in mind that external drives can fail too. If you backed up your stuff and took it off the computer it's not really a back up anymore is it. If so, consider 2 external drives or copies on CD/RW or DVD/RW as well.

Bart

[Dinar_OS]

The first two lower left hand keys.
If your PRAM battery is dying your hard drive will not boot. Your PRAM will be corrupted if the battery is dead. Change the battery if the 4 keys combo don't work.
Search for how to instructions.

Originally Posted by kyle

Hey thanks dinar_os for the suggestion, but i'm not sure which keys are the command option ones---help?

Thanks,

kyle

[kyle]

Thanks all and dinar_os. Looks like my drive is bad for sure. Oh well, at least i can get a new hd for 40.00!

Kyle

[Dinar_OS]

Are you installing the HD?
If so try this first:

Locate the PRAM battery, find the tiny button nearest the battery, press and hold it for a quarter minute (avoid momentary presses). Then try to start again.

[Ringworm]

Probably did since it happened last Feb.

[RoyalBeluga]

Originally Posted by Ringworm

Probably did since it happened last Feb.

...........BOOOOOOM!!!!!