Need help with computer!!

[joepa150]

I have a computer with Vista installed (I hate it). It recently would freeze a lot. I would occasionally get the blue screen of death or a disc read error but usually a few restarts would take care of it. When it freezes or gets the blue screen I hear a short high pitch sound.

Now it will not load windows. My restore disc will not load even when have the cd rom boot first.

I think it might be a bad hard drive. I was thinking of buying a new one BUT I would need to install a operating system. I want windows 7 but if I buy that it woudl be $200 plus the cost of a hard drive. So I am looking at $250+. I could almost get a new desk top for not much more.

I called around and all the pc places want $150 or more to install Windows 7!!!

I recall years ago when I had a pc built, that they charged me something like $60 to install windows.

Any suggestions?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Backnblack]

2TB Drive $79 - Samsung HD204UI Hard Drive - 2TB, SATA, 5400, 32MB, ATA-3G at TigerDirect.com
Win7 Prem Home $99 - Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64BIT Operating System Software - OEM DVD, English at TigerDirect.com


Lots of options for sub $200...

[joepa150]

2TB Drive $79 - Samsung HD204UI Hard Drive - 2TB, SATA, 5400, 32MB, ATA-3G at TigerDirect.com
Win7 Prem Home $99 - Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64BIT Operating System Software - OEM DVD, English at TigerDirect.com


Lots of options for sub $200...

So is that the the Windows 7 upgrade or full version for a clean install?

[joepa150]

I just tried to start computer using a old hard drive that has Windows XP on it. Same problem. The Gateway symbol comes up and then I get the disc read error. So it may not be the hard drive.

I can go into boot options and bios. That is it.

[Chevy-SS]

If you have a "Best Buy" store around, I would take it there and let the 'Geek Squad' take a look at it. They are usually pretty good and charge a very reasonable rate.

My advice is fix this one, or just buy a whole new computer. It's not worth spending $200 for Win7, plus a hard drive. Then you're at ~$300, and heck, you can buy a whole new comp for ~$300.......

Good luck

[phreddy]

I just tried to start computer using a old hard drive that has Windows XP on it. Same problem. The Gateway symbol comes up and then I get the disc read error. So it may not be the hard drive.

I can go into boot options and bios. That is it.

What are your boot options? Change them so that your hard drive is first and see if that helps. This could mean your cd-rom is bad. Also, you might be able to run a memory test from bios. Your problem could be fixed with a $30-40 stick of ram.

[Saber]

Unfortunately, your budget isn’t going to yield much. I use Mac and W7 in the same unit and I like the Mac OS environment far better than Windows-7. Anyway, if your display is Ok then I agree with others’ that a new low-jack desktop would be the way to go.

[Backnblack]

So is that the the Windows 7 upgrade or full version for a clean install?

Full OEM Install....

[Backnblack]

My advice is fix this one, or just buy a whole new computer. It's not worth spending $200 for Win7, plus a hard drive. Then you're at ~$300, and heck, you can buy a whole new comp for ~$300.......

Without knowing what components the OP has, thats a tough call.

[joepa150]

What are your boot options? Change them so that your hard drive is first and see if that helps. This could mean your cd-rom is bad. Also, you might be able to run a memory test from bios. Your problem could be fixed with a $30-40 stick of ram.

Did the memory test yesterday. No problems/errors detected. I also tried to boot with hard drive first and also with cd rom first using a restore disc. Neither worked.

Without knowing what components the OP has, thats a tough call.

Computer is only 2 years old but was a lower end pc when I bought it.

Just going from memory:
Vista
3 gb ddr ram
320 gb hard drive
AMD Athlon x26400


I probably will mess around with it some more before buying another. I have a new laptop so not a huge deal to have a desktop.

[Gort]

Hello:

Can you boot from a live linux cd such as Knoppix?

[claude clay]

here by me we use items as you have described at the 200 yard line...

[paaiyan]

I don't suppose you happen to have a flash drive plugged into it right now?

[Xader]

I don't suppose you happen to have a flash drive plugged into it right now?

Or an external hard drive. Depending on your boot order, it may be attempting to boot from external media.

[Lotus222]

Whoah, some good and some terrible advice floating around this thread. I'm not computer guru, but I do build my own and have run into a lot of problems - including ones like you are describing. I have a completely different machine at work (intel machine - fairly high end socket 775). I was using vista business edition and was having the same issues. Random blue screens, wouldn't start up normally all the time, freezes, ect. I bought windows7 and many of my problems disappeared, however, eventually these problems caught back up to me. I installed on a fresh HDD, checked all my components, ect.

...Turns out I had some issues with my RAM. Run a memory test from your bios. For me, I had at least one faulty module (DDR2). Not sure which one it was, so I yanked them both and am going to warranty them. The 4 gigs left in my machine runs fine, and as soon as I pulled the bad RAM, all the problems disappeared.

Defrag your HDD. Make sure your graphics card is seated properly (if you have one).

Lastly, I would recommend ditching vista and upgrading to Win7. It makes a WORLD of difference. Vista is terrible, 7 is freaking great. Backup your files and definitely do a fresh, full install of the OS. Best of luck.

Edit: Newegg.com - Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit - Operating Systems I bought this copy. Price is fair. If you get the 64 bit, I think it also comes with a 32 bit disk. Might as well future-proof your copy.