Need some computer help

[rgraham666]

My wife's internal hard drive committed suicide, fried itself. Literally. Scorch marks on the case. She doen't have an external one.

We need to get her a new drive. Since I'm not familiar with Windows machines I need some help.

First, I've scoped some drives on line. Found some very good prices. But all the photos show that the platter is exposed. Is this actually the case? Or do they come with cases? I can't seem to find out. It seems to be one of those 'everybody knows' things. And as usual I don't know.

Second, we need to buy Windows disks as her computer didn't ship with them, only with a restore disk. Not gonna help. Any suggestions for which version of Windows to get?

Also the price. The price of all the Windows boxes I've seen averages about three times what the new hard drive will cost. Are there cheaper alternatives? I notice Amazon has used items for sale. Can I trust those?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Handley_Page]

We need to get her a new drive. Since I'm not familiar with Windows machines I need some help.

Second, we need to buy Windows disks as her computer didn't ship with them, only with a restore disk. Not gonna help. Any suggestions for which version of Windows to get?

Also the price. The price of all the Windows boxes I've seen averages about three times what the new hard drive will cost. Are there cheaper alternatives? I notice Amazon has used items for sale. Can I trust those?

Thanks in advance.

A new drive is not difficult or, for that matter, very expensive. No they do not feature an exposed platter; that's just an illustration (it would not work without that cover; they are very well sealed units).

Personally, I use Windows XP. You might pick a kosher copy up on e-Bay. I cannot recommend Vista and I have not tried Windows 7.
I find that XP (still) does everything I need.

Yes, you could go out and get a shiny new modern PC, but do you really need one ?
How fast is the old one (how old is it?).
Take a look at E-Bay for a second-hand one (I bought one for back-up and it works quite well so far.)

Good Luck

HP

 

[popcorn2721]

What brand PC is it? You may be able to contact the company and get a restoration disk for about 20 or 30 bucks (that will install on a fresh hard drive, as most are set up to recognize the bios information to complete the initial start up). Your just seeing the cover on the platters in the illustration. Windows XP with the 3rd service pack works good, stay away from vista and the new Win 7 is solid.

 

[ravenmx]

usually if the restore disk came with the PC\laptop then it has a install of the OS on it already with all the drivers for that particular brand of computer. Is her restore disk a restore disk with the OS, it should say on the front, if so it should work with the new drive, unless it is a older version of windows that you don't want.

 

[rgraham666]

What brand PC is it? You may be able to contact the company and get a restoration disk for about 20 or 30 bucks (that will install on a fresh hard drive, as most are set up to recognize the bios information to complete the initial start up). Your just seeing the cover on the platters in the illustration. Windows XP with the 3rd service pack works good, stay away from vista and the new Win 7 is solid.

Hard drive is cooked. No recovery. The metal of the case is singed according to my wife. So we need a new drive.

It looks like eBay will work for getting Windows. It will probably be Windows 7. XP isn't that much cheaper and won't be supported much longer.

Off to Amazon for a hard drive.

Thanks all.

 

[R. Richard]

Of course, you have to get a new hard drive. Installation is simple.

Do get Windows 7, XP is not long for support.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER run a computer without an external hard drive, mirroring the internal drive.

If your wife has valuable data in the old hard disk, a local shop may be able to recover at least some of the data, fried or not.

It sounds as if maybe the vents in your wife's computer are at least partially plugged. If you're gonna try to reuse the old case, hit the vents with a vacuum cleaner first.

 

[popcorn2721]

Hard drive is cooked. No recovery. The metal of the case is singed according to my wife. So we need a new drive.

It looks like eBay will work for getting Windows. It will probably be Windows 7. XP isn't that much cheaper and won't be supported much longer.

Off to Amazon for a hard drive.

Thanks all.

I understand that the hard drive is toast... but you can still get a disk that has windows on it if its a brand name computer and save yourself 75-200 bucks (depending where you get it). There should be a boot gismo downloadable from your manufacturers web site to burn a boot disk or borrow a boot floppy if the unit is that old. Its not a problem to install the new OS from a Restore disk at all if you have one. Or you could call a local puter store and have them drop a OS on the new drive and give the drive back. That should run around 20 bucks too.

It sounds as if maybe the vents in your wife's computer are at least partially plugged. If you're gonna try to reuse the old case, hit the vents with a vacuum cleaner first.

True that!

 

[jomar]

Rob, check and see if the old drive is SATA or PATA...different "connectors" and you want to make sure it "plugs in"correctly.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I use WINDOWS Me and EXLORER 6. Both are crap though they handle the basics okay. But they have an unintended consequence I wasnt expecting: Theyre almost immune to malware. No one writes malware for the Me these days, and Me is totally dum to the new stuff.

 

[rgraham666]

Rob, check and see if the old drive is SATA or PATA...different "connectors" and you want to make sure it "plugs in"correctly.

It's SATA, jomar. I know just enough to know to check for that.

Thanks all.

 

[Liar]

Hard drive is cooked. No recovery. The metal of the case is singed according to my wife. So we need a new drive.

It looks like eBay will work for getting Windows. It will probably be Windows 7. XP isn't that much cheaper and won't be supported much longer.

Off to Amazon for a hard drive.

Thanks all.

If you have a Windows license, you don't need to buy Windows again, just because the media you got it on is fried. I'm guessing it was pre-installed on the computer with a recovery partition when it was bought, right? If so then yes, you have a license.

If so, there's a sticker with an activation key somewhere. Probably on the machine, or in the user manual. That's your Windows, that's what you pay for. With that, you can use any installation disk with the same version of Windows - borrow from a friend, get a recovery disk from the computer's manufacturer, even torrent one - and enter ythe key on installation on your fresh disk.

 

[rgraham666]

Thanks Liar.

I'm pretty sure my wife's computer is licensed so I'll admit to being a bit confused now. My wife does have a recovery disk. Can she use that to install Windows on her new drive?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Liar]

Thanks Liar.

I'm pretty sure my wife's computer is licensed so I'll admit to being a bit confused now. My wife does have a recovery disk. Can she use that to install Windows on her new drive?

Thanks in advance.

There are two kinds of recovery disks. One that contains a full Windows, all the drivers and extra software that came with the computer. The other kind doesn't have Windows on it, and expects that to be installed already.

Get and install the new disk . you'll need to do that either way. Then run and boot it from the recovery disk and see what happens. There's a good chance that'll be all you need.

 

[TxRad]

Also if it is a manufactures recovery disk it is linked to the Bios which means it already has all the registration numbers and such.

 

[rgraham666]

We're pretty sure the recovery disk has Windows on it. There is a product key on a sticker on the computer. I'll have my wife check with Compaq later, just to make sure.

Thanks every one.

 

[popcorn2721]

There are two kinds of recovery disks. One that contains a full Windows, all the drivers and extra software that came with the computer. The other kind doesn't have Windows on it, and expects that to be installed already.

Get and install the new disk . you'll need to do that either way. Then run and boot it from the recovery disk and see what happens. There's a good chance that'll be all you need.

Thanks for outlining that, I was trying to say just that in so many words.
To the OP,
Thats the one thing I used to like about Compaq, the recovery disk was set up to recognise the bios so you didnt have any problems installing things like "new hard drives". You just cannot use them on other computers (you'll get a large error message sayin "this is not a compaq computer")
If by chance the OS wont install from the disk, you should be able to download the partition utility from the company that will create the boot disk or partition for you. Ive been doing shit like this for a long time and try to help when I can. Sorry if I confused you.

 

[jomar]

It's SATA, jomar. I know just enough to know to check for that.

Thanks all.

Good! More than one problem has been solved by making sure the cord is plugged in...and the power is on.

 

[R. Richard]

Good! More than one problem has been solved by making sure the cord is plugged in...and the power is on.

One of the classic conputer help desk tales is a custonmer calls in to say that her computer screen is dark and the computer won't respond. The help desk lady asks, "Have you checked the plug in the back of the monitor?" The caller says, "I can't see. The power is off for the building and it's dark in here."

 

[rgraham666]

Well, turns out the recovery disc does not have Windows on it. Or rather it does, Windows 98, but it won't install.

And when it tries to install it tells my wife to call Compaq. Who tell her they don't ship recovery discs with their computers and she must pay $100 for a proper recovery disc.

Luckily a rarely seen denizen of these parts has come to my wife's rescue.

Sigh. I wonder how Compaq stays in business. Something like this I imagine.

 

[popcorn2721]

Well, turns out the recovery disc does not have Windows on it. Or rather it does, Windows 98, but it won't install.

And when it tries to install it tells my wife to call Compaq. Who tell her they don't ship recovery discs with their computers and she must pay $100 for a proper recovery disc.

Luckily a rarely seen denizen of these parts has come to my wife's rescue.

Sigh. I wonder how Compaq stays in business. Something like this I imagine.

Wow, they really expect someone to pay 100 bucks for that outdated shit?
Oh well, fuckem. Find it on ISO-HUNT and be done with it.


It is cool that you got a buddy to hook your wife up, though.