Hard-disk drive failure

tacticslion · 12-04-2015, 01:47 PM

"Hard-disk drive failure
Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to tune the setup utility"

So, on a scale of "meh" to "aw, crap" where am I?

---------- Post added at 01:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:57 PM ----------

Nevermind. It's distinctly the "aw, crap" category. $209 to replace the hard drive and get it installed.

Any ideas or suggestions?

phil_ · 12-04-2015, 05:29 PM

$200? For a hard drive? What do you need a 4TB drive for?

Had to get that out of my system, sorry. I guess you either pay some person to fix it or try fixing it yourself. Whoever you're paying will probably be using the same software you can use yourself, and might just google "Hard drive data recovery" when they get your drive depending on how experienced whoever gets your machine is. That isn't to say there aren't cases where having someone with the right tools go at it isn't preferable, just that it depends on exactly what is broken to produce that message.

That's assuming you're going to try getting your data back. If you're just writing it off and getting a new hard drive, do it yourself. They cost like $50 and the only tool you need is a screwdriver to open your computer's case (assuming it doesn't have hand-workable screws). Takes, like, a minute compared to whenever the shop gets around to it, and costs 75% less. It is well within your abilities.

tacticslion · 12-05-2015, 07:13 AM

... so I'm half-way their!

(DANG it, TL, you had the perfect opportunity to do a Disney reference and you messed it up! Arg!)

Hm... the deal would be that I get the thing installed with Windows 7 (which I find vastly preferable to Windows 10, after having "upgraded" to the latter earlier this year) and a 1tb hard drive. The computer is three years old (Wareenty expired Feb of this year). Some guy would come out to my house and make sure the part fits inside the casing. (That... has been a problem for me in the past, though not with this computer, specifically.)

Anything else to help clarify?

And thanks for the help!

phil_ · 12-05-2015, 11:12 AM

Well, Windows does add to the cost. If you've got the $200, that seems like a reasonable deal, especially if the tech does some data recovery. It doesn't cost anything, but it does take time.

Sometimes I forget that other folks can afford to blow $200 on things less crucial than taxes and insurance.

tacticslion · 12-05-2015, 11:31 AM

For us, the computer (and the Internet) is pretty much it. We've no cable, Netflix, or other subscription services or costs: it's pretty much just our phones (which are supplemented) and our internet bill. (And the occasional PF splurge.)

Everything else is life stuff and saving for stuff like this.

(Heck, the wife and I had our first actual doctor visit in two years or so - our kids are well covered... we've just been less so about ourswkves. Saves money, though! ... we're back to regular Dr. Visits bow, though sooooooo... but it's a valid expense.)

Point is: this is a Big Deal (tm) for us; but we didn't know if it was a good one or not. We didn't even buy this PC: it was a gift to us three years ago by two branches of family cooperating when our previous PC but the big one.

Hence, we've been out of the market and out of the buying/looking for a while.

So thank you! Your opinions are very informative and helpful!

rpgdemon · 12-05-2015, 01:00 PM

Wait, if you had a copy of Windows 7, you still HAVE a copy of Windows 7.

You might not have the installation disks (Which is a different matter), but the Windows 7 key you purchased should still be valid. You still own a legal copy of Windows 7.

tacticslion · 12-05-2015, 07:35 PM

... I hadn't actually considered that because, I think, it came with the computer. In such a case, how would I go about acquiring my key?

rpgdemon · 12-05-2015, 09:44 PM

You should probably have a little sticker on your computer somewhere that looks somewhat like this:

The manufacturer is required to have that somewhere on your PC (Though from what I'm reading, it may be on the inside of the case?), and it has your key on it.

tacticslion · 12-06-2015, 07:30 PM

Awesome! I appreciate it!

---------- Post added at 07:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:08 PM ----------

If I didn't have the disks... do you have a suggestion?

rpgdemon · 12-06-2015, 10:15 PM

Yup! Plug your key into Microsoft's software recovery site: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...nload/windows7

12-04-2015, 01:47 PM	#1
tacticslion Regulator Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,842	Hard-disk drive failure "Hard-disk drive failure Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to tune the setup utility" So, on a scale of "meh" to "aw, crap" where am I? ---------- Post added at 01:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:57 PM ---------- Nevermind. It's distinctly the "aw, crap" category. $209 to replace the hard drive and get it installed. Any ideas or suggestions? __________________ Make the best decision ever. I look forward to seeing you there! You should watch this trailer! It's awesome! (The rest of the site's really cool, too!) I have a small announcement to make. And another!

12-04-2015, 05:29 PM	#2
phil_ Just sleeping Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: At home, probably in bed. Posts: 6,482	Please let someone who knows what they're talking about pick up my slack. $200? For a hard drive? What do you need a 4TB drive for? Had to get that out of my system, sorry. I guess you either pay some person to fix it or try fixing it yourself. Whoever you're paying will probably be using the same software you can use yourself, and might just google "Hard drive data recovery" when they get your drive depending on how experienced whoever gets your machine is. That isn't to say there aren't cases where having someone with the right tools go at it isn't preferable, just that it depends on exactly what is broken to produce that message. That's assuming you're going to try getting your data back. If you're just writing it off and getting a new hard drive, do it yourself. They cost like $50 and the only tool you need is a screwdriver to open your computer's case (assuming it doesn't have hand-workable screws). Takes, like, a minute compared to whenever the shop gets around to it, and costs 75% less. It is well within your abilities. __________________ Be T-Rexcellent to each other, tako. Last edited by phil_; 12-04-2015 at 05:32 PM.

12-05-2015, 07:13 AM	#3
tacticslion Regulator Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,842	My case is open already... ... so I'm half-way their! (DANG it, TL, you had the perfect opportunity to do a Disney reference and you messed it up! Arg!) Hm... the deal would be that I get the thing installed with Windows 7 (which I find vastly preferable to Windows 10, after having "upgraded" to the latter earlier this year) and a 1tb hard drive. The computer is three years old (Wareenty expired Feb of this year). Some guy would come out to my house and make sure the part fits inside the casing. (That... has been a problem for me in the past, though not with this computer, specifically.) Anything else to help clarify? And thanks for the help! __________________ Make the best decision ever. I look forward to seeing you there! You should watch this trailer! It's awesome! (The rest of the site's really cool, too!) I have a small announcement to make. And another!

12-05-2015, 11:12 AM	#4
phil_ Just sleeping Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: At home, probably in bed. Posts: 6,482	Well, Windows does add to the cost. If you've got the $200, that seems like a reasonable deal, especially if the tech does some data recovery. It doesn't cost anything, but it does take time. Sometimes I forget that other folks can afford to blow $200 on things less crucial than taxes and insurance. __________________ Be T-Rexcellent to each other, tako.

12-05-2015, 11:31 AM	#5
tacticslion Regulator Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,842	Hahah "afford"... classic! For us, the computer (and the Internet) is pretty much it. We've no cable, Netflix, or other subscription services or costs: it's pretty much just our phones (which are supplemented) and our internet bill. (And the occasional PF splurge.) Everything else is life stuff and saving for stuff like this. (Heck, the wife and I had our first actual doctor visit in two years or so - our kids are well covered... we've just been less so about ourswkves. Saves money, though! ... we're back to regular Dr. Visits bow, though sooooooo... but it's a valid expense.) Point is: this is a Big Deal (tm) for us; but we didn't know if it was a good one or not. We didn't even buy this PC: it was a gift to us three years ago by two branches of family cooperating when our previous PC but the big one. Hence, we've been out of the market and out of the buying/looking for a while. So thank you! Your opinions are very informative and helpful! __________________ Make the best decision ever. I look forward to seeing you there! You should watch this trailer! It's awesome! (The rest of the site's really cool, too!) I have a small announcement to make. And another!

12-05-2015, 01:00 PM	#6
rpgdemon Not a Taco Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 3,313	Wait, if you had a copy of Windows 7, you still HAVE a copy of Windows 7. You might not have the installation disks (Which is a different matter), but the Windows 7 key you purchased should still be valid. You still own a legal copy of Windows 7. __________________ I did a lot of posting on here as a teenager, and I was pretty awful. Even after I learned, grew up, and came to be on the right side of a lot of important issues, I was still angry, abrasive, and generally increased the amount of hate in the world, in pretty unacceptable ways. On the off chance that someone is taking a trip down memory lane looking through those old threads, I wanted to devote my signature to say directly to you, I'm sorry. Thank you for letting me be better, NPF.

12-05-2015, 07:35 PM	#7
tacticslion Regulator Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,842	That's a good point... ... I hadn't actually considered that because, I think, it came with the computer. In such a case, how would I go about acquiring my key? __________________ Make the best decision ever. I look forward to seeing you there! You should watch this trailer! It's awesome! (The rest of the site's really cool, too!) I have a small announcement to make. And another!

12-05-2015, 09:44 PM	#8
rpgdemon Not a Taco Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 3,313	You should probably have a little sticker on your computer somewhere that looks somewhat like this: The manufacturer is required to have that somewhere on your PC (Though from what I'm reading, it may be on the inside of the case?), and it has your key on it. __________________ I did a lot of posting on here as a teenager, and I was pretty awful. Even after I learned, grew up, and came to be on the right side of a lot of important issues, I was still angry, abrasive, and generally increased the amount of hate in the world, in pretty unacceptable ways. On the off chance that someone is taking a trip down memory lane looking through those old threads, I wanted to devote my signature to say directly to you, I'm sorry. Thank you for letting me be better, NPF.

12-06-2015, 07:30 PM	#9
tacticslion Regulator Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,842	Thank you! Awesome! I appreciate it! ---------- Post added at 07:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:08 PM ---------- If I didn't have the disks... do you have a suggestion? __________________ Make the best decision ever. I look forward to seeing you there! You should watch this trailer! It's awesome! (The rest of the site's really cool, too!) I have a small announcement to make. And another!

12-06-2015, 10:15 PM	#10
rpgdemon Not a Taco Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 3,313	Yup! Plug your key into Microsoft's software recovery site: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...nload/windows7 __________________ I did a lot of posting on here as a teenager, and I was pretty awful. Even after I learned, grew up, and came to be on the right side of a lot of important issues, I was still angry, abrasive, and generally increased the amount of hate in the world, in pretty unacceptable ways. On the off chance that someone is taking a trip down memory lane looking through those old threads, I wanted to devote my signature to say directly to you, I'm sorry. Thank you for letting me be better, NPF.