Laptop problem / wiping HDD

benners

benners

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Ben
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hi everyone

I recently bought a new laptop for something more powerful and up-to-date. plus my old laptop kept crashing... possible HDD failure? It seems to work fine in safe mode, but in 'normal' mode it freezes/crashes after a while or when you start to multitask. It had been getting noticeably slower to perform over the last few months.

But I was thinking the old laptop should be recoverable and would be great to have as a machine to take out and about, use while on photo jobs, etc.

I'm wondering what my best course of action is to get it operational again?
- new HDD? (but would then need to buy a new OS?)
- format HDD? (would that delete the OS?)

any advice gratefully received!

edit - OS is Vista
 
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Safe mode is meant as a method to boot when you have a start up issue, not a regular usage method.

Do you have recovery disks?
did you make a back up when you first purcahsed it?
When you say "new" is that new to you or brand new?
 
PsiFox said:
Safe mode is meant as a method to boot when you have a start up issue, not a regular usage method.

Do you have recovery disks?
did you make a back up when you first purcahsed it?
When you say "new" is that new to you or brand new?
Click to expand...

i don't use the old laptop for anything, but can open it in 'safe mode with networking' and operate it if i have to.

hmm, i'm not sure that I have recovery disks for the old laptop... i certainly didn't make any, like i have done with the new laptop. i generally don't throw away anything and have had the old laptop since new, so would they be something which came with it?

'new HDD' would be a brand new one, so buying one and replacing the current HDD... my thinking being that the problem is likely (?) to be HDD based, so whip the old and in with the new?! :)
 
it could be just software you've got loaded thats degraded performance over time (most likely). tbh if you don't know much about looking into the registry, start up apps etc could be better just to do a clean format and reinstall everything. and yes you would need to re-install the OS and everything else (make sure you backup any data beforehand).
 
I think the best thing to do is try to get some OS discs, so if you have windows XP installed, get the xp discs, then you can do a repair install and you won't lose any of your data.

to me it sounds like software (OS) issue rather than a failed HDD
 
thanks for the advice, this side of IT isn't my strong point!

I'm not precious about losing any data, as I've transferred all my files over to the new laptop and backed up. so the only thing I would lose is software i've installed, which i've also reinstalled on the new laptop... so got nothing to lose ;)

hmm so the sticking point is going to be having the OS to load back on or using as repair.

is it something I can download online, as I have a legitimate OS installed, so that could be detected? i'll have a look at home to see if i have any CDs/dvds which would have come with the laptop, though they don't ring a bell...
 
if it works fine in safe mode it suggests to me a hardware driver issue as safe mode loads limited drivers.

locate all of the latest drivers from the manufaturers website and load them up.
 
neil_g said:
if it works fine in safe mode it suggests to me a hardware driver issue as safe mode loads limited drivers.

locate all of the latest drivers from the manufaturers website and load them up.
Click to expand...

that bit might need a bit more explaining for a dunce like me :thumbs:

but can see where you're coming from, as startup/shut down is so much quicker in safe mode.
 
What OS are you using?

and yes you will be able to download the software and use the key you will have on the underside of the laptop
 
ugy101 said:
What OS are you using?

and yes you will be able to download the software and use the key you will have on the underside of the laptop
Click to expand...

hiya, it's Vista :)
 
benners said:
that bit might need a bit more explaining for a dunce like me :thumbs:
Click to expand...

basically each part of the hardware has some software/files to make it work with the operating system. if this bit of software isnt 100% correct it will cause stability/performance issues.

if you go to the support pages for the laptop manufacturer you should have download options to download each hardware items software. do this and run each in turn.

but can see where you're coming from, as startup/shut down is so much quicker in safe mode.
Click to expand...

im surprised, safe mode where it runs limited/generic hardware drivers is generally slower and clunkier. either way its not a solution as youll be getting very limited performance and options for the OS.
 
neil_g said:
basically each part of the hardware has some software/files to make it work with the operating system. if this bit of software isnt 100% correct it will cause stability/performance issues.

if you go to the support pages for the laptop manufacturer you should have download options to download each hardware items software. do this and run each in turn.
Click to expand...

this is where it takes me:
http://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/notebook/as_5720.html

that looks like a lot of drivers to download, and you can only do 1 by 1? :thinking:

would this be worth doing first?
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/wind...ndows-vista-repair-disk-if-you-dont-have-one/
 
Probably a good idea to make sure all the vents etc. are clear first, then try for the factory reset partition as per Steep, followed by latest drivers as per Neil.
 
ah you guys (and girls) are the greatest... will try these when i get home later tonight and let you know how i get on! :thumbs:
 
anyone there :D? have just done the alt+f10 and being asked to either:

restore system to factory default
restore system from cd/dvd (don't think i have)
exit

(restore system from user's backup is greyed out)

factory default one is the only i can actually do... will that be ok?

edit - oh well, i'm going for it!
 
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so far, so good! did the alt+f10 thing, and it wiped C:
i'd wisely saved all my data on a D: partition, so all the files are still there" not that that really mattered...

currently going through startup wizards and downloading AVG with no probs.. fingers crossed!
 
benners said:
so far, so good! did the alt+f10 thing, and it wiped C:
i'd wisely saved all my data on a D: partition, so all the files are still there" not that that really mattered...

currently going through startup wizards and downloading AVG with no probs.. fingers crossed!
Click to expand...

AVG might be a problem though, my advice is ditch it and go for Avira or Avast.
 
Mikesphotaes said:
AVG might be a problem though, my advice is ditch it and go for Avira or Avast.
Click to expand...

to be honest, I'm happy with AVG... have always had it installed on machines I've had and not had any issues at all (i don't believe the problem above is associated with AVG). tried avast before and didn't get on with it. personal taste I guess!
 
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I've run both Avira (bought for version) and AVG (free version) and found them both to be good and reliable. My preference is for Avira (full version) as it offers more protection than the free versions.

As to the original problem, sounds like Windows got itself twisted, which would explain why Safe mode worked but Normal didn't. Sometimes a restore of Windows works, but my preference is usually to go for a rebuild as you've done.
 
John Hendry said:
I've run both Avira (bought for version) and AVG (free version) and found them both to be good and reliable. My preference is for Avira (full version) as it offers more protection than the free versions.

As to the original problem, sounds like Windows got itself twisted, which would explain why Safe mode worked but Normal didn't. Sometimes a restore of Windows works, but my preference is usually to go for a rebuild as you've done.
Click to expand...

thanks John :) I've downloaded some software which is running a check on the HDDs at the moment... but the rebuild of the C: drive seems to have done well, and I'd partitioned off D: to be my data storage, so not actually lost any personal files!

edit - the software i downloaded for checks is TuneUp Utilities 2011 - seems to be really good!
 
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benners said:
edit - the software i downloaded for checks is TuneUp Utilities 2011 - seems to be really good!
Click to expand...

I would stay clear of the Registry Cleaner and Defragmenter functions. Programs like that can easily brick your computer.

As for the other features - seems ok, but I can't see anything that you can't do normally without the program.
 
If you've restored to factory settings you shouldn't need any kind of tune up software, just let windows do it's updating and that should be that.
 
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