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Fixing a computer

2K views 22 replies 6 participants last post by  MPR 
#1 ·
So one of my friends gave me an old Intel desktop, and I put an older 80 GB HDD in it and installed Windows 7. My problem is that whenever I boot up it goes to a screen where in the top left corner their is a white flashing dash mark. It stays on this screen for roughly 3-5 minutes then boots up properly. If you have any suggestions on how to fix this computer they are greatly appreciated! Thanks!
 
#6 · (Edited)
#12 ·
The delay in booting is likely due to the partition table corruption. That won't always prevent the boot sequence, although it usually does. It sounds like you may have a HDD that is only marginal and in the process of failing. If so it will only get progressively worse until it fails completely. I have seen this quite often, so you are certainly not alone in this. :wink:

Here's hoping you have any critical data backed up!
:whistling:
 
#14 ·
Did you do a clean install of Windows 7 on the hard drive that you are using for the PC? An install that was done for another computer will usually not work, if it even boots at all.

You might try booting from the Windows DVD again to the recovery options and from there running CHKDSK /R on the troublesome hard disk.
 
#20 ·
Congratulations on overcoming your issues! Often a BIOS update can and will solve all sorts of weirdness in such cases. :smile:

One caveat in that however is to be sure that the PC is running on a UPS (power backup system) when updating the BIOS. Loss of power during the update process can render the motherboard useless if the BIOS has been erased, but not re-programmed.

Also, some BIOS systems have to be properly configured prior to doing an update, as there can be protections set in the default settings to prevent any changes to the BIOS.
In several cases this setting ALLOWED the BIOS to be erased, but NOT to be reprogrammed somehow! I have two motherboards in such a condition after users attempted to update their BIOS themselves.

The warning about the risk presented when you start many of these BIOS update procedures is a valid one! :cry:


 
#21 ·
The fact that checkdisk came up showing drive was clean means nothing incidentally and based on the issues involved I would redo that anyway. If you did it from Windows with Properties and Tools then try the other way from a cmd prompt as one way or the other the issues you had booting could have damaged the drive as well.
 
#22 ·
Very nice Wizmo! (The purple people eater) BISO updates should be the last resort and as you commented researched before a up date is attempted.
I have done it once on a old HP lap top and it worked great. I later read how dangerous it can be and it scared the hell out of me. I haven't done one sense. It would be the last thing after I tried every thing else!!
 
#23 · (Edited)
As above, I'd recommend re-running CHKDSK /R from the command prompt (at Start, type "cmd" then right-click it and select "run as administrator," at the Command Prompt enter "CHKDSK /R" Note that the check will proceed upon a reboot. This will double-check the integrity of your disk media and file system.

Also, I'd recommend a SMART long test to verify that all is well with your hard drive. Use the testing software appropriate to your drive: if it's Western Digital, use their software or use Seagate's on most other disks. If for some reason one of these doesn't run properly, use the generic program:

WD

WD Support / Downloads / SATA & SAS / WD Black

Seagate

SeaTools for Windows | Seagate

Generic

PassMark DiskCheckup - SMART hard drive monitoring utility
 
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