Bust hard drive?

[Matt]

My laptop froze this afternoon for a few minutes then started making a 'werring' noise so I switched it off and turned it on again.

When turning it on it goes to a black screen saying;

Boot from AHCI CD-ROM :

Operating System not found

I can't find my backup disk but I've been told it sound like my hard drive is broke.

Is this simple to fix/replace? How much am I looking at?

My laptop has been running slow for a while and also some people on here may have read I've been having problems with corrupt music and my iTunes has stopped opening, could these problems be due to my hard drive dying in the weeks (months) leading up to this?

I have been saving for new laptop, potentially a Mac but I'd like this fixed really.

[Fox92]

Hard drives are generally cheap these days. Depends on your capacity choice of course. Very easy to replace yourself as well, though if you're not good at that stuff then get a friend or local company to do it. Shouldn't be too expensive.

[Matt]

Ok cool that's good to hear.

Does it sound like a broken hard drive to you/anyone?

[Fox92]

From what you're saying, it looks as if it's not recognised (so yeah on top of the latter part of your part it sounds corrupt) if a) the OS is not found and b) it's also asking you to boot from your optical drive.

 

That said, I'm not an expert in hard drives.

[lavrentis]

if you value hard drive speed look at getting an SSD, more reliable then normal hard drives and faster. however they are generally more expensive but you will see noticeable improvements

[Matt]

Ok cheers for the advice, I'm not sure what people make of my plan but I'm gonna go to PC World tomorrow see what they have go to their tech advice/repair centre see if they can do it there and then dependant on price - does anyone know what their service/prices are like? I'd imagine they are expensive and not even sure if they'll do it there and then.

If not I'll go to a bloke I know and used to use but he's a bloke on his own and it may take him a few days before he looks at it.

Listen I know f-all about computers, I'm fine using them, know a fair bit about using them but when it comes to fixing them I know nothing - if my hard drive is bust does that mean I've lost files, pictures, music? I have most backed up anyway so it's not really a problem.

And why would this have happened? Just age of the laptop (it is 5 years old)? Just unlucky?

Once again cheers for the advice so far and any other replies to come.

[Haydos]

If you need to recover data on it i'll always recommend wrapping it in a ziplock bag or a towel and putting it in the freezer for a few hours then plugging it back in, surprisingly worked for a friend once so worth a shot if it's gone. Can give you enough time to copy shit across to a new one/flash drive etc.

[JimmyK]

It doesn't sound great to be honest, What make is the laptop and how old is it? Is there any important stuff on it that hasn't been backed up?

 

If you can get into the BIOS at startup (usually by pressing del or one of the f keys moments after switching it on), you can find out if the laptop is detecting the hard drive at all, but if you haven't done this before it may all look a bit confusing.

 

Good news is, as others have said, putting a replacement in is usually fairly straightforward and not hugely expensive (£30-40 for 500gb laptop one atm it seems)

 

if you value hard drive speed look at getting an SSD, more reliable then normal hard drives and faster. however they are generally more expensive but you will see noticeable improvements

 

If you've got the money it's def a vast improvement, they're not necessarily more reliable though, the cheapest ones are built to a budget and I've seen them have problems almost immediately. Plus the way the technology works they all wear out sooner or later, but with good brands this is way way beyond the lifespan of whatever machine they're in.

 

 

Edit: Just seen you've answered some of my questions. If it has failed it could well just be mechanical wear and tear, 5 years worth of the discs spinning and the head jumping back and forth at an insane speed, it's pretty intense on the components involved. Presumably it wasn't dropped on the floor or anything before it froze?

[Matt]

It doesn't sound great to be honest, What make is the laptop and how old is it? Is there any important stuff on it that hasn't been backed up?

What doesn't sound good? Losing files? That's fine, not a huge issue I have most photos, files and music backed up (which needed to be deleted off my laptop anyway as most of it has become corrupt somehow anyway so really that's weirdly done me a favour)

It's a Samsung and about 5 years old.

If you've got the money it's def a vast improvement, they're not necessarily more reliable though, the cheapest ones are built to a budget and I've seen them have problems almost immediately. Plus the way the technology works they all wear out sooner or later, but with good brands this is way way beyond the lifespan of whatever machine they're in.

Yeah not really sure I'll bother with this but thanks for the advice and options anyway!

I haven't dropped it, but thinking back it think I did bang it the other day so there probably lies my problem.

[JimmyK]

What doesn't sound good? Losing files? That's fine, not a huge issue I have most photos, files and music backed up (which needed to be deleted off my laptop anyway as most of it has become corrupt somehow anyway so really that's weirdly done me a favour)

It's a Samsung and about 5 years old.

Yeah not really sure I'll bother with this but thanks for the advice and options anyway!

I haven't dropped it, but thinking back it think I did bang it the other day so there probably lies my problem.

 

I just meant funny noises and that error message when starting are very bad signs for the hard disk.

 

If it wasn't a major bang that's prob just a coincidence, if unrelated things were starting to corrupt before then it prob is just wear and tear getting the better of it. Hope you get it sorted anyway.

[red5]

Yes dead easy to change the hard drive, but what about the operating system, the drivers etc, it's not a while you wait service, everything is easy till you have to do it.

Go pcworld and when you get up off the floor pm me I'm near fosse park

[Rusko187]

Ok cheers for the advice, I'm not sure what people make of my plan but I'm gonna go to PC World tomorrow see what they have go to their tech advice/repair centre see if they can do it there and then dependant on price - does anyone know what their service/prices are like? I'd imagine they are expensive and not even sure if they'll do it there and then.

If not I'll go to a bloke I know and used to use but he's a bloke on his own and it may take him a few days before he looks at it.

Listen I know f-all about computers, I'm fine using them, know a fair bit about using them but when it comes to fixing them I know nothing - if my hard drive is bust does that mean I've lost files, pictures, music? I have most backed up anyway so it's not really a problem.

And why would this have happened? Just age of the laptop (it is 5 years old)? Just unlucky?

Once again cheers for the advice so far and any other replies to come.

Don't take it there mate, PC World are crooks.. And whatever you do never buy a computer from them or Currys.

Your problem is your hard drive has died and the computer cannot find a way to boot up anymore. You will need a new hard drive and windows disc if you don't already have one.

To install the hard drive if you look at the bottom of the laptop there will be a load of removal covers, one of them is the hard drive. Just literally unplug the old one and plug in the new one.. Done.

Put windows disc in and it should automatically boot up via the disc, just install and Bam... Your done.

Happened to me the other week with my SSD.

Edit: if you need anymore info feel free to PM.. Don't need to be an expert on sorting this though so no need to fret.

[Matt]

Only just seen the last two messages, I did take it too PC World, to basically diagnose what was wrong with it, to make sure it was what I thought it was and what everyone else had suggested what they thought it was, and it is the hard drive, they said they could send it away, get me a quote, fix it, but I said no, I wanted to take it away, have a think.

 

So I can look into sorting it now.

 

How come not to buy a new one from PC World/Currys? Just a boycott? I mean surely a new laptop is a new laptop no matter where you get it from?

[Fox92]

The general consensus is that PC World is a rip off. 

[midland_red]

Ok cheers for the advice, I'm not sure what people make of my plan but I'm gonna go to PC World tomorrow see what they have go to their tech advice/repair centre see if they can do it there and then dependant on price - does anyone know what their service/prices are like? I'd imagine they are expensive and not even sure if they'll do it there and then.

If not I'll go to a bloke I know and used to use but he's a bloke on his own and it may take him a few days before he looks at it.

Listen I know f-all about computers, I'm fine using them, know a fair bit about using them but when it comes to fixing them I know nothing - if my hard drive is bust does that mean I've lost files, pictures, music? I have most backed up anyway so it's not really a problem.

And why would this have happened? Just age of the laptop (it is 5 years old)? Just unlucky?

Once again cheers for the advice so far and any other replies to come.

if youve backed up your data then youre fine.....and well done BTW...most people dont back up your data. Storage is cheap these days so just get a new one. Youll have to install windows if thats the operating system you use, plus all programmes too. Rather than go to PC world for all this, get a new drive online and find a mate who will do the rebuild for you..

(Certainly youre getting errors to the effect that your systen cant find that drive....BUT...could be as simple as a loose conenction inside the PC of course, and worth checking before you give in

[Rusko187]

Only just seen the last two messages, I did take it too PC World, to basically diagnose what was wrong with it, to make sure it was what I thought it was and what everyone else had suggested what they thought it was, and it is the hard drive, they said they could send it away, get me a quote, fix it, but I said no, I wanted to take it away, have a think.

 

So I can look into sorting it now.

 

How come not to buy a new one from PC World/Currys? Just a boycott? I mean surely a new laptop is a new laptop no matter where you get it from?

 

Had numerous bad experiences with their products, bought a laptop from there.. had problems for over a year which they denied existed... it was only until the thing burst into flames they accepted there was a problem and offered a voucher which was no-where near the cost of the laptop.

 

Bought a dishwasher from Currys, had problems with it.. because we didn't take out their crappy monthly payment help plan they wouldn't touch it despite having it for 6 months.

 

Bought an Xbox One, problem developed with disc drive after 2 months.. would not exchange and would not offer to help. Dealt with Xbox directly who were more than helpful. From now on I do not touch them. Not to mention their dodgy advisors working on the computer sales, they know squat!

 

In regards to repairs I promise you it's a doddle, get the parts you need from Amazon or Overclockers (look at them for new computers too)... if you need advice on how to change it over than feel free to PM me. Plus with the power of YouTube you will easily do it .

[Solitaryswordsman]

Give da computers a try first, it's just off the roundabout near PC world st George's, Have had two pcs from them over the years.

[Matt]

Fixed.

 

I didn't see the last couple of posts before it was fixed.

 

I've also had Windows 8 installed on it, unintentionally but anyway, the code of the bottom of the laptop had been worn away so had to have a new version installed and i've ended up with Windows 8, shame really because I was very impressed, liked and knew where I was with Windows 7, best OS imo.

 

Not really sure what to make of Windows 8 - I'm sure i'll get used to it, understand it in time, and learn about it.

 

I've done a search on Windows 8 on here to see what people make of it, seems abit marmite - you either love it or hate it.

 

I'm still considering a Mac though.