Computer Help

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CAT345C
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Computer Help

Unread post by CAT345C »

So I get home today and turn my computer on, I see the desktop then all of a sudden it goes black with a little blinking white - in the upper left corner. I ran a system test and it says no operating system detected, did my computer forget vista? I've been trying to rebot the thing with the disk that came with the laptop, but it won't work, and I can't understand the people that anser the phone. Any suggestions?
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hoborich
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Re: Computer Help

Unread post by hoborich »

Happened to me a couple years ago. It was the hard drive. It crapped out. Methinks you now have an expensive doorstop.
You could probably get a new hard drive installed, or do it yourself, if you are a geek. But it is probably going to cost as much as a cheap new computer. Just my guess.
I hope it is still under warranty.
Normally I don't buy extended warranties, but with computers, it is a good idea. They all crap out. It's just a matter of when.
I'm on my third PC, in 8 years.
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GreatLakesRailfan
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Re: Computer Help

Unread post by GreatLakesRailfan »

hoborich wrote:Happened to me a couple years ago. It was the hard drive. It crapped out. Methinks you now have an expensive doorstop.
You could probably get a new hard drive installed, or do it yourself, if you are a geek. But it is probably going to cost as much as a cheap new computer. Just my guess.
I hope it is still under warranty.
Normally I don't buy extended warranties, but with computers, it is a good idea. They all crap out. It's just a matter of when.
I'm on my third PC, in 8 years.
I agree with HoboRich. Sounds like it could be your hard drive...not Vista. Good luck telling the tech support people that right off the bat though (@#$@#$@# tech support)... Extended warranties on computers are a good insurance plan especially with the quality level of most of the computer equipment out there. I heard a couple years back that upwards of 10-20% of hard drives are defective right out of the box, and it's far from unheard of for one to fail long before the computer has other major problems. That's why they make it fairly easy to remove/replace hard drives, even in laptops.

I'm on my 3rd laptop in less than 6 years, and the current one (had it just over a year) needs work, but I don't have a backup computer to use yet during the 3-4 weeks it'll take Best Buy to "fix" what's wrong ($%@#$@#!@$@$^#$^% Best Buy).
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hoborich
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Re: Computer Help

Unread post by hoborich »

I've never replaced a hard drive. but most of that stuff, is just plug in. I want to learn more about these things, so I don't have to pay the Geek Squad $129.00 just to tell me whats wrong.

Wow. I just Googled replacing a hard drive, and all kinds of tutorials came up, with photos. You can just buy a new hard drive, and install it, and plug in the ribbon cable. Then you would have to run your restore CDs.
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CAT345C
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Re: Computer Help

Unread post by CAT345C »

I got vista back on it, but now it won't acknoledge any of the drivers, or the wireless card
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~Z~
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Re: Computer Help

Unread post by ~Z~ »

Mike Tabone wrote:I got vista back on it, but now it won't acknoledge any of the drivers, or the wireless card
Need to install the drivers for it now. If you don't have the "applications/drivers" CD or DVD, you can usually go to the manufactures website and download the drivers onto another computer if you have another PC you can download things to. If you can download to another PC, transfer the software then on a flash card or something like it from one PC to your vista computer. Is in an HP, gateway, dell? For example, if it's HP, go to hp.com, do a search in the upper right corner for your model number of laptop, and there should be a link to install drivers.
To install these drivers manually, right click on "my computer", choose properties. From there, choose "device manager"
Under this listing, anything with question marks or exclaimation points are things that aren't installed. RIght click on them and hit either Install or update drivers. Choose the driver you just got done downloading to the other computer, and hopefully it'll install.
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Stitch
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Re: Computer Help

Unread post by Stitch »

Mike Tabone wrote:I got vista back on it, but now it won't acknoledge any of the drivers, or the wireless card
Is it an actual card or is it hardwaired into the computer? If its a card open the computer take the card out. Boot the computer without the card. Shut the computer down. Reinstall the card and reboot the computer it should recognize the card and either find the driver or ask for the installation disc. Atleast this is how 98, ME, 2000 and XP work.
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LSRC
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Re: Computer Help

Unread post by LSRC »

That's what you get for buying a windows computer Mike :wink:

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mikekmac
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Re: Computer Help

Unread post by mikekmac »

Stitch wrote:
Mike Tabone wrote:I got vista back on it, but now it won't acknoledge any of the drivers, or the wireless card
Is it an actual card or is it hardwaired into the computer? If its a card open the computer take the card out. Boot the computer without the card. Shut the computer down. Reinstall the card and reboot the computer it should recognize the card and either find the driver or ask for the installation disc. Atleast this is how 98, ME, 2000 and XP work.
You can remove any device 'logically' without having to remove it physically. This is done in Device Manager. On the next reboot Windows will go through a "Found New Hardware" procedure.

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