Reboot - Again

richlevy · 07-20-2004, 08:17 PM

Well, it finally happened to my new computer. I have been using a laptop as the family computer for over a year after a card in my desktop got fried. The desktop worked long enough for me to spend a few hours reloading software and died.

The laptop was working fine until yesterday. My sons reported a problem. The machine would boot, flash a blue screen for a tenth of a second, and go into the failed boot menu.

I tried last known good and safe modes with the same result. Either I had a bad sector on a critical portion of the drive or a virus.

I run two firewalls and updated antivirus. Unfortunately, I have a son who might be willing to ignore warnings when something on the Internet tries to initiate a download.

I'm not really sure if this was the case or not.

I reinstalled the manufacturer software, which reformatted the drive. I lost pictures, but I have backups on disk marked to June 2004 so I hope my plastic forks pictures made it, along with my son's graduation.

I have already reinstalled antivirus and firewalls, and am working to reinstall applications software.

wolf · 07-21-2004, 01:17 AM

I can send you your forks pics, for this year, anyway.

jaguar · 07-21-2004, 01:18 AM

Run a low-level scan over the drive and maybe see if you can get the SMART information. Things dieing that hard often have nasty causes.

Troubleshooter · 07-21-2004, 10:05 AM

Don't forget to beat your son, just in case.

dar512 · 07-21-2004, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richlevy

I run two firewalls and updated antivirus. Unfortunately, I have a son who might be willing to ignore warnings when something on the Internet tries to initiate a download.

This is the very reason that my kids now have my old computer. They're not allowed to touch mine.

xoxoxoBruce · 07-21-2004, 06:59 PM

I've been pondering (read thinking one of these days I ought to before I'm very sorry) get a separate disc storage that plugs in to protect my files in a failure. It's not the money, it's the research time to find something suitable.

dar512 · 07-21-2004, 08:12 PM

Bruce - if you have a reasonably up-to-date system, backing up to another hard drive (usb external) or DVD burner is very simple.

Troubleshooter · 07-22-2004, 06:29 AM

Depending on how much you want to backup a flash memory drive might not be a bad idea.

Also, if you're considering a USB harddrive, look into one of the larger MP3 player/ harddrive deals. All your backup needs and the music is handy regardless of your PC situation.

Beestie · 07-22-2004, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I've been pondering (read thinking one of these days I ought to before I'm very sorry) get a separate disc storage that plugs in to protect my files in a failure. It's not the money, it's the research time to find something suitable.

I bit the bullet and went down to CompUSA and bought a Western Digital 100 Gb USB drive for around $200. Problem solved.

Troubleshooter · 07-22-2004, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beestie

I bit the bullet and went down to CompUSA and bought a Western Digital 100 Gb USB drive for around $200. Problem solved.

External?

jaguar · 07-22-2004, 06:56 AM

Carrying your backup around in something you might drop is not all that wise. LaCie produce excellent external firewire and USB drives from 40GB to 1.6TB

Troubleshooter · 07-22-2004, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaguar

Carrying your backup around in something you might drop is not all that wise.

So I'm unwise eh?

I've found it very handy to have on , well, hand. You can keep your data local to you and install the software to access it anywhere you go and not worry about security.

Not really his situation, but there you go.

jaguar · 07-22-2004, 11:10 AM

Well let me rephrase that slightly then, carrying your only backup is unwise. I carry a pile of stuff on my iPod but it isn't my own backup by a long shot.

Not sure about the security of plugging your backup into foreign networks and opening things leaving behind caches and other oddities though.

Of course I border on paranoia on this stuff so...

jaguar · 07-22-2004, 12:02 PM

You seen an internal USB drive TS?

Troubleshooter · 07-22-2004, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaguar

You seen an internal USB drive TS?

Oop, missed that.

I can only plead fatigue although that might make a few things simpler. Imagine how many you could stack in a case then.

07-20-2004, 08:17 PM	#1
richlevy King Of Wishful Thinking Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Philadelphia Suburbs Posts: 6,669	Reboot - Again Well, it finally happened to my new computer. I have been using a laptop as the family computer for over a year after a card in my desktop got fried. The desktop worked long enough for me to spend a few hours reloading software and died. The laptop was working fine until yesterday. My sons reported a problem. The machine would boot, flash a blue screen for a tenth of a second, and go into the failed boot menu. I tried last known good and safe modes with the same result. Either I had a bad sector on a critical portion of the drive or a virus. I run two firewalls and updated antivirus. Unfortunately, I have a son who might be willing to ignore warnings when something on the Internet tries to initiate a download. I'm not really sure if this was the case or not. I reinstalled the manufacturer software, which reformatted the drive. I lost pictures, but I have backups on disk marked to June 2004 so I hope my plastic forks pictures made it, along with my son's graduation. I have already reinstalled antivirus and firewalls, and am working to reinstall applications software. __________________ Exercise your rights and remember your obligations - VOTE! I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting. -- Barack Hussein Obama

07-21-2004, 01:17 AM	#2
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	I can send you your forks pics, for this year, anyway. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

07-21-2004, 01:18 AM	#3
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	Run a low-level scan over the drive and maybe see if you can get the SMART information. Things dieing that hard often have nasty causes. __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

07-21-2004, 10:05 AM	#4
Troubleshooter The urban Jane Goodall Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 3,012	Don't forget to beat your son, just in case. __________________ I have gained this from philosophy: that I do without being commanded what others do only from fear of the law. - Aristotle

07-21-2004, 06:59 PM	#6
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	I've been pondering (read thinking one of these days I ought to before I'm very sorry) get a separate disc storage that plugs in to protect my files in a failure. It's not the money, it's the research time to find something suitable. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

07-21-2004, 08:12 PM	#7
dar512 dar512 is now Pete Zicato Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,968	Bruce - if you have a reasonably up-to-date system, backing up to another hard drive (usb external) or DVD burner is very simple.

07-22-2004, 06:29 AM	#8
Troubleshooter The urban Jane Goodall Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 3,012	Depending on how much you want to backup a flash memory drive might not be a bad idea. Also, if you're considering a USB harddrive, look into one of the larger MP3 player/ harddrive deals. All your backup needs and the music is handy regardless of your PC situation. __________________ I have gained this from philosophy: that I do without being commanded what others do only from fear of the law. - Aristotle

07-22-2004, 06:56 AM	#11
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	Carrying your backup around in something you might drop is not all that wise. LaCie produce excellent external firewire and USB drives from 40GB to 1.6TB __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

07-22-2004, 11:10 AM	#13
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	Well let me rephrase that slightly then, carrying your only backup is unwise. I carry a pile of stuff on my iPod but it isn't my own backup by a long shot. Not sure about the security of plugging your backup into foreign networks and opening things leaving behind caches and other oddities though. Of course I border on paranoia on this stuff so... __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

07-22-2004, 12:02 PM	#14
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	You seen an internal USB drive TS? __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

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