17 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

2-15-11 Update:

Last night I got the blue screen of death and despite repeated attempts to reboot...blue is all I get. (Although win7 version has a slight swirl to the screen as if that makes the death message more palatable.)

In any event I am sneaking some access in my husband's dive shop but not sure how that will work. I've waited almost 2 hrs to just get to make this post.) My computer has been sent to a local guy to see what he can get off of it and I just ordered a new computer but had it shipped to TX so may have to order it again and ship to SC and return the one sent to TX.

I can see that its not going to be easy the next few days...and Thursday I fly to Chicago for the OWU Dive Show then to TX Sunday for the TX Dive Show. Will see what my options are as the day progresses.

Just wanted to keep you all updated. -kamala

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey gang...after being gone on our fabulous 82+ degree weather and WARM WATER great conditions dive trip I returned slowly to the US...(it took two full days rather than the normal one day) and even then I almost didn't make it.

I was having computer issues on the boat and fortunately for me Cmdr. Clownfish was there to work on it. He found a registry clean up program for me that I promptly used upon returning home and it helped but I am still having a great deal of difficulty getting booted up, getting online, staying online and staying booted up.

My computer will turn itself off for no reason. It will gray out to show its processing something and stay that way for 10+ minutes...in one case over 30 minutes.

In layman's terms it is hosed up. But then I'm the layman and what do I know! LOL!

In the meantime I seem to be working FINALLY but not sure how long it will last. I wanted to get this message out there so at least you would know.

As for more permanent measures....

1. I'm looking for the SC equivalent of an internet cafe with computers or a computer I can use and hopefully download the software for my wireless card to work on.
2. I am ordering a new computer today if I can stay online long enough and have it sent to Cmdr. Clownfish along with an extra harddrive that will fit it and my current pc so he can do a complete clean set up of ONLY the programs I use and nothing else. (And yes my computing needs are very simplistic for the most part.)
3. I will then have him wipe this computer and start over so I have a fully functioning back up in the event of complete failure of my primary computer.

We will use the backup procedures and other things talked about in some earlier threads started this year and I will report back with our progress as well as what we did for those interested.

Thank you all for your patience. I am working hard to play catch up with the access issues I've had. Kamala

[WreckWench]

2-15-11 Update:

Last night I got the blue screen of death and despite repeated attempts to reboot...blue is all I get. (Although win7 version has a slight swirl to the screen as if that makes the death message more palatable.)

In any event I am sneaking some access in my husband's dive shop but not sure how that will work. I've waited almost 2 hrs to just get to make this post.) My computer has been sent to a local guy to see what he can get off of it and I just ordered a new computer but had it shipped to TX so may have to order it again and ship to SC and return the one sent to TX.

I can see that its not going to be easy the next few days...and Thursday I fly to Chicago for the OWU Dive Show then to TX Sunday for the TX Dive Show. Will see what my options are as the day progresses.

Just wanted to keep you all updated. -kamala

[shadragon]

A photo of the BSOD where we can read the numbers on the screen will help dramatically. It tells you a lot if you know how to interpret it.

Shad

[WreckWench]

No numbers on the page. Will not boot in regular mode only failsafe with the suggested repairs option (win7). Takes forever to attempt that then finally ends up in NEW BSOD with a whispy white line or two on a blue background with one floating tine green leaf. Computer then stops there and will not proceed to boot up.

A local cmputer guy said he could not recover any of my data this morning and suggested I send it off for more extensive data recovery attempt or reformat the hard drive which still may not work. I was transferring my pictures to a portable drive and did not get them all transferred so now I'm sick I've probably lost them.

I have limited internet access via my husband's dive shop and have to wrap a blanket around me as the shop is not well insulated. Fly to Chicago Thursday to stay with greg@iphil and will use his computer while there between the show. Just had a new computer ship to Scott where I will send the old one and my wireless card so he can help get the new one going and see if he can salvage anything off the old one. He will then send to my mom's house or meet me at the airport on Sunday when I get to TX from Chicago.

If it ain't one thing its another....

[scubaski]

You should consider buying your computers and tv's from Costco Wharehouse Club, they will add 1 year to any OEM warrenty. You do have to speak with the Costco tech service 1st but they will put you thur to the manufactures tech guys. I've had my computer repaired well after the OEM warrenty was out.

[Scubatooth]

Okay 9th time trying to post this, the forum software is starting to tick me off. I have a real hard time believing what is coming out of the local computer "guru" If the computer is able to boot the OS into safe mode then the HDD is not dead. The HDD needs to be removed from the laptop and put in a external enclousure and the data removed. At this point a data recovery service is way overkill.

[WreckWench]

Sorry for the confusion...the computer will NOT boot in safe mode. It starts then ends up BSOD. Local IT guy said he could not recover data and only option was higher priced recovery services OR reformat the hd.

Scott will try to recover for me and may try Stan as well. I really want the rest of my pictures off the hd.


Ok freezing my butt off working in the diveshop but if I can stay awake at least I'm not fighting 3 people to use 1 of 2 computer!

[shadragon]

Do NOT format the HD or you will lose everything. The "format and re-install" advice is the most often given by those who do not know what they are doing and certainly the wrong path 99.5% of the time.

Shut off the laptop, remove from power and unplug the battery for at least 30 seconds. Unplug all external devices, USB / Firewire plugs and printers and see if that helps.

Take a photo of what you can see and post please.

scubaski - Be aware that the one year warranty usually involves a reset of the HD to factory state in times of trouble. Dell does this as well. So you are going to lose your data in any event. They do this for expediency as repairing the issue takes more time than formatting the drive.

[WreckWench]

Thank you Simon. Laptop going to Scott today. HOPEFULLY he can salvage it!

[drbill]

Good luck with it Kamala. This is why I never keep important data on a boot drive, but on a separate hard drive (or eight totaling 7 TB in my current situation). When using my laptop, the important data rests on a USB external drive. I love the "new" Toshiba 2.5" drives because they are tiny and easy to transport with the laptop.

[WreckWench]

I was in the process of getting to that point. Scott reminded me that I had a BSOD on my last computer he did a full recovery of so I am cautiously hopeful!

[shadragon]

There is a version of Knoppix that lets you boot your PC or laptop from CD or DVD without touching a single byte on your hard disk. It can read 100% of the NTFS file system (What MS uses to store info on your HD). Note: If you are using the BitLocker encryption option on Vista or higher OS then this will not work.

*** It has the capabilities to write as well, but with lots of warnings, legal disclaimers, etc. Use this feature judiciously.***

So to recover photos, docs, etc, you can use Knoppix easily and dump the whole HD (or any undamaged files anyway) to an external USB drive.

Knoppix is Linux and it is a good way to learn that OS on your computer as it does not install anything on your PC. Boot with Knoppix, explore and play as long as you like then remove the CD or DVD and reboot and you have your PC back exactly as you left it.

The price is right too. Free to use and fully functional from day one.

[WreckWench]

THAT IS GREAT NEWS! I will make sure Scott sees this! You have given me hope my technical knight in shining armor!!!

[dustbowl diver]

I once dated a girl whose nickname was 'Blue Screen of Death'- think she might have been a professional wrestler!!

[peterbj7]

If the HD is capable of being reformatted then it's capable of being read. Some time ago I bought the various connectors and cables to allow me to set any HD as an external data disk, and that's been used on several computers (belonging to others) to recover data that had been said to be "irretrievable". But if the HD is reformatted that IS the end for any data on it. When reading the HD as a data disk it can then be scanned to see if it has developed any bad sectors - any at all mean the disk is on its way out and should be replaced immediately. But what's on it may still be mostly recoverable. Once you have a defective HD the fewer times you try to access it the better until you've got everything off it, as each time tends to make the bad sectors worse. If it has any bad sectors then bin it.

In my experience the BSOD can arise if a memory module has been dislodged. One of the first things I'd do is to make sure the memory is properly inserted.