Computer won't boot, help please

looney2ns

looney2ns

IPCT Contributor
Sep 25, 2016
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24,230
Evansville, In. USA
This is not about my BI machine, this is my everyday machine.

Windows 7 Pro.
When powering up, I get the Windows failed to start screen, and the open to Start Normally or Startup Repair.

If I choose startup repair I end up back at the same screen. If I choose start as normal, after a long wait, computer starts, windows colored window cube appears above starting windows. Then at the point you believe windows is starting, screen goes black, and then just sets there.

I have tried using the Win7 repair cd I made, basically same results.

I have tried using the original Win 7 install disc. Choosing repair, I end up with just the background for repair options, but no options actually ever appear.

I have tried another known good video card, no go.
I have ran memtest, no errors.
HD is recognized in the BIOS, with proper model # displayed.
I have tried to find a bootable CD version of the WD testing program, my search fu must suck.
All fans are running and very little dirt anywhere.

I am assuming at this point that the HD has failed, although I'm hoping that the MBR is simply messed up.
I don't have another SATA drive to test with.

If it matters, this is a machine I built about 6-7 years ago, with an I-7 xxxx and gigabyte mb, gskill memory. Never gave me so much as a hiccup until yesterday when I tried to power on.

Any suggestions are welcomed and greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
 
You don't even need an enclosure or dock. You can simply install the drive in another machine. When dealing with hdd failure or suspected failure it's best to avoid writing anything to the drive (mount read only if possible).

Then check the drive's S.M.A.R.T. data and attempt to copy your data (there are some different approaches to this).

How current is your last backup?
 
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tangent said:
You don't even need an enclosure or dock. You can simply install the drive in another machine. When dealing with hdd failure or suspected failure it's best to avoid writing anything to the drive (mount read only if possible).

Then check the drive's S.M.A.R.T. data and attempt to copy your data (there are some different approaches to this).

How current is your last backup?
Click to expand...
Last backup, was last time it was powered on normally.
I have put it in another machine as 2nd drive, now that machine does the same thing, boots to black screen. Remove test drive, machine boots normal.
 
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When 2 drives are in the same machine they may interfere with each other. In the old days, there was a "master" and "slave" switch (pull and set). Check for this on both drives, make the suspect drive a "slave" so that your host will not attempt to boot from it. Good luck with it.
 
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Old-Time-Tech said:
When 2 drives are in the same machine they may interfere with each other. In the old days, there was a "master" and "slave" switch (pull and set). Check for this on both drives, make the suspect drive a "slave" so that your host will not attempt to boot from it. Good luck with it.
Click to expand...

I did this in the bios of the test machine, the sata drives, so no jumpers.
 
looney2ns said:
Last backup, was last time it was powered on normally.
I have put it in another machine as 2nd drive, now that machine does the same thing, boots to black screen. Remove test drive, machine boots normal.
Click to expand...

Since you don't have a USB dock, put the bad drive in again, let good drive be boot to O/S as normal, bad drive as next drive (D-Z, D likely optical, E some flash drive, etc. so it would be F...you already know this).
Right click on bad drive, select 'properties', then 'tools', 'error checking'-'check now', select 'auto fix file and system errors'.
I have repaired a dozen or more Win 7 drives that won't repair with boot cd, etc. by putting the bad drive in my USB dock and running those tools on my good Win 7 PC.
You've got nothing to lose!
 
Old-Time-Tech said:
When 2 drives are in the same machine they may interfere with each other. In the old days, there was a "master" and "slave" switch (pull and set). Check for this on both drives, make the suspect drive a "slave" so that your host will not attempt to boot from it. Good luck with it.
Click to expand...

The master-slave shunt pins went out with PATA drives quite some time ago; before that the drive cables had master and slave position connectors on the ribbon cable.

His is likely SATA if built 6-7 years ago, boot drive is selected in BIOS.

I'm sure you already know all this, I was merely clarify for those reading that might not know.
 
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See if your bios has a "boot from" option - maybe you can force the test machine to boot from "the proper" disk. Being that the test machine attempts or so it seems to boot from the suspect disk, the test machine is ignoring it own disk. It is still worth a google search for each disk to see if such a switch exists on either disk. As an alternative, I've used the following product with suspect drives. If you can wait for it to be delivered it is worth the money. " Vantec CB-ISATAU2 SATA/IDE to USB 2.0 Adapter Supports 2.5-Inch, 3.5-Inch, 5.25-Inch Hard Disk Drives (Black) " - with this you don't have to worry about drive conflicts since you can boot the test machine and then "power on" the suspect drive via the adapter. Just make sure that the suspect drive's interface / number of pins etc. match to those offered by the Vantec product. - Cheers. The item mentioned I ordered from Amazon as a point of reference.
 
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TonyR said:
Since you don't have a USB dock, put the bad drive in again, let good drive be boot to O/S as normal, bad drive as next drive (D-Z, D likely optical, E some flash drive, etc. so it would be F...you already know this).
Right click on bad drive, select 'properties', then 'tools', 'error checking'-'check now', select 'auto fix file and system errors'.
I have repaired a dozen or more Win 7 drives that won't repair with boot cd, etc. by putting the bad drive in my USB dock and running those tools on my good Win 7 PC.
You've got nothing to lose!
Click to expand...

There lies the problem, test computer won't boot to os w/test drive installed.
 
TonyR said:
The master-slave shunt pins went out with PATA drives quite some time ago; before that the drive cables had master and slave position connectors on the ribbon cable.

His is likely SATA if built 6-7 years ago, boot drive is selected in BIOS.

I'm sure you already know all this, I was merely clarify for those reading that might not know.
Click to expand...

Agreed - There's a reason why I chose the handle "Old-Time-Tech" - lol, but thanks for the information!
 
looney2ns said:
There lies the problem, test computer won't boot to os w/test drive installed.
Click to expand...
Do you have an esata port on your functioning computer?

Sata is designed to be hot swapable, but windows might not like it. On good PC, connect power to both drives but don't connect the sata cable to the drive. Connect the other end to the mobo. Boot and then plug in the sata cable to the drive. If you do this on a non esata port there's a chance you'll bluescreen the computer, but it may work just fine.

Your other option is to boot from a DVD or flash drive with something like a linux live disk. Options include Hiren's BootCD, UBCD, Runtime Live CD, RIP, Knoppix...

First thing I'd do though is verify the integrity of your backup, so know how careful you need to be with the suspect drive.

P.S. If you have a stethoscope, you might want to listen to the drive as it spins up / operates.
 
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looney2ns said:
Tried the boot, sata cable disconnected, then connecting after boot. Window's doesn't see the drive.

Try other items later.
Thanks all.
Click to expand...
Check Device Manager and Disk Management. You may see the drive there.

If it shows in device manager, Speccy or SpeedFan will be able to read the S.M.A.R.T. data. Various data recovery tools may be able to see the drive and tell what's going on. Many data recovery tools have free trials that won't actually recover data.

Based on the age of the machine, I'd just buy a new hdd or ssd and restore your backup onto it (assumes full backup).
 
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looney2ns said:
Ok, test disk on Hirensboot CD actually sees the drive and partitions. Now what do you recommend?
Thank you, appreciate the assistance.
@tangent
Click to expand...
TestDisk is a good tool, but there are others that are easier to use. There are tools on HBCD that can read the SMART data and there are versions of the tools distributed by hdd mfgs like datalifeguard and seatools that are simpler to use.

I'd still suspect early drive failure. Seeing the drive and partition table doesn't mean the drive is ok, it just means it isn't completely gone.
 
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