Can the computer be saved?

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 3:14pm #1

So we had an idiot electrician over and he managed to turn off the mains and now my home computer wont start and gets stuck on the loading screen.

It is an old machine and uses windows XP but despite this it did work fine, as recent as Saturday, sure it was a bit slow, it was never used for internet or college. It does have personal photos of family so this is worry and extremely upsetting. It wont get past the loading screen on either manual, safe mode or last settings.

Is there any hope the machine can be fixed so that it will actually turn on and be used again, or failing that the files be retrieved at least? It was just a great reliable tool for myself and grandmother. Loosing it is upsetting.

I'm technologically dumb so I really just want to know is there any hope of getting my beloved machine back or is it destroyed?

Terrlock · 27-06-2017 3:16pm

Well it's turning on which is a good start.

If it's stuck on the XP loading screen then it's likely xp is having issue loading something, possibly a driver.

You could try booting it into safe mode. If your not in any way computer literate I would suggest getting a computer professional to have a look at it for you.

L8rdude · 27-06-2017 3:19pm

That's a shame, If you can't boot it - perhaps you can buy an external hard drive cable/caddy - and use this to connect the hard disk to another PC - hopefully you can get your photos back

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 3:20pm

Terrlock wrote: »

Well it's turning on which is a good start.

If it's stuck on the XP loading screen then it's likely xp is having issue loading something, possibly a driver.

You could try booting it into safe mode. If your not in any way computer literate I would suggest getting a computer professional to have a look at it for you.

So its worth pursuing and is possibly fixible? Safe mode did mention "drive/driver" in a wall of txt that appeared but it didn't do anything else to actually load the machine.

Atlantic Dawn · 27-06-2017 3:21pm

Worst case it could be hard drive failure, best case would be operating system corrupted.

What I would do is take out the hard drive and connect it to an external hard drive enclosure and connect it up to another computer to see if it can be read. Something like this...
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/All-in-1-USB-Dual-SATA-IDE-2-5-3-5-Hard-Disk-Drive-HDD-Dock-Station-Caddy-Case-/361637413110?hash=item54334500f6:g:M~kAAOSwIaFZG8FN

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 3:22pm

L8rdude wrote: »

That's a shame, If you can't boot it - perhaps you can buy an external hard drive cable/caddy - and use this to connect the hard disk to another PC - hopefully you can get your photos back

I have a black external hard drive I put music on. How would I get my files from the computer that wont turn on?

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 3:24pm

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Worst case it could be hard drive failure, best case would be operating system corrupted.

What I would do is take out the hard drive and connect it to an external hard drive enclosure and connect it up to another computer to see if it can be read. Something like this...
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/All-in-1-USB-Dual-SATA-IDE-2-5-3-5-Hard-Disk-Drive-HDD-Dock-Station-Caddy-Case-/361637413110?hash=item54334500f6:g:M~kAAOSwIaFZG8FN

This is beyond my capabilities, would a repair person be able to do this? The fact its an XP doesnt complicate the problem?

davo2001 · 27-06-2017 3:26pm

pjohnson wrote: »

This is beyond my capabilities, would a repair person be able to do this? The fact its an XP doesnt complicate the problem?

Any competent PC repair / data recovery company will be able to handle it, where are you located?

Arbitrary · 27-06-2017 3:27pm

If you have the original XP disc you could try a system repair.

https://neosmart.net/wiki/windows-system-repair/

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 3:27pm

davo2001 wrote: »

Any competent PC repair / data recovery company will be able to handle it, where are you located?

Rural Galway so I'd need someone who house calls.

Kimbot · 27-06-2017 3:28pm

I would say if you followed these steps to repair the mbr (Master Boot Record) it should solve your issue.

https://neosmart.net/wiki/fix-mbr/

degsie · 27-06-2017 3:29pm

You could try boot from a 'rescue' disc (cd/dvd) and see if you could run a repair utility.

http://lifehacker.com/5984707/five-best-system-rescue-discs

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 3:34pm

Ok I have my original installation disk. I will see some of the above advice. Its clearly labelled step by step. I appreciate all the help

Duncanwooly · 27-06-2017 3:41pm

I'd try booting from a live USB of linux and then copying the files to an external drive. You'd want to be fairly tech savvy and not mouse click happy as you could do damage

Spear · 27-06-2017 3:49pm

I'd suggest something simpler first before trying anything drastic.

Try booting XP in safe mode first.

When it first starts attempting to boot, batter the F8 key until the menu appears and choose Safe Mode. Then see if it can boot to the desktop at least.

If that's possible, we can then decide further what to do from that point.

Kimbot · 27-06-2017 3:52pm

Spear wrote: »

I'd suggest something simpler first before trying anything drastic.

Try booting XP in safe mode first.

When it first starts attempting to boot, batter the F8 key until the menu appears and choose Safe Mode. Then see if it can boot to the desktop at least.

If that's possible, we can then decide further what to do from that point.

The OP already said this in his OP:

It wont get past the loading screen on either manual, safe mode or last settings.

I have had this issue plenty of times with old machines and the fixmbr has worked everylast time. The pc's i done it to were all on UPS and had just experienced a powercut they couldn't recover from similar to the OP.

FanadMan · 27-06-2017 3:54pm

Think the OP said it didn't get past safe mode. Just in case, I'd unplug everything from the computer apart from keyboard, mouse and monitor and try booting again. Might be something external like a scanner or printer whose drive is not loading.

Spear · 27-06-2017 4:02pm

I read the OP too quickly it seems, and ironically I didn't get past the loading screen part myself....

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 4:12pm

To elaborate it gets stuck after loading one of the "drivers" in safe mode. I'll try and save the driver and post here.

Edit:

AGPCPQ.SYS is the last one that loads

Spear · 27-06-2017 4:33pm

That's the last driver loaded, and it's a graphics one which isn't surprising. It doesn't mean it's the issue though.

Next light step to take would be to run a chkdsk/scandisk. But that'd need you to boot from something like a Windows XP CD or other recovery disc like BartPE.

Metric Tensor · 27-06-2017 4:39pm

Hi OP.

Firstly - what part of rural Galway? Someone from here might be able to help you. I'm not around that area at the moment but maybe some of the frequent posters here are.

Secondly I think there's a better than average chance the files can be saved but don't do anything you are not comfortable with for fear of doing more damage.

Thirdly - what sort of time pressure are you going under to get it back online. There are specialist data recovery companies that you can send the hard disk to. They are expensive and I actually think with appropriate help you may not need them - but it is definitely an option.

Once you have the files recovered you can be a lot more ambitious and daring in your attempts to get the computer going again - which I'd say is also possible given time and help.

Spear · 27-06-2017 4:44pm

To support what Metric Tensor stated, my instinct is that this is probably something fairly minor with the filesystem, and most likely easily fixed without spending money, either to fix, or even to just recover the files.

Skyknight · 27-06-2017 5:05pm

Hey pjohnson,
Not sure it has been mentioned, but what about booting the system from the/a Win XP disk. From the recovery control panel try a system restore from a previous point . If you don't have the original look for an ISO from a reliable source. Just my five cents.

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 5:14pm

I seem to have put the original disk "safe" somewhere other than where I put the office/nero/lexmark installation files.

Is this the point where I panic? XP isn't sold anymore and I need a disk.

Skyknight · 27-06-2017 5:18pm

No.......panic is the last thing to do...just PM'ed. hopefully that will be of some assistance.

fxotoole · 27-06-2017 5:25pm

Metric Tensor wrote: »

Hi OP.

Firstly - what part of rural Galway? Someone from here might be able to help you. I'm not around that area at the moment but maybe some of the frequent posters here are.

Secondly I think there's a better than average chance the files can be saved but don't do anything you are not comfortable with for fear of doing more damage.

Thirdly - what sort of time pressure are you going under to get it back online. There are specialist data recovery companies that you can send the hard disk to. They are expensive and I actually think with appropriate help you may not need them - but it is definitely an option.

Once you have the files recovered you can be a lot more ambitious and daring in your attempts to get the computer going again - which I'd say is also possible given time and help.

I would try Spinrite before going down the road of a specialist data recovery crowd. Although that said, if the drive is teetering on the point of no return, running spinrite could push it past the point of no return

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 5:26pm

I still cant run anything an have no disk an no PM. This is a stressful nightmare with no solution.

Skyknight · 27-06-2017 5:34pm

You've checked you (personal mail) on boards right? Just wondering do you have access to a machine with a DVD writer. If necessary use http://www.freeisoburner.com/ to burn the disk.
https://pcriver.com/operating-systems/windows-xp-professional-iso-download.html

degsie · 27-06-2017 5:46pm

Most of the solutions suggested here assumes the op has access to another pc, is this the case?

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 6:00pm

degsie wrote: »

Most of the solutions suggested here assumes the op has access to another pc, is this the case?

Laptop for college with Windows 10. Oldest and Newest Possible system.

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 6:01pm

Skyknight wrote: »

You've checked you (personal mail) on boards right? Just wondering do you have access to a machine with a DVD writer. If necessary use http://www.freeisoburner.com/ to burn the disk.
https://pcriver.com/operating-systems/windows-xp-professional-iso-download.html

Still no PM (oddly) but this will create me the cd I'm missing yeah?

I've made mix music CD's before so this is within my skills

Spear · 27-06-2017 6:18pm

That download will get you a .ISO file, which is an image of the disc. In Windows 10 you just need to right click the downloaded file, and choose "burn disc image".

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 6:25pm

Spear wrote: »

That download will get you a .ISO file, which is an image of the disc. In Windows 10 you just need to right click the downloaded file, and choose "burn disc image".

I've already got the burner link downloaded. Downloading the 32bit XP one now. Quick Q. Any idea the total size of this file? Can't find a total amount/time left just current (616MB downloaded)

Whoops thats done. Burning now

Skyknight · 27-06-2017 6:42pm

Cool hope it goes well.

degsie · 27-06-2017 6:43pm

Hopefully you will not be connecting an XP machine to the internet if you manage to get it work.

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 6:47pm

degsie wrote: »

Hopefully you will not be connecting an XP machine to the internet if you manage to get it work.

Thats what the laptop is for. Dont even know if I can connect that machine to wifi? I used dial-up when I last used the internet on it.

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 7:05pm

How do you get it to boot from CD?

It just behaved as normal with no prompt?

degsie · 27-06-2017 7:06pm

pjohnson wrote: »

How do you get it to boot from CD?

It just behaved as normal with no prompt?

Repeatedly hit F12 when booting up.

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 7:11pm

degsie wrote: »

Repeatedly hit F12 when booting up.

Okey doke. Gimme few mins

I was hitting F8 for some reason. Heading back down now to try F12

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 7:31pm

Nothing from F12.....

Spear · 27-06-2017 7:33pm

There may not be a suitable key, it may be old enough to require manual changes in the BIOS to accommodate this.

What's the exact model of it?

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 7:35pm

Spear wrote: »

There may not be a suitable key, it may be old enough to require manual changes in the BIOS to accommodate this.

What's the exact model of it?

I dont know what model or BIOS.

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 7:37pm

Nothijg has changed so at least I havent made it worse.

Still sticks at agpCPQ.sys.

This is the day from hell.

Spear · 27-06-2017 7:37pm

When it first powers up, is there any kind of text saying to just F1 or delete?

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 7:39pm

Spear wrote: »

When it first powers up, is there any kind of text saying to just F1 or delete?

Something about F10 but it goes fast.

This is just causing more f*cking stress. No "professional" seems to believe in call outs either.

degsie · 27-06-2017 7:44pm

pjohnson wrote: »

Something about F10 but it goes fast.

Hit F10 during boot-up and see what happens.

Is there a logo or label on the PC?

Spear · 27-06-2017 7:45pm

At this point there's no reason to believe anything is lost, just not conveniently accessible. Even if we can't get the boot up sorted, the disk can still be pulled out and the contents simply copied off it.

dbagman · 27-06-2017 7:49pm

pjohnson wrote:

So we had an idiot electrician over and he managed to turn off the mains and now my home computer wont start and gets stuck on the loading screen.

As already mentioned but worth repeating, any electrician worth their salt will kill the power and make their job safer. He didn't "manage" to turn off the mains, he correctly did so as per the training he would of gotten from any half decent sparks. It's not his fault your computer broke.

Skyknight · 27-06-2017 7:50pm

F12 should bring up the boot device menu > select the DVD menu.

Suckit · 27-06-2017 7:56pm

Do this, it is easy, and will fix 99% issues of startup problems with XP.
Electrician should have asked if there were any PC's switched on before he cut the power.

http://icrontic.com/article/repair_windows_xp

I would not think you have lost anything. If you cannot boot it, you can buy a Hard Drive Adapter, i recommend this one - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/E-yield-USB-3-0-to-SATA-IDE-ATA-Data-Adapter-3-in-1-for/32801585606.html

pjohnson · 27-06-2017 7:57pm

F10 got me into System Recovery which seems promising. I'll see if I can screenshot.

Can the computer be saved?

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