Computer playing up - help

[wolf63]

Previous post - http://www.theanswerb...k/Question851908.html

I cleared out my registry and deleted the temp files and the machine has been working fine until this afternoon.

The computer freezes and I have to switch it off and on again - but it took about 5 attempts for it to boot up fully. It mentioned NTFS (I hope that I have that right) and partitions.

Is this a serious problem?

Susan

[MarkRae]

Potentially very serious. It sounds like the primary hard drive is failing, specifically, at the partition sector and / or boot sector.

Do you have everything you require backed up securely?

[wolf63]

No - but I will do.

Thankfully I have a macbook so I will still have something to play on.

Is it something that can be 'fixed'?

[MarkRae]

It largely depends why it's happened. Hard disks don't last for ever - it's known as MTBF - and they're so cheap anyway these days so you might be better off in the long run getting a new one...

[wolf63]

It's late and it has been some time since I did a backup and I think that I used Norton.

How do I do a backup?

[MarkRae]

Same way you did last time, assuming it worked...

[wolf63]

I had to get Norton taken off the PC due to major problems.

I know how to do it (almost) but not which programme I can do it in. I am looking and looking but I can't find it.

[wolf63]

And - if I upload to a website with Firefox and windows will I be able to download the information to my macbook?

I have a 8GB flash thingy - but at least if I upload the information I know that it is okay.

[MarkRae]

> I had to get Norton taken off the PC due to major problems.

I'm not surprised...


> I know how to do it (almost) but not which programme I can do it in. I am looking
> and looking but I can't find it.

Recent versions of Windows (assuming that's what you're using) have a built-in backup facility. It's very basic, and not particularly good. Ordinarily I'd advise you to buy and install this: http://www.acronis.co...g/products/trueimage/ but with the problems you're having with the hard disk, the last thing you want to do is install more software on it. Do you have a second hard drive in the machine, or an external drive...?

[wolf63]

No - I am currently trying to get all my files onto the flash drive. Mainly itunes and some photographs. I probably wouldn't miss much else.

However I would want to backup the information on OE and my favourites on firefox.

It has been a crud day - Frankie the asthmatic cat is wheezy and quiet, his sister keeps trying to sleep on the keyboard and now this! Bah!

Thanks for your help.

[rachael88]

hard drive same happened to mine

[wolf63]

I remember when things used to last longer than a couple of years! I am getting old.

[rachael88]

its not serious but if ya want to save ya computer as i said it could be th hard drive

[tamborine]

Re-run your Windows CDs. Leave out Nortons....most registry files will be replaced.

[wolf63]

Nortons is long gone - taken off by a computer company. Don't have disk.

I am not really bothered about the machine dying on me - it is three or four (or maybe more) years old. I am just nervous about losing anything.

I have transferred about 8GB of files onto my flash drive and will try and import them into windows tomorrow.

I am so glad that I won the MacBook in December. :-)

Thanks all and good night.

[tamborine]

tell more - how did you win the Mac?

[frankiecat]

My hobby is entering competitions and I won the MacBook and an ipod classic in a competition run by The Sun. I am glad that I have it now as the PC won't start up.

[frankiecat]

PS frankiecat is my cat - I am wolf63.

I am still logged into AB on the PC.