While I was pulling an all-nighter studying, my bf was on the computer playing WoW (and looking an adult sites...) for hours. When I finally got my turn, the computer was realllly slow. It took forever to open up a browser. I was able to check hotmail, msn but when I tried going to some forum site, the page got "stuck" loading.

The image looked fine but I couldn't scroll down the page to see if it was still loading pictures or anything. On the status bar on the bottom, it just said waiting... and had the little yellow triangle with the exclamation point. I cleared the browser history, but that didn't help. Finally, I pulled up taskmanager to close it from there - it wasn't even listed as not responding - although CPU usage was around 45%.

When I ended the task, it still didn't do anything so in frustration, I hit the reset button. When Windows started to reload the screen came up that said that there was a problem and asked if I wanted to start in safe mode, etc. I tried Normal, last good configuration, safe mode but nothing responded - Windows kept trying to load (I understand continuously trying to load has something to do with the settings though). It was skipping past a blue screen but I finally was able to pull it up and it said something about a boot uploader problem, I believe.

Last thing I tried was system recovery, there's an option to test the hardware settings first, so I chose that, and that's as far as I got. It wouldn't respond when I clicked or hit enter for "next".

I'm sure there's an order I should be trying things so I need to know where to start. I'm at school right now til 10pm (CST) so no rush. I have a really old computer at home and I'll hopefully be able to access the internet from that one for help.

This post has been edited by ahelaumakani: May 8 2008, 10:39 AM

I think some other techs will chime in and lend a hand here, but the 1st thing I saw and that crossed my mind was "(and looking an adult sites...) " When I read that the 1st thing I thought was you should get hijackthis and post the the malware forum to be sure your system is clean. I could be completily wrong, and it might be bad timing but many adult sites are loaded with malware/virus etc.
I would also use caution when entering ANY passwords because he might have a keylogger on the system which would be able to steal all passwords, The WoW account pass, bank account passwords, etc.

So only real adivse I have right now is go slow and procede with caution. Be sure the system is clean before tackeling anything else. But as I said I could be off base and the reg techs here might have a better suggestion.

Best regards
Tonka

Agree absolutely with Tonka, it's quite likely your computer has picked up some malware, virus, trojan, key logger, bot and you need to get it cleaned up.

Please go to the Malware forum. Read the pinned topics and do what you can. If you can't do the tasks it suggests, post a HijackThis log in the forum, with a link back to this post.

If you can't get HijackThis to run successfully, post in the malware forum anyway and tell them what is happening.

Post back here when your computer is clean if you have any more problems you want to pursue..

Well, the problem at this point is I can't do anything I can't even get to the desktop in safe mode. The bf took it to this computer place today and they said they couldn't do anything without some passkey. Basically, at that point they just wanted to reinstall the whole system (this seems to be their solution to everything...).

It's stuck on the startup screens. So, I can't d/l HJT until I figure out some way to get into windows. I'll try to boot it up again so I can give some more info as to what the BSOD is saying is wrong.

OK, here's what I've got so far:

Short Self Test: Failed Error Code: HD521-2W

SMART Extended Self Test:

[/indent]Target Disk: SAMSUNG SP2004C

Test Finished: Failed
[indent]

Self-Test Status Value: 7 (Completed with the read element of the test failed)



From the BSOD:

A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

UMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

If this is the first time you've see this Stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps:

Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed. If this is a new installation, ask your hardware or software manufacturer for any Windows updates you might need.

If problems continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or software. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. If you need to use Safe Mode to remove or diable componenets, restart your computer, press F8 to select Advanced Startup Options, and then select Safe Mode.

Technical information:

*** STOP: 0x000000ED (0x866D63F0, 0xC0000006, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)


I'm freaking out. Looking around online it seems like the advice for this type of problem is stop everything you're doing and back up the hard disk because it's already damaged and about to die. Did I really cause a major hardware problem just by hitting the reset button? The computer isn't even that old. And I don't know how to back up files without being able to get in. I've never even run a computer in Safe Mode. Help!

Hi ahelaumakani

Sorry to hear that you and your bf got troubles with your PC. Lets see if we can try fix it.

The problem / error message you describe sometimes occur when one of two conditions are met.

1. If the PC uses 40mm UDMA cable

Solution: Replace it with a 80mm UDMA cable. As you describe it as new, you might want to hear the vendor if they will replace for free using your warranty.

2. The BIOS is forced to faster UDMA mode

Solution: Enter your BIOS and reset BIOS settings to default. Activate any BIOS settings you need. USB controllers etc. etc.

To enter BIOS, keep tapping the DEL(ete) key right after first BIOS screen and/or first "beep". Your system may use another key, like F1, F2 or some other key (Usually displayed somewhere on the first BIOS screen)

Try number 2 first.

If you got material/data on that Hard-Disk you need, you might wanna look at some possibilities to back-up you data if needed. Pull the HD from the casing, and mount it on another PC for example as slave, see if it can be accessed at all. If it can't be accessed, you might be looking at a "dead" HD. This should be covered by your warranty if you still got warranty left.
In the case of a dead HD, data extraction can be done, but this is usually not something done for free. Hear your local computer store about their prizes for this kind of thing.

I'll be out of town for the next 36 hours, and can't reply to any post in that time. But I'm sure some other tech will fill in about any gaps, further instructions etc. if need be.

Regards Abydos

(to Abydos or anyone else reading)


Hmm...I haven't heard of that type of cable. Maybe my defintion of "new" isn't very accurate. The computer is around 2 years old.

It's just surprising to me that it would already be having hard drive problems (the one I'm using right now is 5 and still kicking). I don't think it's still under warranty and my bf doesn't know where the paperwork is (recovery disks and the like seem to have gotten lost during a move).

I've actually tried step 2 already through dumb luck but it didn't seem to change anything.

I'm wary of taking apart the computer by myself. I guess I was hoping this was just some malware that could be fixed by running a few scans! Should I take it to a computer shop and have them do it?


A question about what the repair place said today:

Apparently they told my bf that they could bypass the startup screens and gain access to Windows but they needed a product key to do it. I d/led ubcd4win thinking I could do it myself. But now I see there's a product key sticker right on the case. I'm not sure if it was a different key that they needed or just incompetence on their part for not noticing. Their primary business is a gaming hangout so I have some doubt towards their repair abilities.

It seems like they wanted to approach the problem in a completely different (wrong?) way - from what you're saying and from what I've read online. Would trying to install ubcd4win to that computer from a disk been catastrophic? I'm just worried that if my bf gets antsy in the next 36 hours and takes it back over there that they might make it even worse.

Hi,
Until Abydos gets back I'll pick up with some thoughts for you;
(I've put these in the form of a list to try and make them more helpful)

1 Make no mistake, the errors you describe indicate that there is a serious problem with your computer
2 It is most unlikely that it can be fixed by running a few scans
3 If you can't get into safe mode and run "last good config" then the next step is to boot to the "Recovery Console"
4 You will need a Microsoft Windows XP installation disc for this
5 An expert can use a boot disc such as UBCD4 Win (or it's Linux equivalent) but it does require good knowledge..... eg don't try to install it...... but boot from it......
6 A competent local computer technician may well be your best bet here as it just could be a question of reloading the 3 essential boot files and then carrying out a repair (rebuilding the master boot record)
7 The first step and the most important is to stop using your machine immediately.......It could be that the hard drive is about to fail (further use will speed up this process) and if it does it will take all your files, data, letters, photos, emails, music, spreadsheets, work.......Yes that is everything with it.. Lets hope your backup/archive/copy is 100% up to date accurate and reproducible.
8 If its not then take the opportunity to update it now (and keep it safe on removable media) Make a good effort to find all installation discs, serial numbers product keys, licenses etc and the executables from any programmes you have downloaded. Don't forget to include all your up to date drivers.
9 If you can't get into Windows either by safe mode or the Recovery Console, then you have 3 choices.
One
Remove the hard drive from your computer and slave it to a known good machine and then copy off all your important stuff ,please take all normal personal safety and anti-static (ESD) precautions, (if you are unsure of any of this then go directly to step 3)
or
Two
Use an external (USB) hard drive caddy or even a USB cabled IDE/SATA connector to connect your drive to another machine and then pull off all your data etc. (same safety precautions as above)
or
Three
Entrust the work to your local competent computer technician (but do get a firm price for this before work starts and make sure that s(he) is competent to carry out the work! ( if you have any doubts on this go elsewhere!

Hitting the reset button will not usually cause these sort of problems, but can be problematic.... it's a last resort step to clear down when all usual procedures have been exhausted and the machine remains "frozen"

Hard drives are not usually damaged by software but do wear out.....they rotate at speeds of 5000 RPM or more with the read/write heads just tiny fractions of an inch above the surface of the platters, ( if they touch then this is a "crash" and damage is caused) as electro mechanical devices their bearings can wear out and the printed circuit boards can also fail.

If the hard drive has failed then the above suggestions will not work and anything that was on your drive will be lost unless you can afford the services of a data recovery laboratory, who can often work miracles and even disassemle the platters in a "cleanroom" and realign them, and replace the PCB's however please be aware that these services are not inexpensive and can run into £1000 or more (GBP) approx $2000 (USD) so its only really useful if your data is valuable to you and for some reason your backup/Archive/Copy has failed

A life of 2 years is not generally considered "good" but failure at this time is far from unknown, any knock or impact shortens its life considerably.

Lets look on the brightside........ perhaps reloading your boot files and rebuilding the master boot record will do the trick, at least this may enable you to boot the machine and then you can check to see if malware is present by submitting an HJT log (not here) but in the malware removal forum
http://forums.whatthetech.com/Welcome_New_...ers_t34502.html
However you should be prepared for a reinstall of Windows as it may become necessary. (more than half of the cases we see in the workshop with these symptoms result in a reinstall of Windows)
Good luck
Regards
paws

This post has been edited by paws: May 9 2008, 03:48 AM