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New PC joys /endsarcasm

iwanttosave_2
iwanttosave_2 Posts: 34,292 Forumite
10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
in Techie Stuff
New PC
Acer Aspire M1201
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ processor (2.30GHz, 1MB Cache)
Vista Home premium
1GB DDR2 667MHz memory
320GB SATA hard drive (7200rpm)

Got it for xmas for the kids and its playing up already. Just gone to boot it up, it holds at the splash screen for a longish while, then goes to a screen that tells me there is an error on the 4th hard disk, please press any key.

I press any key and then it tells me "Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press any key"

In the BIOS it it selected to boot from cd/dvd 4m-hl-dt-st dvdram and I can't select the hard disk, just that one or removable USB storage.

Is the hard drive already kaput?

I do have an original boot CD but if its the HD then they'res little point in that. Also I don't want to take the side off because it will void the warrenty.
Work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching
Save the cheerleader, save the world!
«1

Comments

  • MercilessKiller
    MercilessKiller Posts: 7,143 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Sounds like hard drive is dead. Take it the PC was bought from a retail chain? Return the entire machine and get it replaced!
    [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"The internet is a great way to get on the net."
    - Bob Dole, Republican presidential candidate    [/FONT]
  • iwanttosave_2
    iwanttosave_2 Posts: 34,292 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Yes it was bought from one of the wonderful ones :rolleyes: T'was a bargain not to be sniffed at though so...

    Thought as much, guess what I'll be doing on my day off. I just hope they don't try fobbing me off with a repair rather than replacement.
    Work like you don't need money,
    Love like you've never been hurt,
    And dance like no one's watching
    Save the cheerleader, save the world!
  • MercilessKiller
    MercilessKiller Posts: 7,143 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Definitely needs to be replaced if it's in warranty :)

    Worst comes the worst it would need a new hard drive which would cost about £60 I imagine for your size, and then a reinstall of windows. Of course it would require opening the side, so see what they say!

    Good luck :)
    [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"The internet is a great way to get on the net."
    - Bob Dole, Republican presidential candidate    [/FONT]
  • iwanttosave_2
    iwanttosave_2 Posts: 34,292 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Actually, while I have a thread open and you here.

    Now thats a half decent spec, but it does and always run like its treading in treacle, I think its vista doing it because I cleared off all the junk Acer put on it and its so slow compared to my laptop. Now, how much would it be to buy XP? Is it a big job to do an OS wipe and install XP?
    Work like you don't need money,
    Love like you've never been hurt,
    And dance like no one's watching
    Save the cheerleader, save the world!
  • totalsolutions
    totalsolutions Posts: 3,110 Forumite
    perchance the power lead has come adrift on the sata drive (don't like them easy to fall away)
  • MercilessKiller
    MercilessKiller Posts: 7,143 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Lucky you.

    I'm assuming there is a Vista windows sticker on the machine with the serial code? That code is valid for windows XP :)

    So you'd need to just download the XP installation, burn it to disc. Then install it and use your vista serial key. I think you need to convert the serial online? I'm not too sure, but google "Using Vista serial for XP" and I'm pretty sure you'll find what you're looking for :)

    As for if its a big job.. it takes time, but as long as you plan it, it's easy. It involves booting up your computer with Xp disc in, formatting the hard drive, then once installed, installing all the drivers for your hardware (printers? sound drivers? graphics driver? etc.. :) ) And of course your software!

    Upgrading to 2GB of RAM would be a recommended thing though. That's the reason I can see your pc is slow :)
    [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"The internet is a great way to get on the net."
    - Bob Dole, Republican presidential candidate    [/FONT]
  • MercilessKiller
    MercilessKiller Posts: 7,143 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    totalsolutions wrote: »
    perchance the power lead has come adrift on the sata drive (don't like them easy to fall away)

    As the OP said, it voids warranty removing the side. New sata cables click and lock in place and need human pressure to come loose. Thus this is still a warranty issue I imagine.
    [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"The internet is a great way to get on the net."
    - Bob Dole, Republican presidential candidate    [/FONT]
  • iwanttosave_2
    iwanttosave_2 Posts: 34,292 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thanks xx

    I think I might try the stick of ram first then, they're cheap enough nowerdays, its always something good to have and if it works then I might leave it. There are 4 rams slots in the computer according to balaric (sp?) so I might even shove another 2 in.
    Work like you don't need money,
    Love like you've never been hurt,
    And dance like no one's watching
    Save the cheerleader, save the world!
  • bookduck
    bookduck Posts: 1,136 Forumite
    MercilessKiller wrote: »
    Lucky you.

    I'm assuming there is a Vista windows sticker on the machine with the serial code? That code is valid for windows XP :)

    Just got me thinking, would it be illegal for you to extract the s/n out of the system and use that, or must it be a physical license stuck on the side?
    GOOGLE it before you ask, you'll often save yourself a lot of time. ;)
  • MercilessKiller
    MercilessKiller Posts: 7,143 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Note to put in the RAM you'd have to take the side off voiding warranty.. that's the problem with buying pre-built computers haha. Though get the hard drive fixed first for sure.

    Bookduck, the license stuck on the side should be the same one as the one extracted out of the system. Doesn't matter how you get that license, as long as its valid and legally yours, then you can use that for XP somehow :)
    [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"The internet is a great way to get on the net."
    - Bob Dole, Republican presidential candidate    [/FONT]
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