Desktop PC not starting up

pixiechick99

Hi there,
My desktop pc has frozen a few times over the last day or so - couldn't start the task manager each time. This morning it froze, so started up again and it said wondows hadn't started properly so it was going to repair it - this took a while, then it froze again on a blank screen. Since then, if I turn it on, the light on the tower comes on, you can hear it, but nothing appears on the monitor so monitor goes to standby after 10 seconds or so.

What could be the problem? I have a USB lead I used a couple of years ago when my previous pc died to access the hard drive and save music, documents etc. I'm only in a rush to access this stuff as daughter has a school project due in this week that we need to print out! I have laptops in the house too, noother desktops.

The USB lead I have says USB 2.0 to SATA/IDE cable, for 2.5 or 3.5" HDD. Can anyone run through how to use it as I'm a bit wary.

Also - assuming I can't sort the pc myself, where is best to get it looked at? I'm not using PC World after paying them before to rescue data and they just couldn't - I had to go behind the counter and show the so called 'techie guy' where all the stuff I needed was on my pc as he was adamant he'd saved it all...I was right;)

Thank you in advance:D

aliEnRIK

Can it be started in SAFE MODE? (keep pressing F8 at start up)

googler

Can you remember how you used this lead last time?

With other laptops in the house, you need to hook one up to the HD directly, somehow or other. This may be with this lead, leaving the HD in the desktop machine, or by removing the HD from the desktop and placing it in a USB caddy, which is easily available from Maplin, PC World, etc.

There's plenty of visual guides on YouTube and other sites showing how to remove HDs from desktops, maybe a google or two for

removing hard drive IDE desktop
removing hard drive SATA desktop

or variations would yield guides that are already written, rather than us repeat them. Not trying to discourage you from posting here, merely looking for the fastest route for you to acheive your goal

pixiechick99

aliEnRIK wrote: »

Can it be started in SAFE MODE? (keep pressing F8 at start up)

Hi there,
No, I just tried that and nothing - the blue light on the tower comes on, can hear the fan but nothing on the screen even though the monitor's on.

aliEnRIK

Does it 'sound' like the computers working normally? Id guess the graphics chip has died or come loose (I assume youve checked the connections?)

pixiechick99

googler wrote: »

Can you remember how you used this lead last time?

With other laptops in the house, you need to hook one up to the HD directly, somehow or other. This may be with this lead, leaving the HD in the desktop machine, or by removing the HD from the desktop and placing it in a USB caddy, which is easily available from Maplin, PC World, etc.

There's plenty of visual guides on YouTube and other sites showing how to remove HDs from desktops, maybe a google or two for

removing hard drive IDE desktop
removing hard drive SATA desktop

or variations would yield guides that are already written, rather than us repeat them. Not trying to discourage you from posting here, merely looking for the fastest route for you to acheive your goal

Hi there,
Thanks for the reply - the last time I used this lead I didn't actually do it myself - my dad did it for me! I'm just being a bit impatient as my daughter really needs her work, I won't see my Dad til nearer Christmas now for him to help. I just don't want to attack my pc and not be able to put it back;)
I'm looking elsewhere online for some extra help - thanks for the ideas, I'm not particularly technical, although I don't mind trying:o

pixiechick99

Thanks to YouTube I have removed the hard drive and connected it to the USB cable I had - is it ok to just plug this in to my laptop - I won't affect the laptop in any way will I?
Probably a very silly question, but I did say I wasn't the most techie of people:rotfl:

spakkker

OK , yes - but there should be a power supply with your adapter cable to power up the hard drive.

pixiechick99

spakkker wrote: »

OK , yes - but there should be a power supply with your adapter cable to power up the hard drive.

Yes - all powered up, connected and all of the stuff I need now saved to the laptop;)

Does anyone have an idea what could be wrong with the pc though and if I could sort it myself?!