I think my harddrive is dead - what can i do now?

wazza

I have a Compaq Presario V6000 running windows XP. Had it since mid 2006 and use it approx 3-4 hours daily.

For no reason the screen would go blank. Happens approx once or twice a week since 3 weeks ago.

It happened again today. Have noticed that the harddrive light is unlit. When i restart the laptop the harddrive fails to start. The harddrive light comes on once then goes off. It no longer flickers. All i can hear is the fan. The laptop then restarts trying to start the harddrive. No luck. Looks like the harddrive is dead. Am i right?

Considering the age of machine is it worthwhile to replace the harddrive or use another laptop? I feel i am capable of opening up this laptop and changing the harddrive myself. So the only expense will be the cost of the harddrive. Manage to print off a manual of the laptop.

Assuming i am adviced to change the harddrive..

a. can i fit a larger capacity harddrive?

b. how do i install windows XP? The laptop came without a XP disc. It does have the key sticker underneath. Can i use any XP disc (supplied with my desktop pc) and use the key supplied with laptop? I did make a restore disc but don't know where i placed them :-(

c. with the old harddrive removed can i gain access to my files on it?

Any other advice will be gratefully appreciated

Thanks

closed

if the hard disk was dead, you should get a message.

can you get into the bios screen, and if so, can it see the disk?

getting at the data is possible using a hard disk caddy, but not if the drive is dead

you can replace the hard disk for a bigger one, if that is the real fault, but if you didn't create a disk image or backup, you will need to borrow a disc to reinstall.

wazza

closed wrote: »

if the hard disk was dead, you should get a message.

can you get into the bios screen, and if so, can it see the disk?

getting at the data is possible using a hard disk caddy, but not if the drive is dead

you can replace the hard disk for a bigger one, if that is the real fault, but if you didn't create a disk image or backup, you will need to borrow a disc to reinstall.

Nothing appears on the screen. Cannot get to bios.

closed

take battery, power cable and hard disk out

insert power cable and try again

esuhl

wazza wrote: »

Nothing appears on the screen. Cannot get to bios.

If that's happening it won't be because of a faulty hard drive...

wazza

closed wrote: »

take battery, power cable and hard disk out

insert power cable and try again

Have done that. Still no luck. When i switch on the laptop i hear a 'crunch' once from the laptop then nothing. After a while the laptop will restart and go into a loop.

TakeThis

Take the RAM out and give the contacts a clean with a pencil eraser. Try again. Try a Live CD to see if it will start up in RAM.

closed

Some of those hp/compaq models have motherboard flexing problems affecting the power jack/motherboard, if that is the case, you may be able to get it on by pressing down on the keyboard as you power on. crunch sound?

crunch sound? hard disk?