how do I know if my hard drive has broken?

sparkiemalarkie · 23 July 2015 at 9:38PM

grumpycrab wrote: »

With disk in caddy? And can see file system? That's a good time to make a copy of any important files.

As you're having no luck booting what is, I assume, your Toshiba Satellite, probably a good time to try a boot disk/USB. Haven't got a link but others may suggest... just off for dinner...

thanks, backed up 3 days ago.
Tried puppy linux but won't load. Got recovery discs but won't boot from them (unless I'm doing it wrong)
thanks

sparkie

Big_Graeme · 23 July 2015 at 10:15PM

Hard drive is knackered then.

sparkiemalarkie · 23 July 2015 at 10:54PM

Ok , its booting when the Hard drive is in the caddy.
I have a windows 7 disc that belongs to my son's computer, would this help?

sparkie

sparkiemalarkie · 23 July 2015 at 11:23PM

Ok , is it possible it could be the RAM ?
I have taken out both sets of RAM and put them back 1 at a time.
The laptop will now boot up propperly, with 1 set of RAM, but everything is very slow. Might the other set be faulty/broken?

sparkie

macman · 24 July 2015 at 1:07PM

Try each stick of RAM in each slot in turn-that will tell you if it's the RAM or the RAM slot.

almillar · 24 July 2015 at 1:16PM

Yup, perfectly possible and you're turning into an IT Pro here! Try running it for a while with what you think the good RAM is. Good time to get another backup in too. Swap with the 'bad' stick and if it's as you thought, buy another stick, or take the opportunity to upgrade the RAM. 8GB is nice if your laptop will take it...