computer won't load up

Browntoa

you can try a linux CD to get it to boot

ftp://ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/damnsmall/current/dsl-4.3.iso

then burn to a CD using imgburn

Mirror 1 - Provided by BetaNews

you want to write an image file to a disc

angelcake

thanks browntoa thats great

Right have all that on disc so I will try and boot before putting this in using just the cable and no battery, if fails try with putting this disc in and it will just load? Do I need to do anything (sorry for all the questions - complete dumb !!! here!!! ) lol

mdbarber

I've had a few ibm/hitachi hdd's "seize" when left on a shelf for a few months, u can try freeing it by repeatedly switching it off and on but if that don't work its a replacement job i'm afraid

tom9980

Cant be sure its the Hard disk the machine should still switch on even if the hard disk has failed. The clicking you describe can also be the cd drive as well dont discount it as the problem ive seen this fault many times with dell laptops. Maybe take a paperclip so you can force the cd drive to open just in case (there is a tiny hole on the front of cd drives to force it to release).

Also take a philips and a flat head screw driver with you you may need to remove the cdrom and hard disk to eliminate them as faults, if the laptop wont boot with both of them removed, and no battery (plugged in to the mains) then something more serious is wrong.

tom9980

Service manuals for sony vaio laptops can be downloaded from here

Browntoa

angelcake wrote: »

thanks browntoa thats great

Right have all that on disc so I will try and boot before putting this in using just the cable and no battery, if fails try with putting this disc in and it will just load? Do I need to do anything (sorry for all the questions - complete dumb !!! here!!! ) lol

cd will just load , may well then detect the hard drive as well

try the battery out and then power on trick first

angelcake

Thank you for all your replies, I didn't read the ones after I had posted as I had to go!

When I switched the machine on it went straight to the viao page nothing else then stayed on it ! that was it! I took battery out etc but no change, I put the cd in and although you could hear it whirring it didn't do anything I kept trying it and trying to press F2 or F8 to get any response, I finally got a screen which said a few bits about the computer and said HDD: None or something like that!

I eventually got in with knoppix but couldn't find anything from there, no files or anything from the original drive! - the clicking was still going but was on/off - Or I didn't notice it as much:o

She bought it in march last year so it it 3 months over the guarentee, even when she phoned currys (before I went round) they said it sounds like hard drive (she said that the currys person said the 'weatherboard' had gone :rotfl: - even I know that its motherboard :rotfl: ) Currys said that the viao shouldn't have gone after just a short time so take it in store and say that its only just over the guarentee and should last longer and they should sort it out! (otherwise its like £200 for a parts & labour :eek: ) so she is going to take it in today to dispute it!

she is gutted as it has photos on like I said before! - But her dad passed away not long ago and it had loads of photos of him on there too

sorry for the essay here!

Bottom line is I can't do anything else I don't think! Thank you all so much for your help! I am learning all the time :T