I think I have a rather serious problem...

I think I have a rather serious problem...

Author
Discussion

m1spw

Original Poster:

5,999 posts

224 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
quotequote all
IK got a new laptop recently, but didn't transfer all the files off my old computer. I took it off my desk and put it in a cupboard. Its about a week and a bit on now, and I've tried to switch it on to get all my music, photos, school work and email from it onto my laptop, and it won't switch on...

I've tried 2 different power leads, so its not the mains cable. I would imagine its just a wire that has come loose inside, so is it worth opening the case and having a look?

How much is it going to cost to have the data taken off the computer and put onto a CD/DVD by someone like PC World?

docevi1

10,430 posts

247 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
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PC World :faint:

Whats it doing when you try and boot it, is it beeping, any lights? does the CD tray open?

SS2.

14,455 posts

237 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
quotequote all
You could consider buying an external USB HDD caddy and installing your old hard disk in it. That way, you could either transfer your old data onto your laptop or you could use the external drive for all of your data storage. They are not that expensive if you hunt around.

A silly question about your old PC, is there a main power on / off switch on the back which has been turned off ?? Sorry, but had to ask.. It just seems a bit odd that it powered up last week and not now.



m1spw

Original Poster:

5,999 posts

224 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
quotequote all
Its ok about the stupid question, I was actually trying to turn it on with the mains power switch off first, then found I was pressing the reset button rather than the power button (they look the same dammit!). Basically, when I press the power button nothing happens at all, it doesn't send any signal to the screen, the fan doesn't come on, etc etc.

Whats this about an external USB thingummy? Would that work without any power source?

It mights just be a loose wire, but I can't get the case off for some reason

tvrforever

3,182 posts

264 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
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another stupid one - but have to tried removing and re-fitting the battery?

m1spw

Original Poster:

5,999 posts

224 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
quotequote all
tvrforever said:
another stupid one - but have to tried removing and re-fitting the battery?

Battery? Maybe I didn't make it clear, its a desktop PC I'm having problems with, not a laptop.

bigdods

7,172 posts

226 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
quotequote all
Wouldnt be unusual for the power supply to blow on an old machine. These things happen. You can buy them online from ebuyer.co.uk for about £10 or so. Or better still find a friend who also has a PC and borrow their PSU. They are standard size so you can move them between PCs and only take about 5 minutes to remove/refit.

Also (and I know this is numpty thing to say) check the socket you are plugging the cable into to make sure its actually working - its been done before....and as a double check plug the power cable direct into the monitor and see if it comes on.


tvrforever

3,182 posts

264 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
quotequote all
m1spw said:
tvrforever said:
another stupid one - but have to tried removing and re-fitting the battery?

Battery? Maybe I didn't make it clear, its a desktop PC I'm having problems with, not a laptop.


Oops sorry! Have you tried serious use of #1 tool?

GreenV8S

30,149 posts

283 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
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Is the 'old' computer a laptop, or a normal PC?

m1spw

Original Poster:

5,999 posts

224 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
quotequote all
tvrforever said:
m1spw said:
tvrforever said:
another stupid one - but have to tried removing and re-fitting the battery?

Battery? Maybe I didn't make it clear, its a desktop PC I'm having problems with, not a laptop.


Oops sorry! Have you tried serious use of #1 tool?

You mean a big hammer? Not yet, I'll go get one in a second....

Its a PC, not a laptop. I'll open the case up and see if the powersupply wire has come loose. Its about 4 years old now I think...

ukbob

16,277 posts

264 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
quotequote all
The HD caddy is a good idea, im struggling with one right now. Its this: A plastic/metal container into which you fit a normal internal hard drive. The container sits outside your computer, and has 2 plugs.

One plug goes into the computer, via firewire or usb.
The other plug goes directly into the mains.

The caddy should/might come with drivers, and will probably have its own on/off switch. You can put any hard drive into the caddy, and use it to send data to and from your PC.

The benefit is that you can leave it turned off (virus protection) and once a week, drag and drop all your important files into the caddy using windows explorer. HTH

JonRB

74,393 posts

271 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
quotequote all
m1spw said:
Whats this about an external USB thingummy? Would that work without any power source?
Depends on the model - some need an external power supply and others don't. Price varies accordingly.

Basically you open up your old desktop PC, physically remove the hard disc drive (HDD) and install it in the USB enclosure and then plug that into your laptop. Your laptop then mounts that as a new drive letter which you can browse as if it were an internal drive. You could then decide whether to copy stuff off or keep it where it is. Or copy it all off, reformat, and thereafter use it as an extra HDD for your laptop.

Here's a few links that may be of interest:
www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?AKA-101243
www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?NOV-FWHDD2
www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=47956&criteria=external%20enclosure&doy=7m1
www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=47344&criteria=external%20enclosure&doy=7m1

tvrforever

3,182 posts

264 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
quotequote all
m1spw said:
tvrforever said:
m1spw said:
tvrforever said:
another stupid one - but have to tried removing and re-fitting the battery?

Battery? Maybe I didn't make it clear, its a desktop PC I'm having problems with, not a laptop.


Oops sorry! Have you tried serious use of #1 tool?

You mean a big hammer? Not yet, I'll go get one in a second....

Its a PC, not a laptop. I'll open the case up and see if the powersupply wire has come loose. Its about 4 years old now I think...

Don't forget to unplug it when you do that! or at least borrow Vixpy's rubber gloves

>> Edited by tvrforever on Saturday 7th January 20:38

roadsweeper

3,786 posts

273 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
quotequote all
m1spw said:
How much is it going to cost to have the data taken off the computer and put onto a CD/DVD by someone like PC World?

Careful, remember what happened to Gary Glitter...

m1spw

Original Poster:

5,999 posts

224 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
quotequote all
Ok, I'll be honest. I've tried hitting it, shouting at it, screaming at it and none of it has worked.

I tried to remove the case and its somehow stuck on, and I can't work out how (time for tool #1 I think )

Can someone explain simply what the hard drive looks like should I get into the case, and how one of these adaptor things work in basic terms?

ETA: how do I know if I need a 2.5 or 3.5?

Thanks

>> Edited by m1spw on Saturday 7th January 20:42

JonRB

74,393 posts

271 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
quotequote all
m1spw said:
Can someone explain simply what the hard drive looks like should I get into the case, and how one of these adaptor things work in basic terms?
Hmmm. Do you know anybody local who does know what a HDD looks like? Because that would make life a whole lot easier.

trackcar

6,453 posts

225 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
quotequote all
There must be a compooooter-friendly PHer near where you live .. maybe try and ask if someone can pop round your house and help you out? It'd be a shame to lose any data you need by hitting the wrong thing with the hammer ...

m1spw

Original Poster:

5,999 posts

224 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
quotequote all
JonRB said:
m1spw said:
Can someone explain simply what the hard drive looks like should I get into the case, and how one of these adaptor things work in basic terms?
Hmmm. Do you know anybody local who does know what a HDD looks like? Because that would make life a whole lot easier.

I don't know, its not really the kind of thing that comes up in normal conversation - "nice day today" "yeh it is, oh and I know what a HDD looks like btw"...

Ok, so if I just ripped the side off the computer could I take a photo of it and post it up on here so someout could put a big arrow pointing to the HDD and tell me how to take it out?

JonRB

74,393 posts

271 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
quotequote all
m1spw said:
Ok, so if I just ripped the side off the computer could I take a photo of it and post it up on here so someout could put a big arrow pointing to the HDD and tell me how to take it out?
Have a look at this link - www.sterpin.net/uk/ddg3uk.htm

The method on your computer will be very different, because the case shown on this link is different from any other case I've ever seen, but it was the first thing I found. It does, however, show what a HDD looks like and has nice big arrows and good pictures.

>> Edited by JonRB on Saturday 7th January 20:54

SS2.

14,455 posts

237 months

Saturday 7th January 2006
quotequote all
One of these:

Although I agree with others - it might be a lot simpler if you have a mate whose into 'pooters who could pop round and help out..

>> Edited by SS2. on Saturday 7th January 20:54