my computer keeps freezing up during start up, can my files be saved?

Question

I have run checks for virus, spyware, and everything else imaginable, all come back clean. The computer starts up and the screen asking what mode I want to start it in comes up (same results with all), then the Windows XP screen appears, it appears to be thinking, then the black screen of death appears and that is how it stays til I turn it off. Is there a chance my files can be saved from hard drive if removed by someone who knows what they are doing? I don't want to do a OS reinstall before if that is possible. I thought I knew about computers, but OBVIOUSLY not.

Answer 1

Yes, it is very possible to save your files. All you need to do is pull your hard drive, install it in another pc that already has a bootable hard drive installed (hook it up as a slave with the drive already in that system as the master)

when you power up this other system, it will then boot into windows as it always does, (using its C drive, not yours) and you can access the files on the secondary drive and copy them to whatever media of your choosing for backup. this way you are not having to utilize Your windows file system to get into your drive, ergo not lockup

Once you have backed up the files you wish to keep, reinstall the harddrive on your pc, wipe it clean (I recommend Dban from dban.sourcefourge.net, its very thorough and Free) and reinstall windows. then copy your files back to your drive. ta-da.

only other major thing of note is (and this is guesswork on my part) if you do this, be sure the system you do it with does not use an operating system OLDER than yours. In other words, it may not work if your hard drive was formatted NTFS and you try to do the rescue using a FAT32 win98 system. I'm just guessing here though as it's not something I have tried.

oh, and CLEARLY label your dban floppy..putting it in by accident and hitting enter could cause you unwanted stress down the road =)

there may be easier ways than this, but this is how I have done it in similar circumstances.

if the problem is the hard-drive itself, it may be limited to the windows sector if you are lucky, still allowing you to follow the above advice. if it is a larger failure, you could need professional services.

good luck

Answer 2

Have you run the scans in safe mode? Try that first, then move toward more advanced stuff. If that doesn't work, get a windows xp installation disk and use the repair console. Put the installation disk in and boot to it, choose "r" when the blue screen appears. When the DOS prompt comes up type "chkdsk /p" there is a space before /p switch. Let that run , then type "exit" and reboot. This process will not destroy your programs or data.

Answer 3

If it will start in safe mode..try that first. If it does, then try all the usual software tools. If it does, you may want to try the system restore back a few days or even weeks. If all else fails. Get a new hard drive and install the OS. Once done, plug in the old one and see if it is in My Computer. Then get your files out.
Check the bios to see if SMART is enabled and boot up after that. Your drive may have started to fail.

Answer 4

Remember, an OS re-install does not have to clear your files, and you can do OS repairs with the original disk. Failing that, yes, the files more-than-likely can be saved by someone who knows what they are doing (if the problem is not hardware-related.)

Answer 5

if you can get into your desktop, or where ever your files are saved then you can save the to a floppy disc. If not look up computer help in your yellow pages and see if they can do it. It might be a problem with a part of your actual computer and they might be able to take off the memory chips and save your work.

Answer 6

Just install the hdd in aother PC, as a slave drive...then that PC's operating system will recognise it as a disc holding data...this is of course only going to work if the disc isnt completely shot