system crash!

ms4383 · 5 Jan 2008 at 22:14

hi guys. i just built my first rig, and after a few teething problems (faulty RAM) it was up and running fine. i used it for a while, enough to complete crysis, without any problems.

however, i just connected it to the internet for the first time and downloaded:
mozilla, real player, divx, avast anti virus, updated windows and COD4 patch 1.4.

the windows updates were for new internet explorer, so i chose not to install as id already installed mozilla. it kept prompting me to restart my system however, so i agreed.

here they system crashed. it just shows the 'windows crashed last time it tried to start screen: choose safe mode, normal or last used settings'. any of these options result in the system resetting itself after about 3 seconds. ive checked the bios and its all fine, i also took out the mobo battery to reset it all and changed all the settings back to what it was. still no joy

could it be that my hard drive has just gone bust? it makes a strange sound that it didnt before and it is salvaged from an old rig, but i dont understand why it crashed when it did. was it the COD patch or something else?

full specs are
1p35e
2ghz duo core
8800gt
2gb corsair ram
450 brand name psu

PLEASE HELP???

ms4383 · 5 Jan 2008 at 23:11

or any ideas how to isolate the problem without getting another hard drive and windows disc?

Mattus · 5 Jan 2008 at 23:31

What brand is the PSU?

If the HD is making odd noises, sounds like it could be duff. Go to the HD manufacturer's website and download the diagnostic utility for the drive - see if it shows any errors.

ms4383 · 5 Jan 2008 at 23:37

psu is corsair.

the hard drives quite old, a 80gb IDE.
could it just go bust at any time? it ran fine in the old system, and fine until i connected to the net and downloaded the various programmes.

would i be right in saying the only way to resolve the problem would be to get a new hard drive and load up windows from scratch? i cant really do any diagnostics from the bios can i? even if i download a diagnostic utility if windows isnt opening how can i run it? ive got another old hard drive, again a 80gb IDE, which i could install, but if theres any other way id like to try that first.

mattyrigby00 · 5 Jan 2008 at 23:41

try loading a bootable cd (any at all) with the HD unplugged, if it boots to it correctly its the HD.

ms4383 · 5 Jan 2008 at 23:43

cheers, good idea.

Mattus · 6 Jan 2008 at 02:54

mattyrigby00 said:
try loading a bootable cd (any at all) with the HD unplugged, if it boots to it correctly its the HD.

And if you made the CD a Linux LiveCD (download from the Ubuntu website, etc.) then you'd be able to read the HD from within Linux if it's still working.