PC Repair advice dudes

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Thought i would be cheaky and ask if any fellow Vitalian Villans know about PC's, we got a PC that's about 4 years old now a Packard Bell PC tower on Windows Vista, it's not been running for a while due to it not turning on, the fan makes noise the light lights up on the front but no picture, it sounds like the the PC is running fast but i have tried connecting the PC tower to another monitor and TV to ensure it is not the Monitor but still the same you can hear the PC tower running and lighting up but no picture,

Gutted cos me bab's pics am on there from when they was born saved, i have asked at PC world but they said they want £75 to send it away and there is no guarentee they can retrieve the pic'son there or get the PC working :10:

Any tips ideas or anything i could try myself to know if it is a major problem or not, any input will be appreciated dudes
 
You can buy a small hardrive that will remove the pics on to it even though the pc isn't working. I am away until tomorrow Clive. When I get home (remind me if I forget) I will get you the name of what we bought. I presume you can do it yourself, or otherwise once I have the name go to your local independent repair shop and ask for the pics to be removed and if they can get you an XYZ which I will get you the name of when I am home, as I said.

Meaning I had to take my last laptop into the repairers (never do that as we can do stuff ourselves and if we can't my lads can) as the socket hole had worn and needed replacing. Due to the cost of repairing we decided to get a new laptop. I asked the guy about the photo's on there. He got me this small hardrive type and downloaded them off there without problem. Cost me £35-00 and I get to keep the hardrive for further use.

Big companies like those at PC world don't care. If you need to take a PC/laptop in anywhere find a local independent as they do, do stuff like this, as they want your business where the big shops just want you to buy new and don't care about things like this.

We all need an external hardrive Clive so we have a back up for stuff like this if the PC/Laptop goes wrong. You will be able to use the 1 I advise you to get however 1 with a bigger memory needs to be on the shopping list at a later date. I am not sure if you will need to take it in a local independent to get them to do it, as it isn't working.

Hope that helps
 
THANK YOU KK :30: :97: Yam a good en, will defo remind you don't worry about that :17:

Do you know what i day think about an external hard drive at all ffs :83: got loads of pics saved on the Laptop i use now :10: better not do this again will be getting an external hard drive soon defo, fingers crossed this might work, i will remind you and again thanks for your help KK :35:
 
You tried starting in safe mode Clive? Hold F8 before the computer loads up and you should be able to select which mode to use.....

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/start-computer-safe-mode#start-computer-safe-mode=windows-7


Sounds like you have the same Virus that put my last computer out of action to be honest.
 
Will defo try this in a bit Sherlock dude cheers me mon, worth a shot, about to read about that link you put up much appreciated this help them bab's pics have worried me i had lost them, now there is a chance and for that to you both KK and Sherlock dudes i am greatful :)
 
next time just get a dropbox account, then you can back up stuff and if your computer breaks, it is all in the dropbox (or googledrive, but I find dropbox quicker and doesn't slow the computer as much when synching)

a decent memory stick should be enough to back up images as well.
 
I could try and help, but I am intrigued by kefkat's miracle recovery device, so will wait and see the development of this. I can't wait to see what it is, because I've never heard of it before.
 
Me too, never heard of a device that can be used without the computer playing ball.

The only suggestion I had was to take your hard drive to a mates, if they'll let you put it in their tower and copy the files across to a usb stick or external hard drive, or failing that or if you think there could be a virus on it, then to your local pc shop, not PC world, just your back alley pc second hand shop, they can get stuff off your drive for you, and shouldn't rip you off like a coorporate chain shop probably would.

That's what I did when I wanted my music off my old hard drive, they didn't even charge because it was a 10 minute job and I'd bought a bit of stuff off them at the time.
 
I have the same problem with my old 17" Sony Vaio , bloody thing won't boot up , So I bought a Lenovo and thats playing silly buggers filled itself up with pop up adds and stuff! keeps freezing and won't update .

I'm now using a Samsung Chrome book which has been brilliant , I only really surf the net and don't need a PC at home and if I did I'd just use my works Laptop . We even use Google docs at work now .
Luckly I have all my photos on Flicker or still on the CF card in my camera .

Nothing to help Clive, I know bugger all about computers , if they never connected to the net I wouldn't even bother with one !
 
Villan57 - 4/1/2015 19:35

I have the same problem with my old 17" Sony Vaio , bloody thing won't boot up , So I bought a Lenovo and thats playing silly buggers filled itself up with pop up adds and stuff! keeps freezing and won't update .

I'm now using a Samsung Chrome book which has been brilliant , I only really surf the net and don't need a PC at home and if I did I'd just use my works Laptop . We even use Google docs at work now .
Luckly I have all my photos on Flicker or still on the CF card in my camera .

Nothing to help Clive, I know bugger all about computers , if they never connected to the net I wouldn't even bother with one !
Click to expand...

The Sony sounds like the BIOS or hard drive is buggered, and the Lenovo has got a bad virus. They can be fixed, but I agree. Chromebooks are excellent and all most people need. I use one myself.
 
HeathfieldRoad1874 - 4/1/2015 18:46

I could try and help, but I am intrigued by kefkat's miracle recovery device, so will wait and see the development of this. I can't wait to see what it is, because I've never heard of it before.
Click to expand...

Neither had I. Not my miracle recovery device Heath: What out local repair PC repair shop got in for us. Like Clive, I was gutted as there was pics on mine(though I have an external hardrive) I hadn't transferred over.

So they got this small box and downloaded the pics off it for me. I don't know how they did it. I just know it worked cos the laptop didn't
 
HeathfieldRoad1874 - 4/1/2015 19:37

Villan57 - 4/1/2015 19:35

I have the same problem with my old 17" Sony Vaio , bloody thing won't boot up , So I bought a Lenovo and thats playing silly buggers filled itself up with pop up adds and stuff! keeps freezing and won't update .

I'm now using a Samsung Chrome book which has been brilliant , I only really surf the net and don't need a PC at home and if I did I'd just use my works Laptop . We even use Google docs at work now .
Luckly I have all my photos on Flicker or still on the CF card in my camera .

Nothing to help Clive, I know bugger all about computers , if they never connected to the net I wouldn't even bother with one !
Click to expand...

The Sony sounds like the BIOS or hard drive is buggered, and the Lenovo has got a bad virus. They can be fixed, but I agree. Chromebooks are excellent and all most people need. I use one myself.
Click to expand...

I've reset the Lenovo back to factory setting so it works but I think these Chrome books are brilliant , even got one for the Mrs...... not a bad swap ! :17:
 
kefkat - 4/1/2015 20:40

HeathfieldRoad1874 - 4/1/2015 18:46

I could try and help, but I am intrigued by kefkat's miracle recovery device, so will wait and see the development of this. I can't wait to see what it is, because I've never heard of it before.
Click to expand...

Neither had I. Not my miracle recovery device Heath: What out local repair PC repair shop got in for us. Like Clive, I was gutted as there was pics on mine(though I have an external hardrive) I hadn't transferred over.

So they got this small box and downloaded the pics off it for me. I don't know how they did it. I just know it worked cos the laptop didn't
Click to expand...

It's probably some sort of SATA/IDE to USB caddie. I use one to connect hard drives to my pc to recover files. It just attaches any hard drive as a USB drive on a working pc.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/StarTech-com-SATA-Drive-Adapter-Converter/dp/B00D76J1KO/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1420404530&sr=8-10&keywords=ide+sata+to+usb+adapter
 
Villan57 - 4/1/2015 20:44

HeathfieldRoad1874 - 4/1/2015 19:37

Villan57 - 4/1/2015 19:35

I have the same problem with my old 17" Sony Vaio , bloody thing won't boot up , So I bought a Lenovo and thats playing silly buggers filled itself up with pop up adds and stuff! keeps freezing and won't update .

I'm now using a Samsung Chrome book which has been brilliant , I only really surf the net and don't need a PC at home and if I did I'd just use my works Laptop . We even use Google docs at work now .
Luckly I have all my photos on Flicker or still on the CF card in my camera .

Nothing to help Clive, I know bugger all about computers , if they never connected to the net I wouldn't even bother with one !
Click to expand...

The Sony sounds like the BIOS or hard drive is buggered, and the Lenovo has got a bad virus. They can be fixed, but I agree. Chromebooks are excellent and all most people need. I use one myself.
Click to expand...

I've reset the Lenovo back to factory setting so it works but I think these Chrome books are brilliant , even got one for the Mrs...... not a bad swap ! :17:
Click to expand...

She told me she's happy with the deal as well. :86: :86: :86: :86: :86:

Good news on the Lenovo. Now, just stay off those dodgy sites with it!!!!
 
HeathfieldRoad1874 - 4/1/2015 20:51

Villan57 - 4/1/2015 20:44

HeathfieldRoad1874 - 4/1/2015 19:37

Villan57 - 4/1/2015 19:35

I have the same problem with my old 17" Sony Vaio , bloody thing won't boot up , So I bought a Lenovo and thats playing silly buggers filled itself up with pop up adds and stuff! keeps freezing and won't update .

I'm now using a Samsung Chrome book which has been brilliant , I only really surf the net and don't need a PC at home and if I did I'd just use my works Laptop . We even use Google docs at work now .
Luckly I have all my photos on Flicker or still on the CF card in my camera .

Nothing to help Clive, I know bugger all about computers , if they never connected to the net I wouldn't even bother with one !
Click to expand...

The Sony sounds like the BIOS or hard drive is buggered, and the Lenovo has got a bad virus. They can be fixed, but I agree. Chromebooks are excellent and all most people need. I use one myself.
Click to expand...

I've reset the Lenovo back to factory setting so it works but I think these Chrome books are brilliant , even got one for the Mrs...... not a bad swap ! :17:
Click to expand...

She told me she's happy with the deal as well. :86: :86: :86: :86: :86:

Good news on the Lenovo. Now, just stay off those dodgy sites with it!!!!
Click to expand...

I have to click on all those pop up ads to get Fear enough money for his next BMW it's in my contract for him letting me post on here , at least that is what he told me when I signed up ! :17:
 
We can't have Fear missing out on the latest BMW, can we. You keep clicking away mate. It's better you suffer rather then him. It makes life so much quieter around here.
 
Cheers fellow Vital Villa dudes for the advice, i have installed dropbox thank you Fear dude it is super and will do me a job for now until i get an external hard drive at a later date,

So best taking it to the local pc repair shop i tried pressing F8 key when it started up but no joy damn it lol, trouble is without anything appearing on a screen the only way is a pc repair shop ay it, i will try the local one instead of PC World as they am waaaay too expensive tbh,,,,,,cheer's me mucka's
 
If you're not getting anything at all on screen, then it is probably the motherboard, Clive. There is a basic operating system that starts before the hard drive or windows gets involved, and you should see some text from this at least.

The good news here is that all the data should still be on the drive. Take it out and put it in another pc as a second drive, and you should be able to access everything.

Wish I was more local, so I could pop round, but hopefully you can get it sorted.

 
HeathfieldRoad1874 - 5/1/2015 10:22

If you're not getting anything at all on screen, then it is probably the motherboard, Clive. There is a basic operating system that starts before the hard drive or windows gets involved, and you should see some text from this at least.

The good news here is that all the data should still be on the drive. Take it out and put it in another pc as a second drive, and you should be able to access everything.

Wish I was more local, so I could pop round, but hopefully you can get it sorted.
Click to expand...
Thank you Heath dude :30: is there anyway i could take out the Hard Drive out the PC and somehow put it into my Laptop to extract the bab's pics?

If you was local mar mate you would be welcome anytime Heath dude, and cheers for your help honestly the thought i had lost them pics made me and the Mrs pig sick tbh yam good ens on here :7:
 
Any time Clive. Glad to help, and hope it works.

With a laptop you will need something to connect to the USB port. The device I posted on the previous page is the one I've got. It's a bit more expensive, as I use it a lot, but here is a cheaper version which should do for a one off job like this.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Importer520-Drive-CD-Rom-Converter-Adapter/dp/B0037EX6RA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420456805&sr=8-1&keywords=ide+sata+to+usb+adapter


Alternatively you could get one of these and have a permanent USB hard drive to use as your backup device

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Allcam-IT-735-Enclosure-Drives--Black/dp/B000V8KQE6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420456973&sr=8-1&keywords=3.5%22+housing

Hope one of these works for you.
 
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