I DON'T BELIEVE IT - HELP ME SOMEONE PLEASE

[Suninfrance]

Hi Guys

Well tried one of the other options and still got loads of messages saying the files couldn't be opened.  I think I'll call it a day with this one and assume my hard drive has completely expired.

As the PC is still under guarantee - I shall take it back to England with me and try and get some help from PC World.

Thanks for your help and patience though - and at least I still (touch wood) have the old PC.

Jan

[Ecossais]

SunInFrance,

Here’s the Mastercare / PC ServiceCall / The Tech Guys site: http://www.thetechguys.com/servicepartners/servicepartners.shtml

 – you might find something useful there? – You need to click on “PC and TV support” link and then navigate to your model (I’ve tried copying and pasting the URL for your model, but it doesn’t work).  According to their website you don’t get a Windows or Recovery CD – you can create one from the files on the hidden partition of the hard drive using a utility on the laptop.

Alternatively, as you said your laptop was still under warranty, you could either call The Tech Guys (the latest name for PC World’s service department) on 0870 901 3000 or use their email support service http://support.thetechguys.com/Layout.aspx?ID=63aec0d4-34ec-446b-a321-118d62be91bc&CatID=d84bf96d-c05c-48cf-b4af-dc9bcb284743

I’d be surprised if PC World give you your money back after 8 months – they’re more likely to send it off for repair if running the Recovery process doesn’t work.

Good luck!

[tracteurtom]

Just read through this and would support the diagnosis that the HDD is stuffed.  You have backed up all your data so its not a problem, is it?  HDD failure is quiet common.  Avoid the PC shop mentioned like the plaque, bunch of kids, who don't know what they are talking about and charging a fortune for inferior gear.  Get a personally built PC from someone who does know what they are doing and you will also get the original XP or Vista install disk, not something labelled recovery and useless IMHO.

[Suninfrance]

Hi pcwhizz

Thanks for the advice.  I will take it back to PC World because the PC is still under guarantee.  Interesting to note though that my brother picked up the PC for me and being a bit of a pc whizz himself set it all up for me - however, it wasn't all plain sailing.

The original laptop was ordered on 20th July.  The laptop was replaced twice due to faults and the final exchange for a working one was on 20th August which is the one that has just expired.  I'm only in England for 4 days, so I hope they can fix it. 

[Suninfrance]

Thought I'd have another go at this. 

When I start up, my PC now has a black screen and NTLDR Missing Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart.  I do that and just goes back to theNTLDR message.

I've googled it and it appears to be a common problem which can be resolved, but I need idiots guide as opposed to "technospeak".

Any ideas?

Jan

[Clair]

I do not speak techno and I can follow this page relating to "NTLDR is missing"

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000465.htm

Good luck!

[Suninfrance]

Hi Clair

Thanks for that web link - it looks pretty easy to follow.  I've printed off the relevant bits and will have a go.

Jan

[Suninfrance]

Hi all you happy helpers - just thought I'd give you an update on my now defunct laptop (using the old Windows 98 PC at the mo). 

Anyway, I took it back to PC World in Milton Keynes, ready for an argument, but they were pretty good.  Sadly they couldn't fix it before I returned to France, but friends are bringing it out for me at the end of June.

The problem with the PC - the initial thought at PC World was the "About.com" virus, but it turned out to be a faulty RAM which is to be fixed under the guarantee.

Thank you everyone for your advice and help and no doubt I will be back the next time I need sound techie advice.

Jan

[AnOther]

[quote user="Suninfrance"]Sadly they couldn't fix it before I returned to France....the initial thought at PC World was the "About.com" virus, but it turned out to be a faulty RAM....[/quote]

Glad you're getting your PC sorted of course but I have to say that this seems typical of the incompetant BS one has come to expect from the likes of PC World. I think Pierre ZFP and PCwhizz hit the nail firmly on the head when they diagnosed HD failure. Note that this is nothing to do with RAM.

Any competent PC engineer should have been able to both diagnose and fix your PC in under a day so I wouldn't be to too effusive in your praise for PC World !

Incidentally, AFAIK there is no virus calles "About.com", I haven't found it in any of the virus encyclopedia, but I will stand to be corrected on this if anybody can confirm it's existence. 

[Suninfrance]

As I suspected.  PC World I imagine would like to take the **** of those less knowledgable.  However, I am glad that it is being fixed.  Fortunately the guy who will be collecting it for me is a bit more knowledgeable than me on  PCs and I've asked him to get PC W to open up the box, remove the PC, start it up and test everything that should be functioning, is functioning, before it is taken away from the shop.

I'm only glad I don't have to pay for a repair on an 8 month old PC. 

I do miss it though as it is (was) so much quicker than this old thing I'm using now and I can't get on with my family history, because my new genealogy software only works on XP (thank goodness I had it all backed up).  OH is miffed because he can't look at google earth on this one - so he'll be happy when the laptop is back.

Jan

[AnOther]

[quote user="Suninfrance"]....PC World I imagine would like to take the **** of those less knowledgable[/quote]Not too much scope there then he he....[;-)]

I've stood in their local shop on many an occasion earwigging on the spiel the sales person is delivering and I sometimes cringe and have to bite my tounge.

Fingers crossed for you then and at least it's been done under guarantee.

If OH is a Google Earth fan BTW, I wonder if he knows about www.geoportail.fr ?

[briwy]

   

Glad to see you got it sorted OK.

Just a thought for anyone in a similar situation.

If you have info on the duff machine that isnt backed up and you have another desktop machine, take the hard drive out of the duff machine and install it in the working one.

If it is a duff laptop this will mean an adapter (about £5) to connect the drive.

Assuming the drive is working OK then you can copy whatever you want onto the working machine prior to reinstalling Windows on the corrupt one.

Once you have the machine working OK again you can copy all the original material back onto it.

I  generally have folders in My Documents for everything that I want to make sure is safe and then I dont have to go hunting round for files in various locations.

Only problem here is athat if the machine is still under warranty removing the drive is likely to invalidate it in which case ask whoever is mending it to do the above.

Brian

[Suninfrance]

PC is now back in its rightful home.  Mind you I had to work to get it going properly as PC World sent it back with XP SP1 which they denied when I rang them and got quite stroppy.  I ended up downloading SP2 from Microsoft and now everything seems to work OK.

Mind you, the other day, I did get the same message that caused me some hassle before which was about "tracks of adult sites have been found on your computer - download DriverCleaner now" and once again, when I clicked to close it - the thing started to download.  Stopped it immediately and no damage appears to have been done.

At least now I can get on with my family history and have multiple pages open while I'm doing it.  Can't do that on the old PC, it can only just cope with one window being open and freezes if you try for more.

So I am now a very happy bunny.  No doubt I shall be back online if things go "tilt" again.

Jan

[tel]

Hi,

NEVER.... click on any pop-up to close it on a website, it is a scam, there is no 'close' X, you are clicking on the whole pop-up which then starts downloading onto your PC.  If one appears on the website you are viewing, just navigate to another website or Home.

 

Regards 

[Ecossais]

Hi SunInFrance,

Good to hear that you got the problem with your laptop sorted.

You mention that, on its return, your laptop had Windows XP SP1 and that you had to download the SP2 patch.  Have PCW wiped the contents of your hard drive and restored the software to factory original?

If so, I’d suggest you get firewall and anti-virus software on it before the night is out!  The fact that DriveCleaner, whatever it is, has already penetrated your defences is concerning.

If you haven’t bought firewall and anti virus software, you should at least switch on Windows firewall which I think is part of the SP2 patch and download AVG anti virus from their website (there’s a lot of support for AVG on the forum).  I’d also suggest you download “Spybot Search and Destroy” and “Lavasoft Adaware 2007” which are spyware elimination programmes – and use them once a week.

[Suninfrance]

Hi Tel & Ecossais

PC World did not return the computer to me in shop brought condition and the friend who picked it up for me waited 45 minutes in the shop while they loaded all the drivers on for me.  It also came with XP SP2 but wasn't returned that way.

Anyway, after loading my livebox, my first port of call was to load my AVG Anti-Virus (which I brought a 2 year license for cos I thought it was worth it) and then I loaded AVG free anti spyware.  Changed my browser to Mozilla Firefox because it is known to be a much safer browser.  I am wary of any pop up now and right click to close the window (usually).  I had kept my notes which some kind soul gave me on getting rid of that nasty drive cleaner thing, so I was able to check the system thoroughly and it doesn't appear to be anywhere lurking in the registry - but thanks for the advice anyway.

I have my firewall set up for trusted sites and also to warn me when something is trying to open or download.  It's irritating when you keep getting the check window pop up, but it's worth it.

Jan