Computer Problems

[Lavender]

Help!  I can't get my PC to turn on!  First I was getting an, "NTLDR is compressed.  Press Ctrl + Alt + Del to restart" error.  Now I'm getting, "DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER."

With Google I was able to figure out that I should be able to use the recovery disks to reboot from them and fix it only my PC didn't come with any.  So I then found out I can download the disks from Microsoft, but I can't burn them to CDs and use them because my DVD-Rom drive hasn't been recognizing either DVDs or CDs in any way.  I tried using a jump/thumb/etc. drive, but that didn't work any way I could figure it.

I'm borrowing my dad's laptop, but I won't be able to use it indefinitely.  Does anybody have any ideas that could help?  We all know there's no way I can afford a new computer, even a cheap one.  :(  I have to find a way to fix this one.

I turned on my PC again but got the "DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER" error even before I could hit F2 to go into Bios.

If I can't fix this PC, I'm going to have to say goodbye to internet RPing.  I just don't have the money to get a new PC, even a very cheap one.

EDIT: The PC is just a cheapy eMachines W3050.

[Oniya]

Possibility:  As I recall, the eMachines are mini-towers, which means that you've got some space to work with.  See if you can find a replacement (cheap/used) DVD-ROM drive to replace the damaged one.  Then use the recovery disks.  If the replacement drive even works long enough to get you recovered, then it's done its job, and if it works longer, that's icing.

[Greenthorn]

With Google I was able to figure out that I should be able to use the recovery disks to reboot from them and fix it only my PC didn't come with any.

Because recovery files are usually on a partition these days.  Try hitting F8 to enter safe mode.  If you are able to do that, let us know.

[Lavender]

I went and turned on the computer, trying F8 immediately and repeatedly until I got to this, the same error it started giving me last night, not letting me into Bios or anything else.

NVIDIA Boot Agent 201.0440
Copyright <snip>
Copyright <snip>

CLIENT MAC ADDR <snipped string of numbers>
GUID FFFFFFF-FFFF-FFFF-FFFF-FFFFFFFFFFFF
PXE-E53: No boot filename received

PXE-M0F: Exiting NVIDIA Boot Agent
DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER

[Vekseid]

The error he's getting occurs before getting to that point. He may very well need a new hard drive, though he might not depending.

[Lavender]

I can't afford a new hard drive.  Teaching doesn't pay all that much, and my ex won't pay his child support, so I'm raising three kids with health problems all on my own.  If I can't fix this computer, I'm out of luck.

[Oniya]

What about networking the emachine to the laptop?  Anyone know if it would be possible to use the recovery disks to repair the emachine hard drive 'remotely'?  I'm thinking that if it's a boot problem, maybe the laptop could be told to treat the tower as a slave for the purpose of either repairing, or reinstalling the OS on the tower.

(I used to do this with Macs, but not PCs.)

[Vekseid]

Well if she were here I'd just offer to swap her machine with one of my spares : /

Her DVD drive may be fine, it may just be passing it in the boot order. But it would be far superior if she first got that disk checked - what version of windows are you running, Lavender?

[Vekseid]

and my ex won't pay his child support,

And err, I hope you're dealing with the authorities on this one : /

[Lavender]

We got the computer to get to Bios and then the recovery thing (F11), and we tried using a Windows recovery disk thingy, but no dice.  It's Windows XP.  I purchased the machine in 2004.  Does this change anything since I can now access those things?

The authorities?  Hah.  I wish.  He can work for months before they get all the stupid paperwork taken care of and start docking his pay.  Then he just quits or gets himself fired and goes to a new job to do it all again.  I might get a month's worth twice a year.  He almost always owes me thousands of dollars.  I did get his income tax refund, but I need that to pay for the kids' clothes.  I can't use it for me just so I can RP on E and RPoL.  Even after getting his refund, though, he still owes me thousands of dollars.

[Vekseid]

Well, do you have XP home or XP professional? It should say, along with a 25-digit key (five groups of five capital letters and numbers) on the side of your machine. Ignore 'recovery' for a bit and pretend it doesn't exist, do you have any other options? Also, can the laptop you use burn images / know someone who can walk you through that?

[Lavender]

Home.

Not sure.  Something was messing up with it's DVD-Rom drive as well a few weeks ago.  I haven't asked Dad if he fixed it or not.  My dad also has a desktop PC running some version of XP Home, but I don't know about it's burning capabilities.

Other than recovery, I don't know of what else to do.  So far the consensus on here and RPoL is to get a new machine altogether, but unless I find a rich friend or two who decides they just love me, I'm outta luck on that score.