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No "Boot from C" error - Laptop - XP

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Frant - Nov 12, 2008 at 07:19 AM
Frant Posts 2 Registration date Tuesday November 11, 2008 Status Member Last seen November 12, 2008 - Nov 12, 2008 at 01:35 PM
Hello,
I am running XP Professional on a Laptop 2.0 GHtz (Compaq I think)....512 memory. We leave this running 24/7 and it doesn't hibernate but have the monitor go off after 10 minutes (the typical laptop setting).

Anyway, during the past month or so, when we hit the "on' button which usually wakes the computer up, we get a bios screen saying that it can't find the hard drive. We do see A, D, and C and if we arrow up to C, nothing happens. The solution we've been using is to pull out the battery, pull out the plug, wait 10 seconds or so - put it back in, hit the power button and it will allow us to boot to safe mode (with networking) - once there, we do a restore to yesterday or the day before (whatever is bolded) and it DOES boot and restores properly.

It will stay that way for a day or two and then it will start again. At once of the restore incidences, as I was watching, it said "it was missing files" and "file was restored" messages - but it doesn't always do that.

I do have the original XP CD for this system but hate to do a total reinstall as I'll lose all of my laptop settings. (they're a pain to reinstall). What file is corrupted, the boot sector?. Why then AFTER I restore and it runs for another day or two, does it happen again? It seems like if you restore, the boot sector should copy over itself.

We have 2 laptops and a desktop (all running XP Pro). I am seriously thinking about getting new computers but only thing offered today is Vista..... any suggestions on Version of vista, if it's worth it, etc..... don't know what the solution is. Today's technology has changed so much. I noticed that IF I go with Dell, they offer a ton of space on-line that you can back up your drive.... I don't know - any help would be appreciated on suggestions of what to get. I'm NOT a gamer but am a heavy user of MS Office.....and like the latest and greatest.
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xpcman Posts 19530 Registration date Wednesday October 8, 2008 Status Contributor Last seen June 15, 2019 1,827
Nov 12, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Why do you have the laptop on 24/7? Laptops were not designed for 24/7 usage.

It sounds like your hard disk is having problems powering up after going into sleep mode. You could have a repair shop replace your hard drive and copy the data from your current drive to the new one. The laptop will look and work exactly as it did before the hardware change.

You could power down the laptop every night and see if the problem continues. You could also change the "Power" settings so that the hard drive NEVER powers down. Why is the laptop left on 24/7? It was not designed to run that way.
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Frant Posts 2 Registration date Tuesday November 11, 2008 Status Member Last seen November 12, 2008
Nov 12, 2008 at 01:35 PM
Well, I have 2 laptops and a desktop - everything stays on.... The laptops go on standby after 15 minutes or so and actually are never warm unless they're being used. They're also elevated with an airspace under it. I've just always found that turning off and off your computer stresses the files and components.....and find that people that turn on and off their computers several times a day, whether laptop or desktop - end up having more problems.

Right now, the laptops are set to go on standby after 15 minutes and Hard Disk never goes off. The thing that gets me is that it WILL last a couple of days.....I CAN boot to safemode and I CAN restore.....I just don't understand why the problem continues. I've had this computer for at least 3 years (I never buy new) and it's worked perfectly until the last couple of weeks. The other laptop is even older - never a problem.....

I probably won't replace the hard drive... especially since it DOES restore - it's got to be some kind of corruption somewhere.....

I've always had PCs and actually teach MS Office.....however I'd really really tempted to just go to a Mac for my 3 computers..... I'm just about due for new ones. My desktop is 10 years old but is still viable (2.0 gig, 512ram, XP Pro) but I like to keep up with the technology - and things are changing a lot.

Anyone with experience with Macs? I just DO NOT want to go to Vista....every solid person I've talked to does not like it - It has bad reviews and MS is already got their new software coming out in 2010....so if I've got to learn a new OS, I might as well look at the Macs as well. Maybe this weekend, I'll go to the mall and play with them. Just wasn't ready to replace them quite yet.... since thenI'll probably want new printer, scanner, whatever.....
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