Dead Hard Drive, what now?

L

LocusEU

New Member
Hello all, a few days ago i started up my PC, and i heard a scratching noise coming out of it. I've never had this issue before, and as soon as it fired up a message popped up saying my hard disk was damaged.

I immediately decided to make an image back up, and right after that finished my screen went black. I tried to reboot it, but even tho the computer starts running, the screen stays black.

I need help on how to fix this, and if i can do this myself. Also, does this mean that i have to buy a new operating system? Since i think that the hard disk that crashed was the one my OS ran one (since it crashed my PC).

Thanks for any replies!
 
You're gonna need to buy a new hard disk and install the OS onto it yes. Which OS were you using before? Do you have a key for it?
 
spirit said:
You're gonna need to buy a new hard disk and install the OS onto it yes. Which OS were you using before? Do you have a key for it?
Click to expand...
I have 3 other hard drives in my PC, and i do not have a Disk Reader, does this change anything? I don't have a key anymore. I use windows 10.
 
LocusEU said:
I have 3 other hard drives in my PC, and i do not have a Disk Reader, does this change anything? I don't have a key anymore. I use windows 10.
Click to expand...
You could install Windows onto of those disks but it would wipe the data on it.

What OS were you using before 10?
 
LocusEU said:
Windows 8, but i don't have the key since its a pre-owned PC.
Click to expand...
You might be install 8 or 10 and it may activate depending on if there's activation information in the BIOS or not.

It does sound like it might be easier to just buy a copy of 10 though. $99 for a copy of 10 Home. :(
 
spirit said:
You might be install 8 or 10 and it may activate depending on if there's activation information in the BIOS or not.

It does sound like it might be easier to just buy a copy of 10 though. $99 for a copy of 10 Home. :(
Click to expand...

Damn.. Just my luck. Well, how to do this if i don't have a CD Reader? Are there like USB sticks with windows 10 on them?
 
LocusEU said:
Damn.. Just my luck. Well, how to do this if i don't have a CD Reader? Are there like USB sticks with windows 10 on them?
Click to expand...
Yeah.

What computer have you got? If it's an OEM machine (i.e. not custom-built - from somebody like HP, Dell, Acer etc), try downloading Windows 10 and putting it on a USB using the Media Creator tool from Microsoft and just see if it will activate with information in the BIOS if there is any. If not, just buy it (digitally, no need to buy the USB with it on since you will have already made one) and enter a product key to activate it. BUT, you may need a product key to even download the software... let me know how it goes.

Media Creator tool: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10

If all else fails you can buy Windows 10 on USB.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top