Can someone please help me.
My niece tried to install Google Chrome on my dad's (5 yrs +) Dell Demensions 4550 running XP Home Edition. When it seemed to her that the installation was not working she restarted the computer. Now all it does is hang up at the Windows loading screen for a while and then restarts by itself and goes to a black screen that gives you the choice of running Windows normally, in safe mode, or last known config. None of these work.
The only thing I could think to do was run the diagnostics disc that came with the computer. After 5 hours the results stated that everything was working except the IDE drive. It said it failed every test in 2 specific sectors because "the drive could not be accessed or was write protected."
Could it possibly be a virus or some other villian? Is the hard drive gone for good? Please help.
aprilcs