[ronwin]

running winxp pro

on starting up this error message appears 'a read disk error occurred press clt alt del to restart

then usual bios entries start and 'press F2 for Setup.

No clue what to do when entering Setup

Also cannot press usual F8 to enter safe mode ..or even F5

cannot use win symbol key plus r either

Must be a virus ? any help please

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Sounds more like a hard drive issue then a virus to me ronwin. Please do the following and let me know the results.


Run hard drive diagnostics: http://www.tacktech....ay.cfm?ttid=287
Make sure, you select tool, which is appropriate for the brand of your hard drive.
Depending on the program, it'll create bootable floppy, or bootable CD.
If downloaded file is of .iso type, use ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/ to burn .iso file to a CD (select "Write image file to disc" option), and make the CD bootable.

NOTE. If your hard drive is made by Toshiba, try the Hitachi DFT CD Image version of the software

Thanks to Broni for the instructions

[rshaffer61]

Sounds more like a hard drive issue then a virus to me ronwin. Please do the following and let me know the results.


Run hard drive diagnostics: http://www.tacktech....ay.cfm?ttid=287
Make sure, you select tool, which is appropriate for the brand of your hard drive.
Depending on the program, it'll create bootable floppy, or bootable CD.
If downloaded file is of .iso type, use ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/ to burn .iso file to a CD (select "Write image file to disc" option), and make the CD bootable.

NOTE. If your hard drive is made by Toshiba, try the Hitachi DFT CD Image version of the software

Thanks to Broni for the instructions

[ronwin]

Thanks for that

Problem I cannot access anything on the infected laptop..or am I being thick...shall I find out maker of hard drive ans download on another laptop and try and use cd or mem card in the infected laptop?

[rshaffer61]

What about the system you are responding to me here?
Download and burn the cd using the system you are using here and then put the disk in the problem system and boot up with it.

[Wolfeymole]

I'd agree with RShaffer that this issue is NOT a virus but, rather, a faulty hard disk drive and no amount of bootable disks will work or read a drive that is unreadable.

My question would be to ask if you have the XP installation disk and hopefully the Drivers and Utilities disk for that machine?

[ronwin]

OK will try that and report back

[rshaffer61]

I'd agree with RShaffer that this issue is NOT a virus but, rather, a faulty hard disk drive and no amount of bootable disks will work or read a drive that is unreadable.

My question would be to ask if you have the XP installation disk and hopefully the Drivers and Utilities disk for that machine?

This is what I'm trying to determine also. If the diagnostic disk will not see the hard drive then the hard drive is gone and a replacement is needed.

[Wolfeymole]

A fair point Ron, care to wager that the hard drive is toast?

[rshaffer61]

Nope I am 99.99999% sure it will show as being bad.

[Wolfeymole]

Me also.

[ronwin]

No go laptop will not play CD

sounds as though your original thought was correct...hard disk faulty?

[123Runner]

The CD booting has nothing to do with a bad hard drive.
Have you gone into the bios and changed the boot order to boot from CD as the 1st boot device?

[ronwin]

Yes have the Win XP pro disk version 2002 includes service pack 2 but what use is it?

Or am I being a little dense again. Presumably purchase a new hard disk and install?

[rshaffer61]

To make this easy go into the bios and see if it identifies the hard drive.

[ronwin]

Tried that ..doesn't show hard drive and I don't feel expert enough to play about with Bios.

Altough if nothing is lost I'll try the suggestion to change to booting from CD

Which CD though the Win installation disk?