[lorran]

I think my computer has crashed! Tell me what you think. For the past two days when I turn the computer on a STARTUP REPAIR box appears, saying "Your computer was unable to start. STARTUP REPAIR is checking your system for problems." Then the words "Searching for problems" and a status bar that starts to move slowly (on dial-up connection). Today it froze and now my PC is not responding to any commands. Even when I turn the power off and then back on the STARTUP REPAIR box remains. I purchased this eMachines T3616 Desktop PC with AMD Sempron processor 3600+ last August 2007. It has Windows Vista Home Basic OS. Last week I noticed the first of several error messages: "A disk read error occurred." I probably should have acted then but I never dreamed it would lead to this. Does this sound as if my PC has crashed? if so, what do I do? Please help with any advice you have. Thank you.

lorran

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I have never heard of the supplier of the comp nor the producer of the chip, so either you got jipped and bought a bum comp, or you have had a major critical systems file corruption

I got spyware and that caused my old comp to simply start up, then some black screen up pop up, Windows logo and the little bar going across then it would shut off

How and under what circumstances did the first message appear? After opening some email, file or plugin that you downloaded (music, limewire, etc.), burned CD or other?

I suggest that you take your comp to a store and get the tech guys to fix it. I had to do that. They can usually get all your files and stuff off it and you'll have to reinstall Windows but then everything should work fine

[JDLT]

I have never heard of the supplier of the comp nor the producer of the chip, so either you got jipped and bought a bum comp, or you have had a major critical systems file corruption

I got spyware and that caused my old comp to simply start up, then some black screen up pop up, Windows logo and the little bar going across then it would shut off

How and under what circumstances did the first message appear? After opening some email, file or plugin that you downloaded (music, limewire, etc.), burned CD or other?

I suggest that you take your comp to a store and get the tech guys to fix it. I had to do that. They can usually get all your files and stuff off it and you'll have to reinstall Windows but then everything should work fine

[StewBizzle]

If it is in fact a hardware error, which it kind of sounds like it is, then you will most likely have to replace the hard drive. Unfortunately, if it is some kind of malware, then I agree with JDLT, the tech guys will cost you a pretty penny, but they will fix it, and most likely be able to preserve some, if not all of your data, at the cost of having to reinstall windows. I am not a fan of eMachines, and the Sempron processors from AMD are fairly solid, but not their greatest work (equivalent to the value priced Intel Celeron processors).

[lorran]

My thanks to JDLT and StewBizzle for your advice. Since I have a warranty I will take advantage of it and save myself lots of $$ and headaches. JDLT, the first time the error message appeared was after I opened and read email. I stupidly allowed my free trial antivirus program to lapse without installing another one and I have a hunch that some virus saw an easy target in my computer! All I do is email and from what I hear that is the best and easiest way to catch and unknowingly transmit a virus. Thanks again for your input. This has been a real learning experience for me, to say the least.

lorran