HELP! Disk 0 seek failure!

[Franklinwallbrown]

My Grandma (not really my grandmother) is the best person in the world & I need your help!

Here is what happened:

Her computer starts, goes to the load screen, then goes to a screen that tells you "Drive 0 seek failure" and to press F1 to go to the boot menu or F2 to go to SETUP, you press F1 and go to the boot menu, press any option (i.e. start windows normally etc.) and then you get the BLOO SCREEN of DEATH!!!

The Blue Screens message is as follows:

Regular stuff.

Check for viruses on your computer. Remove any newly installed hard drive or hard drive controllers. Check your hard drive to make sure it is properly configured and terminated. Run CHKDSK /F to check for hard drive corruption, and then restart your computer.

Technical Information:
*** STOP: 0x0000007B (0xF789E528, 0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)

I tried to find a way to run CHKDSK /F, but I can't find one.

 

[Kursah]

Do you have a disk to boot to DOS?

I know that Stop error is generally related to RAM failure as every time I've seen that BSOD, that's what the cause was...maybe try different RAM...has the PC been cleaned out? Is it full of dust?

See if you can load up the XP install disk and do a repair possibly...

can you provide more info about the PC itself?

 

[Franklinwallbrown]

I don't know if she has a disk to boot to DOS.

Trying different RAM would require buying new RAM & her budget is a bit tight at the moment.

She tried to load XP, but it wouldn't.

What kind of info. do you need?

 

[Kursah]

For PC info...pretty much like system specs...it helps to detail as much as possible in the original POST (see my article link in sig, page 1...yes it's generalized for OC help but can be a guideline for seeking help in other manners also). Whatever you can find out...

Well maybe remove one stick of memory if she has 2, maybe reset the CMOS...

By loading XP what do you mean? By the CD? If it doesn't boot to CD, set that in BIOS to force boot to CD.

 

[Franklinwallbrown]

Okay...brb.

 

[Franklinwallbrown]

Her computer is a Dell system 8400

MB: ??
BIOS: A02 (08/23/04)
RAM: Samsung Unbuffered (2x) 1GB 2Rx8 PC2-3200U-333-10-B1
KR M378T293BG0-CCC 0440
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 3.6GHz
FSB: 800MHz
L2 Cache: 1MB
HDD: 160GB Maxtor 6Y160M0 SATA
GPU: BFG 7900?? (I think)

I took out both sticks of RAM separately and nothing happened. She doesn't have any cooling sleeves.

I tried to force boot Win XP, but I couldn't find boot from CD-ROM. All the boot choices are as follows:

Onboard or USB Floppy (not present)
Onboard SATA Hard Drive
Onboard IDE Hard Drive (not present)
USB Device
Onboard or USB CD-ROM

 

[AphexDreamer]

Use the windows XP CD, go to setup and do what is neccesary to "Recover Windows XP".

It will repair any OS issues you might have and don't worry you keep all your stuff.

 

[Franklinwallbrown]

I can't boot from CD. I don't know why.

 

[AphexDreamer]

I can't boot from CD. I don't know why.

Go to your BIOS and make sure you can boot from a CD, I really suggest you get that Wn XP up and running and do a Recovery. My cuz would get a BSOD everytime she would start up her computer, she called me and I just used the CD and then BAM! it would boot.

 

[Franklinwallbrown]

I tried to force boot Win XP, but I couldn't find boot from CD-ROM. All the boot choices are as follows:

Onboard or USB Floppy (not present)
Onboard SATA Hard Drive
Onboard IDE Hard Drive (not present)
USB Device
Onboard or USB CD-ROM

???

 

[AphexDreamer]

???

No I mean try to get into the Blue Windows XP setup screen?

 

[Franklinwallbrown]

I have tried.

 

[AphexDreamer]

I have tried.

Thats wierd that you can't... BIOS settings ok, CD ok. Can you obtain another CD?

 

[Franklinwallbrown]

Not now, I believe.

 

[xu^]

i assume u have tried selecting this

Onboard or USB CD-ROM

?

that should let it boot from cd ,if not then id say its probably the disk rather than the drive.