Hi guys, I wonder if you might know what my problem is, my parents computer has died on them. It's a Dell XPS420 running Vista Home Premium. It loads through boot up normally and as it starts windows and gets to the welcome/login screen then the top two inches of screen goes black and it freezes up. Anyone have any idea what that is? If its basically busted, would it be possible for me to recover their photos and such off the hard drive? I could plug it into my computer but would the separate OSs clash?
Most likely a software error if it's getting that far. I'd recover the files you need by plugging the hdd into another computer and try windows repair
Sad thing is my parents are paying a monthly cover with PC world. They sent it off to have the files recovered because all their photos are on there from years and years ago. They sent it back after having it for about 9 days and said "We didn't do anything with it as the amount of data was too large to fit on a disc, you need to provide an external HDD or USB drives" my dads response of course was "So in the week you have had it none of you thought to ring me and tell me that? Or ask me if I would mind paying and you provided it? Idiots" I lolled
Oh, now that is a good one! 9 days though! I'd have thought they'd copy it somewhere internally....fix the machine and then copy it back...
Does it boot into safe mode? Or, if you're getting the boot menu appear (I'd presume so with the failed boots) try the 'last known good configuration'.
If the computer itself is at fault and the HDD is not on the way out then slap it in an external HDD enclosure and voila! Instant access to your parents files, just link it up to another computer via USB or esata. Alternatively link it internally to another computer and rip off all the files then slap it back in the PC for the retailer to repair, replace or refund!
Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I actually got it to start up in it's last known successful configuration or whatever. I did in five minutes what PC World couldn't in nine days and I'm no computer savvy tech person. So far so good seems to be working as normal and I can't see any loss of information or such. All the files my parents wanted including the booking details of their week in Vegas this weekend are safe haha
I sincerely hope they've stopped paying for 'cover' with PC World- extended warrenties & breakdown cover are nothing but a money making scam, especially when talking about places like that ( Curries, Dixons, Comet etc ); The Sale of Goods act will cover most issues for a couple of years, if not 5-6 years with certain goods.
Get them to back up their data now its working, get that external hard drive and have them back it up daily /weekly / monthly whatever. Data isn't safe unless it's in more than 2 or more physical locations. Just goes to prove how useless PC World are...
Off topic but. I bought a Laptop from Curries paid for the cover. Due to my own stupidity I got a virus, I formatted the HDD installed windows from partition it then completely died. Install partition was screwed as no boot.ini. I took it to then Tech Guys who told me to call a number and have it sent off. All it needed was a software fix or replacement HDD. I thought screw that. Cancelled my cover in front of the guy who was unwilling to help me. Went to a computer fair. Paid £40 and replaced the HDD myself. I formatted the old drive and have been using as external storage for years now. Tech Guys are a joke tbh.