The problem:
When I turn on my computer (not this one of course), it's a black screen, and I mean totally blank, and I can't do anything.
That is, without the Vista recovery DVD(s).
But even the first time I got the recovery DVD to start (using disc 1 of 2) when it asked me if I wanted to boot
from the disc or from the hard drive, here's what happened:
1) I didn't see an option that would save my files. I hoped "from hard drive" would, but I don't think so. Plus I thought I might still have the same problem if I didn't boot from the disk. But I learned that "from disc" would lose my files when restoring it to factory condition, so that's only my last resort if there's no way at all to save the computer and/or the files.
2) For no more than 12 seconds I hesitated, (since I want to save my files) and the screen got all kinds of lines
all over it and I knew this was not working right...and it froze like that.
Next time I got the Vista recovery DVD to start, it never got past "loading files" or whatever. It just turned to a black screen with a cursor in the corner. And that was how it stayed.
And third time I got the Vista DVD to start, it just turned black with no cursor, very soon after "loading files".
The story leading up to this:
My computer was running great until 5 months ago or so, when it started to warn me that my memory was low, and
then very often it would freeze up, and I would have to hold the CPU start button until it shut down. Then I'd
wait 10 seconds, and hit the CPU start button again, (of course) and select "start in normal mode" when prompted
on the screen. (I had the best intentions of backing up my files, and avoiding this outcome, but you know how
that goes, and you know what they say.)
The other day I started it the first time for that day and it was acting just as it had lately. But a few hours
later, I turned it on the second time, and checked my email like any other day, and something changed. Though it
froze like it often did, this time all of a sudden these different colors started to appear very quickly. So
quickly, that I can't recall if they were multiple squares and/or rectangles (of all different colors), or if it
was one square or rectangle with multiple colors that kept growing and adding colors.
The foreign object(s) took up a relatively small portion of the screen, but I quickly decided to hold the CPU
start button to shut it down, trying to avoid more problems...but as soon as I turned it back on, it simply
became a blank black screen. And that's all that happens when I turn it on now. No sound from the speakers
(meaning Windows Vista doesn't eventually start up) was the first clue that a new monitor wouldn't help, but I
still tried a different monitor, with no luck. (I think the CPU might even sound quieter when it's on now than
before this crash, but I'm not 100% sure.)
Maybe it would've still been able to work if I hadn't held the CPU start button at that point...but I doubt it!
That will teach me not to back up my files! I've learned my lesson, and I hope this can be solved...but I won't
get my hopes up.
Questions...is there:
1) Any way to save my files at all?
2) Any way to get the vista disc to not freeze when it starts?
3) Any way to get the Vista disc to start up each time?
4) Any way to fix this without the Vista DVD?
And:
5) Is there a different Vista DVD that could fix the problem while keeping the files?
6) What's the cause? (Perhaps me, for not fixing the memory issue?)
7) I read somewhere that one can make a Linux cd (or dvd) and then put that into the "broken" computer and and access their C drive that way, and save their files before restoring to factory condition with Windows Vista. Is this true? If so, there's still no guarantee my Vista restore disc will work, of course!
Of course feel free to only answer the questions you think are worth answering...I'm not certainly not picky about having them all answered. I just appreciate the assistance!
Thank you to everyone who helps others here! And thank you so much in advance to anyone who can help, or tries!
When I turn on my computer (not this one of course), it's a black screen, and I mean totally blank, and I can't do anything.
That is, without the Vista recovery DVD(s).
But even the first time I got the recovery DVD to start (using disc 1 of 2) when it asked me if I wanted to boot
from the disc or from the hard drive, here's what happened:
1) I didn't see an option that would save my files. I hoped "from hard drive" would, but I don't think so. Plus I thought I might still have the same problem if I didn't boot from the disk. But I learned that "from disc" would lose my files when restoring it to factory condition, so that's only my last resort if there's no way at all to save the computer and/or the files.
2) For no more than 12 seconds I hesitated, (since I want to save my files) and the screen got all kinds of lines
all over it and I knew this was not working right...and it froze like that.
Next time I got the Vista recovery DVD to start, it never got past "loading files" or whatever. It just turned to a black screen with a cursor in the corner. And that was how it stayed.
And third time I got the Vista DVD to start, it just turned black with no cursor, very soon after "loading files".
The story leading up to this:
My computer was running great until 5 months ago or so, when it started to warn me that my memory was low, and
then very often it would freeze up, and I would have to hold the CPU start button until it shut down. Then I'd
wait 10 seconds, and hit the CPU start button again, (of course) and select "start in normal mode" when prompted
on the screen. (I had the best intentions of backing up my files, and avoiding this outcome, but you know how
that goes, and you know what they say.)
The other day I started it the first time for that day and it was acting just as it had lately. But a few hours
later, I turned it on the second time, and checked my email like any other day, and something changed. Though it
froze like it often did, this time all of a sudden these different colors started to appear very quickly. So
quickly, that I can't recall if they were multiple squares and/or rectangles (of all different colors), or if it
was one square or rectangle with multiple colors that kept growing and adding colors.
The foreign object(s) took up a relatively small portion of the screen, but I quickly decided to hold the CPU
start button to shut it down, trying to avoid more problems...but as soon as I turned it back on, it simply
became a blank black screen. And that's all that happens when I turn it on now. No sound from the speakers
(meaning Windows Vista doesn't eventually start up) was the first clue that a new monitor wouldn't help, but I
still tried a different monitor, with no luck. (I think the CPU might even sound quieter when it's on now than
before this crash, but I'm not 100% sure.)
Maybe it would've still been able to work if I hadn't held the CPU start button at that point...but I doubt it!
That will teach me not to back up my files! I've learned my lesson, and I hope this can be solved...but I won't
get my hopes up.
Questions...is there:
1) Any way to save my files at all?
2) Any way to get the vista disc to not freeze when it starts?
3) Any way to get the Vista disc to start up each time?
4) Any way to fix this without the Vista DVD?
And:
5) Is there a different Vista DVD that could fix the problem while keeping the files?
6) What's the cause? (Perhaps me, for not fixing the memory issue?)
7) I read somewhere that one can make a Linux cd (or dvd) and then put that into the "broken" computer and and access their C drive that way, and save their files before restoring to factory condition with Windows Vista. Is this true? If so, there's still no guarantee my Vista restore disc will work, of course!
Of course feel free to only answer the questions you think are worth answering...I'm not certainly not picky about having them all answered. I just appreciate the assistance!
Thank you to everyone who helps others here! And thank you so much in advance to anyone who can help, or tries!