Slooowww....

[Reginald]

The other day I was forced to reformat my computer thanks to a few corrupt files and the Recovery Console's denial to open.

So anyway, I reformated and the whole computer was really slow and crashing a helluva lot. Then I realised that I forgot to install my drivers. So I did that too. And the computer seemed to be back to its normal self. But in the last few hours it has slowed down again to a state where the Start menu gets stuck and Winamp, MSN and Windows Explorer won't open.

Any tips? I've done the obvious Virus scans and Registry cleanups but still no luck. It seems to be going fine now, but if I try to do anything more than re-installing HL2 and browsing the net, it'll just mess up.

 

[Ren.182]

Sounds like it could be the hard-drive. Can you hear it clicking or anything?

 

[giant384]

try doing scan disk in your hardrive properties

 

[Reginald]

Sounds like it could be the hard-drive. Can you hear it clicking or anything?

No noise is coming from the computer itself other than the usual whirring of the fans.

try doing scan disk in your hardrive properties

I'll try that now... if I can access it. Could you give some instructions just to make sure I am doing the right thing?

 

[Jimmeh]

Err this is exactly what happened to my computer before my hard drive died. I tried reformatting like you and it was still the same. I then started getting messages at start up saying "Hard Disk imminent failure" or somesuch telling to back up my data, then eventually it went.

 

[15357]

How does the computer know if your hard drive is about to be borked?

 

[Ren.182]

Scandisk... Go into My Computer. Right click on the hard drive and click proporties. Click the "Tools" tab and click "Check Now" in the error checking bit.

It really does sound like your hard drive is going to die though. I'd back everything up just incase

 

[duffers20]

Right before my disc went, I had random windows errors and reboots and the drive would make unusual clicking noises. Also i did experience random slowness, like programs that would normally take a couple of seconds to load, would take a couple of mins even after a restart.

EDIT: If you can I would back up all important data while you still can.

 

[DrDevin]

Right after a reformat you should install service pack 2, then your motherboard drivers, then Direct X 9, then your video drivers, then your soundcard or other drivers.

Make sure you put the motherboard in first as it is needed for all the rest of your parts to work.

I would try another format and that before you replace your hard drive as I have never had a harddrive failure even on my 6 year old PC that gets a lot of use and defragmenting.

 

[Reginald]

Typical that it happens less than a month after the computer is out of warranty... :|

EDIT: New Hard Drives aren't that expensive... :E I may buy a new one just for the hell of it, even if it isn't dying.

 

[duffers20]

I recommend Seagate, Western Digital, Hitachi, Samsung and Maxtor drives.

 

[Reginald]

What do you all think of this one? It's relatively cheap and has more room than my current one. And now that I have a job I can afford it within a month.... or afford to reapy a kindly relative within a month.
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/st...49&category_oid=-25047&fm=5&sm=0&tm=undefined

 

[Ren.182]

That would be fine. But make sure that your motherboard can have SATA hard-drives connected to it. If not, you'll need IDE.

 

[Reginald]

Well, I have just done what DrDevin suggested and it seems to be running fine. I had a few chokes on the Brothers in Arms Demo yesterday (i.e. Complete visual shut down but sound still playing, requiring forced restart)

We'll see how it goes. If it starts going wrong again, I'll revive this thread. If it's all fine and dandy, I'd like to say a big thank you to Devin, and a thanks to everyone else for your input.

 

[Reginald]

It's happened again. Anyone got any more ideas before I shell out for a new HDD?

 

[baron insig]

ur pc hdd is about to die, gawd sake BACK UP!!!

and buy a new hdd 40 quid for 80 gig drive........ 50 p a gig come on

 

[Reginald]

ur pc hdd is about to die, gawd sake BACK UP!!!

and buy a new hdd 40 quid for 80 gig drive........ 50 p a gig come on

My HDD is already backed up from the re-formats I did. But I'm not getting an 80 gig. I'll just match what I have at the moment. i.e. 160.