Hi Bl00dyPC,

I suggest you run the diagnostics on your hard drive before trying anything else. To test your hard drive using your Dell Drivers and Utilities disc:
1. Reboot your system. When you see the Dell logo, hit F12 to enter the boot menu.
2. Insert the Dell Drivers and Utilities disc in your CD/DVD drive.
3. Pick the option to boot from the CD/DVD drive.
4. You will be prompted to hit any key to continue booting from the CD/DVD drive.
5. You will be prompted to hit 1 to run the Dell diagnostics. You may see two such menus.
6. Select Test System.
7. Select Custom Test.
7. Use the arrow keys or mouse to select your hard drive.
9. Click Run Tests.
10. Write down any error messages.

Thanks Osprey4,

Followed these instructions and all went well until step 4.  I boot up from the Dell diagnostics CD and it starts loading something up, then all of a sudden it stops, and the program loading says that this CD is only for use on recognised Dell machines.  Arrgghh.

So I went back into the Boot menu and set it just to run a diagnostic on the PC hard drive (i.e. without using the CD).

It came up with the following;

Drive 0: ST3160828AS - Fail. Return Code:7

I'm presuming that the ST31... number above is the hard drive.  Does the code 7 bit mean anything?

Thanks

BPC

bl00dyPC

Drive 0: ST3160828AS - Fail. Return Code:7, indicates the primary SATA hard drive has failed and need's to be replaced, followed by reinstalling windows, drivers and applications.

Unless there's a warranty in effect, you need to buy an internal SATA, 3.5", 7200rpm hard drive.

Bev.

Thanks, is there no way to recover the data/files etc?

bl00dyPC

One of the easier methods saving the data from a failed hard drive is to remove the hard drive and use a USB 2.0, SATA, adaptor similar to THIS and connect the hard drive to working computer and see if you can transfer the files and folders, or after replacing the hard drive and have reloaded windows and the new drive is working to your satisfaction, install the failed hard drive as the secondary, a SATA data cable would be needed for this.

If this fails to work, then you would need the services of a Data Recovery Company, to recover the files and this can be very expensive.

Bev.

I'd just like to say thanks for help with this guys.

I'll think I'll just invest £20 in a SATA adapter, and treat myself to a new hi-spec base unit.

bl00dyPC

:emotion-21:

Bev.