PC help needed pretty please

[El Presidente]

I keep getting this message when turning on my machine.

query dos device failed.

The PC is making a groaning sound when switched on, is my hard drive about to die on me? This could mean a tragic loss of 150gig of lovingly gathered hard core pornography, a similar cultural devastation to the stealing of the Elgin Marbles.

Any geeks out there who can help, as Google is a bit rubbish on this one.

Ta

EP

x

 

[Dave the OAP]

is it a Windows machine...my tekkies here at work havent heard of that one at all

 

[Lush]

The PC is making a groaning sound when switched on, is my hard drive about to die on me? x

No. It's probably about to come.

 

[El Presidente]

is it a Windows machine...my tekkies here at work havent heard of that one at all

Yes it's running XP

 

[El Presidente]

No. It's probably about to come.

You've given me a stiffy there KAY

 

[Dave the OAP]

the only thing we can find is that message tends to be displayed if you have added some hardware and the drivers do not recognise it...have you done so?

 

[gullshark]

It could be one of the fans simply gunked up, have a listen to where its coming from.

If its an old machine in a dusty/smoky household the power supply fans are known to groan and die.

THEN you'll lose your porn as your harddrive blows up with an overheated PSU

 

[NMH]

Groaning sounds don't normally come from the motherboard.
Occasional 'grinding' sounds can come from the hard-drive, as the machine boots up.
There are usually at least a couple of cooling fans inside a tower, and it could possibly be one of them complaining.

If I were you El Pres, I would open the tower and make sure it's clean. Use an air-blowing dust-eliminator (in a can, available at all photography shops, and electronic parts shops, like Maplins e.g.) and carefully blow around all parts and matrix boards (not while plugged in!).
Check all connectors are fully 'made'.
If a fan looks clean, but is obviously having a problem - replace it with a new one.

Dump any stuff on your p/c you neither need, want, or use (being careful not to delete things you might need for other programs to run)
Then, run a cleanup and defrag (start/allprograms/accessories/system tools/disk cleanup or defrag).

 

[El Presidente]

Cheers dudes!

 

[NMH]

It could be one of the fans simply gunked up, have a listen to where its coming from.

If its an old machine in a dusty/smoky household the power supply fans are known to groan and die.

THEN you'll lose your porn as your harddrive blows up with an overheated PSU

Erm... does the hard-drive "blow up" though? I woulda thought you could just replace the overheated part (not cheap - get the fan sorted!) and the hd will live again for EP to wank another day away.

I bet techies have a RIGHT laugh looking at some people's 'puters - finding out what they browse, and looking at their history of web-sites visited!!

 

[El Presidente]

the only thing we can find is that message tends to be displayed if you have added some hardware and the drivers do not recognise it...have you done so?

No, but I did get rid of a few programs last week, but all of them were games used by EP junior.

 

[Dave the OAP]

No, but I did get rid of a few programs last week, but all of them were games used by EP junior.

it may be something in the BIOS looking for something to run that you have deleted.

Go on to the MICROSOFT web site and download REGCLEAN ( or on google)

You have to run it a few times until it clears out all your old links in he registry

give it a go

 

[zego]

Adjusting registry is full of pitfalls - beware! Hope this info helps.


Google: Microsoft RegClean
Top result:


http://majorgeeks.com/download458.html

quote >>>

RegClean analyzes Windows Registry keys that are stored in a common location in the Windows Registry. It finds keys that contain erroneous values, and after recording those entries in an UNDO.REG file, it removes them from the Windows Registry.
What RegClean Does:

RegClean analyzes Windows Registry keys that are stored in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT in the Windows Registry. It finds keys that contain erroneous values, and after recording those entries in an Undo.reg file, it removes them from the Windows Registry.

What RegClean Does Not Do:

RegClean does not fix every known problem with the registry. It does not fix a corrupt registry; it is limited to fixing problems with normal Windows Registry entries located in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.

It is very possible that RegClean will not correct a problem that you have encountered. RegClean will leave any entries in the registry that it does not understand or that could possibly be correct.

Editors Note: The RegClean utility is no longer supported and has been removed from all Microsoft download sites. Microsoft Office XP and
Microsoft Office 2000 users should read *this* [see link below] before using.

end quote <<<


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;299958

Title: Errors that the RegClean utility finds after you install Microsoft Office - revised Jan 31, 2007

[not directly relevant except for quote:]

quote >>>>

The RegClean utility is no longer supported and has been removed from all Microsoft download sites

endquote <<<<


If on the Microsoft support site you search on RegClean, the top result is that above. Others in the list indicate that RegClean was introduced with Windows 98. It seems it is no longer useful or safe.

I use WinCleaner OneClick CleanUp (www.WinCleaner.com), from a magazine freebie CD. Quite basic, but has the virtue of being benign, ie has often found and cleared dross left after un-installing software, but has never created problems while curing problems.

 

[Buzzer]

snnrrrkkk......can't control myself any longer.............no Guinness Dave or THPP around to say it so.........


H Y T T I O A O A?


I feel much better getting that out my system.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Adjusting registry is full of pitfalls - beware! Hope this info helps.


Google: Microsoft RegClean
Top result:


http://majorgeeks.com/download458.html

quote >>>

RegClean analyzes Windows Registry keys that are stored in a common location in the Windows Registry. It finds keys that contain erroneous values, and after recording those entries in an UNDO.REG file, it removes them from the Windows Registry.
What RegClean Does:

RegClean analyzes Windows Registry keys that are stored in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT in the Windows Registry. It finds keys that contain erroneous values, and after recording those entries in an Undo.reg file, it removes them from the Windows Registry.

What RegClean Does Not Do:

RegClean does not fix every known problem with the registry. It does not fix a corrupt registry; it is limited to fixing problems with normal Windows Registry entries located in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.

It is very possible that RegClean will not correct a problem that you have encountered. RegClean will leave any entries in the registry that it does not understand or that could possibly be correct.

Editors Note: The RegClean utility is no longer supported and has been removed from all Microsoft download sites. Microsoft Office XP and
Microsoft Office 2000 users should read *this* [see link below] before using.

end quote <<<


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;299958

Title: Errors that the RegClean utility finds after you install Microsoft Office - revised Jan 31, 2007

[not directly relevant except for quote:]

quote >>>>

The RegClean utility is no longer supported and has been removed from all Microsoft download sites

endquote <<<<


If on the Microsoft support site you search on RegClean, the top result is that above. Others in the list indicate that RegClean was introduced with Windows 98. It seems it is no longer useful or safe.

I use WinCleaner OneClick CleanUp (www.WinCleaner.com), from a magazine freebie CD. Quite basic, but has the virtue of being benign, ie has often found and cleared dross left after un-installing software, but has never created problems while curing problems.

I stand corrected, but i have used it and had no problems at all...

 

[gullshark]

Erm... does the hard-drive "blow up" though?

If the fan in the power supply dies, and the PSU overheats and dies a horrible death its not unusual for it to take half the components with it.

I remember seeing a blue flame shooting out of mine once, followed by a new computer!

 

[Deano's Right Foot]

I remember seeing a blue flame shooting out of mine once, followed by a new computer!

Ah yes, that must have been the Dell Regeneration 620 - a VERY clever machine.

 

[DC Rules]

we had one of those...they make a horrible smell!

 

[Cian]

If the fan in the power supply dies, and the PSU overheats and dies a horrible death its not unusual for it to take half the components with it.

I remember seeing a blue flame shooting out of mine once, followed by a new computer!

Ah yes, the magic flame that makes PSU's work, its closely connected to the magic smoke that processors and RAM run on. Once you let it out, they stop