Finally happened.

[Dierienow]

Last night my hard drive failed after 10 years. Computer boots just fine but after I log in I get a white screen, sometimes the desktop, but then I get a blue screen of death after a minute. Running Windows 7.

I have two options I think. The first is that I keep trying to get the old hard drive to work, because if it works I can download Windows 7 ISO legally and respectfully and install it on the other relatively easy, as I should have done before.

Second option is to get creative with what I have. I have available: 2 hard drives (old & new), one laptop, no USB data cables, an external HDD with space, and a rooted S6. No Windows 7 disc, just a serial key that came with my desktop.

Looking for any easy help maybe someone has been here before and knows a simple solution. Open to other options such as Linux (must be idiot-friendly) if it doesn't require snail mail to send me a CD.

T. Hanks,

[Rab]

How do you know it's the hard drive?

What was the error message on the BSOD?

Is there anything on the white screen or is it just plain white?

Do you know your full system specs? If so, post it.

Do you have money? If so, spend your way out of it.

[Dierienow]

I am 90% sure it's with the hard drive because it asked me to do a Check Disk scan every time I start up for about 3 months.. hence why I even have an extra HDD. It also has a chance to make a high-pitched screech noise on start-up.

BSOD said to do a check disk and contact tech support lol. I have the option available to me when I start up on the old drive, should I do the scan?

[Dierienow]

It says 'REGISTRY_ERROR". Maybe deleting pagegile.sys somehow? Going to try the different boot options.

[Dierienow]

Eh it just says REGISTRY_ERROR and under technical info gives specifics not sure what it means. Can post. But if I go into safe mode it loads a few things then gets to what I assume is a driver and crashes.

[Dierienow]

I will use the external hard drive to boot it up on the new hard drive. It's the only way I think, short of waiting 2 weeks for a Ubuntu disc or spending $170 for lame Windows 10. Only thing is my roommate says his storage is 500GB.. which is cool but I think he meant MB. Also he is busy and ptobably tired of my shit.. BUT if it's the only way. Also I'm pretty downtrodden on ideas after the Windows 7 disc I hunted for turned out to be Microsoft Office setup disc. Fuck Bill Gates btw

[IxaDor]

Are you on a laptop? Are you sure the noise coming from your PC is in fact the HDD? If you can, it might be worthwhile to open up your PC/Laptop and ensure the your heatsink fans on the CPU are working properly. If you have a GPU, do the same.

The best way to check your heatsinks is to unplug the PSU, is open up your desktop/laptop so you can peer inside, place your pc on a something grounded, preferably a wood table/counter top. Plug back in the PSU, turn on your PC and see with your own eyes that all the fans inside your PC are spinning freely on the heatsinks for your CPU/GPU.

You can also test your HDD by using another drive as you said, though you will need to download a copy of Win 7.

If you have the Win 7 key, you should be able to download it from MS store. Place the download on a flash drive, start up your PC but go into bios, change the boot order to boot from the flashdrive first, then install windows on another HDD and see if that solves the problem.

Lastly, couple more tips, you could have bad ram. If you have 2 ram sticks or more, try unplugging 1 at a time to see if that is the case. If you have ram you know that is good laying around that is compatible with your pc, try swapping it out. If you have a dedicated GPU for games, remove it and boot from your motherboard and use the integrated CPU graphics to see if it's an issue with the GPU.

Oh and might be worth looking into your power supply unit, a lot of PC bios can show you the voltages, you'll need to look up your PSU to see what stock volts your PC should have for things like your CPU, Ram, ect., if they are above or below them on your PC's bios, that could be a problem as well.

Anyways, best of luck. These types of problems require patience and lots of trial and error, but in time you'll figure it out no doubt. Cheers.

-IxaDor

[Dierienow]

My windows serial key won't work for downloading it because it was included by the manufacturer on the side of the case. Makes sense I guess otherwise I can become the next Bill Gates with my one serial key.

I'm going to do what you said about the flash drive + changing the boot order. Actually the way ou explained it helps. But which file should I have on the drive - just the .iso or the rest that came with it? Or doesn't matter as long as the .iso is in there? For Windows 7.

[Dierienow]

Nevermind. It's just the .iso i'm sure. Thanks a lot though.