Desktop Computer Cycles on Startup. Won't Turn on. What Now?

Ninternet on 31/05/2022 - 10:59

About 6 months ago I received a "good enough" old desktop computer that was being retired/replaced at the TAFE I was studying at. All I've used it for is assignments for my current course. They are important and I kinda need them.

The computer won't turn on at all now. It lights up, beeps, shuts down and then repeats the process. A quick Google search says it could be a number of things from Hard drive failure to a faulty capacitor. I don't have the knowledge or motivation to fix it myself.

My two dilemmas now:
What's my best bet for recovering the assignments?

What should I be seeking for a replacement? (Preferably a laptop in the $600-$700 range, but I know absolutely nothing about quality and usability).

Thanks

Computing

Comments

  • AndyC1 on 31/05/2022 - 11:03
    +2

    Best bet for recovering the assignments with the lack of PC's is to take the PC to a computer place and ask them how much it would cost to recover the data from the existing PC and take it from there.

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 31/05/2022 - 11:03
    +6

    What's my best bet for recovering the assignments?

    transplant hdd to another working pc temporarily

    • Ninternet on 31/05/2022 - 11:07

      How easy is this to do? Will a laptop work as an intermediary? Girlfriend has a very slow and basic one I have access to, but I get the feeling this won't be possible to to connections.

      • Mugsy on 31/05/2022 - 11:17
        +3

        Or stick the HDD into a HDD enclosure and plug into another computer as if it was a portable HDD.

        Take precautions with static electricity.

        Consider opening a OneDrive account and keeping all your Uni stuff in a OneDrive folder so it all gets backed up in the background.

      • freefall101 on 31/05/2022 - 11:19
        +1

        Easiest way is to pick up an adapter for SATA/IDE to USB (depending how old it is, if it's from the last 10 years it'll be SATA). Plenty of them on Amazon, just make sure it's for 3.5" and has a power adaptor (assuming your desktop has a 3.5" drive, if it has the smaller 2.5" laptop drive it won't need external power). Then you can simply see it as an external harddrive and pull your files off it. Something like this will work - https://www.amazon.com.au/Adapter-FIDECO-Converter-5-25-Inch… - but there's plenty of options depending on budget.

        You won't be able to plug it directly into a laptop. But you could put it into another desktop computer without an adaptor.

        In terms of what to look for next, there has been some great Lenovo education laptop deals lately.

        I'd also highly recommend looking at OneDrive for backing up files (as a future thing). It's quick, easy and if you have an office license you're already paying for it anyway.

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 31/05/2022 - 11:32
        +1

        I was going to suggest adapter like the others said - but depending on your version of windows it may have encryption?

        If you use the drive as a boot drive, it should unlock the data after boot successful.

        This obviously assumes it aint the HDD that is faulty

      • Neilzy on 31/05/2022 - 11:33
        +1

        Sounds like a boot sector failure.

        crack the case open and see what kind of hard drive it is and given by the description youve given id wager its a standard platter hard drive. If so you could grab a HDD dock that would allow you connect the HDD to another pc via usb3.

        As for replacement, cheapest would be to just buy a new HDD and clone the dead one over, but I'd just get a laptop. For $600-700 id look at a secondhandy with a ryzen 4000 chip. something like this

  • skid on 31/05/2022 - 11:16

    Can you video what happens?

    Probably have to unplug the hard drive and connect it to a USB to SATA adapter and supply the drive with 12V/5V power. Then copy the files out.

  • Domingo on 31/05/2022 - 11:20

    Let's try that again without the excess junk google search added to the URLs:

    You should be able to get your data off the hard drive by connecting it to the laptop with something like this:
    https://www.amazon.com.au/Onvian-Driver-Adapter-Power-Cable/…

    Personally I haven't used the cable style, just a dock but there shouldn't really be a difference:
    https://www.centrecom.com.au/orico-superspeed-usb30-sata-har…

    A computer literate friend would generally be able to assist you but checking if the computer is POSTing and seeing what diagnosis options that offers, or otherwise removing components to diagnose what is faulty, potentially needing to sub other parts in.

    You could ask a local PC repair store, but be specific on what you want them to quote - their standard "data recovery" cost may be for a dead hard drive rather than a failed other part of the PC, so if it is as simple as connecting to an adapter and copying the files off then you don't want them to rip you off

  • adaminperth on 31/05/2022 - 11:22

    Could be a few things, could be just over heating. If there's a lot of dust built up on the inside. Try take the case off and clean as much dust as possible out. It's unlikely the hard drive that's broken so worst case plug it in to someone's else machine and copy your assignments off.

  • misu p on 31/05/2022 - 11:31
    +1

    If you are in Sydney around the Parramatta area contact me, I will help you recover things free of charge. I can also probably tell you what is wrong with the PC. I have the cable that Domingo is talking about and a few extra PCs to be able to swap components around to be able to debug your PC.

    Depending on what the PC is I can also tell you a fair price for the components in it if you want to sell it. You may as well get some money from the PC in case you want to move to a laptop. I am not into buying or selling PCs anymore but I still know the prices.

  • Muzeeb on 31/05/2022 - 12:09

    The easiest solution is to just log on to your Google drive on your phone to retrieve your back-ups.

    My guess is the ram stick has shat itself.

  • Ninternet on 31/05/2022 - 13:18

    Thanks for all the comments.

    My friend has the means and knowledge to extract the harddrive and hopefully save the data.

    Now just needing a new computer as I feel this one isn't worth saving

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