Help Help Help! My Computer Wont Start!

[Tyra]

Hello I am writing becasue my computer just stopped working all of a sudden last night I have Compaq Presario and I have had it for over 3 years and it is a 2001 computer.
Last night My boyfriend was playing yahoo pool and the computer started moving slow on the internet and the computer started making clicking sounds so we rebooted and shut down all power,
but when we turned it back on we still heard the clicking and Compaq welcome screen came up but windows would not and the it jumps to a cursor on the screen that says f10/ setup
If I press f10 it has error msg that disk is wrong or something but we have no disks in the computer.Please Help Me

 

[Rik]

The clicking sound could well mean that the hard drive has packed up.

 

[Tyra]

The clicking sound could well mean that the hard drive has packed up.

so does that mean it's dead and do I need to buy a new computer,
I really don't know to much about computers. :haha:

 

[Rik]

Sorry i didnt answer straight away, i have a wireless keyboard and the batteries went flat.
You can just replace the hard drive with a new or second hand one, they are not too expensive and not too much hassle to fit. You will however loose all your data and will have to reinstall your opperating system (windows).
It you wish to do this then i will help in any way i can.

 

[iss]

she may have a bigger problem than needing just a hard drive. if I am not mistaken Compaq keeps their restore OS files on the hard drive in a seperate partition. if her computer is like that and she doesnt have a restore disk she is going to need a new OS.

 

[poertner_1274]

she may have a bigger problem than needing just a hard drive. if I am not mistaken Compaq keeps their restore OS files on the hard drive in a seperate partition. if her computer is like that and she doesnt have a restore disk she is going to need a new OS.

Which could also be a minor expenditure. She could try contacting Compaq and telling them what happened and see what they will do for her since she has a legal key.

But I'd say the hard drive is on the brinks and needs to be replaced.

BTW
:wave:Welcome to TechSpot:wave:

 

[Tyra]

Thanks for all of your help I guess we will try that, When you say we need a OS is that a new windows program????

And thank you Poertner this a nice site.

 

[iss]

Thanks for all of your help I guess we will try that, When you say we need a OS is that a new windows program????

yes the OS is the Operating System, ie; Windows. If you are the original purchaser of the computer then Compaq might help you, if you boutght it from someone else used, probably not.