Since your system is 10 years old, it's probably not UEFI. As a result, you should use memtest86 v4 from here-
MemTest86 - Download now!
Get it by clicking on "image for creating a bootable USB drive.
When you boot it, click on Configure and then select RAM.
As an option, you could use the Windows Memory Diagnostic.
In Safe Mode, click on Start and type Memory in the Search box. It should cause WMD to come up. Elect to reboot your computer and it will run checks immediately.
Thanks. I'll try the windows test. I'm getting close to the giving up point. Might have to take hdd to the shop and see if they can test it. I've heard about some sort of adapter to plug the hdd into. Do you know if I can connect the drive to laptop and transfer files from the hdd to it?
You should be able to if the drive can be read. However, it's likely a SATA device so you would need to plug it into a SATA port, if the laptop has one and it's accessible.
If the drive is kaput but readable, you could install Win 7 on your D: drive (if it's a separate hard drive), as a dual boot system and read your files from that. I think Windows would overwrite the files on it so you would want to copy the files from it to another drive, disc, etc. first. Or, buy a new drive and do the same thing.
I don't know if you've tried a Windows repair from the original Win 7 disc.
The suspect faulty drive is ide only but the D drive is sata. I've got a spare sata connection on the mb
Did you run the diagnostic or memtest86? Just trying to figure out where you are on this.
I put memtest on a used and put it in my desktop. Tried to run memtest but it just wanted to test the usb drive not the faulty hard drive, anyway I have almost given up on it. It won't stay booted up long enough to run diagnostic tests before it crashes. I took the hard drive to a local computer shop. He said it could also be a memory problem or the MB. He is going to try transfer any files to another HDD to preserve any data, if in case that is the problem. I'll keep you posted as to what he says
When you run the Windows Diagnostic, the system wouldn't be booted. It should be running right after the POST. If your system is shutting down before it completes, I'd say you truly have either a RAM, mobo or, maybe, CMOS problem.
After paying the computer shop $35 I'll be disappointed if he tells me there's nothing wrong with it. I'll know on Monday
It's possible that it's something very simple. We all have a tendency to overlook the obvious and go straight to the worst.
Hello. Thought I'd bring you up to speed. Computer guy seems to think HDD is ok, so I paid $35 to find out it looks ok. So now I'm back to the beginning with the bsod
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