A bit complicated...

[NetbookUser]

(I've read all the threads in the forums here, and in countless other sites, but wondered if anyone could help.)
I got a netbook for free, perfect condition, but it had a black screen of death.
After trying to do a clean install of Windows 7, I got a black screen of death again. Tried a couple times and tried switching to Ubuntu, then Linux Mint, and a few others. All have the same problem.
About 2 USB installs in, I could load from the USB and played around with Linux Mint, but again when I went to install on HDD, the black screen froze again.
Now no matter what, it says "Missing Operating System"
I was thinking about buying/trying an SSD to replace the HDD. Do you think this will fix it? Or does this sound more like a motherboard?

Also, is there a way I can install Windows on the new SSD, then just install in the netbook? Maybe a usb caddy? So that way I'll know that the SSD is working, and it must be the motherboard?

Any help is appreciated! Thanks.

 

[Faladu]

Have you checked that the RAM is seated properly and removed the hard drive and checked the slot it was in for dust/debris, and dirty contacts?

A DVD 7 install does what if attempted?

Install Linux Mint from any desktop with SATA connectors on the SSD or a spare 2.5" sata HD, is how I would handle it for quick testing, I can swap in any SATA drive into my rig in a minute flat, after a bad 7 install recently, I did just that, Linux was sweet on SSD and easily wrote 7 over it again, and been fine since.

 

[NetbookUser]

Have you checked that the RAM is seated properly and removed the hard drive and checked the slot it was in for dust/debris, and dirty contacts?

A DVD 7 install does what if attempted?

Install Linux Mint from any desktop with SATA connectors on the SSD or a spare 2.5" sata HD, is how I would handle it for quick testing, I can swap in any SATA drive into my rig in a minute flat, after a bad 7 install recently, I did just that, Linux was sweet on SSD and easily wrote 7 over it again, and been fine since.

Thanks for the response. I did reseat the ram and even switched it to the other slot. I pulled the hard drive and checked everything there too.

It's a netbook so I have to boot windows 7 from usb, so it just goes black.

Your last paragraph I'm lost on. I see you can on your system, but I was asking if there was a way (let's say on my wife's windows 8 computer via usb to sata) to install Linux Mint or Windows 7 onto the SSD, so I would know it was working, before installing it onto the netbook.

In the end, I'm trying to find out if it's the hard drive, the ram, or the motherboard. If it could be any one of those, I'd like to find a way to test each without buying/replacing all three. Thanks again.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

If it's an Acer Aspire One, the BIOS may need reflashing. The Aspire Ones were notorious for the Black Screen of Death. I personally feel anything from Acer is suitable only for target practice.

 

[Faladu]

What I was saying, and if your wife's PC has SATA internal drives and is a desktop, you just put your SSD as the only SATA device in the system, and do the 7 install...

Otherwise, get a USB to SATA adaptor with power supply for about $20, I got one that is both IDE and SATA for dealing with some old school drives also.

Something like this:
Rosewill SATA 1.5 / 3.0 / 6.0 Gb/s Internal 2.5" & 3.5" HDD to USB 3.0 External Adapter w/ both 2.5" and 3.5" Black Silicon Protection Case for HDD - Newegg.com

....and I have a netbook (generic term) that has a DVD drive.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...and I have a netbook (generic term) that has a DVD drive.

Netbook or notebook? One thing that distinguished netbooks from notebooks was the lack of an optical drive.

 

[Faladu]

I'm tired, you are right, now that I think about it, I wouldn't be that excited about a free netbook then either.

 

[bobafetthotmail]

I could load from the USB and played around with Linux Mint, but again when I went to install on HDD, the black screen froze again.
Now no matter what, it says "Missing Operating System"

Can you see stuff inside the hard drive from Linux Mint (i.e. mount the drive and access it)? Copy/paste stuff inside it?

From what you say, there are issues in the HDD or the SATA controller, while most of the netbook seems to work fine if booted and run from the USB drive.

Please run memtest, this tutorial. If there are no errors after 7 or more runs (as said in tutorial), we can assume that CPU and RAM are fine (and USB is fine as well).

Then you need to connect the drive to another PC (either internally if you have a spare sata cable + sata power plug from the PSU, either can be had for cheap) or externally with the thing Faladu linked.

Then open disk management (write "create and format" in the Start searchbox if you have windows 7 or read this if you have windows 8) and delete the partition and create a new one again, then run a full checkdisk This for windows 7 and this for windows 8.

If the above fails, the disk is dead.

Also, is there a way I can install Windows on the new SSD, then just install in the netbook?

No. Make sure the SSD is working by connecting it to another PC first, and then swap the HDD of the netbook and install windows 7.

I personally feel anything from Acer is suitable only for target practice.

Carve that in stone bro.

 

[NetbookUser]

So last night I got ubuntu to load from usb and used a smart check to test the drive and there are a ton of errors and it came up FAIL and FAILING.
So I guess that's the thing.
Thanks for everyone's help.
Being that I hate Acer and that 2 people here have said "target practice" too...now I'm trying to figure out if it's even worth fixing...

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...Carve that in stone bro.

Bro?

 

[bobafetthotmail]

Being that I hate Acer and that 2 people here have said "target practice" too...now I'm trying to figure out if it's even worth fixing...

Acer isn't worth the price, but for free it's cool.
There is little you can do to "fix" it, must replace the hard drive (and that will cost you something although you can get away by buying used or cannibalizing another old laptop). The rest will be fine. Hard drives usually fail for their own reasons.

Check the battery status (HWMONITOR is a simple program to do that, although from inside windows), if it still holds the charge for a while, it's worth fetching another HDD.

Bro?

oops. My apologies Should have said "sis".
When I'm not very careful I tend to follow the Internet rule 30 and assume everyone on the net is male without checking. Again, my apologies.