My mum's desktop which is 5.5 years old (2.2 GHz, 512 MB RAM, Geforce 4400, 80 GB harddisk) refused to boot up this weekend complaining that there were some missing windows files. My mum just uses Firefox, Outlook, and word regularly and excel and powerpoint occasionally.
I tried to repair the installation by putting in the windows disk but that didn't work. I stuck in a ubuntu live CD and that worked, I was able to copy any non backed up files onto a usb drive, although I did have trouble mounting the old harddisk. I then tried to fully re-install windows using the recovery disk that came with the computer but it gave an error: "invalid header". (I think that this may be a problem with the CD)
I tried a different windows disk and that seems to install windows but then gives an error on the first boot. This particular disk reformats the harddrive before installing windows. The formatting takes about 3 hours. I have tried this disk twice, both times it installs windows but fails to boot but it gives different errors.
I have also tried to install ubuntu from the live CD. This gets to about 46% done each time before saying there was an error writing files and stops. I have tried making the ubuntu CD twice and get the same error.
I am thoroughly pissed off with the computer, I can't find anything obviously wrong with it but each time I try and install an operating system I get an error which I can't really pin down to either CD, DVD player or harddrive. Is there any easy way I can check each individual component? I keep thinking it might be the disks but after you try 6 different disks you start thinking that its something else that just makes it look like the disks are broken. Any advice?
I tried to repair the installation by putting in the windows disk but that didn't work. I stuck in a ubuntu live CD and that worked, I was able to copy any non backed up files onto a usb drive, although I did have trouble mounting the old harddisk. I then tried to fully re-install windows using the recovery disk that came with the computer but it gave an error: "invalid header". (I think that this may be a problem with the CD)
I tried a different windows disk and that seems to install windows but then gives an error on the first boot. This particular disk reformats the harddrive before installing windows. The formatting takes about 3 hours. I have tried this disk twice, both times it installs windows but fails to boot but it gives different errors.
I have also tried to install ubuntu from the live CD. This gets to about 46% done each time before saying there was an error writing files and stops. I have tried making the ubuntu CD twice and get the same error.
I am thoroughly pissed off with the computer, I can't find anything obviously wrong with it but each time I try and install an operating system I get an error which I can't really pin down to either CD, DVD player or harddrive. Is there any easy way I can check each individual component? I keep thinking it might be the disks but after you try 6 different disks you start thinking that its something else that just makes it look like the disks are broken. Any advice?
