[NPE Ltd]

Dear All

Yesterday the VM1 I have here flashed up with the blue critical error screen. After resetting, the machine gets to the
windows boot up screen and then flashes into the same critical error screen. (The screen you get on your pc which I think normally
points to the hard drive?).

The machine is 7/8 years old, and have had no problem. The drive is not full and no hardware/software has been installed on the machine recently.

We have managed to get to the Hurco Winmax screen twice and the machine worked for a few hours, but then the error appeared again
and this cycle continued. Now cant get to the winmax screen at all.

Can anyone let me know if this is harddrive failure, corrupt windows or something else? If there is away to solve this it would be much
appreciated. If its a new harddrive does anyone know how much this would cost and how long an engineer woul need to replace.

Thanks

Kind Regards

Mark Newton

[cgo]

If your running a windows pc for this, sounds like it from your description :

That sounds like a windows driver corrupted , you maybe able to get into safe mode (f8) while booting to get important files or run scandisk to check the drive, or also try "boot logging" to see what file is hanging, then replace that file in safe mode.

Worst case, based on the age is, the hard drive is failing, also dont overlook the power supply (the hardest working and most important part in a pc), if it was mine I would replace both at the same time.

[NPE Ltd]

Thanks cgo,

The console on the cnc is the computer and it is windows xp based. I have tried to enter safe mode, but just reboots. And the same with boot logging.
Is there a way I can get into the command prompt when booting up so I can run a chkdsk?

Thanks

Mark

[cgo]

When you f8 boot the choice at the top of the list , if I remember xp it is safe mode with command prompt, that would be what you want. chkdsk was a dos command though, if you have an old windows 95 install cd you could make a boot floppy and add that on it.

I found a laptop with XP on it here, even in command prompt it still loads about 20~ windows drivers so if you cant get to the gui safe mode, then the command prompt may not work either.
If you have the XP cd you can use it to boot and repair the install, may have to change the boot order in bios to cd then hd if it doesnt find your cd when booting.

Xp may not give you a command prompt version of scandisk but its been a while since Ive ran Xp .

Other options would be from any of the hard drive companies, all offer boot images that will test there drives.
12 Free Hard Drive Testing Software Tools (this page has links to most of the hd boot cd's).
Last option would be using a Linux boot cd which run as a stand alone os from your cd and memory, or diagnostic cd like this Ultimate Boot CD - Overview this can boot from a cd and a few hard drive tools.

[NPE Ltd]

Hello cgo.

Thanks for all of your help and resolutions. I have had to get a Hurco engineer to come down to us. Hopefully this
will be the easier option.............but also the most costly!!!

Thanks again

Mark

[Darko D.]

Hi,

this could be either HDD or memory issue. You can try to take out one memory module and try to work without it, or if you have only one then replace it with something else.
If the HDD is corrupted, you can take HDD out and connect it external to your PC and then make virus check and check disk. Also, it would be good idea to make image with
Ultiimage in the case of critical HDD failure and then copy it to external USB device.

Best regards

Darko Dresar

[powerr]

When you turn it on hold the delete key on the keyboard till the Cmos comes up. Bios Screen. Go in to the first selection and see what the date and time is set at. If the date is off by more than a few days. The Cmos battery needs to be replaced

[meatychips]

Is the CPU heatsink retention mechanism working or broken? Open up the computer cab and take a look.