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Question

DELL LAPTOP WON'T BOOT UP/ HARD DRIVE? PLEASE HELP

Mar 1, 2018 7:24AM PST

Sorry if I did something wrong, it's my first time posting here.

I ran into a problem, everything was fine last night, I was playing a game and saw performance issues, I looked into task manager and I saw a thing called brhost.exe or something like that, I reached it and it seemed to be some trojan virus or something like that, I end it up with end task, finished my game and I saw very bad performance issue on navigating through Windows or apps, I tried restarting, little did I know it won't boot into Windows anymore ( if i knew that I would've just like use the Windows 10 option to reset the Windows or something like that, you know what I mean ) I was like,okay fine,I let my laptop run all night and when I wake up it will boot up I hope and then I can run some scans or reset the Windows. Again, it had bad performance and it just didn't let me so Windows defender to take full scan or ccleaner, the I wanted to reset it but again wouldn't enter in the options ( update and security ) because of the bad performance, then I googled what should I do, I tried to shut it off 3 times to go into the troubleshooting options, but again it wouldn't start those, the f8 key won't do anything either when I tried it, then j saw a video that said to run a diagnosis with f12 and I saw I have a hard drive error I think, what should I do? Is there any other way to do it without going to buy thing or get my laptop to a technician, I don't have time for it because I got to do some work. Won't a Windows reset to factory or something, do anything? How can I acces the menu to do that? I have an DELL laptop. PLEASE I need help.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
A Windows reset does not fix drive issues.
Mar 1, 2018 8:03AM PST

Laptop drives are pretty cheap but service is not.

You ask with going to buy anything but it's like a flat tire. Won't get far on that.

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Hello
Mar 1, 2018 8:19AM PST

So the only fix is by going to a technician, or something like that? I am not really good with technical stuff, could you explain better for a beginner like me, PLEASE?

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It's only a little complicated.
Mar 1, 2018 8:27AM PST

If the machine's HDD has failed, you install a new one (good time to change to SSD) and then restore from backups. Some folk don't backup so for them you install the factory system from recovery media or if they don't have that and run Windows 10, you install that using the install stick you make with the Microsoft Media Creation Kit. Install drivers and return the unit to them.

Many choices but what you do is up to your circumstance, backups and choices. I can't tell you exactly which is best but will nod to a great time to move up to SSD.

-> I forgot to ask how old. If in warranty let Dell do their thing.

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Re: hard drive error
Mar 1, 2018 8:34AM PST

If you really have an hard drive error according to the Dell diagnostics (" I have a hard drive error I think", it's not very convincing) you need a new hard drive, and then use your Dell supplied recovery discs (or the Windows 10 recovery drive you made yourself) or - more difficult - the standard Windows 10 install media with all drivers and such that you download from dell.com to get it up and running again.

If you don't have a hard drive error, boot from the recovery drive you made (that's what it's meant for) or from the Windows install disc you can download for free, and reset Windows using that.

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Hello
Mar 1, 2018 8:46AM PST

I "don't think, it said to scan that code with the phone, I did, and on the webssit it said "Critical issue found

Error Code: 151
Description: Harddrive error"

I don't really understand what to do as my laptop is like 2 years old and when I got it off had Ubuntu linux and then I gave it to a technician to change it to Windows, then I got Windows 10 from the Microsoft website on a usb stick 1 year ago, I don't have that sub stick anymore.


I need to save anything, just that one notepad I had with all my passwords,I don't care of anything else, so how .can I install those things you mentioned if my pc shows DELL logo then the Windows one and don't boot up after. I am a real beginner, sorry if it's frustrating...

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It boot up to the troubleshooting
Mar 1, 2018 8:50AM PST

Oh, it finally shows me the troubleshooting options, ( USE ANOTHER OPERATING SYSTEM, TROUBLESHOOT, CONTINUE,TURN OFF PC ) Can I do anything from here?

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Your choice on the next move.
Mar 1, 2018 9:10AM PST

Here it's about 60 bucks for a new HDD, a little more for SSD. I've seen folk fight with a failing HDD for months and maintain they don't want to replace the bum part. Their choice but sure, why not do a clean install from Dell factory media? It's a common path folk take. Just not one I do since my clients want it fixed without long delays testing a cheap HDD.

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What shoulf I buy?
Mar 1, 2018 9:16AM PST

How do I know what to buy ? Do I need to tell you what my laptop is called ( it is called dell inspiration 15 3000 series ) I don't know if it was inspiration or inspirion but oh well you get what I mean, and if you can redirect me to one that I should buy, can I get your Skype or discord so you can help me replace it,I don't think I can find tutorials on internet specifically for my laptop so my know whatt screws to remove or what to do.

Sorry for my English, I am Romanian and writing from the phone.

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That's the rub.
Mar 1, 2018 4:28PM PST

You need a working PC or smart phone to check out YouTubes for this very common work. You need a working PC if you forgot to prepare for this day and don't have recovery media.

You did not answer what you want to do or what size HDD you need. So what I usually buy for cheap is this one: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Performance-Mobile-Hard-Drive/dp/B00QFXOL5G is 52 bucks,

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To save files from bad hard drive
Mar 1, 2018 11:25AM PST

Boot to a LIVE DVD with Linux Mint, Cinnamon or MATE desktop. It won't install that unless you want to, but will allow you to access the hard drive probably and find the files you want to save to a USB flashdrive. Do that before changing hard drives. You can "burn image" of an ISO to create the linux mint LIVE DVD for free, or order one from below cheaply already to go.

https://linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=248

https://www.osdisc.com/products/linuxmint/linux-mint-183-mate-install-live-dvd-64bit.html

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What shoulf I buy?
Mar 1, 2018 2:04PM PST

So like is it for Windows too, and how do I do that I can't access my pc, how do I install that?

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no need to install it
Mar 2, 2018 3:58AM PST

Just boot to it. It's an entire operating system that runs from a DVD, allowing you to access your drive and copy off files you want to save to some backup media before working on recovering your windows system.