I have something shocking to tell everyone.

Hopefully, someone can tell me what happened. I was downloading mp3's like I always do and I was downloading a song and my computer started clicking. I have a Compaq Presario and I could hear it clicking. I was like that cannot be good. So, I attempted to do a Norton Antivirus scan, and my computer froze.

I restarted my computer to be greeted with a black screen that said no hard drive found. System restoration cannot be done! My whole computer was erased! I couldn't even restore the comp. Has this happened to anybody? Can you save your computer? Fortunately, I am still under warranty and I am sending my tower to be repaired. But, can someone tell me how this happened? I thought that you couldn't get viruses (especially ones this deadly) from downloading mp3 files?

The only thing that I could have think that could have done it is that I downloaded an mp3 file that said it was 1167 kb.

There are so many computer whizzes (I definitely am not one...*LOL*) that someone has got to know what happened. I am too frightened to download anything else. And I don't know if I can live without downloading.

sounds more like your drive (HDD) up and died on you....there is a 'solution' to this but most likely you are best off letting warranty deal with it...the 'solution' is to take out the HDD, put it in a quality zip lock baggy and put it in the freezer...after a day put it back in your box and try to recover as much data as possible until it cr@ps out again, repeat the process until either the HDD totally croaks or you get all of the data off of it...then of course you have to replace the HDD...its dead Jim

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So Long and Thanks for All the Files
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Beware of the big 3 insurance companies in Texas! Read your policies carefully (maybe you'll need a lawyer) Allstate, Farmers & State Farm are overextended and their 'coverage' is worthless...a true waste of your money Read This

This could happen on a new computer? I have only had this computer for a couple of months and it is brand new.

I appreciate you replying to me.

yep, it surely could happen on a new computer...that clicking sound you heard is a sign the drive is overheating....possibly a fan in the machine died, possibly a bad HDD...IMHO (and many others in the 'know') current HDDs are a bunch of junk made to die early so that you have to get another..

oh, and as a 'detail' your HDD is not erased, the data is still there, but because it has overheated it is wacked....you might even be successful in just letting it sit overnight and seeing if it will boot up then...

__________________


So Long and Thanks for All the Files
_____________________________________________

Beware of the big 3 insurance companies in Texas! Read your policies carefully (maybe you'll need a lawyer) Allstate, Farmers & State Farm are overextended and their 'coverage' is worthless...a true waste of your money Read This

Wow. I had no idea. Thanks for your help. Is this something that happens a lot with Compaq Presarios?

well, I'm not a computer repairman so I have no clue as to the incidence rate for Compaq machines...but from having paid attention to the statements of those who are, I stand by my words about current HDDs being cr@p as compared to ones made about 4 years ago...

as far as your thoughts about this happening to a new machine..well, the best example I can give is a anecdotal comparison with my truck which is about 6 months old now...the check engine light came on before it reached 500 miles and I had to take it in for warranty work...I wanted to anyways because of a couple of other issues (like the headlights were set to point down which made driving at night on a windy, deer infested road a nightmare) anyways, but c'mon, the check engine light @ 430 miles????, sheeshus...

The_Point being sh!t happens (especially it seems in the current economic state of make as many as you can for the lowest cost and the highest profit margin)

__________________


So Long and Thanks for All the Files
_____________________________________________

Beware of the big 3 insurance companies in Texas! Read your policies carefully (maybe you'll need a lawyer) Allstate, Farmers & State Farm are overextended and their 'coverage' is worthless...a true waste of your money Read This

Thanks for your help, Peerless. I appreciate it.


I am still a little worried about downloading though. I still can't help but think downloading the mp3 file that was 1,167kb had something to do with my computers untimely demise.

I hope you don't mind me picking your brain. Do you know what file size mp3 are usually viruses?

Also, I hear what you are saying about the truck. When my Mom bought her new car she had a couple of problems with it when she first got it. When she would get off the interstate ramp and let off her accelerator her car would cut off. And that happened when she had only had the car for a few months, they fixed it free of charge. They told her that when you get a new car sometimes that it has bugs that need to be fixed. But, you are right when you say they are making crap nowadays.

A clicking drive is definitely a hardware failure. MP3s can never do harm because
computers never attempt to execute code within them even if some was in there.

Some media files can get your computer to connect to bad websites which do
infect your computer, but if you avoid using the exploitable media players
(Windows Media Player, Apple Quicktime and Real Player) then that can never
happen.

@Aaron Walkhouse

Thanks. I have Roxio CD burner on my computer. Is that a non-exploitable media player? I really don't listen to the mp3's on my comp, I just burn them to CD's.