Borked computer

[Triple Zero]

also, while you're playing around from a USB boot, why not make it a Ubuntu boot USB and get yrself acquainted with some linux [http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download has step by step thingy on how to make Ubuntu USB. oh better not make it on the borked computer, use a good one, cause if it crashes halfway loading the USB image onto it that would suck]

[Iason Ouabache]

Ok. Next time it freezes I'll open it up to see who the manufacturer is.

That didn't take long. It's a Western Digital WD2500.

Hey if this somewhat reliably happens after about 10 minutes or so, try this:

a) boot from USB, play around for 10 minutes, see if it happens

b) disconnect the harddisk (one of the plugs in it is the power plug, that should be enough), then boot from USB, play around for 10 minutes, see if it happens

if it happens in option b, it was not your harddisk. if it doesn't happen in option b, it was probably your harddisk.

process of elimination FTW

srsly, that's what I would do.

Very good idea. I'm trying to download the ubuntu load disk but I can't stay connected long enough to download it all.    I'll have to see if I have an old copy of it.

[Triple Zero]

Yeah just any bootdisk, bootUSB or bootCD will do the trick. If you don't have one, and don't have a working second computer (or laptop), there's also smaller boot-images you can download. They're just less fun to play around with while waiting for the crashing :-P

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

That didn't take long. It's a Western Digital WD2500

http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?lang=en

Should be able to download the drive utilities from that page

[Requia ☣]

Hey if this somewhat reliably happens after about 10 minutes or so, try this:

a) boot from USB, play around for 10 minutes, see if it happens

b) disconnect the harddisk (one of the plugs in it is the power plug, that should be enough), then boot from USB, play around for 10 minutes, see if it happens

if it happens in option b, it was not your harddisk. if it doesn't happen in option b, it was probably your harddisk.

process of elimination FTW

srsly, that's what I would do.

If you boot from a USB/CD its unlikely to cause a problem if it is the hard drive (I've run a system off a live CD for months that had a defective hard drive).

Very good idea. I'm trying to download the ubuntu load disk but I can't stay connected long enough to download it all.    I'll have to see if I have an old copy of it.

Torrents are resumable, you can get part, crash, then get another part.

[Triple Zero]

Hey if this somewhat reliably happens after about 10 minutes or so, try this:

a) boot from USB, play around for 10 minutes, see if it happens

b) disconnect the harddisk (one of the plugs in it is the power plug, that should be enough), then boot from USB, play around for 10 minutes, see if it happens

if it happens in option b, it was not your harddisk. if it doesn't happen in option b, it was probably your harddisk.

process of elimination FTW

srsly, that's what I would do.

If you boot from a USB/CD its unlikely to cause a problem if it is the hard drive (I've run a system off a live CD for months that had a defective hard drive).

well yeah I should add to that that the USB boot thing should be able to mount the drive and you should play around on it in a manner that actually uses the drive. Like watching a movie or something.