HP Compaq 6000 Pro All-in-One PC's possible disk damage / operating system corrupted

[foxfaisal]

Good day. My friend owns a HP Compaq 6000 Pro All-in-One PC, as shown in the links below:

1) HP Support Website

https://support.hp.com/my-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-compaq-6000-pro-all-in-one-pc/4210074

2) CNET Website

https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-compaq-6000-pro-all-in-one-pc-all-in-one-1-10-core-2-duo-e7600-3-06...

Recently the computer cannot load the windows, as shown in the photos below:

Based on these photos, I think there are 2 problems:

1) Hard disk problem - either the hard disk is already damaged or just the connection at the sata port is loose.

2) Battery problem - the battery is depleted.

Does anyone have any idea whether the hard disk is really faulty or only the sata connector is loose?

To me, the major problem is the one related to the hard disk. My friend no longer keeps the Windows 7 recovery CD/DVD that comes together with this PC during purchase. He also didn't back-up the recovery image on the hard disk to the DVD/CD/USB drive before this problem happen.  If the dard disk is really damaged, is there any way for my friend to get the Windows 7 image from other sources (i.e. HP Support website)? Otherwise, my friend might have to purchase another Windows 7 (or Windows 10) serial key.

For both hard disk and battery problem, it is required to open the chasis of the desktop. I seldom open the chasis of All in One PC. Is there any reference on how can I open this PC?

Thank you.

[CherylG]

@foxfaisal

Given the age- high probability the hdd is bad.

Maintenance Guide is here:

https://support.hp.com/my-en/product/hp-compaq-6000-pro-all-in-one-pc/4210074/manuals

You can download a Windows 7 iso here:

https://mirror.corenoc.de/digitalrivercontent.net/

[mdklassen]

I cannot view the images -- one of the moderators of this forum needs to "approve" them, as being "suitable for work" images.

> Does anyone have any idea whether the hard disk is really faulty or only the SATA connector is loose?

My guess: well over 95% for a faulty disk-drive, and less than 5% for a loose connector.

> To me, the major problem is the one related to the hard disk.

> My friend no longer keeps the Windows 7 recovery CD/DVD that comes together with this PC during purchase.

> He also didn't back-up the recovery image on the hard disk to the DVD/CD/USB drive before this problem happen. 

Does Windows still boot?  In other words, is it too late to run a program to create that "System Recovery Set" (one USB memory-stick, or a few DVD-recordable disks) ?

> If the dard disk is really damaged, is there any way for my friend to get the Windows 7 image from other sources (i.e. HP Support website)?

Maybe. 

You found one page for your specific model.

A related page is titled "download and drivers".

On that page, following the list of device-drivers, there may be instructions on how to order a System Recovery Set from HP.

If not, see:

1. www.windowsiso.net

2. www.computersurgeons.com

3. www.restoredisks.com

One of these sites may offer a copy of that Set for sale.

> Otherwise, my friend might have to purchase another Windows 7 (or Windows 10) serial key.

True.  Note that Microsoft's support for Windows 7 will end in January 2020 -- less than 2 years away.

So, if you need to buy something, consider Windows 10.

Also, Windows 7 has been "removed from retail channels" a few years ago -- it may be difficult to find a legitimate copy for sale.

> For both hard disk and battery problem, it is required to open the chasis of the desktop.

> I seldom open the chasis of All in One PC.

> Is there any reference on how can I open this PC?

From: User Guides HP Compaq 6000 Pro All-in-One PC  are several manuals:

Title / Size

• Illustrated Parts & Service Map HP Compaq 6000 Pro All-In One Business PC 0.62MB
• GPT Hard Disk Drives for HP Business Desktops 0.21MB
• Hardware Reference Guide 3.27MB
• HP SoftPaq Download Manager and HP System Software Manager - A Powerful Combination 1.86MB
• Preparing Advanced Format hard drives for Microsoft Windows installations on HP Business Notebook PCs, Workstations, and Desktop PCs 0.52MB
• Unattended Deployment of Microsoft Windows 7 on HP Business Desktops with the HP Integrated Device Driver Kit 0.61MB
• Maintenance & Service Guide HP Compaq 6000 Pro All-in-One PC 2.54MB

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[foxfaisal]

Thank you very much for both of your replies. I will learn on how to open the chasis of the desktop, and then transfer the hard disk to other desktops to verify whether the hard diskmis really faulty or not. I will tell my friend to purchase another hard disk if the surrent hard disk is really damaged.

The hard disk is mounted to the desktop using a caddy. If my friend would like to replace the faulty hard disk with SSD, is it possible to mount the SSD to the caddy without modification (or at least without major modification).

Another option is to remove the optical drive and replace it with the caddy for the 2.5" SSD/HDD, then set the bios to boot from the 2.5" drive instead of the 3.5" drive.

I will also tell my friend to install windows 10 so that he can keep on using his computer until 2025 (because windows 10 will expire by 2020).

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@mdklassenwrote:

I cannot view the images -- one of the moderators of this forum needs to "approve" them, as being "suitable for work" images.

---

Please find the direct links to the images below. If you still cannot see it, then we really need to ask administrator & moderator to do something to fix it.

 

[foxfaisal]

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Does Windows still boot?  In other words, is it too late to run a program to create that "System Recovery Set" (one USB memory-stick, or a few DVD-recordable disks) ?

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Sorry, I forgot to reply about this in my latest posting above. The Windows doesn't boot. Please refer to the photos in my latest posting above (if you already can see it).

[CherylG]

@foxfaisal

Windows 10 is a very resource hungry OS. His machine had many options- from a Celeron to Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 Processor. From 2gb of memory to 8gb. Intel 4500 graphics or Nvidia GT230. At the lowest configuration it would run like a snail. At the highest configuration it would be acceptable- barely.I would check to see what hardware he has.

https://support.hp.com/my-en/product/hp-compaq-6000-pro-all-in-one-pc/4210074/document/c02294015

 There are much newer and more robust machines that are now failing to accept and run the latest Windows 10 V.1709.

[foxfaisal]

The specs are available in the photos that I put above (in the bios related photo). If you also cannot see the photo, I will summarise it here:

1) Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E7500

2) RAM: 8GB ( I think this is the maximum RAM size that this PC can go)

[mdklassen]

One of your images showed SMART reporting error #01, which is "disk read error rate" -- the disk-drive is having ongoing problems reading from the recording surface.

> I will open the chasis of the desktop, and then transfer the hard disk to other desktop,

> to verify whether the hard disk is really faulty or not.

Good idea, but I'm 99% sure that SMART (on that system) will give the same report.

> I will tell my friend to purchase another hard disk if the surrent hard disk is really damaged.

Correct.

> The hard disk is mounted to the desktop using a caddy.

> If my friend would like to replace the faulty hard disk with SSD,

> is it possible to mount the SSD to the caddy without modification (or at least without major modification).

Yes.  See: StarTech.com - Dual 2.5" SSD/HDD Mounting Bracket for 3.5” Drive Bay

for a $7 piece of metal that adapts (two!) .5-inch wide SSD/laptop-drives into the wider drive-bay.

> I will also tell my friend to install windows 10 so that he can keep on using his computer until 2025 

> (because windows 10 will expire by 2020).

It is Windows *SEVEN* that will hit its "sunset" in January 2020.

At work, there are many computers with dual-core 3Ghz processors, and 4GB of RAM, that work fine with Windows 10 -- this version is not that "resource-intensive" to need quad-core processors & 8GB of RAM.

Of course, these computers run "office" software, not gaming nor intensive video-editing -- such software does need "better" systems.

[foxfaisal]

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@mdklassenwrote:

It is Windows *SEVEN* that will hit its "sunset" in January 2020.

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Sorry for the typo. I wanted to write that windows 7 will expire by the year 2020, but accidentally wrote Windows 10 instead 

I already tested the hard disk condition using the DPS Self-test function available in the BIOS of the computer, which is shown in the photos below (you may skip to the fifth photos if you think there are too many of them):

Based on the result of the fifth photo above, it is confirmed that the hard disk is faulty.

To double confirm this result, I took out the hard disk, installed it on my desktop as tertiary drive, then checked the condition using Crystal Disk Info software. The result is shown below:

Now it is confrimed that the hard disk is faulty. I will purchase a new hard disk for my friend this weekend and install windows 10 on this desktop for him.

Thank you very much.

[foxfaisal]

Btw, I think I'm going to have a very big problem after this - beside the faulty hard disk, the CMOS battery is also depleted.

Replacing hard disk (and RAM) is super duper easy, based on the video shown in the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDZed_XsUsY

However, I think replacing the CMOS battery is very complicated because the battery is located at a very difficult to reach place, as shown in the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDkNqli6PSM

I think the battery replacement is going to take a very ling time.