My computer got a blue screen?

It appears that something has overheated and died. IGNORE THE COMMENT ABOUT DISMANTELLING THE POWER SUPPLY TO CLEAN - THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND CAN RESULT IN DEATH. Your data is still in tact and fully recoverable. As other have suggested, installing the drive in another PC and recovering your data that way is a good idea, unless you have no other PC to connect it to, or you don't have the required knowledge to do so. If a component has overheated, in this scenario it is most probably the CPU, which is a vital component. I'd suggest you take your PC to a reputable service centre/repair workshop and have the guys there take a look at it. Hope this helps. PLEASE DON'T TOUCH THAT POWER SUPPLY.

for later reference: ALWAYS write down the BSOD's stop error. there are web sites where you can look it up and find out what went wrong.

Your data is safe if the hdd didn't die. Your options now would be : 1. Open up the tower cabinet, see if any loose connections are there. Take out the connections and reconnect them. 2. Remove the ram sticks, and plug them again after cleaning them 3. see if the fan is working ok. 4. Restart your computer. I think it is some dust in the RAM slot, so cleaning it and putting the sticks again would solve your problem.

first unplug it hold power button down for 20 sec plug it in and turn it on it should start up if it keeps happening turn power off take the cover off and clean the fans and heat sink then pop out the little flat battery out...go to walmart and buy a new one its likely a CR2032, or a CR2035 or a CR2025 that will probably solve the problem it is not the power supply, it would not turn on...even then sometimes its that battery not the power supply. if this is the frist time its likely nothing is damaged if it continues and says hard drive imminent failure then you need to leave it off until you are ready to back up when u clean it use compressed air NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RAM!!! how could dust get in the ram slot if a ram chip is in there...its common sence if it continues call a neighborhood geek they are cheaper and just as good as most shops...well i am anyways

retrieving the data should not be a problem. simply take out your hard drive(s) and connect them to another computer (with it off of course). boot up the other comp and you should find the hard drive in the "My Computer" list. either that or try testing your power supply. it almost sounds like that is what went south.

Hey Jack... prior to removing the harddrive, try this first. Remove the CMOS (mobo) battery for about 10 minutes. While the battery is removed, go get a cup of coffee and a doughnut, or a cup of milk and a cookie (whichever)--- this is a wating game, so do what you'd like. After those minutes, replace the battery (make sure you're grounded properly). Start your sys back up, and keep an eye out for the system's "BIOS/CMOS" selection. Enter that option. Go thru all of the settings' screens, making the appropriate changes. Save and Restart. Hopefully, this will be a resolution. It beats having to take your PC apart, for starters.

Ahh, the first part happened to me, i was about to view a vid on youtube and my screen froze, then went to my first ever bsod. i restarted my pc and it was fine. You should be able to retrieve your files of coarse. Oh and a few weeks later, i weent to start up my pc and it said i had a fan overheat or something? Probably something to do with the bsod but my comp seems to run slightly slower and keeps not responding. Best Wishes and Good Luck with That Nicole G xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx…

your power supply probably went... it supplies all the power to the pc, compaq does not use ones with enough "umph" or watts to power the pc, thus they fail in a few years. for example they put a 200watt power supply in a pc that requires about 250watts.your hdd should not be harmed. simply take side off tower, find hard drive ( shiny square thing located at front bottom or top back). it will be mostly flat and have 2 wires coming out. remove wires, take to friend ( kiss him if u like whatever ). reconnect wires while pc is off. turn on. my computer>hard rive letter. (e,d,h,etc)

Oh.. the lovely blue screen of death... Yes, you can retrieve your files, don't worry about that!