is my laptop knackered?

[Ferg3333]

try using the cd you got with the laptop to boot into windows. You may need to reinstall windows which means you'll wipe everything

[warmwaterdiver]

cheers Simon

I have already (about a year ago) reinstalled via the CD so I know about that

I do have some stuff I'd like to keep on the harddrive if at all possible so I'd like to explore all other options until its the very last resort

and yes I know, I should have backed it up!

[MattS]

It could be either a software or hardware problem. From what you say it actually sounds more like hardware.

If there is nothing important on the disk you could try a repair install using the original CD. You will need a valid serial number and will have to re-activate XP. A repair re-install should resolve software problems and retain the existing applications. It will not fix knackered hardware

If there is important information on the disk (that you really do not want to lose) you should first concentrate on copying the data off the disk to a safe location before further attempts at repair.

[geek]
Text mode just means it has yet to start in full protected mode. The reboot loop may occur when entering protected mode when one of the drivers causes an access violation when it attempts to take control of knackered hardware. Sometimes the boolog indicatea which item of hardware is knackered and sometimes it doesn't.
[/geek]

[uwila]

Assuming you only have one partition on the hard drive (only C: and no second 'disc' in Windows) then a reinstall usually does result in total loss of data.

However, not all is lost. I have a little Sony box which takes a lap-top hard drive and turns it into an external USB drive (I paid £10 for it). So it may well be possible to remove the drive and use it connected to another PC in order to save the useful data.

Mine takes a 2.5 inch drive. Sadly I live in London which is not near you, but maybe there's someone a little nearer who has one and can help?

If you're desperate, and nobody nearer can help, I am happy to meet up and try this.

Cheers, Chris

[MattS]

Originally Posted by warmwaterdiver

I do have some stuff I'd like to keep on the harddrive if at all possible so I'd like to explore all other options until its the very last resort

and yes I know, I should have backed it up!

Let me expand a little on my point.

At the moment it stands a very good chance that the data on the disk (your documents etc.) are perfectly intact. It is very likely that the disk can easily be removed from the laptop, connected to a PC and the files copied off. About 2Hrs work for someone that has the right connecting leads and a small amount of nonce.

What you risk by continuing to DIY the repair is making the documents on the disk far more difficult to access. If it happens to be the disk which is causing the original problem you are currently in a 'warning period' which could end at any time. The more you continue to use the laptop the more likely it is that retrieving your data will become a highly skilled and costly job.

So try not to think about the value of the laptop and think about what value the data on it has to you.

[warmwaterdiver]

OK thanks MattS

Chris, can you advise me of the little Sony box thing, anything similar on ebay, PCworld, etc? thanks

[uwila]

Originally Posted by warmwaterdiver

OK thanks MattS

Chris, can you advise me of the little Sony box thing, anything similar on ebay, PCworld, etc? thanks

What MattS said is very true.

This is the sort of thing you could try:
not the one I have, but similar mine has a nice little case for the disc, but only takes a 2.5 inch one. I haven't bought anything from this seller, but for a few quid it might be worth a punt - as long as you can borrow a lap-top to upload your data

Search ebay for "hard drive adaptor usb" to see more...

Cheers, Chris

[MattS]

Originally Posted by uwila

Assuming you only have one partition on the hard drive (only C: and no second 'disc' in Windows) then a reinstall usually does result in total loss of data.

There is no usually about it. The install routine does what you tell it to do. You just need to to know what to tell it to do. A repair install overwrites only files that shipped with Windows or were created at install time and leaves the vast majority of applications intact. Accepting defaults and not knowing what the various options mean may well wipe the disk though. Sorry if I have not worded that particularly well.

However, not all is lost. I have a little Sony box which takes a lap-top hard drive and turns it into an external USB drive (I paid £10 for it). So it may well be possible to remove the drive and use it connected to another PC in order to save the useful data.

There is the additional layer of the USB interface in the external enclosure which could interfere with access to the disk, but the theory is sound enough. I have a little connector for connecting laptop disks direct to the IDE bus in a PC dedicated to data recovery - I seem to have to do a lot of this sort thing these days.

[warmwaterdiver]

OK thanks again both

I found the box, manual and discs last night as I thoght I'd need them

I'll print out this thread before I leave work and try the suggestions

I'll try a repair install, if nothing works then I'll wait and buy the ebay item, if that fails I'll try a full reinstall

[uwila]

Originally Posted by MattS

There is no usually about it. The install routine does what you tell it to do. You just need to to know what to tell it to do. A repair install overwrites only files that shipped with Windows or were created at install time and leaves the vast majority of applications intact. Accepting defaults and not knowing what the various options mean may well wipe the disk though. Sorry if I have not worded that particularly well.

Sorry, but your comments are not accurate. Some machines only come with a 're-install disc' which totally wipes the C: partition (often the only one in these machines) and no options are possible. This is increasingly the case as it means the manufacturer has a process of getting your O/S back to a known state. Sadly, all your data are sacrificed to the Gods of 'cheap support'. If warmwaterdiver has one like this, then there is no 'you just need to know...' etc. If he has a seperate O/S install disc, then you are right, but this is not very likely.

The best bet is to connect the disc externally, and I too can connect directly to any SATA or IDE device, but that doesn't help as I'm not local enough and the USB adaptors work very well a lot of the time.

Cheers, Chris