Please help my computer is dead :(

davetrousers

echelon101 wrote: »

1.First off you need to get into the BIOS which should be labled as something like System Setup when you load the computer. Then switch to CD Boot.

2. Download UBUNTU onto a CD, it is basically an Operating System that runs off a CD ie you don't need a working hard drive
http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download (Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Desktop Edition - Supported to 2011)

3. One UBUNTU has loaded up you then need to follow this guide to the letter
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/InstallingANewHardDrive#Mount%20the%20Drive

4. Insert a USB disc or external hard drive and follow these instructions again to the letter
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Mount/USB


Hopefully that should get all your data off that you need.

Then;

5. Reboot and take out the UBUNTU CD

6. Insert the XP CD and follow the Instructions to installing a new partition, which basically starts with "I want to format my drive"

I agree with this. You need to backup important files BEFORE trying to repair anything. I recommended Knoppix this guy recommends Ubuntu but the basic principle is the same.