Please help me - Windows not loading

debitcardmayhem

Don't know if this will help,[STRIKE] http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/how-to-make-a-windows-vista-repair-disk-if-you-dont-have-one/[/STRIKE]


Edited: Sorry it's no longer free :grr:

KiKi

GunJack wrote: »

if you boot from the recovery disk, you will have repair options as well as a reinstall, so as long as you're careful and DON'T choose the wrong one, you could attempt a repair from that disk

Really? So if I stick it in the drive, then start the laptop, it won't automatically wipe everything?

I'll have the chance to 'repair'?

I have selected repair from the F8 list but it can't seem to repair it. It even crashes and reboots on its own before offering me a Windows Recovery Repair option and can't repair it!

I'll await your reply before doing anything that might kill it.

Kiki

GunJack

when you boot from the cd, you will get various menus with options on them...can't remember the vista ones in detail OTTOMH, but you can chose to repair the current windows installation, or run a command prompt where you can run other non-destructive things like chkdsk :c /r, which will also attempt to repair but in a different way again. There are several ways of repairing before having to do a full drive-wipe & reinstall

KiKi

GunJack wrote: »

when you boot from the cd, you will get various menus with options on them...can't remember the vista ones in detail OTTOMH, but you can chose to repair the current windows installation, or run a command prompt where you can run other non-destructive things like chkdsk :c /r, which will also attempt to repair but in a different way again. There are several ways of repairing before having to do a full drive-wipe & reinstall

Thank you - I'm going to bed now but will try this tomorrow.

If I do the Command Prompt (that the black screen, DOS thing with white writing, right?!), do I just type chkdsk, then enter?

And then try the other one :C and enter?

And then /r and enter?

Sorry, I literally know nothing about that which I am talking about. As you can tell.

Thank you for your time.
KiKi

closed

chkdsk c: /r

with a space between k and c, : and /

all on one line

KiKi

Okay, thank you. Will attempt tomorrow!
KiKi

KiKi

I bought a 2.5" HDD enclosure today - unfortunately it doesn't match my hard drive.

The enclosure looks like it needs pins to go in it, but the hard drive (bought the Toshiba in 2007, Satellite Pro A200 series) has two pieces of plastic with gold stripes down it, so I assume it's not compatible.

In addition, the HDD is too fat for the casing, although not too wide.

Can anyone suggest an HDD case which might work? I'm googling but can't seem to find what I might need.

Thanks again to anyone who can help.
KiKi

closed

There are 2 type pata (older, lots of pins), and sata

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA

KiKi

Ah, I have SATA! Thank you yet again. I shall try and find the right product.

I tried the product recovery disk - it won't work with the HDD in the laptop, which seems odd...? If I take the HDD out, it will load, but will only offer a full reinstallation of Vista.

I know this is probably a really stupid question because the logical answer is yes, but if the HDD is out, then I can just reinstall Vista with no adverse impact on any data on my computer can't I? And then put the HDD back in and hope for the best?!

I ask that because until I get the right case I can't transfer the HDD data elsewhere, so I don't want to reinstall anything onto the laptop whilst the HDD's in, just in case I select or do the wrong thing.

I can't get to DOS screen, so can't do the chkdsk thing, unfortunately.

Thank you once again, closed.
KiKi

closed

you cant reinstall windows without a hdd in, that where windows goes.

you probably need to either alter the boot order in the bios, or hold down a key at boot, sometimes F12 to select boot from cd/dvd before hd.

If you bought it from the high street, just swap it for the sata model