Laptop won't start up - please help

Spiggle

NiftyDigits wrote: »

You can even go as far as fitting the Drive into the caddy, noting the Drive Letter produced when plugging it into your PC, right clicking on said Drive Letter and then choosing > Properties > Tools > Check Now(under Error Checking).

Hi NiftyDigits and any other helpful people,

I was completely wrong!!!


Please see below.

Thanks in advance for any helpful advice.
Spigs

closed

if you're sure all your data is backed up somewhere else, factory restore it (boot holding zero (0)), 10 minutes later, it will probably be working

and backup properly in future http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx - disk image backup, not clone

Spiggle

Ok, sorry it's been a long day. The actual report back after checking the correct disk this time stated:

"The disk check could not be performed because Windows can't access the disk."

Sorry closed, what do you mean by a proper back up please? I back up both my laptop and my desktop onto separate removable storage (laptop to WD external HDD and DT to data bar) on a weekly basis.

Thanks again in advance for any advice. I'm thinking I should bin the HDD and get a new one.

Thanks,
Spigs

HereToday

Spiggle wrote: »

Ok, sorry it's been a long day. The actual report back after checking the correct disk this time stated:

"The disk check could not be performed because Windows can't access the disk."

Sorry closed, what do you mean by a proper back up please? I back up both my laptop and my desktop onto separate removable storage (laptop to WD external HDD and DT to data bar) on a weekly basis.

Thanks again in advance for any advice. I'm thinking I should bin the HDD and get a new one.

Thanks,
Spigs

Look here...

closed

closed wrote: »

and backup properly in future http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx - disk image backup, not clone

see the rest of the sentence

if you had/have a disk image backup a working machine is never very far away, either restore from backup onto your existing disk, or if it is faulty, insert new disk and do the same, and you would lose nothing.

bluesnake

Spiggle wrote: »

... I'm thinking I should bin the HDD and get a new one.

Many drive manufacturers give away free disk diagnostic software which detects the majority of the faults.

Your drive may not have a physical fault, but rather may have been moved/dropped/bumped, or power spike? (doubtful), while writing, causing a soft error.

As Closed said "and backup properly in future http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx - disk image backup, not clone " Plus, make to bootable restore CD and store it in a safe place.

Spiggle

Thanks All,

I think I should have asked about where/onto what media a disk image back up needs to go. In the process of doing it now for my desktop machine and have used up the 10 DVD disks I had! I think I would have bought an external hard drive for the purpose if I'd realised/known/asked the right question.

Anyone know if I'll be ok to pause the process once number 10 is full until I get some more on Monday please?

With reference to the laptop, I'm weighing up getting a new one entire or just a hard drive. I know I should have made a recovery disk but I didn't think it would fail this quickly. It's certainly made me reconsider the wisdom of buying a refurb. I mean, could I use the disk image from my DT to start up my laptop if I just replaced the HDD?

Got to go enjoy your weekend and thanks again,
Spigs

HereToday

A new HDD is perhaps £35. A new laptop considerably more. A hard drive can fail at any time, hence the repeated calls to make backups.

closed

you haven't proved there is anything wrong with the hard disk yet have you?

factory restore/reinstall windows before spending money

dvd's hold 4.7 GB, so you can work out how many you'll need by seeing how much data you have, compression can reduce the number needed upto half, it usually has to be done in one go - an external portable hard disk is a better solution, and you'll need one disk dvd or cd for the boot cd

disk image from desktop is no use

Spiggle

bluesnake wrote: »

... Your drive may not have a physical fault, but rather may have been moved/dropped/bumped, or power spike? (doubtful), while writing, causing a soft error. ...

Thanks bluesnake, the laptop wasn't moved, dropped or bumped between switch off and failure to start.

HereToday wrote: »

A new HDD is perhaps £35. A new laptop considerably more. A hard drive can fail at any time, hence the repeated calls to make backups.

Thanks HereToday, I realise the HDD can fail and thought I was making the correct back ups. The first time I backed the laptop onto the WD external drive it took such a long time I (obviously wrongly) presumed it was what was needed.

closed wrote: »

you haven't proved there is anything wrong with the hard disk yet have you? ...
factory restore/reinstall windows before spending money

Thanks closed, I thought the report back after check disk through usb on the desktop stating:
"The disk check could not be performed because Windows can't access the disk."
meant the HDD was shot.

As I have no recovery/reinstall disk for Windows, I'm not sure how to do that. Also not sure how to factory restore the laptop when the HDD is out and when it was in it wouldn't let me past the pages noted in my original posts.

I have now lost all faith in this laptop for my own use and so will get a new HDD to fit and some sort of OS and then pass on to either my technophobe OH or my granddaughter.

In the meantime, my Christmas present this year will be either this http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00F93MBXC/ref=noref?ie=UTF8&psc=1&s=computers
or this http://www.johnlewis.com/lenovo-g505s-laptop-amd-a8-8gb-ram-1tb-15-6-black/p809056?s_emcid=20130731_JLE1227_RemarketingAB&s_emuid=214344240 if I ever make up my mind.

Thanks for all your help everyone,
Spigs