Morag Posted March 3, 2012 Posted March 3, 2012 Hi My computer won't switch on, I get the window recovery page and get the option to open in safe mode etc, when I click any of the options i just get a blank dark screen and the operating light goes off (the cylinder one) Its a Toshiba satellite L300-29x running vista. Morag Quote
Morag Posted March 3, 2012 Author Posted March 3, 2012 Just managed to open using safe mode with command prompt, windows boot manager has come up advising using the installation disc and then further instructions but I don't have an installation disc. It ends by saying that "windows failed to load because the system registry file is missing or corrupt. This is not the original hard drive, it was replaced in a repair shop last August so presume the recovery discs we made initially will be useless? Morag Quote
RandyL Posted March 3, 2012 Posted March 3, 2012 Hi Morag. Recovery disks will work on a new drive. A new MOBO would be a different story. If the shop put in a new drive how did they install Windows without those disks? Some shops will put their own copy of Windows on which is illegal. If they did that then your best bet is to reinstall fully using your disks. This will of course mean you will lose all your data. Quote We are all members helping other members. Please return here where you may be able to help someone else. After all, no one knows everything and you may have the answer that someone needs.Get help with computer problems. Join Free PC Help here Donations are welcome. Read Here
Morag Posted March 3, 2012 Author Posted March 3, 2012 Hi Thanks for replying, is there anyway to retrieve the data first? Also when using the recovery discs do I just put them in and the computer works it out from there? Did wonder whether I should return to shop as it is only 5 months since they looked at it? Of course they may say its a different problem. Morag Quote
spantonpctech Posted March 3, 2012 Posted March 3, 2012 To try and save your data and to check things out on your PC do you have an old copy of Windows XP at all? I ask this as we could turn that into a Windows Live CD or USB which could be then used to boot your PC into a Windows Environment. I have a Wndows live cd and I also used a WIndows live USB that i created for work diagnostics and basic system checking. Quote
Plastic Nev Posted March 3, 2012 Posted March 3, 2012 Good thinking Spantonpctech, but if no disk or if one cannot be borrowed from elsewhere, then the recovery disks are all that is left. These will reformat and reinstall, taking the computer back to original factory settings. So to rescue any data before that is done the hard drive should be removed and then via either an adapter or full enclosure, connected to another computer. The data required can then be accessed in just the same way that it would be if it were a flash or thumb drive. Nev. Quote Need help with your computer problems? Then why not join Free PC Help. Register here. If Free PC Help has helped you then please consider a donation. Click here We are all members helping other members. Please return here where you may be able to help someone else. After all, no one knows everything and you may have the answer that someone needs. -------------------------------------------------------------------- I have installed Windows, now how do I install the curtains? 😄
Morag Posted March 3, 2012 Author Posted March 3, 2012 Thank you both, I'm at work at the moment now so I will check on that when I get home, hopefully we will have a windows xp disc. Will come back on later this afternoon. Morag Quote
Morag Posted March 3, 2012 Author Posted March 3, 2012 Hi Back home now. Remembered there was a disc left in laptop when we got it back labelled vista home prem is that any use for us? Also we recently had another laptop with a problem which resulted in us getting the hard drive returned to us in a usb to sata enclosure would this be suitable to use for a different hard drive? Having said that I tried to connect it to another laptop today but it doesn't recognise it! Not sure what the issue is with that! Morag Quote
Plastic Nev Posted March 3, 2012 Posted March 3, 2012 Hi Morag, First can you tell us exactly what is on the label of that disk please, or if possible post a photo of the label would be even better. The hard drive caddy should work providing the drive in this laptop is SATA, it may not be recognising the drive now in it (If one is) if that drive is a dud. The important thing at the moment is the disk you got, if it is a full Microsoft Windows Vista disk, that could be good news. Nev. Quote Need help with your computer problems? Then why not join Free PC Help. Register here. If Free PC Help has helped you then please consider a donation. Click here We are all members helping other members. Please return here where you may be able to help someone else. After all, no one knows everything and you may have the answer that someone needs. -------------------------------------------------------------------- I have installed Windows, now how do I install the curtains? 😄
Morag Posted March 3, 2012 Author Posted March 3, 2012 Nev It is a dvd disc which has vista home prem written in ink on it. Quote
Armageddon Posted March 3, 2012 Posted March 3, 2012 Hi Morag that disk is a copy not a original vista disk Quote Google is your friend We are all members helping other members. Please return here where you may be able to help someone else. After all, no one knows everything and you may have the answer that someone needs. Get help with computer problems. Join Free PC Help here Donations are welcome. Read Here
Morag Posted March 3, 2012 Author Posted March 3, 2012 Yeah realised it was a copy but that is the disc the shop left in the laptop, whether intentionally left or not I don't know! Quote
Plastic Nev Posted March 3, 2012 Posted March 3, 2012 Oh well, not to worry, but that disk is not to be trusted as we don't know whether it is a recovery disk, such as the one you would make yourself when the computer is new, or the worst case a pirated copy of Vista. We have to assume it could be a pirate so we have to advise to ignore it until you can verify with the original repair shop as to exactly what it is. Considering all we have done so far and the fact you have an enclosure that will hopefully work using your hard drive, that is the way to go next as it is possibly the simplest. Most laptop hard drives are fairly easy to remove, and are usually under a cover or plate on the underside, usually with a disks symbol on it to indicate the hard drive disks. Some covers have only one screw, some two, depends on model and make. Please let us know how you get on or if any questions you need answering before going further. Nev. Quote Need help with your computer problems? Then why not join Free PC Help. Register here. If Free PC Help has helped you then please consider a donation. Click here We are all members helping other members. Please return here where you may be able to help someone else. After all, no one knows everything and you may have the answer that someone needs. -------------------------------------------------------------------- I have installed Windows, now how do I install the curtains? 😄
Morag Posted March 3, 2012 Author Posted March 3, 2012 Ok Nev will try it tomorrow although working until 6pm so will be much later, had a couple of glasses of wine so prob best not to try anything tonight :) What does it mean unless the drive is Sata what does that refer to? how do i find that out? The other hard drive i was talking about came from another laptop on which, apparently the motherboard has gone (might open another thread about that one!) which i tried to connect to both another laptop and also a desktop, on the laptop which runs windows 7, the laptop was vista, it registered the connection but wouldn't open and on the desk top which is windows xp it didn't even show it was connected. thanks again for all the help so far Morag Quote
Plastic Nev Posted March 3, 2012 Posted March 3, 2012 Hi if all these laptops are Vista originally it is most likely the drive or drives, and the enclosure, will be SATA or Serial ATA, (that should be on the label on the drive). Older drives, typically XP systems are IDE type. Good idea to relax with the wine for tonight, see you later tomorrow. Nev. Quote Need help with your computer problems? Then why not join Free PC Help. Register here. If Free PC Help has helped you then please consider a donation. Click here We are all members helping other members. Please return here where you may be able to help someone else. After all, no one knows everything and you may have the answer that someone needs. -------------------------------------------------------------------- I have installed Windows, now how do I install the curtains? 😄
Morag Posted March 23, 2012 Author Posted March 23, 2012 Hi all just wanted to let you know what happened, unfortunately my husband got a leg injury at football and I wasn't able to concentrate on laptop so i took it back to the shop who diagnosed a faulty hard drivew and because it was under warrenty they replaced it . Thanks for all your help. Quote
Plastic Nev Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 Thanks for the feedback Morag and glad all sorted under the original warranty. I wish it was always such good news. Nev. Quote Need help with your computer problems? Then why not join Free PC Help. Register here. If Free PC Help has helped you then please consider a donation. Click here We are all members helping other members. Please return here where you may be able to help someone else. After all, no one knows everything and you may have the answer that someone needs. -------------------------------------------------------------------- I have installed Windows, now how do I install the curtains? 😄
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