HELP! Save my hard drive!
Discussion
I leant my laptop to my OH last week and it seems to have died.
He says it shut down normally the day before but when trying to turn it on again it boots up as far to say Windows did not shut down properly and gives you the safe mode start with last known configuration start windows screen. It doesn't matter which one you choose, you get as far as the windows logo with the loading bar but then it goes to a blue screen with white writing and resets itself.
Apart from being miffed that this laptop isn't even a year old, I really really really need to get the data off my hard drive. I've got loads of pictures on there that people were wanting to buy plus loads of really precious memories.
It's an unbranded laptop from PC specialist. OH tried to take out the hard drive and plug it into his PC but he says it is screwed down in an aluminium enclosure and can't figure out how to get in. I know I should have backed up the really important things and will certainly be planning on this now, but right now, is there any way I can recover this data????????
He says it shut down normally the day before but when trying to turn it on again it boots up as far to say Windows did not shut down properly and gives you the safe mode start with last known configuration start windows screen. It doesn't matter which one you choose, you get as far as the windows logo with the loading bar but then it goes to a blue screen with white writing and resets itself.
Apart from being miffed that this laptop isn't even a year old, I really really really need to get the data off my hard drive. I've got loads of pictures on there that people were wanting to buy plus loads of really precious memories.
It's an unbranded laptop from PC specialist. OH tried to take out the hard drive and plug it into his PC but he says it is screwed down in an aluminium enclosure and can't figure out how to get in. I know I should have backed up the really important things and will certainly be planning on this now, but right now, is there any way I can recover this data????????
Download this http://www.ubuntu.com/
Then burn it to a CD and boot from the CD (F8 or F12 to get to the boot menu when you turn it on usually).
Then copy your files over.
Then burn it to a CD and boot from the CD (F8 or F12 to get to the boot menu when you turn it on usually).
Then copy your files over.
Have you got a copy of the windows install CD .I'd suggest you have windows XP,from the blue screen .If so , put xp install in CD drive - and boot from it .Choose repair at the menu that askes if you want to install or repair . Then go for checkdsk /f .( notice the space ).You might have to repeat , but it should do the job .
Before you start messing about repairing the operating system, get one of these:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/USB-2-0-SATA-IDE-CABLE-HDD-U...
Connect the drive and see if it can still be read. If so, you should be able to copy the files over.
If you have a password set on the user, you might be denied access. If that is the case, scan it with this:
http://www.piriform.com/recuva
Which should allow the files to be recovered directly.
Repairing the installation *might* overwrite some of the files.
If your stuff is as important as it sounds, I would suggest getting some professional help though. That said, be careful who you use, because there are some bloody idiots about.
As the poster above said, you can use an Ubuntu disc as well.
If you aren't sure what you are doing, don't mess about with it, as you could make things worse.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/USB-2-0-SATA-IDE-CABLE-HDD-U...
Connect the drive and see if it can still be read. If so, you should be able to copy the files over.
If you have a password set on the user, you might be denied access. If that is the case, scan it with this:
http://www.piriform.com/recuva
Which should allow the files to be recovered directly.
Repairing the installation *might* overwrite some of the files.
If your stuff is as important as it sounds, I would suggest getting some professional help though. That said, be careful who you use, because there are some bloody idiots about.
As the poster above said, you can use an Ubuntu disc as well.
If you aren't sure what you are doing, don't mess about with it, as you could make things worse.
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