Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: theolodian on 25 September 2006, 12:49:58
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You guys are going to think that I am a sour old git after all my complaining lately, but I am getting close to torching my laptop. Even the shops can't fix it, it is going to have to be sent off. I don't want to spend much money on it, but I don't want to buy a new one until next year - or at least Xmas. Then the only choice is no laptop hence my interest in torching the POS!
It is 2yrs old. Needs a new hard drive but will not boot from CD so can't install XP on new drive. Therefore also can't use any of the clone utilities I have found so far. Having to use a PC card for USB ports doesn't help there either. Can't find a cloning utility that will let me clone one external drive to another. I can't believe this cr@p is so hard in this day and age. I keep running across problems that no one has bothered to solve?
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Ok, first suggestion is list IN DETAIL the problems.
If it requires a new hard drive, go get one, even for laptops, they are not expensive.
If that is shot, then you won't be able to do anything until it is replaced.
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Cheers,
-Have new HD. no OS installed, and USB enclosure
-Have original XP Home SP1 install cd and new SP2 Pro bootable cd
-USB ports fried on motherboard, have to use PC card USB ports
-Old HD still works, but bearings make an almighty noise if jarred
-Will not boot from CD no matter what. Even tried replacing CD drive
-Has boot from network option, but not USB
-Everything copied off HD
I'm not completely useless around computers, and I've spent 4+ whole days on this over the last 2 months. 2hrs online with Compaq and no improvement, upgraded BIOS and everything. I've talked to 3 or 4 shops that do repairs and no luck.
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you posted before i replied.. doh
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If you have usb on a PCCard, then get yourself a USB floppy drive (£20), boot up from floppy and create 2 partitions on the hard disk. Then make partition 1 bootable, and copy the contents of the XP boot CD onto this parition.
Boot up from the hard disk and then install XP from there.
HTH
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If you have usb on a PCCard, then get yourself a USB floppy drive (£20), boot up from floppy and create 2 partitions on the hard disk. Then make partition 1 bootable, and copy the contents of the XP boot CD onto this parition.
Boot up from the hard disk and then install XP from there.
HTH
I do have a USB floppy drive. I can try that, but I thought that if it wouldn't boot from a bootable external HD then it won't boot from a USB floppy.
I don't get what you mean by the partitions. I tried copying the CD to the HD while it was in an external enclosure. All I got was a blinking cursor at boot.
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Use FDISK to create a partition and make it bootable.
If you were able to copy the files onto the hardrive, but not able to boot, then you should just need to make that drive bootable. Which can by done with disk manager within NT/XP or if you are in command prompt only, then you need to use the DOS command sys "SYS C:" Once the machine will boot of the internal hard drive, you can then just run setup from the XP disk.
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Use FDISK to create a partition and make it bootable.
If you were able to copy the files onto the hardrive, but not able to boot, then you should just need to make that drive bootable. Which can by done with disk manager within NT/XP or if you are in command prompt only, then you need to use the DOS command sys "SYS C:" Once the machine will boot of the internal hard drive, you can then just run setup from the XP disk.
FDISK doesn't exist under XP? I have found where to make partitions, but not where to make them bootable.
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I have been all through the help files for Disk Management and can't find any way to make a disk bootable. Some things seem restricted to 64bit?
I get the feeling that this is one of those things that everyone thinks can be done, but in the end it can't.
Cheers,
Theo
p.s. Going to ASDA soon. Maybe I should add lighter fluid to the list. >:(
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It all sounds a bit Klingon to me, if it involves more than the on and off button thats me lost.
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Dont know that much about computers. What I do know is that when I get a new Pc/laptop I make a set of recovery discs and I back up to disc every week.
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No FDISK is a DOS program, it is called DISKPART in XP and can be found under computer management/Disk Management. Trouble is with XP is that is does not treat booting the same way. To make a drive bootable in XP you create an Active partition and the XP will look for the following 3 files :
boot.ini
ntdetect.com
ntldr
Boot.ini tells XP where to load the bootsector. You can do this, but unless you have a (previously) working XP system, NTLDR will just bomb out leaving you no better off.
What I am suggesting is that you go back to DOS briefly, so as you can get on the net etc, I would suggest that you get a boot disk (try somewhere like bootdisk.com) and the use the dos programs to create a bootable partition on your new (about to get wiped clean) disk.
so FDISK - will create a partition (you sound like you already have one so you can skip this)
You will need to format the drive after a FDISK. Use the command "format c:"
Then from a boot disk (dos), run the program "SYS" and point it to your harddisk ie "SYS C:"
If you can boot from floppy this gets very easy.
Trust me, this CAN be done.
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Did all that. Never accessed floppy during boot. Boot from floppy or USB were not options in the BIOS.
Oh I bet this can be done, but only in exceedingly painful and probably expensive ways.
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Did all that. Never accessed floppy during boot. Boot from floppy or USB were not options in the BIOS.
Oh I bet this can be done, but only in exceedingly painful and probably expensive ways.
Put the disk into the external cage, boot off the old disk, insert the boot floppy and go into the command prompt.
Then within the command prompt.
A: enter
SYS <drive letter of new disk>: enter
Copy the XP files off the CD into a folder on the new drive
Boot off the new disk, then run setup from the folder where you copied XP.
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Tried that. Says incorrect DOS version. I did the 6.22 from bootdisk.com
Thanks for trying to help me on this. We've tried more than anyone else had come up with before. Therefore I'm more hopeful, but not ready to really get my hopes up yet.
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Mate, I'm not far from Warwickshire, and I've spent the last 6 years working with computers - I'm sure I can resolve your probs. PM me and we'll sort something out if possible.
I won't charge you anything.
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Ok, a bit more info on the machine would help. (Bios etc) But....
Have you tried booting off the the old disk with the new disk in the external cage, inserting the XP CD and running setup to the new disk?
If setup will run, then you will still have to modify boot.ini before you can boot off it, but that is easy.
Other options...
Put the new disk into the external (usb?) cage, take it to a machine that has got a working floppy, boot that machine into dos and format /S the drive on that machine.
Edit the sectors on ther hard drive and manually create the MBR (you would need a disk editor and patience!)
there are more ...
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Mate, I'm not far from Warwickshire, and I've spent the last 6 years working with computers - I'm sure I can resolve your probs. PM me and we'll sort something out if possible.
I won't charge you anything.
I'm up by Coventry, but it would be worth a road trip if you are sure. I'll pm you now.
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Ok, a bit more info on the machine would help. (Bios etc) But....
Have you tried booting off the the old disk with the new disk in the external cage, inserting the XP CD and running setup to the new disk?
If setup will run, then you will still have to modify boot.ini before you can boot off it, but that is easy.
Other options...
Put the new disk into the external (usb?) cage, take it to a machine that has got a working floppy, boot that machine into dos and format /S the drive on that machine.
Edit the sectors on ther hard drive and manually create the MBR (you would need a disk editor and patience!)
there are more ...
It wouldn't let me install XP anywhere but C:? My other computer is a Mac Mini, and I am pretty sure that they don't run DOS. Maybe I can find someone with one.
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If your still stuck and the orig hard drive still works.
I may be able to help.....I have some cloning software somewhere....havent used it in ages and not sure if ive got any licenses left :-/
Basically you bung in a pcmcia adaptor in and plug the new hard disk onto the end of the cable.
Then you boot off a floppy disk and tell it to clone your orig disk to the new one.
Then take the old one out and replace with the new one :)
I used to use when clients wanted their hard disks upgraded in size.....easiest way to do it ;)
But reason i mention about licenses was every time i used the prog it used to decrease the license by 1.
I used to buy 10 at a time.
Anyway as i say if your still stuck give me a shout and I'll have a hunt for it
Cheers
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Thanks for the offer TD, but I can't boot from a floppy or a CD/DVD. I can't find anything that will clone one external drive to another. I might be able to make some progress if I had access to another computer, but I just don't think that it is going to happen with what I have.
If I had more money I would just buy a new laptop and be done with it. On the other hand, I don't desperately need a laptop. I am pretty annoyed at all the stuff that has blown up and can't be readily repaired. My laptop and my DVD surround system both went this summer. Me and electronics are NOT getting along right now!
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Thanks for the offer TD, but I can't boot from a floppy or a CD/DVD. I can't find anything that will clone one external drive to another. I might be able to make some progress if I had access to another computer, but I just don't think that it is going to happen with what I have.
If I had more money I would just buy a new laptop and be done with it. On the other hand, I don't desperately need a laptop. I am pretty annoyed at all the stuff that has blown up and can't be readily repaired. My laptop and my DVD surround system both went this summer. Me and electronics are NOT getting along right now!
Why doesnt it boot from floppy?
If it wont boot from floppy and just boots from HD then either you dont have a bootable floppy in the drive or its set in the bios to boot from the HD disk first.
Look for the access light coming on the floppy drive when it starts to boot.....if it comes on then off and then boots from the HD then its coz no bootable floppy on the drive.
If it doesnt come on at all then its the setting in the bios.
Anyhow i'll have a think what its called....been ages since ive used it and forgotten who makes it :-[
I'll post a link to their website when i remember! But it is a good bit of kit.....and that was 5 years ago!
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No internal floppy. No boot from USB either so USB floppy drive not active during boot. If it would just boot from CD like it's supposed to then I wouldn't be having all this trouble. Been through the BIOS so many times it makes me dizzy to look at it.
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No internal floppy. No boot from USB either so USB floppy drive not active during boot. If it would just boot from CD like it's supposed to then I wouldn't be having all this trouble. Been through the BIOS so many times it makes me dizzy to look at it.
Do you have an external floppy drive for it thats not usb?
I dont have an internal floppy drive on my labtop but it does have an external one that plugs into an multiway connector
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I haven't seen one of those in a long time! My 133MHz Pentium from 1997 had one of those, but not my other laptops.
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I haven't seen one of those in a long time! My 133MHz Pentium from 1997 had one of those, but not my other laptops.
Mines a Dell lightweight.....bout 4 years old now....750Mhz....no cd drive, no floppy drive....carnt fit...too slim....so all external devices
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They do it seems (Dell with out of Sony spec charging circuitry & Sony batteries)
I am dangerous with hardware - great as it stops me being pestered to repair peoples PCs.
Anyway I have a 200GB HDD with a fried board Maxtor Diamondmax 9 (can't find it) anyone able to repair it?
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well acronis trueimage supports external drives - USB and firewire. Once installed you can then create a bootable CD. If you have access to another PC, you could connect the original drive to it (via an external box if necessary), then backup the data either to an image file on the temporary PC or possibly even to the new drive in another external box.
Reminds me of a problem I had with a mate's laptop a year or so ago - that also wouldn't boot from the CD. I stripped it to bits - couldn't find anything wrong - put it back together again, then had a final look in the BIOS and found the secondary IDE channel was disabled :-[
Re-enabled that and (funnily enough) it booted from CD fine afterwards .... worth checking??
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Cheers. Can't find anything about IDE in the BIOS. The website for Acronis doesn't say anything about being able to clone one external drive to another or not.
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Theo can't boot this off anything external, so he needs to get a working boot sector on the new hard disk.
Its been a while since I installed XP Pro so I can't remember the options on where you can install, but it should give the option to install in a different location (you did try Pro and not Home edition?).
What Machine & BIOS is it?
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Sounds a bit like HP/Compaq consumer laptop?
How big was the old hard disk, and how big is the new one?
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It is a Compaq Presario X1360US, BIOS is Hewlett-Packard 68BAL Ver. F .55
I am trying with Pro, have not been working with Home this week.
Now that I think about it, won't boot camp on my Mac install XP to an external drive? I'll have a look at that.
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Sounds a bit like HP/Compaq consumer laptop?
How big was the old hard disk, and how big is the new one?
Yeah, it is. Old - 60 GB, New - 40 GB
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It is a Compaq Presario X1360US, BIOS is Hewlett-Packard 68BAL Ver. F .55
I am trying with Pro, have not been working with Home this week.
Now that I think about it, won't boot camp on my Mac install XP to an external drive? I'll have a look at that.
i think the way boot camp works may mean it won't work on that laptop...
We may cover old ground here (some of the earlier info is not entirely clear), but does it boot using a DOS 6.22 type floppy? If no, will it boot from a bootable USB memory stick?
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I was going to use boot camp on my Mac to install XP on the new drive for the Laptop. However, I've looked and it won't do that. You can install Mac OS on an external drive, but not winblows.
The USB floppy drive was not accessed during boot, so DOS 6.22 was of no use. I haven't tried a USB stick. I also have an SD card slot, but I don't think that it is in the boot sequence.
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It is a Compaq Presario X1360US, BIOS is Hewlett-Packard 68BAL Ver. F .55
I am trying with Pro, have not been working with Home this week.
Now that I think about it, won't boot camp on my Mac install XP to an external drive? I'll have a look at that.
That BIOS will, by default, try to boot from the following:
Floppy diskette drive
Optical drive (DVD, CD-ROM)
Hard drive
USB device
Network adapter
What is the BIOS set to?
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I put it back to default yesterday during my efforts. Tried every setting that I can find. Default has Network disabled.
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Sounds like there might be more wrong with your motherboard than the USB headers.
By far the quickest and most simple way to resolve this, is to get access to a machine that will boot from a floppy disk. Then either use a boot disk and do as I described earlier, or ..
Any of the following utilities will clone an XP disk (so long as you can boot from floppy!)
Symantec (Norton) Ghost
Acronis Disk Image
Ranish partition manager
mirays hdclone
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Cheers for the help! It may be a while before I get a chance to do that, but I'll keep you posted. I tried to get a few shops to do something along those lines, and they weren't up to the task. Oh well.
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does the CDROM drive definitely work? If it does, in theory it would be possible to connect the notebook's hard disk to a working PC using a suitable adaptor, boot from an XP CDROM, run through setup until it reboots, then power off. Fit the hard disk to the lappy and continue setup from there. However it sounds like the laptop's system board may be FUBAR'd .... ::)
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does the CDROM drive definitely work? If it does, in theory it would be possible to connect the notebook's hard disk to a working PC using a suitable adaptor, boot from an XP CDROM, run through setup until it reboots, then power off. Fit the hard disk to the lappy and continue setup from there. However it sounds like the laptop's system board may be FUBAR'd .... ::)
CD drive works fine when it is booted up, and seeks during boot. Even bought a second used internal CD drive and tried it. I asked shops to do what you just described and they wouldn't? I guess I could ask my girlfriend to let me do surgery on her laptop, but that may not go over well. ;)
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does the CDROM drive definitely work? If it does, in theory it would be possible to connect the notebook's hard disk to a working PC using a suitable adaptor, boot from an XP CDROM, run through setup until it reboots, then power off. Fit the hard disk to the lappy and continue setup from there. However it sounds like the laptop's system board may be FUBAR'd .... ::)
CD drive works fine when it is booted up, and seeks during boot. Even bought a second used internal CD drive and tried it. I asked shops to do what you just described and they wouldn't? I guess I could ask my girlfriend to let me do surgery on her laptop, but that may not go over well. ;)
I thought you had your disk drive in an external cage? if so, just boot up the Girlfriend's laptop with a bootdisk and create an MBR on it. No surgery needed.
If that fails or she wont let you.. I am expecting a dead laptop tomorrow for repair, I will load up XP pro and remind myself of what options you have, I still think you must have a BIOS problem though .. is it possible to upgrade the firmware and re-flash the BIOS on this box?
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I upgraded the bios 6 weeks ago when trying to sort this online with Compaq. I'd like to hear what you find out tomorrow.
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I'll have a look myself in a bit, will connect a lappy HDD in an external box - and another drive in an external box - to a PC I've got here, then try running acronis trueimage and see if it gives me the option to copy between the two external drives ...
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I'll have a look myself in a bit, will connect a lappy HDD in an external box - and another drive in an external box - to a PC I've got here, then try running acronis trueimage and see if it gives me the option to copy between the two external drives ...
Cheers, or even image to the computer and then back to another external. I sent a query to Acronis yesterday asking as much but have not heard back yet.
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the latter option I have done before. Will try both though, just to prove the point one way or the other !!
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well for some reason I couldn't get it (Acronis TrueImage) to recognise both USB2 caddies at the same time. However I was able to connect the old drive, copy the data off it to an image file on the computer's hard disk - power off, swap for the new disk, reboot and restore the data to the new drive (in a USB2 case) successfully ...
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Cool! Now I need to work up to being willing to spend another $50 on this thing. Maybe not this week :-/
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I can't believe no one has answered the question yet in your subject line.....so i will.
Yes, if they are fitted with a Sony battery pack. ;D
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Martin beat you to it. :P
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Martin beat you to it. :P
So he did, didn't see that before....
I'll away and hang my head in shame then. ::)
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Got lost in that gripping discussion of the wonder of modern computers ;)
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Got lost in that gripping discussion of the wonder of modern computers ;)
I frequently have to go into DOS at work when connecting to old PLC's, people just look and wonder, lost without a mouse. ;D
Those were the days, extended memory or expanded...hmmmm. ;)
I reckon some of the guys i work with think himem is something to do with a girls private area. ;D
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Got lost in that gripping discussion of the wonder of modern computers ;)
I frequently have to go into DOS at work when connecting to old PLC's, people just look and wonder, lost without a mouse. ;D
Those were the days, extended memory or expanded...hmmmm. ;)
I reckon some of the guys i work with think himem is something to do with a girls private area. ;D
I got that beat. I remember punch cards and 8" floppy disks from when I was a kid! I first learned how to program on a computer with no HD, 16K of RAM, and two 5.25" floppy drives - one for DOS and one for your work.
Wait, that makes me sound even older than I am! :o ;D
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I can't believe no one has answered the question yet in your subject line.....so i will.
Yes, if they are fitted with a Sony battery pack. ;D
Sony Shite >:(
Theolodian, Another solution may be to put your HDD in my laptop, I'll do the text based part of install, put back in yours to complete.
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Another solution may be to put your HDD in my laptop, I'll do the text based part of install, put back in yours to complete.
and/or you could backup the contents of his original drive to an image on yours using norton ghost, acronis trueimage, etc - and then restore that image to the new drive, saving the time to install windoze and the rest of the applications, documents and settings ... assuming the data on the original drive is OK (don't remember that not being the case). I'd offer to sort it, but Kent is a bit of a long drive for theo !!!
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Sod imaging the disk. Once Windows is more than 3 - 6 months old, its shagged and needs rebuilding. Bodging it back is far from ideal...
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Another solution may be to put your HDD in my laptop, I'll do the text based part of install, put back in yours to complete.
and/or you could backup the contents of his original drive to an image on yours using norton ghost, acronis trueimage, etc - and then restore that image to the new drive, saving the time to install windoze and the rest of the applications, documents and settings ... assuming the data on the original drive is OK (don't remember that not being the case). I'd offer to sort it, but Kent is a bit of a long drive for theo !!!
I'm going to blitz it anyway. Got a trojan a few months ago and hasn't been right since. Thanks for the offer, already did files and settings transfer to the XP side of my Mini, so can go back to the new drive too.
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I can't believe no one has answered the question yet in your subject line.....so i will.
Yes, if they are fitted with a Sony battery pack. ;D
Sony Shite >:(
Theolodian, Another solution may be to put your HDD in my laptop, I'll do the text based part of install, put back in yours to complete.
Other companies have managed to make lap tops which don't melt which use Sony batteries and after the issues I've seen with Dells I would not trust them (were good 5 years ago not so much now)
A lad at work with a Dell has had nothing but problems, his dad has an Evesham which has been fine
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DOS - a proper O/S.
What is Vistas command prompt like?
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Sony Shite >:(
Steady on Jaime. ;D
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I can't believe no one has answered the question yet in your subject line.....so i will.
Yes, if they are fitted with a Sony battery pack. ;D
Sony Shite >:(
Theolodian, Another solution may be to put your HDD in my laptop, I'll do the text based part of install, put back in yours to complete.
Other companies have managed to make lap tops which don't melt which use Sony batteries and after the issues I've seen with Dells I would not trust them (were good 5 years ago not so much now)
A lad at work with a Dell has had nothing but problems, his dad has an Evesham which has been fine
2nd largest laptop manufacturer - Toshiba - has also had to surcome to doing a battery recall. Yup, you guessed, SHIT SONY batteries again spontaneously igniting.
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And Apple
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I thought the problem was using NICAD ect circuitry with Lithium Ion batteries
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I thought the problem was using NICAD ect circuitry with Lithium Ion batteries
Nope, it was these companies were naive enough to use Sony junk.
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Sounds a bit like HP/Compaq consumer laptop?
How big was the old hard disk, and how big is the new one?
Yeah, it is. Old - 60 GB, New - 40 GB
Ahhh....my cloning software wont work then......as it copies sector by sector and if the disk its cloning from is bigger....then it just whinges not enough space on new disk....which i suspect may happen on other cloning software. :(
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Theo,
What is the status of this?
Have you been able to use your Girlfriends laptop to create an MBR or are you going to take up Theboy's offer to run through the text install on his?
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Sod imaging the disk. Once Windows is more than 3 - 6 months old, its shagged and needs rebuilding. Bodging it back is far from ideal...
What do you do to knacker XP after 6 months :o
My laptop has been running XP for ummm.....since i bought it....bout 2 years ago now.....never needed to rebuild it.....tho i am careful what i install on it.....and as its only got a 10GB hard disk.....not a lot apart from XP Pro.....Office 2003 Pro....and a few other progs ;)
Was think of installing IE 7 now its released but dont think id have the space on the HD :(
Tho do agree with ya....if XP is playing up....best way forward is to re-install [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
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Sod imaging the disk. Once Windows is more than 3 - 6 months old, its shagged and needs rebuilding. Bodging it back is far from ideal...
What do you do to knacker XP after 6 months :o
My laptop has been running XP for ummm.....since i bought it....bout 2 years ago now.....never needed to rebuild it.....tho i am careful what i install on it.....and as its only got a 10GB hard disk.....not a lot apart from XP Pro.....Office 2003 Pro....and a few other progs ;)
Was think of installing IE 7 now its released but dont think id have the space on the HD :(
Tho do agree with ya....if XP is playing up....best way forward is to re-install [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
My own laptop is rebuilt every 4 - 6 weeks, but it is a workhorse. My work one, being in a corporate environment, is probably around annually.
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Theo,
What is the status of this?
Have you been able to use your Girlfriends laptop to create an MBR or are you going to take up Theboy's offer to run through the text install on his?
My g/f is using hers in the evening for some work stuff right now (takes it to work although hers). TB might be coming up on Saturday for a cambelt party, waiting to see if that is confirmed. I've been off figuring out Timbuk's non-runner today. I'll keep you posted when I play with it again, got too frustrated the other day.
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Sorry if this has been covered but are you using a recovery cd or an original OEM Xp Cd. I have an Xp Pro Sp2 Compaq/hp cd that is fully legal with volume license. This has been installed on all my Compaq Lappys(3), desktops(4) and servers(2).
I can post it to you on loan to see if this can build your new drive, I believe you have decided a fresh rebuild is needed.
If this is needed, used and works i can get another original.
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Sorry if this has been covered but are you using a recovery cd or an original OEM Xp Cd. I have an Xp Pro Sp2 Compaq/hp cd that is fully legal with volume license. This has been installed on all my Compaq Lappys(3), desktops(4) and servers(2).
I can post it to you on loan to see if this can build your new drive, I believe you have decided a fresh rebuild is needed.
If this is needed, used and works i can get another original.
Afaik the laptop won't boot from cd, hence the problem. :o
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Fair enough but are the cds tried known to be definately bootable. I was in IT with ICL (later Fujitsu) for 9 years and came across alot of these kind of problems. Not been beaten yet, although I had the offender in front of me at the time.
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He might well take you up on your offer, i know he wants it fixed and doesn't want to be beaten either, especially as he's had it at several shops who couldn't help.
Plus, he is kinda stubborn. ;D
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Shops are useless, I got very little official training. Figured most out for myself. I'm a stubborn bugger too, I have a breaked bush widescreen downstairs that a shop quoted £165 for a chip at £17.51 from Bush directly. Soldering that in tomorrow.
I'm a Jock, skinflint, Stingy Git. If I drop a coin it hits me on the back of the head. ;D ;D ;D
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He might well take you up on your offer, i know he wants it fixed and doesn't want to be beaten either, especially as he's had it at several shops who couldn't help.
Plus, he is kinda stubborn. ;D
Who me? ::)
Tried 2 CD's that boot in other machines, and tried swapping out the CD drive. Tried to get shops to do workarounds that I knew would work, but all they wanted to do was spend time trying to fix the laptop not booting from CD. Don't need the CD fixed, need HD bootable.
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well trueimage would do the job as it copies the data rather than the hard disc sectors, so as long as there's enough room to fit the data onto the new drive then it'll be OK.
However if you have any doubts as to the integrity of the Windoze installation, I'd wholeheartedly go with TheBoy's recommendation of wiping the slate clean and doing a clean install if at all possible. At least then you know where you stand and it's hopefully on solid ground !! If Windoze is corrupt you're onto a loser from the outset ...
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Theo,
What is the status of this?
Have you been able to use your Girlfriends laptop to create an MBR or are you going to take up Theboy's offer to run through the text install on his?
Allen,
TheBoy tried the text install yesterday, but when we put the drive into my laptop we just got a blinking cursor. He also went through the BIOS and some other stuff with no luck, including trying his install CD.
Now where did I put that lighter fluid . . . >:( ;)
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Definately something odd with that one. Simply, whatever you tell it to do, it will only boot from HDD. And the original HDD is knackered...
And even putting on a boot sector and install files, it won't have any of it.
Given enough time, I reckon I may be able to resolve it.
Maybe theolodian will flog it to me cheap ;D
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Definately something odd with that one. Simply, whatever you tell it to do, it will only boot from HDD. And the original HDD is knackered...
And even putting on a boot sector and install files, it won't have any of it.
Given enough time, I reckon I may be able to resolve it.
Maybe theolodian will flog it to me cheap ;D
Why do YOU want it? :o ;D
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given time I reckon I can fix. And I don't want to be beaten by it.
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given time I reckon I can fix. And I don't want to be beaten by it.
Yeah, that last part is why it has me so steamed! >:(