ARGH....Laptop just died, Now what?

jluck · 07-20-2012, 10:15 AM

My laptop fried last night (no I wasn't looking at **** this time)(really). I have a "Hard drive boot sector reading error" and "System block not found".

All programs,files,pic's etc. are gone, I can't get Internet, Nothing. I am not a computer guy....what the heck should I do? get a "repair" done or go for the replace? I don't use it for much other than Internet (forums,web,research), The very few documents I have to write and email, That's really it.

Help!.....

Trace63 · 07-20-2012, 10:20 AM

Well, depends how old it is. If purchased within the past year or two you could just put a new SSD in there. It will run much faster and be quieter.

However, if its an old brick, just buy a new netbook and call it a day.

hotreds · 07-20-2012, 10:20 AM

Depends how old it is and if you need the docs/pix and other stuff you have on it.

smitty81 · 07-20-2012, 10:27 AM

does your command prompt come up?
What operating system?

jluck · 07-20-2012, 10:29 AM

It's a HP G7 that's a couple years old. I don't know how old that is in computer years.I'm guessing it is a fossil.
I have windows 7 (had)
I could live without docs but picture loss is a bummer.

markem · 07-20-2012, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jluck

I have a "Hard drive boot sector reading error" and "System block not found".

Quote:

Originally Posted by smitty81

does your command prompt come up?
What operating system?

You should, perhaps, refrain from venturing in to the world of IT.

One possibility is to take it to a repair place, see if they can use the drive as a non-boot drive on another computer and then copy everything that you need to copy to a thumb drive. Alternately, if you have a friend who knows how to do that, have them do it, since it will be way cheaper. You do not have to buy a new enclosure for the munged drive if the other machine is a tower or desktop (not a laptop) since it will have extra disk slots.

smitty81 · 07-20-2012, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jluck

It's a HP G7 that's a couple years old. I don't know how old that is in computer years.I'm guessing it is a fossil.
I have windows 7 (had)
I could live without docs but picture loss is a bummer.

does your command prompt come up when you boot the computer?

jluck · 07-20-2012, 10:54 AM

The computer opens to my desktop with only word working.

smitty81 · 07-20-2012, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jluck

The computer opens to my desktop with only word working.

so you can click on the start menu?

jluck · 07-20-2012, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smitty81

so you can click on the start menu?

Yep

CigarNut · 07-20-2012, 10:57 AM

Leave it alone and take it someplace for repair. You could try Best Buy -- some of them are stellar and some not so much. They will charge you to open it up and look. They should be able to salvage some of your hard drive but it won't be cheap. THe more you boot it, the more data you can lose...

Having been through this myself a number of years ago, I can tell you that while a PIA backups are a good idea. You can get a chreap external USB hard drive at Costco or the like that you can use. Then you (all of us) need the discipline to make a backup once a week or once a month -- whatever suits you.

jluck · 07-20-2012, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CigarNut

Leave it alone and take it someplace for repair. You could try Best Buy -- some of them are stellar and some not so much. They will charge you to open it up and look. They should be able to salvage some of your hard drive but it won't be cheap. THe more you boot it, the more data you can lose...

Having been through this myself a number of years ago, I can tell you that while a PIA backups are a good idea. You can get a chreap external USB hard drive at Costco or the like that you can use. Then you (all of us) need the discipline to make a backup once a week or once a month -- whatever suits you.

I will heed this advice. I know when I have no business messing with something. I know lots of computer "experts" that ruin computers on the regular.

I might just buy a new one and see what can be extracted from my current one. This will really hurt the Habano account....

Brutus2600 · 07-20-2012, 12:46 PM

Mark and Michael have the right idea.

Take it someplace and tell them that you just want to see if they can recover your files off the hard drive. The error could either point to corrupted sectors of the hard drive or actual mechanical failure. If it is booting into windows my initial thought would be that a repair place should be able to copy the files off the drive still.

If you have any friends that are technically savvy however you could just buy something like this (or this if it's an older style hard drive) and then use the drive on another computer as an external drive. They should then be able to pull all your files off and you could save them on a thumb drive or a separate external drive.

That would save you some money, but going someplace like Best Buy and having Geeksquad take care of it would probably be the best bet

BeerAdvocate · 07-20-2012, 01:43 PM

13 posts and no one has even mentioned an Apple product. Im proud of you guys!

CigarSquid · 07-20-2012, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeerAdvocate

13 posts and no one has even mentioned an Apple product. Im proud of you guys!

fencefixer · 07-20-2012, 04:18 PM

PM me. Sounds like you need a data recovery on top of it. Shut the unit down and don't use it as it lowers the chances of DR.

Jefft72 · 07-20-2012, 04:24 PM

My wife's laptop took a dump a little bit back and I was able to remove the hard drive and recover data from it. I used SATA wire from a company called Apricorn. I plugged the SATA end into the drive and the other end was a USB to her desktop. It mounted up as a removable drive if I recall and I was able to get pictures and docs without issue.

Good luck.

jluck · 07-20-2012, 06:16 PM

Thanks for the help guys, I took it to a shop for a make over and bought me another laptop to keep the CA with drawls at bay.

07-20-2012, 10:15 AM	#1
jluck Way out there Join Date: Jan 2012 First Name: Jared Location: Oregon Posts: 1,289 Trading: (12)	ARGH....Laptop just died, Now what? My laptop fried last night (no I wasn't looking at **** this time)(really). I have a "Hard drive boot sector reading error" and "System block not found". All programs,files,pic's etc. are gone, I can't get Internet, Nothing. I am not a computer guy....what the heck should I do? get a "repair" done or go for the replace? I don't use it for much other than Internet (forums,web,research), The very few documents I have to write and email, That's really it. Help!.....

07-20-2012, 10:20 AM	#2
Trace63 We're all mad here Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Kamil Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 428 Trading: (5)	Re: ARGH....Laptop just died, Now what? Well, depends how old it is. If purchased within the past year or two you could just put a new SSD in there. It will run much faster and be quieter. However, if its an old brick, just buy a new netbook and call it a day. __________________ [replicant_argent] 11:07 am: Wasn't wayne a busboy at the last supper? [Dooge] 10:49 pm: just judo chopped a fly

07-20-2012, 10:20 AM	#3
hotreds Ephesians 2:8 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 5 miles past "Resume Speed" Posts: 11,665 Trading: (63)	Re: ARGH....Laptop just died, Now what? Depends how old it is and if you need the docs/pix and other stuff you have on it. __________________ God loves you so much, that he made you read this, just to let you know.

07-20-2012, 10:27 AM	#4
smitty81 Have My Own Room Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 1,640 Trading: (10)	Re: ARGH....Laptop just died, Now what? does your command prompt come up? What operating system?

07-20-2012, 10:29 AM	#5
jluck Way out there Join Date: Jan 2012 First Name: Jared Location: Oregon Posts: 1,289 Trading: (12)	Re: ARGH....Laptop just died, Now what? It's a HP G7 that's a couple years old. I don't know how old that is in computer years.I'm guessing it is a fossil. I have windows 7 (had) I could live without docs but picture loss is a bummer.

07-20-2012, 10:54 AM	#8
jluck Way out there Join Date: Jan 2012 First Name: Jared Location: Oregon Posts: 1,289 Trading: (12)	Re: ARGH....Laptop just died, Now what? The computer opens to my desktop with only word working.

07-20-2012, 10:57 AM	#11
CigarNut Fck Cancer! Join Date: Jan 2009 First Name: Michael Location: Clermont, Florida Posts: 18,042 Trading: (111*)	Re: ARGH....Laptop just died, Now what? Leave it alone and take it someplace for repair. You could try Best Buy -- some of them are stellar and some not so much. They will charge you to open it up and look. They should be able to salvage some of your hard drive but it won't be cheap. THe more you boot it, the more data you can lose... Having been through this myself a number of years ago, I can tell you that while a PIA backups are a good idea. You can get a chreap external USB hard drive at Costco or the like that you can use. Then you (all of us) need the discipline to make a backup once a week or once a month -- whatever suits you. __________________ Need Beads? Need Five Finger Bags? 2 of 3 Requirements for use of the CA Rolodex: 100 posts/ 60 day membership/ participation in trade (trader rating). New members can be added at any time.

07-20-2012, 12:46 PM	#13
Brutus2600 Your resident lancerHO Join Date: Apr 2010 First Name: Brian Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 2,063 Trading: (46)	Re: ARGH....Laptop just died, Now what? Mark and Michael have the right idea. Take it someplace and tell them that you just want to see if they can recover your files off the hard drive. The error could either point to corrupted sectors of the hard drive or actual mechanical failure. If it is booting into windows my initial thought would be that a repair place should be able to copy the files off the drive still. If you have any friends that are technically savvy however you could just buy something like this (or this if it's an older style hard drive) and then use the drive on another computer as an external drive. They should then be able to pull all your files off and you could save them on a thumb drive or a separate external drive. That would save you some money, but going someplace like Best Buy and having Geeksquad take care of it would probably be the best bet __________________ www.halfwheel.com \| news+reviews You can also follow me on Twitter @brutus2600

07-20-2012, 01:43 PM	#14
BeerAdvocate BeerHunter Join Date: Mar 2009 First Name: Travis Location: Topeka, KS Posts: 1,912 Trading: (45)	Re: ARGH....Laptop just died, Now what? 13 posts and no one has even mentioned an Apple product. Im proud of you guys! __________________ *I Brew the Beer I Drink*

07-20-2012, 04:18 PM	#16
fencefixer Feeling at Home Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 544 Trading: (7)	Re: ARGH....Laptop just died, Now what? PM me. Sounds like you need a data recovery on top of it. Shut the unit down and don't use it as it lowers the chances of DR.

07-20-2012, 04:24 PM	#17
Jefft72 Still Watching My Back Join Date: Oct 2011 First Name: Jeff Location: League City, TX Posts: 219 Trading: (2)	Re: ARGH....Laptop just died, Now what? My wife's laptop took a dump a little bit back and I was able to remove the hard drive and recover data from it. I used SATA wire from a company called Apricorn. I plugged the SATA end into the drive and the other end was a USB to her desktop. It mounted up as a removable drive if I recall and I was able to get pictures and docs without issue. Good luck.

07-20-2012, 06:16 PM	#18
jluck Way out there Join Date: Jan 2012 First Name: Jared Location: Oregon Posts: 1,289 Trading: (12)	Re: ARGH....Laptop just died, Now what? Thanks for the help guys, I took it to a shop for a make over and bought me another laptop to keep the CA with drawls at bay.