Laptop Issues

[rory 0]

Im trying to fix a laptop for someone ..

 

 

Firstly ... basically it came up with missing NTLDR .. then fixed that and was missing hall.dll and basically there was no boot .ini file .. so it seems really like she had someone else try to fix it and they loaded XP but it didnt complete installation .. however, she had windows XP on there before .. when I go in Repair Console i only see the default folders .. cant access anything in DOS mode as its NTFS .. basically she wants her images off there, but to me it seems like they did a format when the other people tried to install it ... any comments on this??

 

Second issue .. i tried to install windows also, without a format .. it would get to 20% then come up cant find file please make sure CD is in the drive .. etc .. but she claims the CD Drive was working fine before .. also the CD is fine as far as I can tell.

 

I was thinking basically one of the 3, CD Drive, Hard Drive, memory?

I dont have any of these to switch with to check though .. just want to get some feedback ..

 

Thanks

Rory

[VST_Man 1]

clean the cd, try another os cd,

[CollinR 0]

Whats the story on the laptop, I have seen CD drives (never a burner though) that you just couldn't install XP from.

[rory 0]

Well nothing more yet .. i just dont have any hardware to switch it out with .. i got 2 laptops here that are basically parts but their hard drives have different connections .. also. i couldnt get the CD drive out ... basically looks like you have to take the whole thing appart for that .. which is weird .. but then it IS a Dell!

 

I did swap the memory but it was the wrong type .. beeps galore .. the laptops i got are a couple years old .. this one must be newer ... Oh yeah I could still get the HDD out just its different .. thing is she seems to think there are images on there, but in XP Repair mode ... i can only see the default installation directories .. not even Documents and Settings ./.. I think the last guys must have formatted it ...

 

Lawd i detest NTFS...

I cant even use my Boot Floppy to use Xcopy for the CD Drive ...

 

Rory

[CCTVcams 0]

hey rory - sounds like a headache! is the disc drive still working? if you're trying to get images off, and the file structure happens to be remain in tact, you can use a linux boot disc. we use these all the time for fraud investigations when we don't want to leave an imprint on the HD - it mounts only, no write access.

 

the version we use is penguin sleuth (http://www.linux-forensics.com) - the entire OS runs from the disc and you'll at least be able to tell for sure if there's anything left on the drive.

 

just a thought...

[rory 0]

Got into it finally .. I used Bart-PE which let me see the files etc .. same thing, runs right off the CD .. anyway ... after confirming basically the last people formated or tried to format the drive and there was nothing on there .. talked here into a fresh Repartition and Format ... well that didnt work .. bad HDD .. so client is buying a new HDD ..

 

Rory

[CCTVcams 0]

that would explain why the prior attempt at reformatting failed halfway through.

[rory 0]

Yup .. check thios, it took 4 hours to partition, then i left it formatting for another 12 hours or so trying to recover this allocation and that ... gave up in the end ..

[Khandurian 0]

Just cause it has a bad sector does not make it a bad hdd.

 

If it has just a bad sector, or even a few bad sectors, dont trash the hdd. Get some software that will tell the chips that control the hdd to remap that bad sector!

 

Am I allowed to post a link?

 

If not, my applogies. Anyways, Rory, if you really wanna try and SAVE that hdd, try Spinrite to solve that problem.

 

Granted, if it's a large HDD, it just might not be worth it. However, I have saved many a data by using this software.

 

Just to give you a heads up, a 40gig hdd can take up to 6 days to recover!! Just depends on how many bad blocks it has. I use this on all hdd's that doesnt suffer from head splatter, or head knocking syndrome.

[rory 0]

LOL .. yeah i left it for.. something like 20 hours .. its not that important as its a second Laptop (old one).. .. she bought a new HDD ... thanks though (she wouldnt pay me for 6 days of work .. (or electric )

[Thomas 0]

One bad sector happens. But if it starts/keeps growing even at a small rate then the drive is heading for failure.

[Khandurian 0]

LOL .. yeah i left it for.. something like 20 hours .. its not that important as its a second Laptop (old one).. .. she bought a new HDD ... thanks though (she wouldnt pay me for 6 days of work .. (or electric )

 

Oh you'd be surprised how much people will pay if you can save 50% or MORE of their data!!!

 

Just to give you an example. Most HDD recover places charge approx 50$ a MEG and HIGHER!!!

 

I had an hdd that a customer brought to me almost in tears. This poor guy told me he couldnt afford the 1500$ he was quoted from one of those we guarantee 99% recovery places.

 

So I told him look, it's an obvious loss. Let me have the HDD. I'll contact you in a week and let you know how it goes. He gave me the hdd. 4 days later, I was able to recover 88% of the hdd and the rest was just toast.

 

When I called the guy on the phone, I asked him what was the most important folder he needed? He told me it was a folder he created off his desktop. I looked at the recovered data, and I said, I think I got that! He was at my doorstep in 10 mins flat!

 

He walks in with 300$ check in hand I gave him his data and all was well in his world! (and nicely compensated in mine!)

[Thomas 0]

Quickbooks and Quicken Data in particular. I used to get $75 an hour with a two hour miniaum to recover that data. Nine out of ten times I had it done in under 20 min and the people were greatful to pay.