broken laptop harddrive, what can be done?

learnerplates · 12-01-2007 10:44am #1

I have a laptop (HP) with a broken harddrive (20G). Blue screen after the windows logo, WinXp.
I ran a diagnostic tool in the setup and it looks like the disk is broken, reports broken very early in the diagnosis, is there anything I can do with this broken harddrive?
Where can I get a new one, cheap? is it much work to install it myself?
Where can I get it done if not by myself?

Thanks,
LP.

DeadParrot · 12-01-2007 10:47am

have you got the factory disc that came with the laptop?

learnerplates · 12-01-2007 11:12am

Don't think I have it right now but I can probably get it. What can be done with the factory disk? is it the windows disk?
This is surely a hardware breakage!!

Tom Dunne · 12-01-2007 11:22am

learnerplates wrote:

This is surely a hardware breakage!!

Not necessarily. You may just need to do a repair installation of Windows.

Where can I get a new one, cheap? is it much work to install it myself?

You need a 2.5 inch hard-drive, you can get them anywhere, including PC World or online at places such as Komplett.ie.

It's a trivial matter to install it. Hard drives are usually very accessible on laptops (it certainly is on my HP laptop). They are usually under a flap that is held in place by a couple of screws, not a big deal.

learnerplates · 12-01-2007 11:44am

Thanks T,
Repair Windows you say, but it was the setup screen diagnosis that reported a bad disk, this has nothing to do with the OS has it?

Any way, a 2.5" HD is correct for a laptop then is it? thanks for the link to to Komplett.ie, it looks good.
With a new HD and a reinstall of the OS is there anything else that'll need to be done before getting her going?

Thanks again,
LP.

Tom Dunne · 12-01-2007 4:20pm

learnerplates wrote:

Thanks T,
Repair Windows you say, but it was the setup screen diagnosis that reported a bad disk, this has nothing to do with the OS has it?

When you say setup screen, do you mean the black BIOS screen? If that is the case, then yes, the HS seems to be knackered.

Though, if you can get the Windows XP boot screen, then all may not be lost. I would say give the repair option a go - what have you got to lose?

learnerplates wrote:

With a new HD and a reinstall of the OS is there anything else that'll need to be done before getting her going?

Just re-install drivers and applications.

learnerplates · 12-01-2007 4:34pm

Yes it's the BIOS screen, I think I had to press F2 or somthing to get there. One of the HardDisk menu options was to run a diagnostic tool, I ran it and it failed nearly immediatly.

BTW, I recevied an early quote from Marx Computers for 75euro inc VAT for a 40GB HD with fitting, looks good to me.:D

If anyone has a recommendation for a repair shop in Galway or Athlone please let me know.

Thanks for the help.
LP.

broken laptop harddrive, what can be done?

Comments