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Replacing Hard Drive

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  • 20-11-2007 8:49pm
    #1
    jonnner
    Registered Users Posts: 221 ✭✭


    My laptop wont load windows anymore and is giving me a message that the harddrive needs to be replaced. I tried the system restore cd that came with it but the program is unable to partition the hard drive.
    I was just going to buy a refurbished HD off ebay as the laptop isnt used much.
    The laptop came preloaded with windows xp but i didn't get a cd. The only cd i got is the system restore disc.

    Will windows install from the restore disc?

    Also the internal cd drive is broke and i had been using an external type via usb. Am i gonna be able to use this disc external drive to install windows seeing as there will be no driver installed?

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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    #2
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    jonnner wrote: »
    My laptop wont load windows anymore and is giving me a message that the harddrive needs to be replaced.

    I find that most unusual that a computer would tell you that the hard-drive needs to be replaced. It would certainly flag errors, but to actually say "replace the hard-drive"?

    Where is this message coming from? The BIOS? Can you post up the exact wording of the message?


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    #3
    jonnner
    Registered Users Posts: 221 ✭✭jonnner


    This message appears during bootup;
    "Pri Master Hard disk: S.M.A.R.T Status BAD, Backup and Replace"


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    #4
    AlmightyCushion
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,059 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    jonnner wrote: »
    This message appears during bootup;
    "Pri Master Hard disk: S.M.A.R.T Status BAD, Backup and Replace"

    I hate to break it to you but the hard drive is completely screwed. Re-installing windows won't fix it. Backup everything and buy a new hard drive.


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    #5
    jonnner
    Registered Users Posts: 221 ✭✭jonnner


    I know its screwed! I am looking for advice on installing the new one without an xp disc or internal cd drive.:)
    I dont mind losing everything that was on the old hard drive but i get the feeling i need to recover my copy of windows from it?


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    #6
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    Ok, your hard-drive needs replacing. :o
    jonnner wrote: »
    My laptop wont load windows anymore and is giving me a message that the harddrive needs to be replaced. I tried the system restore cd that came with it but the program is unable to partition the hard drive.
    I was just going to buy a refurbished HD off ebay as the laptop isnt used much.
    The laptop came preloaded with windows xp but i didn't get a cd. The only cd i got is the system restore disc.

    Will windows install from the restore disc?

    Generally speaking, yes.
    jonnner wrote: »
    Also the internal cd drive is broke and i had been using an external type via usb. Am i gonna be able to use this disc external drive to install windows seeing as there will be no driver installed?

    Not so sure about this one. If the laptop is newish (last 1-2 years), maybe, but if it's any older I would say possibly not. Only one way to find out. :)


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    #7
    AlmightyCushion
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,059 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    jonnner wrote: »
    I know its screwed! I am looking for advice on installing the new one without an xp disc or internal cd drive.:)
    I dont mind losing everything that was on the old hard drive but i get the feeling i need to recover my copy of windows from it?

    Ah, that's what I get for glancing over the first post. To get your disk you could try ringing customer support and asking for them to send it out. They may charge you a few quid for this. I'm not sure if you can boot from an external cd drive but I think you can.


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    #8
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    AlmightyCushion wrote: »
    I'm not sure if you can boot from an external cd drive but I think you can.

    Sure you can even boot from a USB stick nowadays. Newer machines can.

    Why, back in my day, we were happy to boot from a 5 1/4" floppy disk.


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    #9
    jonnner
    Registered Users Posts: 221 ✭✭jonnner


    Thanks for the help guys.
    I ordered a hard drive. i'll give it a bash when it arrives.


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    #10
    watty
    Registered Users Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    I have a pair of laptop to standard IDE adaptors, so I put the new drive as Primary master & old drive as Secondary Master (keep both master means no jumpers to get wrong)

    Then I can copy image using partition magic, or else do a new install on laptop, then copy data only between drives.

    I tend to always put at least 2 partitions with all data in the 2nd, not in "my documents" to make transfer/recovery of data via 3rd party disk tools easier.

    Some laptops are SATA now. Not sure if the same connector as desktop sata as I'm only taken apart older laptops :)


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