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BSOD on Dell Inspiron 1721 running vista..need some guidance:)

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  • 02-03-2009 10:47am
    #1
    magconn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 148 ✭✭


    recently just reading an email when i heard a funny whirring noise from laptop, then blue screen. Wont boot past blue screen into safe mode. Ran diagnostics on hard drive and came back with unrecoverable read error. Did a bit of research and the general jistwas hard drive knackered, replace. (using 2 160GB 2.5" sata drives). Got a seagate momentus 54000rpm 160 GB, popped it in HDD bay 1 but now my laptop cant seem to recognise anything, says RAID OFFLINE. Warranty has of course expired :( I can see both HDDs in BIOS.

    So now I havent a clue. What do I do to get me back ready to install vista?? I did boot from installation CD and it cant see any hard disks, asks to install drivers, tried that and it doesnt seem to recognise any drivers I use.
    This is getting way to techie for me. Did anyone have anything similar and can tell me what to do next or should I be better off trying to find someone to fix it (not DELL!).
    I have a backup of my data. Am waiting on a USB caddy to see if I can restore anything else from the suspected "damaged" HD. Not too worried about that, just need to get my 1721 back up and running.

    thanks for ANY help or advice!
    Tagged:


Comments

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    #2
    Umiq88
    Registered Users Posts: 1,559 ✭✭✭Umiq88


    Fixable enough

    What you will need to do is create a bootable windows disk with the drivers for your hdd raid on it. Theres a program for doing this can't remember what it is.

    Then install windows as normal easy enough to do.

    I would be inclinded to take the 'broken hdd' out and try copy my files and install windows on the other one.


  • Options
    #3
    magconn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 148 ✭✭magconn


    psittacosis wrote: »
    Fixable enough

    What you will need to do is create a bootable windows disk with the drivers for your hdd raid on it. Theres a program for doing this can't remember what it is.

    Then install windows as normal easy enough to do.

    I would be inclinded to take the 'broken hdd' out and try copy my files and install windows on the other one.
    "fixable enough" - cool, thought someone woud say "tough ****, you've had it". I'll mooch around for something like that. Have UBCD, vistabootpro and a load of other things thats are sorta alien but I'll try get some drives and give it a lash. Thanks a mil :)


  • Options
    #4
    magconn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 148 ✭✭magconn


    psittacosis wrote: »
    Fixable enough

    What you will need to do is create a bootable windows disk with the drivers for your hdd raid on it. Theres a program for doing this can't remember what it is.

    Then install windows as normal easy enough to do.

    I would be inclinded to take the 'broken hdd' out and try copy my files and install windows on the other one.


    Tried loading SATA Raid driver, new one I downloaded, from the "install drivers" section of the vista install (was that right??) but still doesnt pick up any drives from within the vista install! Also the one i tried is also the same one on the Drivers ad utilities disk supplied with my laptop ! Using new hard drive and Raid is set to ON in bios (tried if OFF , well autodetect, as well with same result!

    Ya know the Sawdocs song with the line "fire the laptop out the window", yeah well, that may just happen VERY soon

    Any advice would be GREATTTLY appreciated.:confused:


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