Operating System not found

LoveLamps

Hi, I've a 4 year old Toshiba Satellite laptop with (well was with) Windows 7.

I hit it last night when I got very frustrated (so 100% my fault) and it shut down.

Now when I try to turn it on, the initial toshiba loading sign appears followed by a boot menu (may not be correct terminology..)

Is there any way I can amend this? I don't have my original Windows 7 disc.

Also, if I can't amend it myself, how much (roughly) would it cost to get it fixed? I'm planning on getting a new laptop in July/August so if it's a small fortune it probably wouldn't be worth my while.

As you can probably tell by me having a 4 y/o Toshiba Satellite along with me hitting it.. I'm not the best computers.

mp22

Hold down the F8 key and power up the pc.see if you can get into safe mode

Capt'n Midnight

First , remove all media, CD's unplug all the USB drives / stuff and try rebooting

next is the computer making any strange Klicky noises ?

check the windows serial on the bottom of the laptop - it's probably windows 7 home premium , but just in case it's different , write down serial no in case you need to reinstall


can't remember the keys for Tosiba recovery , but that's more to see if it the drive is OK, a factory reset will loose data.

LoveLamps

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

First , remove all media, CD's unplug all the USB drives / stuff and try rebooting

next is the computer making any strange Klicky noises ?

check the windows serial on the bottom of the laptop - it's probably windows 7 home premium , but just in case it's different , write down serial no in case you need to reinstall


can't remember the keys for Tosiba recovery , but that's more to see if it the drive is OK, a factory reset will loose data.

Yep it is making klicky kinda noises.

Not really worried about losing data, I didn't really have anything important on it

LoveLamps

I did what you said, mp22 and nothing happened. It just made a high pitch beep kinda noise.

Don't know what to do now

aidanathome

That doesn't sound good. Without knowing anymore, it sounds like the HD is bust which might be a write-off.

Where did you hit it?

LoveLamps

aidanathome wrote: »

That doesn't sound good. Without knowing anymore, it sounds like the HD is bust which might be a write-off.

Where did you hit it?

to the right of the touchpad

aidanathome

Ok. If that happened to me, I would remove the hard drive and see if I could plug it in to another enclosure/dock and see if it was readable on a different computer. But since you said you aren't the best at computers, maybe that advice isn't the best for you.

I don't really know where you could get someone to try this for you.

Sorry I can't be more help.

LoveLamps

Best to just cut my losses then?

I'll hopefully be getting a new one in July/August anyway so I don't want to spend much money on getting this one repaired

I guess the iPod will have to do for a while! Thanks

aidanathome

Not necessarily, data could still be recovered from it.

Hopefully someone else will see this and suggest an easy, cheap solution!

3rdDegree

aidanathome wrote: »

That doesn't sound good. Without knowing anymore, it sounds like the HD is bust which might be a write-off.

Where did you hit it?

Yep, sounds very like hard disk is screwed alright. Luckily you say you don't need any data off of it. Your best bet is to try and boot from another device (day a USB or a Windows disk) to see if that works. If it does, taketout the hdd and order the equivalent from Amazon. At least that is what I would do. Not sure how you're going to recover the operating system though. As someone else here suggested, is there a Windows serial number on the machine itself?

Data recovery from the old damaged disk would be expensive, so unless you really needed something from it, I'd forget that.

lightpipe

If you're within driving distance of Shannon there's a fella who'll fix that for you. P.M me if you want his number

LoveLamps

opposite side of the country, but thanks anyway

LoveLamps

3rdDegree wrote: »

Yep, sounds very like hard disk is screwed alright. Luckily you say you don't need any data off of it. Your best bet is to try and boot from another device (day a USB or a Windows disk) to see if that works. If it does, taketout the hdd and order the equivalent from Amazon. At least that is what I would do. Not sure how you're going to recover the operating system though. As someone else here suggested, is there a Windows serial number on the machine itself?

Data recovery from the old damaged disk would be expensive, so unless you really needed something from it, I'd forget that.

Nope there's nothing to do with Windows on the back of it.

I don't know how to do what youre saying in bold..

I also dont have much time on my hands with few weeks before my LC

aidanathome

If you don't need it before your LC, then forget about it for now, and take a look again in a few weeks at the options of booting from another device.

Best of luck with your LC.

Bongalongherb

I agree.

Take out the battery and unplug the power cable from the wall socket.

I'm almost sure the hard-drive would be on your front left if the laptop is facing you with front monitor. Just unscrew the two screws at the compartment of the hard drive. then when the hard-drive lid is removed, unscrew the screw that is holding the hard-drive in place (there could be two/three screws).

Then disconnect the sata cable connected to the hard-drive, just pull it away from the drive and it will pop out. Then take out the hard-drive and put it aside. Then turn the laptop around to it's normal position and connect power lead only and power on the laptop without hard-drive and let it beep away for 20 seconds.

Then you need to hold the power button in until the laptop shuts down. When the laptop is shut-down, disconnect the power cable from the wall socket and wait for 1 minute. At this stage, connect the sata connector to the hard-drive tightly and put the hard-drive back in and the two/three screws holding the hard-drive in. Screw the cover back on and power the laptop up to see if it works.

It might work, but definitely worth a shot imo.