Replace Hard Drive or buy a new Laptop?

WhyTheFace

Hi,

I've got a Dell Inspiron laptop that's about 3 years old. An error message came up saying "Operation System not found" so I take it the hard drive is broken.

I've been quoted €149 to replace it Inc operating system or €169 for an SSD hard drive (or whatever it's called!).

I only use it for the Internet and some streaming. Nothing more. Don't download or game.

Is there any point in paying this or am I better off buying a new one for €400 or so?

Thanks in advance

Digital Solitude

The Windows partition on the laptop seems to be deleted. Having a go at reinstalling it would be the best port of call, the laptop should have a sticker with a key code on the bottom of it, which will save having to buy a new licence.

No need in a new hard drive yet anyways

ED E

Firstly, any USB keys or SD cards plugged in? CDs? If its selecting the wrong boot media it'll throw the same error.

theteal

Isn't a bit sad how disposable laptops have become?

OP, buy yourself a 120gb SSD for about €40. Find a USB stick of a few gigs in size. Download an application called Rufus. Download a copy of Windows to match the version on the sticker on the underside of your laptop - hopefully it's windows 7. Use Rufus and your Windows .iso file to turn your USB stick into bootable media. Pop the SSD in the sick laptop. Stick the USB stick in also and power it on. You may need to tell it to boot from USB. Follow the on screen steps. Install Windows. Go make some tea, it'll take a bit of time to install.

Obviously you will need a different working computer to follow these steps. . .except the tea part

WhyTheFace

WhyTheFace wrote: »

Hi,

I've got a Dell Inspiron laptop that's about 3 years old. An error message came up saying "Operation System not found" so I take it the hard drive is broken.

I've been quoted €149 to replace it Inc operating system or €169 for an SSD hard drive (or whatever it's called!).

I only use it for the Internet and some streaming. Nothing more. Don't download or game.

Is there any point in paying this or am I better off buying a new one for €400 or so?

Thanks in advance

Where you located in the country? If you aren't great with IT and are close to me I can help for free

riclad

It possible the hardrive is not broken,
some files on the drive could be deleted .
Maybe files were deleted by a virus.
You can buy a drive in cex for 10-15 euro .
sata 2.5inch laptop drive.
i bought one 500gig 15euro in january 2016.
see https://ie.webuy.com/search/index.php?stext=*&section=&catid=886

IF you download a linux iso file ,you can burn the image to a cdr
and browse to the drive ,
Burn the linux iso file at 2x speed .
Go to menu .pc file manager .
You can download windows 7 and install it on the new drive .
use the license key on the laptop label to activate the os.


browse drive c eg sata 120gig
http://linuxmint.linuxfreedom.com/download.html
it fits on 1 cdr 700m disk.

This OS has a web browser and music ,video player as part of the iso file .
IT loads the os into ram from the cd,
it,ll see all windows files on drive c and all data ,
in user windows music, documents ,etc
eg drive 120gig user joe documents
Even if the hardrive is dead it,ll still load the os from the cdr disc.
to browse the web plug an ethernet cable into the laptop network port
from your router .

Hold on to the receipt from cex,
at least until you are sure the new drive is working ok.
A pack of 4 cdrs in any dealz shop is 1euro 50cent .

Alanstrainor

riclad wrote: »

It possible the hardrive is not broken,
some files on the drive could be deleted .
Maybe files were deleted by a virus.
You can buy a drive in cex for 10-15 euro .
sata 2.5inch laptop drive.
i bought one 500gig 15euro in january 2016.
see https://ie.webuy.com/search/index.php?stext=*&section=&catid=886

IF you download a linux iso file ,you can burn the image to a cdr
and browse to the drive ,
Burn the linux iso file at 2x speed .
Go to menu .pc file manager .
You can download windows 7 and install it on the new drive .
use the license key on the laptop label to activate the os.


browse drive c eg sata 120gig
http://linuxmint.linuxfreedom.com/download.html
it fits on 1 cdr 700m disk.

This OS has a web browser and music ,video player as part of the iso file .
IT loads the os into ram from the cd,
it,ll see all windows files on drive c and all data ,
in user windows music, documents ,etc
eg drive 120gig user joe documents
Even if the hardrive is dead it,ll still load the os from the cdr disc.
to browse the web plug an ethernet cable into the laptop network port
from your router .

Hold on to the receipt from cex,
at least until you are sure the new drive is working ok.
A pack of 4 cdrs in any dealz shop is 1euro 50cent .

Ah good old riclad, every response you give on here is the same nonsense. Install Linux, it will solve all your problems. Followed by some random gibberish :rolleyes:

OP, theteal's advice about doing this as a DIY effort is probably the best. You should be able to get everything running in no time, and for €50 in parts. There are plenty of guides online about how to do this also which should get you back in business.

As for your original question of whether it was worth 149 for the new disk + install, I would think that price is a bit rich as really it is less than an hours work, and parts would cost a shop €40 or less. If you aren't comfortable tackling the job yourself I'd recommend getting a few prices from other repair shops, and haggling hard!

excollier

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Ah good old riclad, every response you give on here is the same nonsense. Install Linux, it will solve all your problems. Followed by some random gibberish :rolleyes:

OP, theteal's advice about doing this as a DIY effort is probably the best. You should be able to get everything running in no time, and for €50 in parts. There are plenty of guides online about how to do this also which should get you back in business.

As for your original question of whether it was worth 149 for the new disk + install, I would think that price is a bit rich as really it is less than an hours work, and parts would cost a shop €40 or less. If you aren't comfortable tackling the job yourself I'd recommend getting a few prices from other repair shops, and haggling hard!

I don't see riclad saying "install" Linux anywhere, just use a Linux live cd/dvd to boot up and read the drive. Good advice.