BleepingComputer.com: Laptop won't start

It's a Hitachi Travelstar and uses the SATA interface - and there's no other better test for it than the manufacturer's test.

So do you know where I can find it>

thanks

I would suggest backing up your data and reinstalling Windows completely.
If that doesn't work, then I'd suggest shopping for an 80 gB or larger, 2.5", SATA drive

Could you explain how to do all tha please?

There are many different ways to backup your data - the most common being done by slaving your hard drive to another computer and attempting to copy the data off of it. Depending on the damage to your hard drive you may have difficulties doing this. To do this with a laptop drive it's usually advisable to purchase an external USB enclosure for a 2.5" SATA drive.

If you're not able to recover data that way, then you'll likely have to use a professional data recovery service - and that can get very, very expensive! There may be local data recovery services in your area, so I'd ask around about them for referrals.

The next step is to remove the hard drive from your system. To make this easy on you, you'll have to provide us with the exact model number of your Compaq computer. Here's a link that'll tell you how to locate the exact model number: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/famiNum...cname=c00033108

If the system is less than 1 year old, contact the store that sold it to you to see about warranty repair. If you've still got the proof of purchase, you can also contact Compaq for warranty service.

This post has been edited by usasma: 15 December 2008 - 07:47 PM

It's still under warranty. Is it best to just go with that? It doesn't matter about all the data.

If it's still under warranty, get them to fix it for you. The cost of a new hard drive is significant - plus the time that you'd spend installing it and then putting Windows on it would be substantial.

Most places will test to confirm the bad hard drive, then will replace it and reinstall Windows.
You may have to provide the Restore disks. If you didn't make them when you got the computer, then you can usually purchase them from Compaq for less than $20 US.

BOLO for a PM from me.

I will do that then. Thanks so much for all the help you've given me. It's very much appreciated.

Jen

You wouldnt believe this but I encountered the EXACT SAME PROBLEM with my laptop today.

The most frustrating thing like he was saying, you cant get into SafeMode or do a Repair without it freezing halfway through.
And somehow all my Restore points got deleted too.

BUT EVEN MORE DISTURBING is that it wont let me get into Admin Tools so I cant check error logs or do anything useful to fix this!!!


Though, unlike the other guy I was able to was to skip repair and login into Vista for the briefest moment b4 it would crash again,
and enough time to type "msconfig" into console and disable all startup programs and run only off boot.

After I restarted again it stopped crashing. I then moved all my files on the seperate partition drive./



I really dont want to do a full Vista install unless I really have to so any input would be great