Gaming Help computer ****ing up.....again....

[UnseenHero]

Well my sister went on my fathers laptop and she said that it wasnt working. She said that i 'broke it' she informed she got a blue screen with a bunch of writing. But of course shes a twit and didn't read it. So i started up the laptop again and now it said that windows couldnt not start and to put in the windows CD. I have it but i was wondering if that would make us lose all the files on our laptop

 

[Scorpei]

Well my sister went on my fathers laptop and she said that it wasnt working. She said that i 'broke it' she informed she got a blue screen with a bunch of writing. But of course shes a twit and didn't read it. So i started up the laptop again and now it said that windows couldnt not start and to put in the windows CD. I have it but i was wondering if that would make us lose all the files on our laptop

If your windows dvd is the install dvd and you only use 'repair' then you should still have all your files. If it is a recovery disc or you run a clean install there is a possibility you will loose your files.

 

[Thoob]

Just choose startup repair not install and all your files will be safe!

 

[Knyaz Vladimir]

Besides, if you partition the hard drive, in most cases only the C:/ drive cleans out. That's why My Documents is in the E:/ drive.

 

[FAST6191]

I rarely rate windows repair discs and yes they usually do wipe* the drive but if you have not done as Knyaz Vladimir has and have your documents on another partition/drive then you can just as easily use something like bartpe (I am a bit out of touch with the windows based liveCD crowd) or a linux liveCD to access the data.

*not usually beyond file recovery utilities but let us not go down that path if we can avoid it).

Similarly can you boot into safe mode (keep pressing f8 on booting once past the BIOS screen and the option should appear).
Trying to debug things can get tricky but try all the usual suspects- new drives (or drivers beyond the stock set), startup programs/services and windows updates. Avoid dancing around the registry if you can but if I am feeling extremely crude one day and do not have a backup you can overwrite it with one from another machine.

In the end provided your drive does not physically break (from what you have said very unlikely here) you should never have to lose your files.

 

[Master_B]

if you want to be really shure not losing anything try backing up most of your stuff before you try.

one of the things you could use to access the computer is: windows xp live edition

this is a windows version which runs from a cd....

 

[UnseenHero]

well right now all they gave me when i got the laptop was some upgarde disks and recovery disks but they didn't give an installation disk ill double check but will the recovery disks sufice or will they just give me dad laptop all the files it had before we repaired it?

EDIT:read skorpei's post it will not be ok
If i get a torrent of the installation disk and i burn it will it still work?

 

[Tomobobo]

Yes a burnt copy will work.

 

[Elritha]

If i get a torrent of the installation disk and i burn it will it still work?

It depends if your laptop comes from a big OEM name like Dell, HP and so on. It should install fine, if it's from an oem you may have problems activating Windows. You'll need a generic oem cdkey, and an oem cert that matches your make of laptop.

These shouldn't be too hard to come by as they aren't unique to a specific laptop, and are freely available around the net, or even possibly on your recovery disks. This is assuming you are trying to install Vista/7.

 

[xmrnogatcox]

I work at a computer repair shop. Please do not blow this post off.

I would first try an OEM Windows XP disk. You need to boot it up. Get to the part where you choose to delete your partitions. DO NOT DELETE! Instead, press R to do a repair. Make sure you don't press R at the first screen that says "Windows XP Home Edition" or whatever edition you have. Press ESC at that screen. It's at the second screen where you should repair.

You will not lose data this way.

Alternatively, if you are scared to lose data, you need to download Hiren's boot cd. There is a bootable Windows XP on the disc. Use that to back up all of your data before doing a repair. Also, there are boot sector fixing utilities which can help you repair the MBR (Master Boot Record) which may be your problem.

 

[UnseenHero]

I work at a computer repair shop. Please do not blow this post off.

I would first try an OEM Windows XP disk. You need to boot it up. Get to the part where you choose to delete your partitions. DO NOT DELETE! Instead, press R to do a repair. Make sure you don't press R at the first screen that says "Windows XP Home Edition" or whatever edition you have. Press ESC at that screen. It's at the second screen where you should repair.

You will not lose data this way.

Alternatively, if you are scared to lose data, you need to download Hiren's boot cd. There is a bootable Windows XP on the disc. Use that to back up all of your data before doing a repair. Also, there are boot sector fixing utilities which can help you repair the MBR (Master Boot Record) which may be your problem.

And where do i acquire this OEM Windows XP cd And if i were to go to best buy and said i didn't get the installation Windows 7 cd with my repair will they give me so i fix it?

 

[UnseenHero]

After a weeks i foudn a good 32bit iso for me to use. I put it in it says click any key to boot CD or DVD which i do then i get to this installation screen. So press x but then it says if i do not install my computer might erase. But i want to keep all the files so do i install. There was no repair option.

 

[Madridi]

I would take the HDD out of the laptop and use a SATA to USB converter and have it connect to another computer.. Then I would be seeing it as an external HDD and just.. backup whatever I need..

That's just me though..

 

[UnseenHero]

Well i got it to repair screen but now only problem is the repair is not working. I tried startup repair going back to earlier point and the other one forgot what it is none work any suggestions?

 

[Elritha]

Well i got it to repair screen but now only problem is the repair is not working. I tried startup repair going back to earlier point and the other one forgot what it is none work any suggestions?

Try doing a repair install. Is it Vista you are running?

Try the following link for a tutorial.
Here

 

[UnseenHero]

Umm i am running windows 7 so i do not think the guide will help or will it still work for windows 7 ?

 

[Elritha]

Umm i am running windows 7 so i do not think the guide will help or will it still work for windows 7 ?

It'll work for Windows 7 also. Vista and 7 are quite identical in many areas, the install process is one of them.

 

[UnseenHero]

only thing is that it is saying not to go from boot of cd or wtv but that is the only way i can access it