Windows 7 and toshiba

[marcusd]

Ok good computer bods, basically droppedy laptop and managed to corrupt or wipe my Windows 7 as tried to recover off hhd but it isn't there, can't find the recover DVD as don't think I had one, and also can't make out my Windows 7 key. So what can I do?

[MuZiZZle]

If it doesn't boot to the recovery partition it's either been formatted off or the disk is fooked?

and as for the serial, you'll have to buy another one if you can't get restore media that doesn't require it

[marcusd]

Disk is ok it's just been formatted off somehow

[chompy]

If you've dropped it and the drive is suddenly blank then it's goosed.
What comes on the screen when you try to switch it on?

[Carlvtr88]

Ok good computer bods, basically droppedy laptop and managed to corrupt or wipe my Windows 7 as tried to recover off hhd but it isn't there, can't find the recover DVD as don't think I had one, and also can't make out my Windows 7 key. So what can I do?


a) So your Laptop sees Hard drive ?

b) Windows 7 is not on said Hard Drive ?

c) Is there any clicking sounds or beeps ?

d) There are programs that will scan your installation for the Serial used - but this is dependent upon a and b

If you can - Disconnect said HDD. Plug it back in and boot - see if windows boots, or at least is a visible partition on the HDD go into the repair options ( usually f8 on bootup ) and then at this point ( cant remember commands off the top of my head ) but you could fix the MBR which may help.

Here, http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproblem/ht/rebuild-bcd-store-windows.htm this link will help if you need to do that. It will scan your HDD for present installations of windows too.

In theory though, Chompy is probably right.

[marcusd]

It goes to starting Windows but the logo doesn't load and that's as far as it goes, when it goes to repair screen it can't find Windows 7. No clicking or beeping which I hear is good news???

[marcusd]

:wall: sad times hard drive completely fooked, but on plus side new bigger hard drive to console me bloody expensive tho so no new car toys this month

[Brettles1986]

:wall: sad times hard drive completely fooked, but on plus side new bigger hard drive to console me bloody expensive tho so no new car toys this month

Really? HDD's aren't exactly expensive. What size have you gone for?

[marcusd]

Tera bite and needed to buy a new Windows key, so bout 100quid oh and office I think???

[MuZiZZle]

Should be able to recover all your old files dude!

[marcusd]

He's trying see what he can do but he said wasn't much chance, plus it was dropped a few times it's just last time that did most damage. Hope he can recover my pics as all my new borns pics were on there and didn't save em elsewhere either

[MuZiZZle]

Look into crashplan mate, £3 a month

If he can't get them off a lab can

[chompy]

If you were getting the windows logo the hard drive was fine to a point and he should be able to get data off. By seeing the windows logo you know that the drive can be read to an extent.

Unless the sectors are completely destroyed, but i doubt it. He should also be able to recover the office and Windows keys

If he says no he's most likely lying and trying to get a sale

[marcusd]

No logo was displayed it just said starting, no logo and didn't go any further, when pushed repair or select operating system wouldn't do anything just stood there

[jordyn89]

Marcus, if you know anyone with a pc, ask them to shove the drive in their pc and see if they can access it through their os, if so you might be able to get away with formatting it on his computer using the diskpart tool windows 7 has (CMD -> diskpart) then if your mate downloads an iso of windows 7 or even the recovery disc of your laptops manufacturer website, you may be able to recover it that way. Bear in mind, not all recovery partitons work with windows 7. (A little thing they don't tell you in computer shops)

Source: 2nd/3rd line technical support supervisor.

Sent from my GT-I9205 using Tapatalk

[Brettles1986]

Stellar Pheonix Data Recovery (acquire it ;))

It is very good at recovering data even from buggered drives.

[chompy]

No logo was displayed it just said starting, no logo and didn't go any further, when pushed repair or select operating system wouldn't do anything just stood there
That's enough to show the drive is readable in one shape or form. :y:

[marcusd]

I find out today as New drive turns up so he can try it. He seems genuine as he's a mate of mate, said he'll get what he can off but at mo all I'm paying for is new hard drive, as I need a bigger one anyways. So the rest I'll find out later as to what he can pull off the old drive.

[marcusd]

Marcus, if you know anyone with a pc, ask them to shove the drive in their pc and see if they can access it through their os, if so you might be able to get away with formatting it on his computer using the diskpart tool windows 7 has (CMD -> diskpart) then if your mate downloads an iso of windows 7 or even the recovery disc of your laptops manufacturer website, you may be able to recover it that way. Bear in mind, not all recovery partitons work with windows 7. (A little thing they don't tell you in computer shops)

Source: 2nd/3rd line technical support supervisor.

Sent from my GT-I9205 using Tapatalk

This is problem all people I know have tablets as I've asked this already. Pretty much why I ask on here as you lot all seem to know more than me bout this subject so it's like my second opinion for if he does try it on with me

[jordyn89]

Ah ok, where abouts are you pal? If your quite close I can come have a look?

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[marcusd]

Warrington mate, but seriously the guy has it at mo if he can't recover I shall try the advice above then go from there

[MuZiZZle]

Source: 2nd/3rd line technical support supervisor.

Really?

and you're suggesting he just gets someone he knows to "shove" it into their PC?

[chompy]

Really?

and you're suggesting he just gets someone he knows to "shove" it into their PC?

Job title means nothing in IT ;) It may be 2nd/3rd line desktop support. Could be printer support.

My job title certainly does not describe what I do.

However, I'd do something similar in that situation. Infact, i have a HDD cradle sitting on my desk for exactly that reason.

[jordyn89]

Really?

and you're suggesting he just gets someone he knows to "shove" it into their PC?

Explain to me what implications this will cause? If your comfortable using bios, it will come up no more than a secondary / tirsiary hard drive...if they are not comfortable having it in their pc while their os is up, they can always enter command line just after POST and use diskpart that way.

Or even more secure, if the person the guy asks doesnt want to put it in their computer at all, they can set it up in a spare system, use the NIC to run ILO and access command line remotely...

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[chompy]

Explain to me what implications this will cause? If your comfortable using bios, it will come up no more than a secondary / tirsiary hard drive...if they are not comfortable having it in their pc while their os is up, they can always enter command line just after POST and use diskpart that way.

Or even more secure, if the person the guy asks doesnt want to put it in their computer at all, they can set it up in a spare system, use the NIC to run ILO and access command line remotely...

Sent from my GT-I9205 using Tapatalk

It's a guy with a PC, not a server :p ILO isn't in PCs, he'd need IPMI or a vPro or something, but I doubt anyone he knows would have that kind of technology at their disposal.

I think MuZiZZle is just being a dick :hug:

[MuZiZZle]

Explain to me what implications this will cause? If your comfortable using bios, it will come up no more than a secondary / tirsiary hard drive...if they are not comfortable having it in their pc while their os is up, they can always enter command line just after POST and use diskpart that way.

Or even more secure, if the person the guy asks doesnt want to put it in their computer at all, they can set it up in a spare system, use the NIC to run ILO and access command line remotely...

Sent from my GT-I9205 using Tapatalk

Because the PC it goes into could do anything to it?!?!?

It could write to the disk and totally fuck up any chance you have of recovering files.

Personally I'd scan it for bad sectors first, then take a dc3dd clone of it.

What do I know though......

I think MuZiZZle is just being a dick :hug: not really dude, I just know what I'm doing

[MuZiZZle]

The guy has pictures of his new born, I'd just do everything I could to make sure I could recover them.

[chompy]

Because the PC it goes into could do anything to it?!?!?

It could write to the disk and totally fuck up any chance you have of recovering files.

Personally I'd scan it for bad sectors first, then take a dc3dd clone of it.

What do I know though......

not really dude, I just know what I'm doing

Come on, when have you EVER seen any OS (Linux/Windows/Max/UNIX) Write to a secondary/mounted drive without being told to?

Only situation even remotely similar I've seen is mounting an NTFS drive in Linux and destroying the partition table if you don't unmount it cleanly. And that's still technically not being done by accident.

The dick thing was supposed to be tongue in cheek, didn't realize you were in the trade as well :y:

But, I'd agree, taking an image of it would be a good practice, however, you'd need functioning hardware to plug the drive into order to take that backup anyways. So Jordyn's suggestion would still be valid, even if only to boot Ghost/Shadow protect etc to take an image.

[MuZiZZle]

All I know is I have been told to clone disks first, this way everything is intact should anything happen, that's what I was getting at, I wasn't willy waving.

I'm just very careful with files, remember, if a file doesn't exist in 3 places, it doesn't exist, that's my motto and I stick to it

[chompy]

A man with only 2 copies of his data, does not need that data :) I was also taught that.

[MuZiZZle]

A man with only 2 copies of his data, does not need that data :) I was also taught that.

it's the best way to live, my Peruvian goat porn is safe!

[marcusd]

ok have old hdd and a thingy to plug it in too, only comes up with format? or view stuff but the stuff backed up on there is from 2012? anything I can do to view anything left on there? in dos or something was mentioned?