Laptop help!

[Filo]

My lads laptop won`t start up, it keeps coming up with the error



File: \\Boot\\BCD
Status: 0xc000000f

Info: An error occurred while attempting to read the boot configuration data


It says it insert the windows installation disk to do a repair


The laptop does n`t have a disk drive, but i do have a USB external disk drive that I can hook up to it, will the BIOS recognise that external drive in the Boot sequence? if not what do I do next?

[Rios]

Sounds like a knackered MBR, although that could be due to a software error (hopefully) or hardware failure (hope notfully!)

You'll need to either go into your Bios (with the external DVD drive attached) and change the boot order or most laptops allow you to choose your boot device on the fly at the same point as you press the Function key to get into the Bios.

Linkies here for this very issue.  Read the advice and use the links from \"KSoD\" about halfway down.  http://www.tech-forums.net/pc/f9/start-up-error-status-0xc000000f-241575/
Vista and Win7 are pretty much the same product so if yours isn't Vista as on the instructions it shouldn't make too much difference.

[Filo]

Sounds like a knackered MBR, although that could be due to a software error (hopefully) or hardware failure (hope notfully!)

You'll need to either go into your Bios (with the external DVD drive attached) and change the boot order or most laptops allow you to choose your boot device on the fly at the same point as you press the Function key to get into the Bios.

Linkies here for this very issue.  Read the advice and use the links from \"KSoD\" about halfway down.  http://www.tech-forums.net/pc/f9/start-up-error-status-0xc000000f-241575/
Vista and Win7 are pretty much the same product so if yours isn't Vista as on the instructions it shouldn't make too much difference.

Cheers Rios, did n`t have a recovery disk, for the laptop, it`s on windows 7, daughter has a laptop on windows 7 so I created a recovery disk from that laptop although it`s a different make, I just tried option 1 from those links and it looked like it was getting there but at the end it said it had failed, so i`m now going to try option 2



UPDATE: option 2 failed  not sure I`ve got the patience to try option 3 tonight, also I`m not sure if the recovery disk made from the other laptop is being detrimental to all this


And another point, I tried a destructive repair first off and that failed halfway through culminating in a start up error

[Muttley]

Before you do all that b*llocks, I presume you've tried turning it off and back on again?

[Dagenham Rover]

Before you do all that b*llocks,
I presume you've tried turning it off and back on again?

Have a look at this the download bit is right at the bottom


http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html

[Filo]

Before you do all that b*llocks,
I presume you've tried turning it off and back on again?

Have a look at this the download bit is right at the bottom


http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html

All very good, but as I`ve already mentioned, the laptop will not start up, so even if I downloaded that onto my laptop and burnt it to disk, I could n`t install it onto the other one

[Lewis Guys Dentist]

When my laptop decides to act goat. I press on button and punch f1 or whatever it is to get system setup thing and master reset it then everytime it's fine. Maybe it could help?

[Filo]

I`m by no means a techy but I`m thinking the hdd driver has gone missing, if so how do I get it back?

[jucyberry]

I had something like that come up on my big puter a couple of years ago, I think it was some sort of corruption. Never could get it going again, and lost all my photos and music. absolutely gutting it was..Hope you have more luck than I did  

[Rios]

I had something like that come up on my big puter a couple of years ago, I think it was some sort of corruption. Never could get it going again, and lost all my photos and music. absolutely gutting it was..Hope you have more luck than I did  

Unless it was a physical failure with the disks you could have bought a USB hard disk caddy (£15ish), removed your old hard disk from your laptop/PC, install it into the caddy and then you could recover your old stuff onto a new computer.

No-one ever does a backup until they lose something important.

[Dagenham Rover]

I had something like that come up on my big puter a couple of years ago, I think it was some sort of corruption. Never could get it going again, and lost all my photos and music. absolutely gutting it was..Hope you have more luck than I did  

Unless it was a physical failure with the disks you could have bought a USB hard disk caddy (£15ish), removed your old hard disk from your laptop/PC, install it into the caddy and then you could recover your old stuff onto a new computer.

No-one ever does a backup until they lose something important.

and even then some don't bother...lightning never strikes twice etc

[Rios]

I`m by no means a techy but I`m thinking the hdd driver has gone missing, if so how do I get it back?

Unfortunately doing a system repair seems to be the only way to resolve this and if you don't have a boot disk to do it from then you're pretty stuck.  I get these at work every so often, although it's normally corrupted MBR's and it's quicker to copy the data off the hard disk with a caddy and then just fresh install.  We have cloned images which takes about ten minutes but reinstalling from DVD takes an hourish and win7 is pretty good at recognising drivers so that cuts down the time too.

Oh and creating an installation/recovery disk from a different make of laptop will help when trying to fix the problem, but if it's an OEM install it probably won't activate if you completely reinstall your lads laptop as the different manufacturers all have different key codes.  Windows licensing sucks major ass!

[Rios]

I had something like that come up on my big puter a couple of years ago, I think it was some sort of corruption. Never could get it going again, and lost all my photos and music. absolutely gutting it was..Hope you have more luck than I did  

Unless it was a physical failure with the disks you could have bought a USB hard disk caddy (£15ish), removed your old hard disk from your laptop/PC, install it into the caddy and then you could recover your old stuff onto a new computer.

No-one ever does a backup until they lose something important.

and even then some don't bother...lightning never strikes twice etc

I bought a 1Tb disk when they first came out and were an absolute fortune.  Copied loads of stuff onto it and was quite chuffed with myself... until it failed the week after and I lost everything.  I always keep a second copy of anything that I'd be gutted to lose now.

[Filo]

I`m by no means a techy but I`m thinking the hdd driver has gone missing, if so how do I get it back?

Unfortunately doing a system repair seems to be the only way to resolve this and if you don't have a boot disk to do it from then you're pretty stuck.  I get these at work every so often, although it's normally corrupted MBR's and it's quicker to copy the data off the hard disk with a caddy and then just fresh install.  We have cloned images which takes about ten minutes but reinstalling from DVD takes an hourish and win7 is pretty good at recognising drivers so that cuts down the time too.

Oh and creating an installation/recovery disk from a different make of laptop will help when trying to fix the problem, but if it's an OEM install it probably won't activate if you completely reinstall your lads laptop as the different manufacturers all have different key codes.  Windows licensing sucks major ass!

It`s an OEM install, would it be possible to install a retail copy of Windows 7 over the top of the OEM install?

[Rios]

Yes, but you need a valid install key for it as your OEM key which is sometimes on a sticker on the PC itself will not work with a non-oem'd version.  Don't be tempted to find a valid Win7 sticker on a.n.other PC and try to use that as both PC's will communicate back to Micro$oft and you'll end up de-activating both of them!

Is it a newish PC?  If so you could try taking it back to the store and demanding the correct install disks or get them to repair it at cost price.

[Filo]

Yes, but you need a valid install key for it as your OEM key which is sometimes on a sticker on the PC itself will not work with a non-oem'd version.  Don't be tempted to find a valid Win7 sticker on a.n.other PC and try to use that as both PC's will communicate back to Micro$oft and you'll end up de-activating both of them!

Is it a newish PC?  If so you could try taking it back to the store and demanding the correct install disks or get them to repair it at cost price.

It`s about 18 months old bought from PC world, it`s an Advent, which I understand is PC worlds own brand

[Rios]

Yes, but you need a valid install key for it as your OEM key which is sometimes on a sticker on the PC itself will not work with a non-oem'd version.  Don't be tempted to find a valid Win7 sticker on a.n.other PC and try to use that as both PC's will communicate back to Micro$oft and you'll end up de-activating both of them!

Is it a newish PC?  If so you could try taking it back to the store and demanding the correct install disks or get them to repair it at cost price.

It`s about 18 months old bought from PC world, it`s an Advent, which I understand is PC worlds own brand

If you can't fix it using the methods on the links then I'd go back and ask for the original install disk.  Moan loud enough and the worst that'll happen is that they'll offer to fix it for you although knowing them they'll probably charge.  If that does happen make sure they're aware that you want to keep the personal data as they might just reinstall WIndows over the top wiping everything.

[jucyberry]

I had something like that come up on my big puter a couple of years ago, I think it was some sort of corruption. Never could get it going again, and lost all my photos and music. absolutely gutting it was..Hope you have more luck than I did  

Unless it was a physical failure with the disks you could have bought a USB hard disk caddy (£15ish), removed your old hard disk from your laptop/PC, install it into the caddy and then you could recover your old stuff onto a new computer.

No-one ever does a backup until they lose something important.

Ive still got the hard drive, I took it out when I couldn't do anything with it..tho what to do with it now i have no idea lol..

[Rios]

I had something like that come up on my big puter a couple of years ago, I think it was some sort of corruption. Never could get it going again, and lost all my photos and music. absolutely gutting it was..Hope you have more luck than I did  

Unless it was a physical failure with the disks you could have bought a USB hard disk caddy (£15ish), removed your old hard disk from your laptop/PC, install it into the caddy and then you could recover your old stuff onto a new computer.

No-one ever does a backup until they lose something important.

Ive still got the hard drive, I took it out when I couldn't do anything with it..tho what to do with it now i have no idea lol..

You need one of these... http://www.maplin.co.uk/3.5-inch-ide-sata-usb-2.0-combo-enclosure-48213   It's relatively expensive if you're only going to use it on one drive, but worth it if the data on there is irreplaceable.  Note, if it's not a computer hard drive but a laptop one (size of a pack of cards) then you'll need to get a 2.5\" version of the above as they're not compatible.

Plug your old hard drive into it and then plug it into a USB port on your new computer/laptop.  Give it a couple of minutes and if it isn't a hardware failure your old disk should appear on your new computer and you can then copy your stuff off.  If it doesn't appear there's a good chance it could be goosed.  You can send them off to be taken apart in a clean room but it costs the thick end of a grand...

[Dagenham Rover]

There is a possible answer  but most seem to require recovery discs

Have a read of this

http://forums.techarena.in/operating-systems/1399905.htm