[Susan9700]

you may be right about no OS...this is what i got after pressing R for recovery:

Microsoft Windows XP Recovery Console.

The Recovery Console provides system repair and recovery funtionality.

Type EXIT to quit the Recovery Console and restart the computer.

1: C:\WINDOWS

Which Windows installation would you life to log onto (To cancel, press ENTER)?



then there's nothing, nothing to choose from, do you know what i'm talking about? or do i choose that #1?

[Advertisements]

Press 1

[wannabe1]

Press 1

[Susan9700]

nothing, should i start over again, i think it sat too long, it looks like it froze...was blinking cursor,not now

[Susan9700]

nothing, should i start over again, i think it sat too long, it looks like it froze...was blinking cursor,not now

again, nothing happened....pressed 1 and it just sat there, so i restarted all over and pressed 1 and enter ang got: C:\WINDOWS

nothing>??

[wannabe1]

Yeah... let's try it again. I think it's telling us that it can't find the os, though.

[Susan9700]

pressed 1 and it just sits there, light on cd drive stopped blinking

[Susan9700]

pressed 1 and it just sits there, light on cd drive stopped blinking

what do you mean it can't find the OS? are you telling me it's gone missing? is there a way aroudn this?

[wannabe1]

I think we need to stop here and reassess our options. It looks to me like your operating system is gone as we have no options to repair it. The data, however, is still on there...and is likely recoverable.

There are ways you can recover the data using the machine you are on now. It would require the loan or purchase of an adapter cable to connect it to your machine. This would be the easiest and least expensive route and the chances of recovery are very good.

You would then be free to format and reinstall on the drive and transfer the data back via removable media or flash drive. I don't know that there is a recovery partition on your machine...from what I've seen so far, I think not...so a recovery disk (set) will be required. There should have been one packaged with the machine, or they are available from the manufacturer (Toshiba).

[Susan9700]

hi wannbe1,

sorry i had to run out for few mins..what kind of cable do i need to hook up to my computer, as there are several in her laptop bag, one blue one with yellow ends (ethernet, i think), one that's clear plastic with red/orange ends with usb and small square like connection, and another that appears to be for dial up. the laptop is wireless, if that helps. i don't know what these all do, especially the usb clear one?

i don't believe she has any disks from the computer, she didn't have the Windows XP disk, i was using mine. if i had to guess, i'd say that since her father bought and set up the computer, that he would have all the disk...just a tactical thing he does to keep a hold on her.

does any of this help me or you?

i'm going to call her at work and ask her about software again.

thanks...

susan

[Susan9700]

i forgot one thing....when you say removable media, would blank CD's be an option? i don't have a flash drive.

[wannabe1]

You would be looking for something like This or This. If you are ok working inside the machine, the first one will work, but requires you to connect it up correctly. The usb version will let you just plug it in.

[Susan9700]

see the second choice of "this"....see the tan/beige one up on top of page, all pins, no usb, i have one of those. would that work? i looked and she has a spot for it and does my computer. will that work.

and i have no idea what you mean by "working inside the machine"??? english please, learning, but not that good yet!

and is using blank CD's ok to use?

susan

ps..my kids cellphone got shut off...i'm gonna kill her when i get my hands on her!!! sent her an email since she just purchased an brand new G5 Mac, but neglected to pay her phone bill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[wannabe1]

I have a 16 year old daughter whose phone I'd love to shut off!!!! Thank goodness for unlimited texting...

The cable at the top of the page is a printer cable by the looks of it. Not what you need.

By "working inside the machine", I mean just that. To use the first adapter, you would have to open up your machine and connect the laptop drive as a slave in your machine. If you are not comfortable with that, I would highly recommend the usb version.

Using blank cd's to transfer the data back to the laptop will work fine.

[Susan9700]

oh those kids...gotta love them! cause their yours!

i'm sorry i left, but i have an illness where i can't sit here for too long, i start to feel sick and most times get even sicker as time passes...so i felt i had to leave and rest. sorry i didn't tell you, but my son was on the computer and i was too tired to argue. i'm off to bed for the night now.

ok, so then i go to dan, dan, the computer man (my local computer guy) and buy the 2nd USB cable and then get back here and leave you a new message or hang on to this one?

i've got an early morning appt with my son and some errands, so i won't be here until after noon my time, which would be 10:30 your time, i think. hopefully i'll have the cable by then.

listen, i want to tell you how grateful i am to you for all of your help and hours and typing and expertise, all of it...you are just the best. many thanks.

susan

[wannabe1]

Thank you for the kind words..

We can just continue on with this thread when you have the cable. There will likely be a little setup to do on the laptop drive before we'll be able to "see" it with your machine. Once we get the data off the drive safely, we'll take another look at what options we have to bring the laptop back to life.