[rshaffer61]

Do you by chance have a external monitor you could try?
I'm not so sure that will help as I said I believe the video itself is going out.
If that is the case the only way to resolve is to purchase a new laptop.
the cost of repairing that is going to be crazy.

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okay then, how far in do you think windows would boot if i stopped it in the middle of a repair?

and the other monitor I tried was as blank as my laptop screen.

[WhydoIask?]

okay then, how far in do you think windows would boot if i stopped it in the middle of a repair?

and the other monitor I tried was as blank as my laptop screen.

[rshaffer61]

Windows may not boot at all.
If this is what has happened then all you can do at this point is try it.

[WhydoIask?]

Oh, well I get to the boot screen (the black screen with the little loading bar at the bottom,) but after that, a blank screen. I can get to startup repair, but that didn't help me any.

[rshaffer61]

Does your system have the option to press F10 or F12 at startup to begin the recovery process? Most HP systems have this option too, if they have a recovery partition.

[WhydoIask?]

Yes, I have the HP_Recovery partion, instead of a vista CD. For me, f11 loads the HP recovery manager. Now I regret putting off getting that external hard drive, because the HP website is telling me to make a backup of my files, and I don't have 40 CD's on me do back up all 180 GB of my stuff.

[rshaffer61]

Ok so in the recovery partition there should be two options
Non Destructive and Full correct?

[WhydoIask?]

you mean in the actual partion, or through HP recovery manager? because I looked through it in windows explorer, there only seemed to be a few folders with files I couldn't open with any program I had.

[rshaffer61]

When you click f11 and get to the recovery Manager
There should be two option for recovery
Non Destructive
and
Full

[WhydoIask?]

no, it starts formating the windows partion on the hard drive and reinstalls the contents.

I can't turn it off without losing something important, I think. but since the "reformating" step took all of 3 seconds, I'm praying it formatted only the vital programs and drivers.

Edited by WhydoIask?, 14 August 2009 - 06:35 AM.

[rshaffer61]

It should not have started formatting till you told it which one to do.
Even if it only did 3 seconds the chances are it has now made the drive so it won't boot.
At this point I suggest you take the system to a shop and ask them to check the drive for data.
The drive will have to be taken out to do this since the video on your laptop seems to have died completely now.
The other option is to purchase a 2.5" external USB drive enclosure and put the drive in it.
Connect it to a working computer and see if you can backup the data files onto a working system.

[WhydoIask?]

well, I let it complete, and it said that it backed up some files, but I don't know which.

I emailed Geek Squad last night, and I'm waiting for the response.

[rshaffer61]

OK well if it backed up files that is a good sign.
Hopefully Geek Squad will offer suggestions without charging you for it.
Either way we are here till resolved or you say so.

[WhydoIask?]

well, I got screwed over. not only did nothing get backed up, but now that I can get to the recovery manager, there are more options. when I started from startup, I had two options, Yes recover the system, or No contact HP. Now the one accessed from the start menue has other options, like program and driver reinstallation.

I hope Geek squad can recover formatted information, like so many programs online say is possible. since my computer hasn't crashed yet, I can only assume the video driver is fixed (for now.)

[rshaffer61]

So the system now is staying on without any BSOD?
There are several different programs to get formatted files back. None of which is cheap.
PC Recovery would probably work but you need to have it installed on a working and booting second drive.
You can not install it on the drive that needs to be recovered.
With that in mind the ideal of purchasing the external drive enclosure and using a different system would probably work.
There is no guarantee it will be able to get 100% of the files back