[tim_p_keeling]

Hi everyone

I do hope you can help. I'm having the same issue as the elusive Lorrainex, so I hope no one minds me reprising the thread.

To recap on the issue (and give some more specifics), I recently turned on my computer to find the message "No bootable devices", press F2 or F12… blah, blah, blah.
I'm running Vista on a Dell laptop. It's about two years old. After some fiddling, that message stopped appearing, but now every time I turn the laptop on it asks me if I want to start the machine in recover mode or normal mode. No matter which of these options I select, the computer still does not boot.

I did a bit of research and attempted a system recovery with two different CDs. No joy. The one that was recognised by my computer (the other didn't even boot) tried to reinstall Hal (?) and another element. However, I think it may be windows that is now missing (?).

I've also struggled to recover any files from the computer, and would like to transfer as much as possible onto an external hard drive. However, if this isn't possible, I have consigned myself to losing the data (most is backed up anyway).

So, after the two failed recovery attempted I bit the bullet and decided to reinstall Windows. My research said that this should help. I borrowed a friend's copy of XP (is this allowed? Legal? Noticeable?) and tried to boot from F12 but again had no joy. Bah! Could the problem be that I was trying to replace Vista with XP?

So, in summary:
- computer says "No bootable devices"
- I tried to recover windows with two disks… recovery didn't work, plus struggled to back anything up
- Tried to install XP afresh (overwriting Vista), but it wouldn't boot from the disk.

Please can you help?!

Thanks in advance
Tim

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I borrowed a friend's copy of XP (is this allowed? Legal?

That would be illegal, unless you have valid XP license.

It looks like you may have hard drive problem.

Run hard drive diagnostics: http://www.tacktech....ay.cfm?ttid=287
Make sure, you select tool, which is appropriate for the brand of your hard drive.
Depending on the program, it'll create bootable floppy, or bootable CD.
If downloaded file is of .iso type, use ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/ to burn .iso file to a CD (select "Write image file to disc" option), and make the CD bootable.

NOTE. If your hard drive is made by Toshiba, unfortunately, you're out of luck, because Toshiba doesn't provide any diagnostic tool.

[Broni]

I borrowed a friend's copy of XP (is this allowed? Legal?

That would be illegal, unless you have valid XP license.

It looks like you may have hard drive problem.

Run hard drive diagnostics: http://www.tacktech....ay.cfm?ttid=287
Make sure, you select tool, which is appropriate for the brand of your hard drive.
Depending on the program, it'll create bootable floppy, or bootable CD.
If downloaded file is of .iso type, use ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/ to burn .iso file to a CD (select "Write image file to disc" option), and make the CD bootable.

NOTE. If your hard drive is made by Toshiba, unfortunately, you're out of luck, because Toshiba doesn't provide any diagnostic tool.

[tim_p_keeling]

Hi Broni

Thanks for the tips (especially about the illegal stuff - I really don't want to get mixed up in anything like that!).

Do you know who manufactures Dell hard drives? I hear it could be one of 6 or 7 companies... is there any way I can find out? Maybe my opening up the machine?

Thanks again
Tim

[Broni]

Yes, opening the computer case will be the quickest way.

[tim_p_keeling]

Hi Brioni

Thanks again for your help on this one. I'm a bit scared/cautious with this - hope you can help.

When I select the hard drive type it proceeds to install a .exe file. I'm not sure whether I should:

a) write this to a CD and boot it; or
b) run the .exe file on my friend's PC, and that in turn will create another file which I would then burn to a CD and boot.

Please can you advise as I don't want to do anything I shouldn't to my friend's PC which I'm using to try and resolve the issue.

Ta!
Tim

[Broni]

You want to create bootable CD (a).

[tim_p_keeling]

Brrr... no joy with that either!

I opened it up, found it to be a Samsung hard drive and tried booting the .exe files from a USB memory stick, but it didn't recognise it.

Any other ideas?

Thanks again!
Tim

[Broni]

It looks to me, that the drive is dead.
You can try to slave it in another computer and check, if you can see it.

Another option: http://www.smartestc...showtopic=38317