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Windows won't boot flash light


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#16
rshaffer61

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Are the files in question to a program that may not be loaded on the new system?
If so that may answer why they cannot be opened.


Get Puppy Linux from my signature below...Get puppy-2.16-seamonkey-fulldrivers.iso download it and burn it to cd
..
if you don't have a burning program that will burn .ISO files get Burncdcc from my signature...it is a small FAST no frills iso burning program...

NOTE...do not put a blank cd in until burncdcc opens the tray for you
1. Start BurnCDCC
2. Browse to the ISO file you want to burn on cd/dvd ....in this case its puppy-2.16-seamonkey-fulldrivers.iso
3. Select the ISO file
4. click on Start

make sure in the bios the cd drive is the first boot device....

put the cd in the cd drive..boot your computer....puppy will boot and run totally in ram...if your hardware is is good working order you will know...
after you get it running and your at the desktop...you take the puppy linux cd out and then you can use the burner to copy all your data to cd/dvds
you can also use it to backup your data to a external usb harddrive..just have it hooked to the computer when you boot up with puppy...

==========================
quick guide for saving data...music..files on a system that will not boot using puppy Linux..


after you get to puppy desktop..
click on the drives icon...looks like a flash drive...top row..it will list all the drives connected to

your computer...

click on the red icon for the drive you want to mount...in this case its a flash drive ...puppy will

mount the drive..the drive icon turns green when its mounted...
minimize the drives mounter window..you will need it again in a few minutes..
drag the right edge of it sideways to shrink it to its narrowest size...about half the width of the screen...then drag the window to the right edge of the screen...

now click on the icon that looks like a filing cabinet (kind of yellow) on the main drive...it should
already be green..
you will see a list of all the folders on the main drive Usually your C: drive..shrink that window to
the narrowest you can..about half the width of the screen...drag that window to the left side of the screen...
at this point you should have 2 windows open on your desktop..the flash drive on the right side..
go back to the folders on the C: drive...click on the documents and settings folder...then your user
name or all users..find the folders that has your data..
drag and drop the folder with the data you want to make copies of to the flash drive window...

your options are to move ..copy ect...JUST COPY..if its to big you will have to open the folder and
drag and drop individual files until the flash drive is full...(I have a 120 GB external USB drive for
big data recovery jobs and a 4 GB flash drive for the smaller jobs)..after you get the files copied to
the flash drive...
Click on the drives mounter you minimized earlier
UNMOUNT THE FLASH DRIVE by clicking on the green icon..you will once in awhile get error messages when
unmouting the drive..ignore them..when the flash drive icon turns red again its safe to remove the
flash drive..trot on over (stroll if you want to look cool) to another computer and plug in the flash

drive and copy all the data files ( I drag and drop) to the other computer..
make sure the other computer can read them...

now delete the data on the flash drive...take it back to the misbehaving computer and plug it in

again..click on the drives icon again and repeat until you have all your data transferred to the working
system..

Thanks to happyrock
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#17
trigirl

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Ok.. great I did the ISO download to a cd (puppylinux 2.1.6.1seamonkeyfulldrives.iso

I have an external hard drive.. so I won't have to go back and forth.

I am not sure why this other computer can't access those files. Since they are excel files. Unless they are corrupt files.

So after I get all this stuff to this Hard Drive, follow the instructions for copying it over to the new computer?

Do you recommend then running the diagnostics on the old computer like you mentioned yesterday? Or is that not even worth it at this point?

Thanks
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#18
rshaffer61

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Yes go ahead and try to run the diagnostics when everything is done.
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#19
trigirl

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HI Trusted Tech..

It loaded ok and I am in the system working to "mount" the drive. This is the external drive I am going to be copying everything to correct? Also I have 2 partitions on the hard drive which I need to pull my stuff from. Any tips on this?
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#20
rshaffer61

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OK yes the external is where you want to copy all the DATA
As far as the two partitions, can you tell me whats on them? The only one i know you need is the one with the data itself on it. No programs can be backed up.
The smaller partition is probably the Recovery Partition and it is advisable not to do anything with that.
It should be less then 100 mb in size.
The larger drive will contain all your data and you will have to go through the folders to decide what you need to keep.
Let me know what you find and if you have more questions. I will be happy to advise as needed.
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#21
trigirl

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Furthermore.. do I also need to copy the application data or other folders into the external hard drive I am copying or "mounting" to? I don't want to lose some of my programs.
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#22
trigirl

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There is nothing on that other partition. so I think I am ok. Should I just copy every folder from that c drive even though I might not need them? such as users folder, Administrator, etc?
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#23
rshaffer61

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If you do a full format the programs will be lost. If you don't have the program installation disk then there is a problem.
Copying all folders is worthless and a waste of time.
What you want to backup is the following..
Music
Movies or videos
Documents like from office program
Saved data from within a program


I will try to do everything to not format the system but it is always a possibility that you may have to do eventually.
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#24
trigirl

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I got everything off and loaded to an external drive. I am doing the diagnostics. I did short version first and it said everything was fine. Now about 3/4 way through long version.
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#25
rshaffer61

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Good and I would suggest the long version as it tests more issues.
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#26
trigirl

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Ok.. no issues. .now what?
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#27
rshaffer61

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Well that is good then. The hard drive itself is not a problem. Now the issue is to try and repair your Dell system. Hopefully without losing any data.
Since you have no Recovery Disk and getting to the Recovery Partition is not working then the next step is to borrow a XP of the same type you have on your system. (Home, Media Center or Pro)
Then we can try a Repair Installation and if that doesn't work then a Parallel Installation
Neither of which should destroy the existing data on your system.
The other option which may take longer to do is to contact Dell and see about purchasing a [bb]Recovery cd[/b] for your model of Dell.
This would give you all the original drivers for your system and hopefully be able to do a Non Destructive Recovery in order to save your data.
My suggestion.... try to borrow a XP full install disk.

Edited by rshaffer61, 08 January 2010 - 05:30 PM.

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