transferring data

  • Thread starter Thread starter DAKU
  • Start date Start date
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DAKU

My friend has a Compaq laptop, pentium 4, 2.4, 40gb, etc. running XP home.
Thing is, he did something to it and now whenever he starts it, the computer
stops just before the XP login. Nothing seems to work, I tried all the safe
mode types, running windows under previous settings, etc. Now my question
is, that how can he transfer the data he has out of there. He has a CD
burner, but how will it work outside widnows.

DOS works at least, by booting the system. How can I help him? I mean the
USB won't be detected, right? I was thinking if all else fails I would
install windows 98 in his machine, and then transfer all the files from
there and then format it. Will this work?

Can anyone tell me of any other way in which the data can be transferred.

Thanks
 
Pop the drive out of the machine. Buy a cheap 2.5" to 3.5" adapter (under
$10) and install the drive into a desktop machine. Copy everything important
off.

Put it back in the laptop and do a reformat/reinstall.

Tom
 
The disk would be NTFS, so you cannot install Win 98. Boot the Win XP CD and
do a repair.
 
My friend has a Compaq laptop, pentium 4, 2.4, 40gb, etc.
running XP home. Thing is, he did something to it and now
whenever he starts it, the computer stops just before the
XP login. Nothing seems to work, I tried all the safe mode
types, running windows under previous settings, etc.
Click to expand...

Did you try booting the XP CD and repairing the installation ?

Have you got the XP CD ?
Now my question is, that how can he transfer
the data he has out of there. He has a CD
burner, but how will it work outside widnows.
Click to expand...

Various imaging apps will work in that situation.
Basically make a rescue floppy and boot that
and then image the hard drive to the burner.

If the laptop doesnt have a floppy, just image something
of no importance to a cd burner on a desktop PC and
then boot that CD you created on the laptop and then
image the laptop hard drive to the burner.
DOS works at least, by booting the system. How can I help him?
Click to expand...

I'd personally image the entire hard drive
to the burner using ghost or drive image etc.

They'll do that at the dos level.
I mean the USB won't be detected, right?
Click to expand...

It will with the ghost rescue floppy or bootable CD.

You'd normally install the imaging program on a
desktop PC so you can make the rescue floppys
or CD on that desktop PC to use in the laptop.


The laptop likely has a lan port too so you
can just boot a net boot floppy or CD and
copy stuff at the dos level manually if you want.
I was thinking if all else fails I would install windows
98 in his machine, and then transfer all the files
from there and then format it. Will this work?
Click to expand...

Not if the hard drive is formatted NFTS.
 
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