Config sys question on crashed laptop

[Russ Smith]

My girlfriend's laptop died last night(thus my ceasing to post on the Cards board after the game) and it won't reboot. It says system 32 config sys file is missing or corrupt due to a hardware failure(the hard disk) and I need the original windows software to try a repair. It appears(not positive yet have to check the garage) that during one of her cleaning sessions my girlfriend either tossed the box with all the original software, or moved it somewhere and now has no idea where she moved it.

Assuming we can't find it, are we hosed? Can I just copy config sys from say my work computer just to get the thing to boot up? At this point all I want to do is get the most current copies of things like our resumes but if I can't boot it up I'm not sure what to do?

 

[nathan]

Sometimes computer manufacturers provide replacement restore disks on their websites (for ~ $20).

If you need data off the drive you could always hook it up as a slave drive.

 

[Russ Smith]

Thanks, one of the IT guys at work I'm friends with said if I bring it in he can hook it up so I can copy files over to CD. HE seems to think there's no point in doing the "repair" that I'll need a new hard disk anyways.

So I guess now I copy over files and then do the math on what's better, new hard disk for the existing laptop, or a new computer(I'm leaning to a desktop since she never takes the laptop anywhere and desktops are cheaper).

 

[Chaz]

Thanks, one of the IT guys at work I'm friends with said if I bring it in he can hook it up so I can copy files over to CD. HE seems to think there's no point in doing the "repair" that I'll need a new hard disk anyways.

So I guess now I copy over files and then do the math on what's better, new hard disk for the existing laptop, or a new computer(I'm leaning to a desktop since she never takes the laptop anywhere and desktops are cheaper).

I had to order a new laptop drive yesterday.

Got a nice fast 60GB drive for $89 shipped.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822149026

Newegg seems to be having problems now.

Anyway, point is laptop replacement drives aren't that expensive.

 

[Russ Smith]

I had to order a new laptop drive yesterday.

Got a nice fast 60GB drive for $89 shipped.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822149026

Newegg seems to be having problems now.

Anyway, point is laptop replacement drives aren't that expensive.

Thanks, yeah I can't connect to new egg either right now.

I had no idea drives were that cheap I need to do some checking on what she has and what to replace it with.

 

[Ryanwb]

Just wondering if you heard any "ticking" or "clicking" prior to the failure?

 

[Russ Smith]

Just wondering if you heard any "ticking" or "clicking" prior to the failure?

I had a few montsh back but that seemed to be gone. Then the night it failed it took 3 tries to boot up, kept hanging and clicking. Got it to boot, updated the antivirus, ran a spybot check(hung twice) and then I started a virus scan and went to bed. Woke up 2am and it was hung and clicking, rebooted and got the message that the config sys was missing or corrupt due to a drive failure.

The recovery disk that comes with the laptop does NOT have a repair function just reformats and reloads so someone in IT said he'll try to help me copy off files. Mainly just resumes and some pictures (all of which are in the digital camera memory card too). I had copied off most important files a few months back.

My main concern is can I still use my antivirus software(valid until next May) on a new drive or will they make me pay again? And, I am running Office XP small business again can I load it on a new drive and register it or will they tell me you can't do that it's on a new machine? In other words will I end up having to buy the software again because of the new drive?

I can get a Dell desktop for 299 with a monitor (dimension 2400) that has the same speed processor, same size hard drive etc but I'd still have to add software so I had word and excel.

Turns out Toshiba wants $299 for the replacement drive(through nationalparts.com) and New Egg (thanks Sir Chaz) has 3 drives for 65-67 that are Toshiba. I'm just waiting on my IT friend to help me copy the files and then help me determine precisely which drive I need to buy(I haven't opened the laptop yet I'm waiting on him).

It's a 40 GB drive I'm debating getting a 60(about 20 more bucks) and adding another 256mB of memory.

 

[Russ Smith]

Well the post mortem is it's working great and boy it pays to work closely with IT guys so you have friends. Plenty of help backing up files, installing the new HD etc end result is it's now fully functional!

 

[bratwurst]

Did you get all your files off the disk?

A good thing to keep around is a copy of knoppix on CD. It will boot to a fully functional linux install from the CD drive, so if windows fails, you can boot to that CD and then copy your files off the drive.

If the drive fails due to hardware, like if the arm starts scraping the disk platters, well then you're pretty much screwed.

 

[Russ Smith]

Did you get all your files off the disk?

A good thing to keep around is a copy of knoppix on CD. It will boot to a fully functional linux install from the CD drive, so if windows fails, you can boot to that CD and then copy your files off the drive.

If the drive fails due to hardware, like if the arm starts scraping the disk platters, well then you're pretty much screwed.

Knoppix is what the IT guy used to let me copy files. I got everything I wanted or needed off. I found the email confirmation from Symantec on my antivirus so I was able to get that reinstalled without having to pay as well.

Pretty good deal, I must say I confirmed what others have said here about how much of your compute power Norton takes, when I installed that sucker it slowed INSTANTLY. I was expecting the machine to be quite a bit quicker with the new HD since I figured the old failing one must have been slower, but it's essentially the same speed. I'm going to add more memory now to see if that speeds it up.

Otherwise it's good as new though.

 

[SweetD]

Pretty good deal, I must say I confirmed what others have said here about how much of your compute power Norton takes, when I installed that sucker it slowed INSTANTLY.

I am a big fan of Norton but I agree it takes up way to much.