Laptop HD ??

[DWBass]

Ok, so my 4 year old HP laptop's HD finally failed on me (losing a ton of pics and music)! When I get my new HD, can I use the OEM restore disc to load the OS (XP no service packs) onto it? Or is there something else I'll need to do? I just want to be prepared!

[NJL]

yes

those set of disks from HP are made for that specific model of laptop.

did you go and purchase your new HD yet? look for a larger size and faster unit if you can.

[MJ5150]

On some HP's, they installed a "secret" partition that the OEM install CD's looked for during an install. Look up you rmodel number to see if it applies to you.

-Mike

[NJL]

daaaaaaaaaaym, really??? that sucks.. i have an old 5200 series pavilion laptop that i'm messing with right now (home server is the goal), this one doesn't have that issue.

[Rune Bivrin]

Who's going to be the first with a diatribe about the importance of frequent backups?

[MJ5150]

Originally Posted by NJL

daaaaaaaaaaym, really??? that sucks.

Yes, it does suck. At one of my previous IT jobs, we bought about 400 Pavilion desktops, and they all had it. Pain in the butt for ghosting and replacing failed HD's. It's weird how HP did it, no rhyme or reason to the models that had it from what I can tell. It wasn't as random as "let's do this one, but not that one", but it wasn't like an entire years models had them, or certain lines.

-Mike

[NJL]

to rune: the funny thing is that i did a disk image of my mac twice this weekend... the first was to get rid of filevault (a waste IMHO) and the second was to back up the system using a free app for mac called, SuperDuper.

this was the first time i backed up my macbook (2006)

[NJL]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Yes, it does suck. At one of my previous IT jobs, we bought about 400 Pavilion desktops, and they all had it. Pain in the butt for ghosting and replacing failed HD's. It's weird how HP did it, no rhyme or reason to the models that had it from what I can tell. It wasn't as random as "let's do this one, but not that one", but it wasn't like an entire years models had them, or certain lines.

-Mike

so you couldn't simply image the disk i assume.. what a drag!!

[DWBass]

Originally Posted by Rune Bivrin

Who's going to be the first with a diatribe about the importance of frequent backups?

I was really hoping y'all wouldn't go there! Gah!

[NJL]

Originally Posted by DWBass

I was really hoping y'all wouldn't go there! Gah!

well..... i'm a computer person and this was my first backup this weekend so.... don't fret, just don't let it happen again LOL

[DWBass]

Originally Posted by NJL

so you couldn't simply image the disk i assume.. what a drag!!

Nope! I brought it to work and had our IT guy try and he gave up. It showed as disc drive but after double clicking on it, it just wouldn't come up! He also had this little contraption that connects to the pins and makes it a USB drive and same thing, just wouldn't allow access!

[NJL]

well, for sure don't throw that drive away, there are companies that can still pull data off it, but it will cost you.

damn, dude, i feel like going home and making another back up when i get home and i just made one late last night

[DWBass]

Originally Posted by NJL

well, for sure don't throw that drive away, there are companies that can still pull data off it, but it will cost you.

damn, dude, i feel like going home and making another back up when i get home and i just made one late last night

There wasn't a lot of music on there. Nothing I recorded. Just a good handful of mp3 cd's but my main concern were some pics I took visiting my brother in St. Louis for xmas! Those are gone! I'm also boo hooing because I had a lot of programs I had installed and now I have to spend a good amount of time installing them on the new laptop. I'm just going to pop in a new HD on the old one and give it to my mom who has never owned her own computer.

[MJ5150]

Originally Posted by NJL

well..... i'm a computer person....

Wait, I thought you were a boxer person who liked to wear MC Hammer pants?

Back to the subject at hand.....I suggest you try Active File Recovery Professional. I've used it many a time, even after I was told there was no way to retrieve lost data from a dead HD. It's not free, but if you have something on that drive worth more than $60 to you, go for it.

-Mike

[NJL]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Wait, I thought you were a boxer person who liked to wear MC Hammer pants?

Get off my lawn!!

[Selta]

Originally Posted by Rune Bivrin

Who's going to be the first with a diatribe about the importance of frequent backups?

Backups? I don't bother. A RADI50 array is plenty enough of a warranty for me .

[Selta]

Originally Posted by DWBass

Nope! I brought it to work and had our IT guy try and he gave up. It showed as disc drive but after double clicking on it, it just wouldn't come up! He also had this little contraption that connects to the pins and makes it a USB drive and same thing, just wouldn't allow access!

Tell your IT guy to try Ghosting it. That works at the lowest level on the HDD. If Ghost can't get it, nothing can.

[Pilgrim]

You guys are a good example for me. I just ordered a 250 GB external backup drive from eCost.com for $33 plus shipping. Been meaning to do that for a long time!

[rcarraher]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

On some HP's, they installed a "secret" partition that the OEM install CD's looked for during an install. Look up you rmodel number to see if it applies to you.

-Mike

This is very true, but if it doesn't work drop me a line, I have probably every HP restore disk there is and I can send you one or up load one somewhere.

[Joe Gress]

Hmm. I should be getting my new laptop in within a week or so. I think once I get it all stocked and loaded, I'm gonna back it all up.