Windows 7 startup issue.

slipd · 29 Oct 2010 at 18:09

Hi guys,

Just looking at a windows 7 laptop that wont boot. When you turn it on it shows up with the win7 error recovery menu screen but selecting either option results in a black screen with white mouse cursor

The hd light initially stays on but eventually goes out... I've tried booting from a win7 recovery disc, but it's not having that either? I dug out my old xp disc and strangely enough, that did work?!

Any ideas?

Cheers!

slipd · 29 Oct 2010 at 21:42

I've got the feeling it might be the hd failing; anyway of checking outside of windows?

SimonC · 29 Oct 2010 at 23:43

Have you looked on the hdd manufactures site? I know that western digital have a diagnostic tool you can burn to cd and boot from it.

slipd · 30 Oct 2010 at 13:02

SimonC said:
Have you looked on the hdd manufactures site? I know that western digital have a diagnostic tool you can burn to cd and boot from it.

Thanks mate! It's a toshiba laptop with a toshiba hd.

I've had a look on their site but no utilities immediately jump out? Isn't okay to use other manufactures ones, I'm sure I've done this in the past

If so, any recommendations?

Duke · 30 Oct 2010 at 14:59

Burn off a copy of Ultimate Boot CD - it contains quite a few manufacturer tools.

www.ultimatebootcd.com

slipd · 31 Oct 2010 at 11:07

Duke said:
Burn off a copy of Ultimate Boot CD - it contains quite a few manufacturer tools.

www.ultimatebootcd.com

Thanks mate! How on earth do you create the disc once you've installed it though?!

SimonC · 31 Oct 2010 at 11:23

Installed what?

Isn't the download an iso?

Download imgburn, burn to disc, boot from disc, bam.

slipd · 31 Oct 2010 at 11:27

SimonC said:
Installed what?

Isn't the download an iso?

Download imgburn, burn to disc, boot from disc, bam.

Nah, I can only find the .exe which you have to install and then there are a load of confusing options

sjcf1 · 31 Oct 2010 at 11:36

sam.wheale said:
Nah, I can only find the .exe which you have to install and then there are a load of confusing options

http://ubcd.mirror.fusa.be/ubcd503.iso

You mean this Iso? Click it and it will download the iso

SimonC · 31 Oct 2010 at 11:51

Yer I thought there was an iso.

Click the link above or http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html

Where did you find the exe, go to site, on the left 'download ubcd' download iso. :rolleyes:

slipd · 31 Oct 2010 at 13:19

Thanks guys!

SimonC · 31 Oct 2010 at 20:17

Any joy?

slipd · 31 Oct 2010 at 20:20

SimonC said:
Any joy?

Yep - well, I've got confirmation

The drives bad; I tried a couple of the hd apps and they both reported faults!

Thanks.

SimonC · 31 Oct 2010 at 20:23

Atleast now you know it is the hdd.

You got data you need off it? live linux cd may work.

slipd · 31 Oct 2010 at 20:54

SimonC said:
Atleast now you know it is the hdd.

You got data you need off it? live linux cd may work.

Its a bit weird tbh; I picked up the laptop on Friday with the black screen and mouse cursor and I was able to see the windows drive in slax. I could browser the drive but there didn't seem to be much data on it, a lot of the directories were empty... After restarting from slax the drive seems to be unusable