Windows won't boot - WinPE2?

doodah

doodah

doodah

Caporegime
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
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Location
London
A friend of mine gave me her laptop to fix, the problem is that it won't boot into Windows. It gets to a prompt stating it didn't shut down properly and then just restarts once you choose an option. I have tried 'last known good config', safe mode etc - nothing works. I can probably do a repair install but I can't get her disk for a few days yet. However I want to get her files off the computer first. Is WinPE2 the best way to do this? I have just watched a how to video but it just seems to load a cmd prompt - can you access the C: drive? I don't want to do it through the prompt as the files I will be recovering will be all over the place. What is the best course of action to recover the files?

It is a Windows Vista Dell Inspiron 1525
 
I have tried BartPE (didn't realise it was only for XP) and Linux Mint -neither could see the C: drive. Only came up with an X: drive (presume tha RAM drive). Will give Ubuntu Live CD a go.
 
I think the HD is borked. The same thing is happening, when I used Mint. I open the file manager and click '250GB Hard Disk OS' - a pop up box appears saying it is opening the drive (for a couple of minutes). Eventually another pop up box says unable to mount location - DBus error.org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.NoReply: Did not receive a reply. Possible causes include: the remote application did not send a reply, the message bus security policy blocked the reply, the reply timeout expired, or the network connection was broken.

Any ideas?
 
Right, I managed to get access to the HD (seems to be hit and miss). I have just ran a Dell diagnostic test and it came up with this error:

Error Code 0142
Msg: Error Code 2000-0142
Msg: Hard Drive 1 - Self Test unsuccessful. Status: 79
The give error code and message can be used by Dell Technical Support to help diagnose the problem.....

So I am guessing the HD is knackered.
 
All fixed now. It took me ages but got almost all the data off the drive, replaced it, bought W7 student edition for £10 and installed. It is like a brand new laptop now, step up from Vista and 2Gb of RAM. Got a bottle of tequila as a thanks :D

Thanks - will keep a copy of Ubuntu Live CD for any future fixes.
 
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