Christmas Tree 4729 Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 Looks like my laptop has ceased to be. Basically I get an I/o message and then a blank screen. Windows doesn't start. Took it to point of purchase today and the man behind the counter had a glance at the message and said its probably your hard drive. £39 quid for a new one and then simply reinstall windows and you're sorted. Only problem is the Microsoft key code is on a sticker on the bottom of the laptop and is half erased. Apparently this is the same siting of this sticker on most laptops and a common wear problem. £80 odd quid to purchase a new licence or he suggested writing a begging email to Microsoft (some of his customers had done this and got a new code). So basically if you don't have this jotted down somewhere, Do it NOW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewerk 30665 Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 (edited) If only there was a place where you could get a copy of Windows for free. Edited September 24, 2013 by ewerk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 4729 Posted September 24, 2013 Author Share Posted September 24, 2013 If only there was a place where you could get a copy of Windows for free. Doesn't that leads to loads of problems with multiple keys in use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewerk 30665 Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 With a clean install you won't have multiple keys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 4729 Posted September 24, 2013 Author Share Posted September 24, 2013 With a clean install you won't have multiple keys. I meant when it goes online to register etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewerk 30665 Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 That's the point of a cracked/enterprise version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 4729 Posted September 24, 2013 Author Share Posted September 24, 2013 That's the point of a cracked/enterprise version. Ah rightyo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaMoUsE 0 Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 Is your hard drive clicking? do u have a restore cd? most laptops have restore built into the boot so you can restore to factory settings without the key. Possibly f8 on boot screen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 4729 Posted September 24, 2013 Author Share Posted September 24, 2013 Is your hard drive clicking? do u have a restore cd? most laptops have restore built into the boot so you can restore to factory settings without the key. Possibly f8 on boot screen Aye cheers, the samsung recovery screen basically try's to load something then gives up. I've knocked up a recovery disc using the daughters laptop and so far I have this screen, Hopefully it's doing something but I'm not sure whether this normally takes a few minutes or a few hours. No clicking though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 6 Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 If you can get to the OS in safe mode try running Magic Jelly Bean to get the old key. http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 4729 Posted September 24, 2013 Author Share Posted September 24, 2013 Cheers will do although It's looking grim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaMoUsE 0 Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 Its odd that, normally if your harddrive had failed you would get an error message saying no harddrive detected boot failure. i would be tempted to try that hard drive in another machine as a slave and atleast then you'l kno if its working or not. If your other machine doesnt detect it assume the worst. (unless you haven't connected it properly) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaMoUsE 0 Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 A quick google suggests that alot of ppl got thus, error when the power cable to the hard drive was disconnected. easiest way to check go into bios and see if your harddrive appears in devices Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 4729 Posted September 25, 2013 Author Share Posted September 25, 2013 (edited) This is how far Ive got with a windows recovery disc I knocked up. I'm taking a wild guess that as the partition size is 0 it's goodnight Vienna. Edited September 25, 2013 by Christmas Tree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 4729 Posted September 30, 2013 Author Share Posted September 30, 2013 Apparently the wife has advised me that the best way to fix a knackered hard drive is to put it in the oven for an hour on a low heat! Before I blow the house up.... Thoughts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewerk 30665 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 90 mins at 160 accompanied with a buttered slice should sort you out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruler of Planet Houston 1 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 (edited) Apparently the wife has advised me that the best way to fix a knackered hard drive is to put it in the oven for an hour on a low heat! Before I blow the house up.... Thoughts A myth...as is the freezer solution. I think the oven myth is based on dodgy dry solder joints reheating and fixing themselves. But the harsh reality is it just cooks the drive and ensures certain death. Edited September 30, 2013 by Ruler of Planet Houston Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 44993 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 I've had a load of bother with my laptop recently. It just all of a sudden started either having no Internet connection, or else connecting like it was on really bad dialup. Anyway have pissed about with drivers and all sorts to no avail. Reset my router to factory settings yesterday and it seems to now be fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruler of Planet Houston 1 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 I've had a load of bother with my laptop recently. It just all of a sudden started either having no Internet connection, or else connecting like it was on really bad dialup. Anyway have pissed about with drivers and all sorts to no avail. Reset my router to factory settings yesterday and it seems to now be fixed. If that keeps happening, try changing the wifi channel in the router settings. You might be getting interference from a neighbour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeys Fist 42472 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Failing that, sauté gently until just browned, then pop it under the grill for 5 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meenzer 15560 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Apparently the wife has advised me that the best way to fix a knackered hard drive is to put it in the oven for an hour on a low heat! Before I blow the house up.... Thoughts Even she's on the wind-up now. Next thing she'll be parading round the house in a range of -branded merchandise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trophyshy 7083 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Medium heat tbf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 4729 Posted September 30, 2013 Author Share Posted September 30, 2013 So it's a no then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeys Fist 42472 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Try the microwave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CleeToonFan 1 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 I've had a load of bother with my laptop recently. It just all of a sudden started either having no Internet connection, or else connecting like it was on really bad dialup. Anyway have pissed about with drivers and all sorts to no avail. Reset my router to factory settings yesterday and it seems to now be fixed. Is it HP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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