Writing this on my 7yo's "play" computer. Hope it works!
I can't get my laptop to boot up. It keeps going to startup recovery over and over, says it can't recover manually. I can get to a dos prompt but only to the X:/ directory. I can see the C:/ directory and everything looks like it's there, but there's a corrupt file someplace and I don't know how or if I can fix it.
Everything's pretty much backed up (Thank you, Google) except for the movie I was working on and had finished last night. I can see that file on the C:/ drive in Dos but as of yet have been unable to save or copy it anywhere.
If I have to buy a new laptop the good news is they're way cheaper now than when MY READERS bought this one for me in 2007. It also takes me back to that time, which was a much darker time for me, really, than now. I'm broke but so much happier.
Let me just sigh and be grateful for a minute. If I lose this movie file I'll be pissed, but really that and the cost of a new laptop is it? I'll take it.
If anyone has any advice for me I'd love it. In comments or to bluegalsblog AT gmail. Thanks.
PS I've been told to mention it's a Vista machine. When Vista first came out, I think.
Ugh. If it's a corrupt Windows registry, I've used this knowledge base article a few times to recover ("Manual steps ..." onward). It's pretty long winded but ultimately worth it (especially given my own lackadaisical approach to backups).
ReplyDeletehttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545
Whatever the problem, it's serious. Take to a grizzled vet you know and trust, see if they can fix it.
ReplyDeleteI have a miracle worker friend / tech here in Cali who, if it can be brought back from the dead, he can do it. Seriously. He's done things like this for me and many others.
Let me know if you want want more info (and then fedex the laptop to him.)
I would not take it to a place like Geek Squad.
Good luck.
In XP you can reformat the operating system without touching the data. I think you can do the same thing in Vista. Hopefully it's not a hardware issue. :o(
ReplyDeleteVista Baaad.
ReplyDeleteGet a Mac!
I don't mean to be snarky, but Vista is wrought with problems.
You need a serious computer doctor.
I had problem after problem with my giant PC, my Sony Viyo lap top, both dead, dead, dead.. my HP lap top just barly chugs along.. But my MacBook with the back lit keyboard.. well, no more PCs.. no virouses no weird problems.. I never thought I would say it but I Love My Mac..........
ReplyDeleteSorry, I can't offer much advice that hasn't been offered already, just my sympathies. Good luck with it all.
ReplyDeleteWe all offer our sympathy and there's a mass meditation going on tp produce some sort of good outcome to all this.
ReplyDeleteJust saw this, BG.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're prolly the owner of a new laptop or netbook already. Lenovo has some decent deals which I've bought for a few clients. They come with a system restore button which is really handy.
Wish I could just come over and fix yours for you. (Or tell you it's a hardware error and help you find a good, inexpensive new one.)
Good luck!
S
I had this experience a couple of weeks ago (also Vista) I was unable to recover, but was able to reload the operating system. I lost the data I had on the computer, which was very little because I had everything on Google or Flickr, and had to reload all the software, but I did not have to replace the computer. Consensus among IT acquaintances was that it was caused by some kind of worm or malware. Good luck.
ReplyDelete