NoteBook Problem After A Software Install

Hello..
I am new to all this, so please be patient with me..OK? I will try to explain it the best I can!
I installed a third part software program on my wife's notebook and all went fine until it had to reboot. It started to reboot and it hung on the logo/main screen! To get off the logo screen, you hit either the esc key or f10 key, it will boot up, but takes about 5 minutes to boot. After all that, it can not find my c drive or the data that is/was on the drive. I contacted the manufacturer and they suggested it was a driver issue. I told them I do not have the CD/DVD for the drivers. So, I ordered one to be shipped over night. I received it this past Wednesday and I followed the direction they gave me. Still no showing of the drive or data! After about 20 emails they told me it was something else! They said for $100.00 they can tell me what is wrong..the money is for because the notebook is out of warranty.
I have been looking at several forums and noticed there are programs that can retrieve your data/drive. If so, can some one tell me which one and you need to tell me how to do it, step by step in terms that I can understand..still a newbie here!
Oh.. the recovery CD/DVD they sent me is what you use to bring up your notebook back to the original state, like when you purchased it.
I tried one of those so called programs, but I do not know how to use it.I coped the files to a thumb drive, but the programs tries to read the thumb drive as my c drive. I burned it on a CD and it was a bootable iso file, still nothing. My wife does not have backup, but she is willing to loose everything, just to get her notebook up and running again.
The OS is Vista Home Premium SP 2
Dual core processor
120 gigs of free space
6 gigs of ram
no floppy drive..just the HD and CD/DVD reader-writer

In the past you could us fdisk, but someone told me you can not use that now with the new versions of Windows!
So, if someone does not mind, please step me through how I can either get the drive and data back or petition/format it!
PLZ..remember..I am a newbie and the steps need to be so I can understand them!! Hope to hear from someone!!
I hope all of this makes sense, if not I will try to explain some more.

TIA

btw..
The manufacturer is HP if any one wants to know!

 

:wave Welcome to Major Geeks! :major

OK- you have 2 very different requests up there... one is "how do I recover my data?" and the other is "how do I format and reload Windows?". If you ordered a disc that will "bring up your notebook back to the original state, like when you purchased it", simply boot to that disc and it will format your hard drive, wipe it 100% clean, and will restore your laptop to the state it was in when you bought it. The other question of "how do I recover my data" is far more involved, and, unfortunately, data recovery is seldom for the noob. However, if you have a flash drive or external drive on which you can save your data, you can try using a PECD. To avoid getting too technical, a PECD is basically a CD with bootable operating system on it. So you boot up the CD and it loads to a desktop with many programs pre-installed, and it runs just like the familiar Windows desktop so it isn't confusing. So, you'd get a PECD (info will follow), insert a USB flash drive or external drive, power up and boot to the PECD, then copy your data to the external. The famous UBCD4Win (Ultimate Boot CD For Windows) can be downloaded from this link, and the "how-to-build-the-CD" can be read at this link. You'll need a WindowsXP install disc, if you don't have one, maybe a friend has one you can borrow for an hour or two.

An alternative would be to remove the hard drive from that laptop, use a USB adapter to hook it up to a 2nd healthy PC. If the drive is not immediately accessible, you can try using Partition Find-n-Mount to recover the data. More info is available at this link.

GOOD LUCK!!! Let us know how things go!

[dlb]

(BTW- what was the 3rd party program that was installed that caused this problem in the first place?)

 

Oh, one other thing.... I'm not really sure of exactly what you were talking about, but you said you tried "one of those so called programs" and it was a "bootable iso file" and that you had "burned it to a CD". .ISO files must be burned differently than other data. You need a CD burning program that has an option to "create CD from image file" or "write image file to disc". The .ISO file is an image of a CD. This means the entire contents of the disc have been "converted" to an "image", kind of like a photocopy before it gets re-printed to a piece of paper; it's just an 'image' of the original. If you burn the ISO file like normal data, you end up with a CD with a single ISO file on it. Windows does not have built-in ISO burning abilities, you need a program that will create CDs from image files. Most 3rd party CD/DVD burning apps will do this. If you're not sure if your program does this, or you don't know how to use it, download and install ImgBurn. It's free and is easy to use. Use it to burn your ISO file if you didn't burn it correctly the first time....
:-D

 

I think it was called pccleaner!! Do not quote me on that, but that is the only
one that comes to mind. I installed several..I will go and think and I will try
remember which one!

I did purchased a recovery disk from HP, but will not boot up to it..It gives me a 100(s) (that's one hundred s)error when it tries to recover the drive/data and I have to press f10 and sometimes it boots, sometimes not

I do know how to burn different formats and I do use Img Burn..great program!!

If I use a flash drive..the notebook recognizes it as my c drive! How can I overcome that problem?

How do I use the program....Partition Find-n-Mount ?

So, all I do is make a bootable CD..copy files to a flash drive or a external one.
Hope this works, because my c drive is no where to be found!!

 

hmm
I guess I am asking too much or...

 

The HP recovery CD should just give you a warning asking if you want to format and that you will lose all data. Then go ahead and reinstall the OS. What exactly happens when you boot from the CD? Does it ask if you want to restore to factory settings? Does it begin the process? What are the first few errors?

****
I'm a fan of Linux Mint for recovery of data. Download the 700mb iso and burn it using imgburn. Boot from the CD and see if it will load the linux OS. If it loads OK you will see a Windows looking desktop and should be able to see your original C: drive if the HD is working OK and should be able to transfer your wife's files to a USB stick. If it doesn't work you have only lost the time downloading the ISO.

 

OK...
I tried that program, "Linux Mint" and it booted up to "desktop" looking screen
AFTER I pressed the "esc" key!
It did not show a "c" or any other drive anywhere.
Does this mean I do not have a "c" drive? If that is the case..I need to know how I can get a "c" on the laptop, please. If it means to erase everything on the drive!
My wife is getting impatient and she wants her laptop back ASAP!

About the recovery disk HP sent..I have to do the same. Press the "esc" and it will book up to the CD. When you get to setup new drivers, etc. is where I get that error. :confused In a previous post I said it was a "100"s" error..it is a 100"a" error without the quotes! Sorry about that! Also it tells me if this persist, to contact HP..I did 28+ emails and still do not know what in the &^$ I am talking about.

I want to thank everyone that is helping and it is greatly appreciative.
Hope we can get up and running soon!!

 

So from Linux Mint, if you double click the Computer icon on the Desktop what drives/icons does it show?

 

Icons are:
Filesystem...then I clicked it and got:
bin, boot, cdrom, dev, etc, home, lib, mediamnt, opt,
proc, rofs, root, sbin, selinux, srv, sys, tmp, usr, var,
initrd.img and vmlinuz

No drives tho!!

 

Just the FileSystem icon? Not even a dvdrom drive?

 

no dvdrom..what I listed is all!!

 

Do you live in the US? If so I can call you if you wish!!

 

Check Menu(where Start Button would be)>Control Center>under System choose Partition Editor and see if it finds any partitions.

 

I see a GParted, nothing is there either!!

 

It's looking like your HD is bad. HP is vague on the cause of 100a error--I have seen memory, a problem with particular CD/DVD writers (not your case since yours is a laptop model) or HD.

Can you get into BIOS/Setup (I'm not sure of the key on newer HP maybe F1 or F2 or F10) when booting with no CD in drive? Somewhere in there it should tell you if the HD is being recognized. What model of HP is this? I can try and find the manual to see what the BIOS screens should look like. But you are looking for something that lists storage devices.

 

Yes, I can get in the BIOS F10 for setup
It is a HP Pavilion dv6010ea and the damn thing is coming up being about 2 1/2 years old!!
(all 3 lights are lit up tho and that is probably why it takes so long to boot up..if
no HD is being processed!!)

 

I think Sea Tools for DOS will test any brand of HD if the drive is at all functional. It might be worth burning an ISO to see if it recognizes the HD.

I'll check the manual to see if I can find where the HD listing should be in BIOS.

It should just be in the Main menu listed under Primary Master. Arrow keys to move down to Primary Master and Enter to select. It should list size, sectors, cylinders etc. No information menas it sees no drive.

 

OK and THANKS for your time and patience!!

 

Forgot the link to the Setup screens http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...uk&lc=en&dlc=en&product=3246305#c00034791_nav

For clarity, when you let it boot with no CD and it takes 5 minutes or so, Where do you end up? It can't be Windows if the HD is bad. Is it in a Recovery screen?

 

OK..here is what I get when I let the bootup go all the way..
Intel Boot Agent FE v4.1.18Copyright 1997-2005, Intel Corp.

Initializing and establishing link...
PXE-E61 Media test failure, check cable
PXE-M0F Exiting intel Boot Agent

Is there a way I can get this "Sea Tools For Dos" to work on a flash drive?
2 megs is a waste for a CD!

 

I've never tried to use an ISO from a flash drive although I think it is possible.

I've got to get to bed in the next 15 minutes or so but try two things. In BIOS let me know what is says for the Primary Master under the Main screen. Does it list any information about the HD.

Also under the Boot options--what is the order? Should be CD then HD; the PXE can be disabled if that is an option.

 

Boot Order is:
CD/DVD
USB Floppy
Notebook HD
USB HD
USB Diskette on key
Network Adapter

Does not have any thing mentioned about a Primary master

Yes it late here too in Michigan..got to get up at 4:30 and
take the wife to work!!
Thanks for ALL what you are doing and I will check in on
this tomorrow!!
Do not loose any sleep over this!!

 

OK, good night.

That boot order is OK.

The Primary Master should be on the Main screen with Date/Time and other basic system info. It isn't listed at all? I would have thought the heading Primary Master would be there but it might be listed as "none". That it is not there points to the HD not being recognized/faulty.

 

System Time
System Date
NoteBook Model HP Pavilion dv6000
(RP297UA#ABA)
Systen Board ID 30BB
Processor Typ3 Genuine Intel CPU
T2060
Processor Speed 1600 MHz
Total Memory 2048MB
BIOS Version F.12
Serial Number
UUID Number

That is it under the main screen!!

Thanks again for the your time and help.
Check back later in the PM!! :zzz:zzz:zzz:zzz

 

I've been thinking about this and your BIOS has to have a section for storage and/or your CDROM.

I see what it is showing on the Main screen but I wonder if you use the arrows to move up to the word Main at the top of the screen if it will show that there are submenus for Main?

Or if not, if in Advanced there is some indication of the HD or at least the CDROM.

We know the CDROM is working and being recognized, so it has to show up in the BIOS. I just want to confirm that BIOS is seeing/reporting information about the CDROM but does not see/report information about the HD.

 

The only thing I can "highlight" change on the main is:
change the date and time

So.. what do you want me to do?
Sorry for being late..working on my web site!!

Too bad we can't talk over the phone instead of waiting for one of us to type!
I have Vonage..it is too cool to mention!!

 

sach..
Sorry to miss you...it has been a very long day here!!
Just drop me a PM or a note here about what all do you want me to do or try!
I will check back in the AM.

Thanks again for all what you are doing for me and it is well appreciative on my side!
:zzz:zzz:zzz:zzz:zzz:zzz

 

Sach...
Did I scare you off?
Just curious if I am "working" you too hard also!!

 

Hi, I don't know what to tell you. There has to be a listing for storage devices in the BIOS but I can't find screenshots for your BIOS to guide you through.

If we see for sure that your HD is not recognized in BIOS then it is most likely bad. (We know the HD won't boot and is not seen by the Linux CD) My only hesitation in saying that it is bad is that there should be a listing in BIOS saying that there is no Master drive found. There definitely has to be a listing saying that you have a CDROM attached since it is working. I would think the HD and CDROM listing would be near each other. You can move through the BIOS rather freely because when you hit Esc to exit you will always get the option to "discard changes and exit" so you don't have to worry about messing anything up.

 

OK..
Let me ask this and forgive me if I haven't ask this before!
I got a HP laptop, different model than the wife's. Can I take the HD out of mine and put it in hers to see if that is it?
I can not afford to ruin 2 HD's

btw..
How old are you..just curious and where are you from/live?

I am not trying "hit up on you" I just feel more comfortable talking
to someone rather typing it out!

 

I understand that you feel more comfortable on the phone but the point of forums is to have a record of a problem and possible solution/troubleshooting so that others experiencing similar problems can get information. I'm a 40 year old guy in Philadelphia area.

I wouldn't put your HD in your wife's laptop because when you try to boot Windows will recognize it is on a different computer that needs different drivers and may try to change the installed drivers. When you put it back on your machine the drivers may no longer match.

You could do vice versa and put her HD in your machine. Her OS is probably not salvageable anyway.

As long as you are comfortable removing the HD, a first step would be to remove the HD from her machine then boot with no HD. Allow BIOS to note the lack of HD. Put the HD back in and boot and see if BIOS sees the change. Most likely it won't but can't hurt. If no change then you could put the HD in you machine and see if it is recognized. If neither machine sees the HD there is not much you can do. No software or diagnostic will do any good because if BIOS doesn't recognize the HD they will be unable test or format it.

 

OK..
I might just wait and when I get my check next month..I will tell her I need a new HD for hers and go that route.
( I am a disabled Vet..and yes the wife see what I spend each month
from that little ole check I get from the VA)

She is running Vista Home Premium and I am running 7!

Again, I can not thank you enough in what you did, your time and experise.

I will keep you informed and let you know how it is gong!!

THANKS once again and take care,
Bart
aka BarCin
(I think I do not have to tell you what Cin is for)

 

Sorry, I couldn't give a definitive answer but I'm fairly sure the HD is gone.

Good Luck!

 

One thing you might want to do just as a matter of course/maintenance is disable/remove the Network Adapter in your Boot Order it would eliminate the 5 minute boot time.