Laptop Issues

quovadis13

Okay, so I was using my dad's laptop one day just fine. The next day when I go to start it up, the computer just hangs on a black screen right after the first start up screen, but before I get to the Windows XP loading screen. After a few minutes, a message pops up and says that the ntoskrnl.exe file is missing or corrupt. Okay, I look that up online and see that it sounds like an easy fix if I have the install CD. Unfortunately, I couldnt locate his particular CD, so I end up using an install CD for another laptop we have in the house.

I boot from CD, extract the file and everything seems to go fine. I restart and I finally get the to Windows XP loading screen. However, right after that, the laptop blue screens all the time. I try going into Safe Mode, but it blue screens there also. So, right now I have a laptop that doesnt load up at all and blue screens constantly. Any clues as to why this might be happening and any advice as to what to do to fix it?


Second Part:

If nothing can be done, my dad is willing to just wipe the hard drive and start over. However, he would like to keep some pictures and things he has on his computer. Since I cant even get into Safe Mode, how can I go about at least hooking up his laptop hard drive to one of our other computers to at least transfer his stuff over?

Thanks for your help. Sorry about going on.

SiliconStew

My guess is that the hard drive is dying. Especially if it takes a long time to load before the blue screen. While you might get by for a short while if you reformat and reload, it is better just to get a new drive now.

To attempt to get the files off the laptop drive by connecting it to your desktop, you'll need an adapter like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812203012. Though you will need to remove one of the center pins if you have an IDE cable with that hole blocked.

Artreus

Or you could grab a USB flash drive and install ubuntu or something on it. You should be able to grab whatever files you want with something like that.

1ddqd

If you use a PE disc (BartPE, or some other Preloaded Environment) you can attempt to browse the drive and copy/burn the info off.

If you have another computer, hook the drive up to a computer (if it's SATA, hook it to a SATA port on that PC (desktop)) or if it's IDE, buy an external enclosure and put the hard drive in that, it will connect via USB.

Also, try to get a copy of Eurosoft PC-Check and burn it to CD; put it in and boot from it; you can run a HDD test off that. If you can't get it, get your HDD manufacturer's test software