3 dead laptop drives

[jerrywgibbs]

Noticed the download for 2000 server boot disk. What is different that keeps this from being used to boot my laptop (2000). I'm currently using XPS2 on my desktop. I have 3 different laptop drives but when I try to boot with any I can't get it to come up. since all drives are identical in operating system I thought this would be easy. Can I add a few files to the server boot disk to use it to boot the laptop? Murphy's law has prevailed so I can't download and burn the advertised cure all, ordering it as CD but it won't be here in time to let me meet Tuesday deliverables. The server boot download could be put on multiple foppys.

Appreciate any assistance available

[jerrywgibbs]

all run win2000 or 2000 pro. we have a win2000 pro cd; none will boot from it.

we don't really know what we're doing and would appreciate step-by-step help as we've seen provided for others on this list.

many thanks...

[smurfy]

Hi and welcome to CTH.
You must have missed it but we have standard Win2000 Pro bootdisks also:
http://www.cybertechhelp.com/downloa...ional-bootdisk

[jerrywgibbs]

thanks for the response. we have made at least two sets of boot disks--from both internet downloads and from the win2k boot cd using winimage. none of them worked.

we discovered that if we use disk #1 *and* the cd, we eventually get a blue screen with 'Windows 2000 Setup' in the upper left-hand corner. after waiting for a while, we then get various error messages. some reference file\i386-something could not be loaded, error message 7. one mentioned a kernel load trap, and the latest one starts out saying:

***STOP: [lots of 0s, F24183F0 a couple of times]
DRIVER_UNLOADED_WITHOUT_CANCELING_PENDING_OPERATIO NS
This driver may be at fault: partmgr.sys
[and then general directions on what to do, including troubleshooting with the manual, which we don't have]

i take it the hard drive is bad?

barb & jerry

[smurfy]

I guess you've just about run out of time for your Tuesday deadline.
What is it you are actually trying to do?
You have 3 suspect 2.5" drives?
Each one you try in the laptop will not boot up.
Do you want a working laptop or are you just trying to recover data from the drives?
If the former, does the laptop BIOS recognise the hard drive(s) when they are installed?


If you only want the data, get a 2.5" to 3.5" IDE drive adaptor and connect the laptop drive(s) up to an IDE controller in your desktop and explore them from WinXP.

[jerrywgibbs]

Thanks for reply--Considering the fact that I have a MSEE you'd think I wouldn't be this dense (all Hardware & GUI design). I had purchased a MadDog and extracted data from all of the old drives. I took it back to get a 5-1/2 version since the 3-1/2 wouldn't allow mw to close the smaller one. Guess I need an adapter to use this with small drives. Anyway, realized that I wasn't even getting to the HDs.
I suspect it is a motherboard problem. Anyway it is probably a lost cause. I was ordering a Spotmau super fixit disk (/www.spotmau.com). Do you know anything about the product? It sounded handy from a diagnostics perspective, particularly since it should tell me which trash pile to throw the thing in.

Actually I'm just trying to get it useable as a desktop--don't even need the drive to fit physically--already have great monitor. I must have a second computer, multiplexing with wife on the XP which basically moves me to the night shift. I really appreciate the response though. I had spent $180.00 trying to get it fixed only to be told first what a great system it is, and when it wouldn't turn on when got it home and returned it, was told that the HD had bad and/or corrupt segments.
I also thought I might try to load Linux since it's freeware. Think it's worth the trouble--absolutely not taking it to a shop but this is a catch 22 situation; i.e. need computer to generate cash to be able to purchase a new one.

Last quick request for counseling. I actually spent 25 years in ICs in Silicon Valley and 8 in telecom. I understand packets, and even bit-stuffing using the synchronization with the master clock in ???. Anyway what throws me is the language and acronyms--wirh I could find a tutorial site where all of the terms had mouse over labels--any ideas? I'm an ex-consultant to the A.F. but all funds going to IRAQ. One thing I'm damn good at is presentations womb to tomb starting with product eval.--use PowerPoint. I have to get current with animation and it's use--like a professor who walks out on a new slide and uses a pointer to pick a bullet and it lights up for discussion. This would seem to be a viable virtual business. Any guidance or referral would be greatly appreciated. I'm not trying to get "cute" but for some it's a necessary evil--the key is the message and anything that distracts from that is bad!

Sorry for verbosity--I had a million contacts in SV, but there is a technology vacuum down here. Regards and thanks again!