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#46
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Toshiba W-7 went dark
In message , HB writes:
"Java Jive" wrote in message news [] No, the technical screens come from the BIOS, which is *usually* a chip on the motherboard, not written to the HD. I learn something every day. Seriously. As do we all! I'm learning odd snippets from this thread, too. [] What you are referring to as 'Safe Mode' is part of Windows, which you will only reach if the HD is working. I hear it spin up and when the PC gets hot the I can hear a fan start. So you're definitely hearing the HD spinning, not the fan. Good to know. [] BUT the fact that you have got into the BIOS at all does suggest that most of the PC is functioning, and in itself that is encouraging. Next we have I second that. And if it is, even if the HD _is_ duff, I'd say it's probably worth the effort to resuscitate it: a laptop of the W7 era (I'm assuming it _is_ of the W7 era [look at stickers on it] not one that's been upgraded from Vista or before) probably _is_ worth something. (And you'll need a 7 machine anyway, for your daughter's favourite game!) to find out which part of the PC is broken, and, from what we know so far, the hard disk does seem a likely culprit, but it would be premature to *assume* that at this stage. I agree. OK. More generally, when reading technical stuff that is unfamiliar to you, it's important to resist developing the habit of going into either panic or glaze mode. Although officially I'm now retired, I've just spent three [] I agree with you completely. Glaze mode sounds familiar. I _try_ not to give too much information at once, to avoid glaze mode - but I do like to give a lot of background information (as do the others here), which I do recognise can lead to glaze. Part of the reason I say "please read to end" is to avoid panic mode, where you do one of the first things described, where one of the later ones might be easier. And I _try_ not to sound condescending. I hope I succeed most of the time. [] No, my job and family interfered. I have to stop and pick up a flash drive as the ones I have don't have 2 GB of space left for this Ubantu. I assume I (Ubuntu, I think.) Might be easier to just use a DVD (though it will boot slower). [Though see previous post about burning from an ISO not just as data.] (You other guys: if he _does_ use a memory stick, is there anything similar to ISO-ing a DVD that has to be done when loading the stick, to make it bootable, or doesn't that apply?) just insert the flash and turn the Toshiba on and see what happens? What's suppose to happen? I know nothing about that OS. Or I can use DVDs. Maybe that's the better choice since there are plenty of them here. That should be handled tomorrow. Too much coffee, not enough sleep. IMPORTANT NOTE: You may have to master an understanding of the BIOS sufficient to set the boot order so as to ensure that the PC will try to boot from a USB stick, if one is present. If that is beyond you, burn the Linux distro to a CD or DVD instead, and see if the PC will boot from that. F2 brought up InsydeH20 Setup Utility. I got the Boot tab where it can be changed from HDD/SSD to FDD, LAN or USB. Or, I hope, CD/DVD (or words to that effect). As long as they're all listed, it shouldn't matter _too_ much, as that list _usually_ just determines the _order_ in which the BIOS looks for something bootable: if it doesn't find anything bootable on the first in the list, it'll look in the next, and so on. Useful if you _can_ make sure CD/DVD or USB (as appropriate) is first, though. The battery is still charged as it's not plugged in this time either. I think that was a red herring (though we might need to establish why it said it wasn't charging, if we ever get back to that point): I'd leave it plugged in while we're doing the investigating/fixing. -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf Illinc fui et illud feci, habe tunicam? |
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#47
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Toshiba W-7 went dark
On 14/03/2018 13:42, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
In message , HB writes: No, my job and family interfered.Â* I have to stop and pick up a flash drive as the ones I have don't have 2 GB of space left for this Ubantu. I assume I (Ubuntu, I think.) Might be easier to just use a DVD (though it will boot slower). [Though see previous post about burning from an ISO not just as data.] (You other guys: if he _does_ use a memory stick, is there anything similar to ISO-ing a DVD that has to be done when loading the stick, to make it bootable, or doesn't that apply?) You have to write the image to the stick so as to make it bootable, similarly to a CD/DVD - AFAIAA, you can't just copy the files across. There is free software out there to do this. I use Rufus, but I believe there are plenty of others. http://rufus.akeo.ie The OP should buy more than one USB stick, as sometimes they fail when being written to, just as sometimes happens with CDs & DVDs. You can buy packs of 5 x 4GB or similar fairly cheaply, and they come in useful for other things as well. F2 brought up InsydeH20 Setup Utility.Â* I got the Boot tab where it can be changed from HDD/SSD to FDD, LAN or USB. Or, I hope, CD/DVD (or words to that effect). As long as they're all listed, it shouldn't matter _too_ much, as that list _usually_ just determines the _order_ in which the BIOS looks for something bootable: if it doesn't find anything bootable on the first in the list, it'll look in the next, and so on. Useful if you _can_ make sure CD/DVD or USB (as appropriate) is first, though. Yes, because if the HD is failing in an awkward way, it may prevent the BIOS from moving on to try the next type of media. One of the first things I change on any PC is the boot order to be as follows ... Laptops: USB CD/DVD HD Desktops: FD USB CD/DVD HD I wouldn't imagine that many home users ever use booting via LAN, it's more the sort of thing that corporate PCs might be set up to do. |
#48
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Toshiba W-7 went dark
"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message ... In message , HB writes: [] I can hear it spin up an when the cooling fan starts. Both when not plugged in so I know the battery is still good and taking a charge. So the HD is spinning. That's a start. (Unfortunately, a lot of the ways they can go wrong don't involve the motor.) [] I don't know how to safely connect it to the desktop machine. The HDs are If you mean physically, that's not a problem: desktop machines tend to use 3.5" drives, laptops 2.5" ones (the figure refers to the diameter of the actual platters inside the drive); making smaller hardware is more difficult, so the manufacturers continue to make both sizes - obviously space is limited in a laptop, so they have the smaller ones. Much larger _capacities_ (currently, say, 3T and above) tend to only be available in the 3.5" (desktop) size. Functionally, both are the same, and a computer doesn't know whether it's using a 2.5" or a 3.5" drive. See lower down for how to connect to the desktop. very different sizes. And now with the W-10 forced updates, loss of OE6 because of them and my daughter complaining her favorite game is messed up on the new HP laptop since the update, this W-7 is all that much more valuable to me. Ah, daughter's favourite game: that's important! [] There are two connecters to the HD in the Toshiba. I have no idea what I'm I presume that's - looking at the drive when removed - one with about 7 fingers (that's the data one), and one with about 15 (power), each with an L-shaped plastic guide around them. doing when it comes to the hardware. Inside the desktop machine, does its own hard drive also have two small connectors, or a wide ribbon cable with about 40 wires? Or, does its CD/DVD drive? If both of those are connected with wide ribbon cables, read no further, as we'll have to use the USB route (which isn't difficult). I don't know because I never opened it. The last HP DT had the wide ribbon cable. Then let's use the USB route because I really don't want to start messing around iside the DT box. I tried using a Rescue disc my son made a few years ago. Nothing happened. I downloaded something from the net, a MS repair disc and that didn't work either. Ubantu was an 8 GB download I don't have unlimited download data with Verizon. It didn't look like anything that would boot a PC in the LT's condition. There would be no way to execute it. If the desktop machine's own hard drive or CD/DVD drive has the same two connectors, we're getting somewhere. Follow the cables to see where they come from. The larger one will come from the power supply (big box at one end of the case, where the power lead goes in); the smaller one will go to the motherboard (main large board in the computer). [You probably know those, but I'm describing in case not, and for anyone else reading this thread who might not.] To connect the drive, taken from the laptop, to the desktop: EITHER: Power (the larger one): look around in the case: hopefully, there'll be a spare power connector (coming from the power supply, obviously, though may be piggy-backed on other devices) that will fit the power connector on the laptop drive. If there isn't, but there's one of the old Molex four-large-sockets-in-nylon type, you'll need an adaptor. Data (the smaller one): look at where the data cable from the existing hard drive and/or CD/DVD drive goes into the motherboard; there should be similar connectors nearby. Most SATA-capable motherboards have lots of them - at least six seems to be common. They often come in pairs, in the same plastic moulding. You need to connect the drive to one of those - you'd probably need a SATA cable, unless the assemblers have been _very_ generous and left you a spare. OR: If the CD/DVD drive is SATA (two small connectors rather than a wide ribbon one), just disconnect those from the CD/DVD drive, and connect them to the laptop drive. (Do so with the computer turned off!) I'll stop there for now. The next question _would_ be **Q4** when the desktop machine has booted (or does it boot?), does it see an extra drive, and **Q5** can you look at what's on it. But I'll leave that until we have the answer to Q3, as if you don't have a SATA connection to test it on (assuming it _is_ a SATA drive), we'll have to go the USB route. I have zero computer parts on hand. I wouldn't know what I would need to connect it to the DT or even where to try to connect it. It's a HP Pavilion P7-1003W. [] Well, as you'll see from above, you'd need a SATA cable and possibly a power adapter cable, both of which should be cheap enough - or, if the CD/DVD drive is SATA, which they mostly are these days, you won't need _anything_. -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf computers don't solve problems; they help humans solve problems - Colin Barker, Computing 1999-2-18, p. 21 |
#49
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Toshiba W-7 went dark
"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message ... In message , HB writes: Brevity snip [] You're assuming F8 works and I can get to that menu when I cannot or I would not be here. I could have done the System Restore and that would have been the end of it. F8 doesn't bring up Advanced Boot Options anymore and there are no discs that came with the Toshiba. How do I get that menu to come up when F8 doesn't do it and there are no discs? As you've discovered the hard way, System Restore is no protection against hard disc failure, and little protection against important file corruption - because the computer needs to be able to boot up to the point where you can invoke Safe Mode at least, in order to _do_ a System Restore. While System Restore _is_ more use than some here think, you really need to be creating an image (on an external disc, or DVDs [lots!] or memory stick) of your important partitions, using something like Macrium or Acronis (both are free, as are others) - and also making the CD that those can make, so you can boot from that CD in order to restore the image. But we'll get to that much later - we've got to get you back to a working system first! This is another concern of mine. I not only didn't get CDs with the last 2 PCs, but no nag screens either. How do I make a bootable disc for them or one of these "images"? One is a Tablet w/W-10 and the other a Notebook w/W-10. I have nothing in case one goes dark on me. The one before these is a HP laptop and I followed the directons and the info was copied onto a Thumbdrive. But can that $900 dollar PC boot from it? I have no idea. There was no info as to what to do with the thumbdrive if the computer crashed. -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf Illinc fui et illud feci, habe tunicam? |
#50
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Toshiba W-7 went dark
HB wrote:
Ubantu was an 8 GB download I don't have unlimited download data with Verizon. It didn't look like anything that would boot a PC in the LT's condition. There would be no way to execute it. ubuntu-17.10-desktop-amd64.iso 1,501,102,080 bytes You need a USB stick larger than that to hold it. The distro called "UbuntuStudio" is larger than that, because it contains all sorts of Audio Workstation applications. I have a studio version here that is "2,752,020,480 bytes" but you don't use that for working on busted laptops. The above 1.5GB number is a rough idea of what a typical Ubuntu download will cost you. It's *not* an 8GB download. Distros generally try to stay below the limits of a single layer DVD. ******* The absolutely largest distro I've got here as an ISO, is 4,641,318,912 bytes. It was made in the year 2007, and was an attempt by the FOSS community to impress people with "how much free software there is". It's like one of those 10,000 font "font collections" :-) I would think it's getting close to the limits of a single layer DVD and that's why they made it that particular size. The Gentoo folks made a 3GB one, whose main claim to fame was the number of drivers on it. It had so many drivers, it would take between 3 to 4 minutes to boot (it tries all the drivers one at a time, turfing the ones not needed). An exercise in futility. So some of the latests "whales" were a kind of bloated advertising. The "reasonable" choices can be between CD size and 1.5GB. If you don't own a DVD burner, use this. https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=fatdog Fatdog64-721.iso 2018-Jan-11 09:13:13 387MB application/octet-stream That's like Puppy, but for more modern (64bit capable) machines. But don't blame me if that doesn't have a nice package manager and tool set. At least it fits on a CD and would be suitable for a very quick "boot test". Paul |
#51
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Toshiba W-7 went dark
"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message ... Read all the way through - try not to glaze (-: In message , HB writes: [] They all have CD drives except the Tablet. Do I just download this Linux, burn it to a CD or DVD and then try to boot the Toshiba with it? Just put Yes. The burning to a CD stage involves the "burn from ISO image" option of your burning software, not just writing the file to a DVD; tell us what burning software you're using - in some, selecting that option is obvious, in some less so. I had to pass since Linux was a 8 GB download and I don't have unlimited ISP service. The website didn't say what to do with it once downloaded. The extenstion was unknown to me. The MS rescue software I downloaded did nothing to boot the Toshiba nor did the Avira boot disk. If you're not sure about this, ask (telling us what burning software you use) and we'll help; if necessary, we'll recommend suitable free burning software. (The most popular seems to be ImgBurn, version 2.5.8.0 or 2.5.7.0 [later versions have junk bundled with them], which can be got from repositories like oldversion.com - http://www.oldversion.com/windows/imgburn-2-5-7-0 .) I have Ashampoo installed. I would have to go through the thumb-drives to see what else I have saved and not installed. I personally haven't burned a CD or DVD in years. it in the tray and.....? At what point does the CD go into the tray? That Ideally, before you turn on the computer. Since you'll need it on to eject the tray (unless you use the paperclip method), turn it on, press the eject button, turn it off. wont mess up the windows files already on the HD? Just booting the Linux shouldn't. Things you do while _in_ the Linux may, but only deliberate actions - and after all, assuming the HD doesn't have a hardware fault, we're going to have to tweak files on it anyway. Wouldn't it be easier for me to just take the HD to a shop and let them check it? How would Linux get the Toshiba to boot since it doesn't react to the rescue discs? Isn't there anything smaller to give the same information? Note that booting the Linux from CD will be slow, as with booting any OS from CD, compared to what you're used to booting Windows from HD. [I haven't played with a Linux for a very long time, but I can't imagine this will have changed!] [] I really think examining the HD using another (Windows) machine will be easier for you, than learning how to use Linux if you haven't before - but, this is probably the _cheapest_ option, as it would only cost a blank DVD, rather than a couple of cheap cables. (Though there is a cost-free method, if the desktop machine's CD/DVD is SATA; see my previous post.) I don't know know if it's SATA. Opening up the case and pulling out parts is not something I'm anxious to do. How would I know if the HDs good or not if it's hooked to the CD cables? What would that tell me? It will cost me because I don't have unlimited service and will either go over the 20 GBs or my family will have around 2 GB for the rest of the month which is unrealistic around here. Verizon charges $10 a GB and it adds up fast. There has to be something smaller than that out there.I know nothing about Linux. It would be useless to me. Another alternative would be to make a Windows 7 DVD (see one of Paul's posts), and boot from that, to get at the recovery console. How do I do that when you can't move W software that comes with one PC to another? I assume I would copy the files on the D: drive, not the C: drive. And THAT will boot a computer from another mfg? -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf Illinc fui et illud feci, habe tunicam? |
#52
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Toshiba W-7 went dark
HB wrote:
I had to pass since Linux was a 8 GB download and I don't have unlimited ISP service. Wrong Wrong Wrong. Tell me what you want to experiment with, and I'll tell you the size. For example, if you picked Puppy, it *definitely* isn't 8GB. The website didn't say what to do with it once downloaded. The extenstion was unknown to me. Quite true. Again, if we know what you downloaded, we can help you. ******* Meanwhile, this is for ISO files. It makes bootable DVDs from them. http://www.oldversion.com/windows/do...mgburn-2-5-0-0 2.5.0.0_SetupImgBurn_2.5.0.0.exe 2,169,915 bytes Jul 26, 2009 CRC32: 39CD6FC6 MD5: F3791CFACDAC03B9E676E44AA2630243 SHA-1: E07BCC23B495D0A966BAE359EA9E0E3A11888454 The download button for that is green in color and says: +-----------------------------------------------+ | Download Now | | | | | | V | | | | Tested: Free from spyware, adware and viruses | +-----------------------------------------------+ This version is free from Adware. Turn off the "auto update" in the preferences. Do not accept any efforts it might make to update (until you know some version is free of adware). The size of the package increased after this release, which is a rough guide to detecting the presence of extra materials. I like Imgburn. I don't like Adware. Paul |
#53
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Toshiba W-7 went dark
As usual, there may appear to be a lot here, but the three big chunks
are _alternatives_. In message , HB writes: "J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message ... [] Inside the desktop machine, does its own hard drive also have two small connectors, or a wide ribbon cable with about 40 wires? Or, does its CD/DVD drive? If both of those are connected with wide ribbon cables, read no further, as we'll have to use the USB route (which isn't difficult). I don't know because I never opened it. The last HP DT had the wide ribbon cable. Then let's use the USB route because I really don't want to start messing around iside the DT box. OK. Notes on USB method follow lower. I tried using a Rescue disc my son made a few years ago. Nothing happened. I downloaded something from the net, a MS repair disc and that didn't work either. I suspect two possibilities he either you (or your son) didn't burn the CDs in the correct way that makes them bootable, or you didn't set the boot order in the laptop so that it booted from them. Ubantu was an 8 GB download I don't have unlimited download data with See Paul's posts; UbUntu apparently isn't that big, nor any other Linux available at the moment; they're all under a single-layer DVD's worth (4 point something G), some under a CD's worth. Verizon. It didn't look like anything that would boot a PC in the LT's condition. There would be no way to execute it. If the CD/DVD is burned properly, and the BIOS in the LT set to boot from the CD/DVD drive, then it should boot and load; it loads into RAM, and runs from there. [] To access the LT HD from another computer via USB, you'll need a USB (or eSATA, but only if all your computers have an eSATA socket) interface. This is something you should get anyway, for future backup purposes. (Along with, obviously, a drive big enough to hold several backup images from your various computers. As you've discovered, System Restore is no good if the drive dies, or if its files get corrupted sufficient that it won't boot even as far as safe mode.) So getting it - whichever of the three options you choose - isn't wasted money, even if we do find the LT drive is faulty. I know nothing of eSATA, so what follows is just USB. And prices are probably wrong (I'm in the UK, so don't know my way round ebay USA [I assume you're in USA]), so I'm really just providing these as links so you can look at the pictures. There are roughly three sorts of USB interface, though presumably they mostly have similar electronics in them. For future-proofing you'd go for ones that have USB3, but USB2 would be fine, just slower; it's likely that at least some if not all of your other computers won't have USB3 anyway. (If you do pay the extra for USB3, it should _work_ with USB2 computers, just at USB2 speed. Though 3 is tending to come as standard now anyway so _may_ not cost more.) With all three types, when you put the drive into them, apply power to them, and connect them to the PC you are going to use, the drive in the interface should appear on that PC just as another drive letter in Windows Explorer (or letters if it has more than one partition, other than hidden partitions). [It _won't_ appear as C: - that computer's own drive will be C.] Just like plugging in a memory stick or card. It should also appear under the utility - either Windows' own or any other, such as EaseUS - that sorts out partitions (where you _should_ be able to see any hidden ones). Right, the three alternatives: The best (IMO) for general work is a dock; this is a thing that sits on your desk, comes with its own power supply, and connects to a PC via a USB lead; it has one or more slots on top, into which you insert the drive(s) you want to access. This is the model I have: https://www.ebay.com/itm/202052568442 - it does both IDE and SATA drives (and has a card reader in it too, though I've never used it), and comes - as you can see - with a power supply and USB lead. (And the little CD, but I've never had to use that; it just worked as soon as I connected it up.) It seems to be a common model. I paid something like twentysomething pounds at a computer fair, and have seen them for 15 or 16 pounds online. You should be able to find a US seller: I just picked that one as it has a nice clear picture. Although one of the pictures shows 3.5" drives in it, it takes 2.5" ones just as well. Look at all the pictures. The next option is a "USB to SATA cable"; despite just being called a cable, these do have electronics in them, though built into the plug, so it's not obvious. Personally, I'd go for one like this https://www.ebay.com/itm/172256326228 which can do IDE _and_ SATA and comes with a power supply and all necessary cables (you want the SATA [red] one and the power adapter one, as well as the USB "cable" itself) - look at all the pictures; however, if you must save every dollar (I've seen kits like the above for 5 or 6 pounds), just put "USB to SATA" into ebay and you'll find hundreds of cables that just use USB power. If you go for one of those, make sure it's one that has _two_ USB plugs (as the power available from a single one may not be sufficient for the drive, especially initial spinup). The third option is an external housing - this sort of thing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/112652273779 - last time I was involved in buying one it was about 2 pounds, yes even including the little screwdriver and the pouch! (I think ours had black rather than transparent ends.) Again, make sure the USB cable has two plugs at the computer end. If you already have an external drive, you may be able to temporarily take out the drive that's in it and fit your suspect one in its place. -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf I'm the oldest woman on primetime not baking cakes. - Anne Robinson, RT 2015/8/15-21 |
#54
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Toshiba W-7 went dark
In message , HB writes:
"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message ... In message , HB writes: Brevity snip (-: [] This is another concern of mine. I not only didn't get CDs with the last 2 PCs, but no nag screens either. How do I make a bootable disc for them or one of these "images"? Assuming they _have_ the ability to make one, the way to do so will vary from make to make and probably model to model. Get the manual (if you didn't get one with, and you may well not have, it should be downloadable as a .pdf [usually] from the manufacturer's website), and - if it isn't obvious from the contents list - search it for the word recovery or emergency. Just doing that for this Toshiba Portégé: the manual suggests there's something called Recovery Media Creator, which should be visible from the Start menu. I can't see it! However, I have found Start Programs Maintenance Create a System Repair Disc. Have you anything similar? (The route to it may be different, especially on 10 [I'm on 7 with Classic Shell]; perhaps typing Repair Disc [or disk!] into the search box on your 10 may find it.) I've just tried running it: it looks like it might be a Microsoft thing rather than Toshiba. It asks me to select the drive (there's only the one optical drive in this machine) and put a blank disk in, and tells me "A system repair disc can be used to boot your computer. It also contains Windows system recovery tools that can help you recover Windows from a serious error or restore your computer from a system image." I haven't proceeded further. On the whole, I think a third-party imaging tool, Like Macrium or Acronis (both free), with the boot CD they allow you to make, along with just copying (or using something like SyncToy), is better. (I image C: and any hidden partitions, and just copy/sync. my D: [data] partition.) The reason being that these restore everything exactly how you had it - including all the software you've installed, including all the tweaks to both the OS and the software you've done over the years; whereas using recovery tools _can_ alter things, in the extreme returning to as-new, losing all your software (and possibly data). You put the image - and data copy - on an external disc. One is a Tablet w/W-10 and the other a Notebook w/W-10. I have nothing in case one goes dark on me. The one before these I know little about tablets; if you even can make recovery software for those, I don't know how you'd use it, as they don't have an optical drive. The notebook I assume _does_ have such a drive. is a HP laptop and I followed the directons and the info was copied onto a Thumbdrive. But can that $900 dollar PC boot from it? I have no idea. There was no info as to what to do with the thumbdrive if the computer crashed. I imagine you turn it on with the thumbdrive plugged in. You might have to amend the boot order in the BIOS so that it boots from USB first. $900 sounds a lot for a laptop - or even a desktop for that matter! [] -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf I can prove anything with statistics - except the truth. |
#55
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Toshiba W-7 went dark
In message , HB writes:
[] I had to pass since Linux was a 8 GB download and I don't have unlimited ISP service. The website didn't say what to do with it once downloaded. The extenstion was unknown to me. The MS rescue software I downloaded did nothing to boot the Toshiba nor did the Avira boot disk. Was the extension .iso? If you're not sure about this, ask (telling us what burning software you use) and we'll help; if necessary, we'll recommend suitable free burning software. (The most popular seems to be ImgBurn, version 2.5.8.0 or 2.5.7.0 [later versions have junk bundled with them], which can be got from repositories like oldversion.com - http://www.oldversion.com/windows/imgburn-2-5-7-0 .) I have Ashampoo installed. I would have to go through the thumb-drives to see what else I have saved and not installed. I personally haven't burned a CD or DVD in years. If it looks like the screenshots on https://www.ashampoo.com/uk/gbp/psr/...ng-studio-free , then on the "Main" screen, I _suspect_ you want "Disc Image" rather than "Burn Data"; without having it installed myself, however, I'm not sure if Disc Image is for *making* (.iso) images *of* _existing_ CD/DVDs, or for burning them *from* an .iso file. Try clicking on it: it should be obvious which. (It may do both - in fact if it can take images of existing discs, it's unlikely it can't also burn from such images.) Alternatively, get ImgBurn - Paul has shown where. It's obvious when running that. But I suspect your Ashampoo can do it. it in the tray and.....? At what point does the CD go into the tray? That Ideally, before you turn on the computer. Since you'll need it on to eject the tray (unless you use the paperclip method), turn it on, press the eject button, turn it off. wont mess up the windows files already on the HD? Just booting the Linux shouldn't. Things you do while _in_ the Linux may, but only deliberate actions - and after all, assuming the HD doesn't have a hardware fault, we're going to have to tweak files on it anyway. Wouldn't it be easier for me to just take the HD to a shop and let them check it? How would Linux get the Toshiba to boot since it doesn't react to the rescue discs? Isn't there anything smaller to give the same information? SHOP: Depends what relationship you have with the shop. If they're going to charge you their standard service charge just for looking at it, then I imagine that'd be more than the cost of the external dock (at least if bought online) anyway. If you do get them to look at it, then there's incentive for them to say it's duff to get you to buy a new one - I doubt, unless it's a very good shop, that they'd recover it for you even if they say it isn't duff: the best they're likely to do is offer to reinstall Windows from scratch. LINUX: the laptop should boot from a CD/DVD, provided (a) the CD has been burned correctly (not just the .iso file written to it as data), and (b) the laptop's BIOS boot sequence is set to try CD/DVD first. SMALLER: Linuxes _are_ smaller than 8G; we're not sure what it is you have downloaded. [] I don't know know if it's SATA. Opening up the case and pulling out parts is not something I'm anxious to do. How would I know if the HDs good or not if it's hooked to the CD cables? What would that tell me? If you did that, then turned on that PC and went into Windows Explorer (Windows key and E), if you can see a drive or drives other than the existing hard disc and any card reader slots that normally come up, then you are getting some response from it. If it shows how full that disc is, things are looking even better. If you can then see what files are on it, things are looking very good. You would also be able to run assorted tests on it - read its SMART data, do an HDTune read run, and so on. It will cost me because I don't have unlimited service and will either go over the 20 GBs or my family will have around 2 GB for the rest of the month which is unrealistic around here. Verizon charges $10 a GB and it adds up fast. There has to be something smaller than that out there.I know nothing about Linux. It would be useless to me. Paul has given you a link to one that's under 400 MB. Personally I wouldn't go that route as I know virtually nothing of Linux either, but then I already have an external disc dock, and even if I didn't, I would not be averse to putting the disc inside a desktop computer that had the right cables. Your situation may be different. Another alternative would be to make a Windows 7 DVD (see one of Paul's posts), and boot from that, to get at the recovery console. How do I do that when you can't move W software that comes with one PC to You'd follow Paul's instructions on how to make the Windows DVD. While it might not be exactly the right one for your laptop, you should be able to boot from it (running entirely from the DVD and in RAM, same as the Linux options) and get at the recovery console, where we might be able to repair corrupted files, partition tables, and so on. This would only be worth doing if the drive itself is fine, but has just had its contents corrupted somehow; I think the first thing is to establish that. You can do that by *EITHER* booting a Windows or Linux disc on the laptop (running entirely from the DVD/CD and in RAM) and using that to _look at_ the HD in its normal place in the laptop, *OR* taking the HD out of the laptop and examining it using another computer, EITHER by connecting it internally OR accessing it via USB (dock, "cable", or housing). I prefer the latter method as (a) I have a dock (b) I don't know my way around Linux, or the Windows recovery console. YMMV. [] -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf I can prove anything with statistics - except the truth. |
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Toshiba W-7 went dark
On 15/03/2018 07:22, HB wrote:
This is another concern of mine. I not only didn't get CDs with the last 2 PCs, but no nag screens either. How do I make a bootable disc for them or one of these "images"? One is a Tablet w/W-10 and the other a Notebook w/W-10. I have nothing in case one goes dark on me. The one before these is a HP laptop and I followed the directons and the info was copied onto a Thumbdrive. But can that $900 dollar PC boot from it? I have no idea. There was no info as to what to do with the thumbdrive if the computer crashed. https://support.toshiba.com/repair Scroll down to Get Recovery Media. -- Brian Gregory (in England). |
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Toshiba W-7 went dark
"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message ... In message , HB writes: Brevity snip (-: [] This is another concern of mine. I not only didn't get CDs with the last 2 PCs, but no nag screens either. How do I make a bootable disc for them or one of these "images"? Assuming they _have_ the ability to make one, the way to do so will vary from make to make and probably model to model. Get the manual (if you didn't get one with, and you may well not have, it should be downloadable as a .pdf [usually] from the manufacturer's website), and - if it isn't obvious from the contents list - search it for the word recovery or emergency. Looks like I found it. I'll be making some DVDs later tonight for this HP W-10 Notebook. Back to the Toshiba. Just doing that for this Toshiba Portégé: the manual suggests there's something called Recovery Media Creator, which should be visible from the Start menu. I can't see it! However, I have found Start Programs Maintenance Create a System Repair Disc. Have you anything similar? (The route to it may be different, especially on 10 [I'm on 7 with Classic Shell]; perhaps typing Repair Disc [or disk!] into the search box on your 10 may find it.) The Toshiba is W-7, also has Classic Shell installed, is dead in the water. All I can get is the F12 screen that is basically useless at this point. I've just tried running it: it looks like it might be a Microsoft thing rather than Toshiba. It asks me to select the drive (there's only the one optical drive in this machine) and put a blank disk in, and tells me "A system repair disc can be used to boot your computer. It also contains Windows system recovery tools that can help you recover Windows from a serious error or restore your computer from a system image." I haven't proceeded further. I wish I had one of those. I never thought to look for a way to make a rescue or boot disk for the Toshiba. On the whole, I think a third-party imaging tool, Like Macrium or Acronis (both free), with the boot CD they allow you to make, along with just copying (or using something like SyncToy), is better. (I image C: and any hidden partitions, and just copy/sync. my D: [data] partition.) The reason being that these restore everything exactly how you had it - including all the software you've installed, including all the tweaks to both the OS and the software you've done over the years; whereas using recovery tools _can_ alter things, in the extreme returning to as-new, losing all your software (and possibly data). You put the image - and data copy - on an external disc. I remember having something like that years ago. But when the black screen with the blinker occured, it didn't work. Nothing worked. There was no way to make the PC SEE the drive and respond. It didn't work as advertised. I may as well have inserted a pancake in the drive. I have everything of value on the Toshiba saved to a thumbdrive. I need some kind of emergency boot disc for the Toshiba but was unable to find anything online to download and burn to a DC or DVD. I'm going to check these two out later. Macrium and Acronis. One is a Tablet w/W-10 and the other a Notebook w/W-10. I have nothing in case one goes dark on me. The one before these I know little about tablets; if you even can make recovery software for those, I don't know how you'd use it, as they don't have an optical drive. The notebook I assume _does_ have such a drive. The Tablet has a USB port. The Notebook the usual optical drive. is a HP laptop and I followed the directons and the info was copied onto a Thumbdrive. But can that $900 dollar PC boot from it? I have no idea. There was no info as to what to do with the thumbdrive if the computer crashed. I imagine you turn it on with the thumbdrive plugged in. You might have to amend the boot order in the BIOS so that it boots from USB first. $900 sounds a lot for a laptop - or even a desktop for that matter! It's a HP I bought 2 or 3 years ago mainly for the kids since it has some kind of special sofware that makes it very fast. It was recommended for gamers. I got it at Best Buy. It has 12GBs memory and a 1TB HD. They love it. [] -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf BTW, I 'm acessing OE6 from a thumbdrive. An ancient free version RunasXP was going away a few years back. Microsoft motto "if it ain't broke keep fixing it till it is." |
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Toshiba W-7 went dark (this is HB)
Sorry for the confusion. This is HB. :^)
" wrote in message news "J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message ... In message , HB writes: Brevity snip (-: [] This is another concern of mine. I not only didn't get CDs with the last 2 PCs, but no nag screens either. How do I make a bootable disc for them or one of these "images"? Assuming they _have_ the ability to make one, the way to do so will vary from make to make and probably model to model. Get the manual (if you didn't get one with, and you may well not have, it should be downloadable as a .pdf [usually] from the manufacturer's website), and - if it isn't obvious from the contents list - search it for the word recovery or emergency. Looks like I found it. I'll be making some DVDs later tonight for this HP W-10 Notebook. Back to the Toshiba. Just doing that for this Toshiba Portégé: the manual suggests there's something called Recovery Media Creator, which should be visible from the Start menu. I can't see it! However, I have found Start Programs Maintenance Create a System Repair Disc. Have you anything similar? (The route to it may be different, especially on 10 [I'm on 7 with Classic Shell]; perhaps typing Repair Disc [or disk!] into the search box on your 10 may find it.) The Toshiba is W-7, also has Classic Shell installed, is dead in the water. All I can get is the F12 screen that is basically useless at this point. I've just tried running it: it looks like it might be a Microsoft thing rather than Toshiba. It asks me to select the drive (there's only the one optical drive in this machine) and put a blank disk in, and tells me "A system repair disc can be used to boot your computer. It also contains Windows system recovery tools that can help you recover Windows from a serious error or restore your computer from a system image." I haven't proceeded further. I wish I had one of those. I never thought to look for a way to make a rescue or boot disk for the Toshiba. On the whole, I think a third-party imaging tool, Like Macrium or Acronis (both free), with the boot CD they allow you to make, along with just copying (or using something like SyncToy), is better. (I image C: and any hidden partitions, and just copy/sync. my D: [data] partition.) The reason being that these restore everything exactly how you had it - including all the software you've installed, including all the tweaks to both the OS and the software you've done over the years; whereas using recovery tools _can_ alter things, in the extreme returning to as-new, losing all your software (and possibly data). You put the image - and data copy - on an external disc. I remember having something like that years ago. But when the black screen with the blinker occured, it didn't work. Nothing worked. There was no way to make the PC SEE the drive and respond. It didn't work as advertised. I may as well have inserted a pancake in the drive. I have everything of value on the Toshiba saved to a thumbdrive. I need some kind of emergency boot disc for the Toshiba but was unable to find anything online to download and burn to a DC or DVD. I'm going to check these two out later. Macrium and Acronis. One is a Tablet w/W-10 and the other a Notebook w/W-10. I have nothing in case one goes dark on me. The one before these I know little about tablets; if you even can make recovery software for those, I don't know how you'd use it, as they don't have an optical drive. The notebook I assume _does_ have such a drive. The Tablet has a USB port. The Notebook the usual optical drive. is a HP laptop and I followed the directons and the info was copied onto a Thumbdrive. But can that $900 dollar PC boot from it? I have no idea. There was no info as to what to do with the thumbdrive if the computer crashed. I imagine you turn it on with the thumbdrive plugged in. You might have to amend the boot order in the BIOS so that it boots from USB first. $900 sounds a lot for a laptop - or even a desktop for that matter! It's a HP I bought 2 or 3 years ago mainly for the kids since it has some kind of special sofware that makes it very fast. It was recommended for gamers. I got it at Best Buy. It has 12GBs memory and a 1TB HD. They love it. [] -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf BTW, I 'm acessing OE6 from a thumbdrive. An ancient free version RunasXP was going away a few years back. Microsoft motto "if it ain't broke keep fixing it till it is." |
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Toshiba W-7 went dark
"Brian Gregory" wrote in message ... On 15/03/2018 07:22, HB wrote: This is another concern of mine. I not only didn't get CDs with the last 2 PCs, but no nag screens either. How do I make a bootable disc for them or one of these "images"? One is a Tablet w/W-10 and the other a Notebook w/W-10. I have nothing in case one goes dark on me. The one before these is a HP laptop and I followed the directons and the info was copied onto a Thumbdrive. But can that $900 dollar PC boot from it? I have no idea. There was no info as to what to do with the thumbdrive if the computer crashed. https://support.toshiba.com/repair In reading the site the PC is out of warranty and isn't W-8. Scroll down to Get Recovery Media. -- Brian Gregory (in England). |
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Toshiba W-7 went dark
"Paul" wrote in message news HB wrote: I had to pass since Linux was a 8 GB download and I don't have unlimited ISP service. Wrong Wrong Wrong. Tell me what you want to experiment with, and I'll tell you the size. For example, if you picked Puppy, it *definitely* isn't 8GB. The website didn't say what to do with it once downloaded. The extenstion was unknown to me. Quite true. Again, if we know what you downloaded, we can help you So I download Lynux "puppy" and burn it to a DVD and it will boot the Toshiba unless ther HD is toast? I don't have to worry about the strange extension? There is no other software out there anyone knows about that would boot the PC? If if does nothing what does that mean? ******* Meanwhile, this is for ISO files. It makes bootable DVDs from them. So the Linux PUPPY files will be turned into ISO files able to boot computers that can't load their OSs? http://www.oldversion.com/windows/do...mgburn-2-5-0-0 2.5.0.0_SetupImgBurn_2.5.0.0.exe 2,169,915 bytes Jul 26, 2009 CRC32: 39CD6FC6 MD5: F3791CFACDAC03B9E676E44AA2630243 SHA-1: E07BCC23B495D0A966BAE359EA9E0E3A11888454 The download button for that is green in color and says: +-----------------------------------------------+ | Download Now | | | | | | V | | | | Tested: Free from spyware, adware and viruses | +-----------------------------------------------+ This version is free from Adware. Turn off the "auto update" in the preferences. Do not accept any efforts it might make to update (until you know some version is free of adware). The size of the package increased after this release, which is a rough guide to detecting the presence of extra materials. I like Imgburn. I don't like Adware. Paul |
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