Hard Drive error - Boot from CD

Ostrom

My hard drive seems to have given up - I have tried reinstalling windows after the error message in the title but it wont recognise it. I called dell for a quote and was told 35 for the pick up, and up to 200 for a new hard drive in an inspiron model. Does that sound right?

I'm hoping to salvage whatever may be on the old one, so I'm wondering if anyone could recommend a decent repair outlet in the Dublin area? Also not very well versed in technology matters, so hoping not to get screwed in the process... Thanks!

Biggins

If you have credit card/paypal account, www.Ebay.ie could be your best friend as regards prices.

You might want to also try asking in the Dublin section too.
(I live 30 miles approx away - otherwise would have looked at it for free!)

Ostrom

Biggins wrote: »

If you have credit card/paypal account, www.Ebay.ie could be your best friend as regards prices.

You might want to also try asking in the Dublin section too.
(I live 30 miles approx away - otherwise would have looked at it for free!)

Thanks, I'm just wondering if it might be a simple job I could do myself. Its been a while since I did anything like that.

Biggins

efla wrote: »

Thanks, I'm just wondering if it might be a simple job I could do myself. Its been a while since I did anything like that.

Have a look around for a Pcworld or Mapin store also as regards buying hard-drives.
Is there any near you?

Have a look at some of the following:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2083106_install-sata-hard-drive.html

http://www.digitgeek.com/how-to-install-a-sata-hard-drive/

http://www.pcmech.com/article/installing-a-hard-drive-step-by-step/

http://compreviews.about.com/od/tutorials/ss/DIYSATAHD.htm

http://compreviews.about.com/od/tutorials/ss/DIYPriHD.htm

Good luck.

monkeypants

Is it something that you can do yourself? Absolutely. Take a look at YouTube for videos that show you where the hard disk is and what steps you need to take to remove and replace it. Absolutely vital with laptops as manufacturers sometimes put components in strange places due to space limitations (e.g. one DIMM on the underside of the laptop and easily accessable and the other under the keyboard!).

€200 is very steep. You should be able to get a 500Gb 2.5" disk for less than €100.

Ostrom

Thanks for the answers, I'll get to it this weekend!

monkeypants

Any PC shop should be able to sell you a cable that'll allow you to connect the disk to another PC via the USB port. Will cost around €20.

Ostrom

Thanks for the help above,

I swapped out the hard drives, reinstalled windows and everything was running fine (for about two weeks) until yesterday. I shut down to install updates, and now each time I start it enters into an unending cycle of starting to apply updates and resetting itself. As in, windows boots, updates begin to install, computer resets. Have started in safe mode, but no difference.

Based on the above history does this sound like bad luck or could be a connection between the above hd failure and this windows....thing. Driving me nuts at this stage, may just f**k it out the window

Thanks!

Cluster

efla wrote: »

My hard drive seems to have given up - I have tried reinstalling windows after the error message in the title but it wont recognise it. I called dell for a quote and was told 35 for the pick up, and up to 200 for a new hard drive in an inspiron model. Does that sound right?

I'm hoping to salvage whatever may be on the old one, so I'm wondering if anyone could recommend a decent repair outlet in the Dublin area? Also not very well versed in technology matters, so hoping not to get screwed in the process... Thanks!

Its a pricey process If you cant do it your self unfortunately. Is there anyone in your extended family who is in IT? Ask them to retrieve info for you. If not you can go to a company and ask them to do it for you but it is expensive. At least 200 euro unfortunately

http://www.datarecoverydublin.ie/pricing.php