I had some laptop trouble last week (I have a Toshiba Satellite L450D-13G; Version 6.1.7600 Build 7600; System Type x64-based PC running Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium). My laptop began freezing and running very slowly until it eventually ground to a halt and I hard to turn it off without shutting down properly. When I tried to turn it on again it would power up but Windows wouldn't boot. When I try to run start-up repair it begins to run it but only for around 10 seconds and then it just freezes on a black screen with a white cursor. If I select "start windows normally" it just restarts before I even get onto my desktop. I have tried starting in safe mode, using last known good configuration, etc but it either restarts or goes to the plain black screen with the white cursor.
I downloaded Linux onto a USB and managed to access and recover all of my personal documents, folders, etc (stupidly I had not backed up in a few months...) and fortunately all of my personal files are now safe. I have my Toshiba recovery disc but I am worried about running it as I do not have a CD with Windows 7 on it, it came pre-installed on my laptop. Will I lose Windows if I run the CD recovery disc? Will I also lose Office, etc if I run it? What will my laptop be like after I use the disc?
Any info/advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you :smile:
the recovery disc should take your laptop back to day one, the first time you turned on your brand new computer. You will lose any programs you installed so they will have to be reinstalled.
did you have any computer problems when you booted to the linux?
Thanks for the quick reply. The computer was still quite slow with linux but no problems. I forgot to mention that the computer was dropped about 2 months ago, the outer casing is a little bit cracked and the lid creaks when it is opened and closed but it has been working normally since then - up until last week.
So if Windows was already pre-installed when I started it for the first time should it still be installed after running the disc?
if the computer was dropped try a couple of things, remove the harddrive and reinsert. Also remove the ram and reinsert. Sometimes a drop will loosen them.
Also, before you do anything, you may also want to run a harddrive diagnostic utility on it. If you know the manufacturer of the drive you can download the diagnostic utility from the manufacturer and run it. It will run from boot not from windows. If everything is running slower than it should there could be harddrive damage. Harddrives do not like any type of shock.
as far as the recovery disk, I am taking for granted that it came with the computer. it should have windows on it or will work with a hidden partition to install windows. Do not do this until you know for sure if your drive is good or not.
Thanks for your help. How do I access the hard drive and ram? I've never opened up a computer before... :-S If I access the internet and download the diagnostic utility thru linux will that still run from boot? Yes the CD came with the laptop.
just download the users manual from the following, there is a diagram where you can find the harddrive and memory. Looks like it is only a screw or two to get to either - believe it or not it will be simple.
as far as the diagnostic utility, you can download it through linux or the computer you are currently using. You will have to create a bootable disk so your computer could boot to it.
Hi, I opened up the laptop and removed the Hard drive (i needed to identify the make/model for the disgnostic) then reinserted it again and made sure it was secure. I opened up the RAM as well but wasn't sure how to remove those so just left them as they were. They did appear secure though.
I then ran the Hitachi hard drive diagnostic and (after shutting itself down a few times in the middle of the diagnostic) I eventually got this result: " Failure Code: 0x75 - defective device. Component failure. Technical Result Code: 75102AD0 "
I'm not sure what that means but it doesn't sound good... :-S. Is it worth me running the Toshiba Product Recovery disc or is the hard drive defective?
So I researched the error code and general opinion was that it needs replaced? I have been quoted 60 british pounds (sorry no pound sign, I'm on a computer in Dubai...) for a new one but is there any guarantee that the same thing wont happen? Also the hard drive I've been offered is a Seagate and my current one is Hitachi, how do I know if it's definitely compatible?
Now that I've actually looked closely at the laptop, the damage from the fall is actually quite bad. One corner of the screen doesn't align at all with the other and it never actually closes properly. Could this have affected the hard drive and could it affect the new one too?
Really need to make a decision as to whether or not I should just try this new hard drive or buy a new laptop...?
you are right, the drive does need to be replaced. IMO, get a new laptop, you may have other hardware damage that may not appear right away.
If it is the same drive just a different manufacturer it will work. as far as the misalighnment causing the drive problem. most likely not but you can always try the drive on another computer and see if it works.
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