Cant Boot Normally, No Install Disc, Important Files on HD... Help

[Guest]

So heres my Problem. My Sister's Laptop recently contracted a rather nasty
virus and can no longer start. What i mean by 'can no longer start' is that
when the power goes on, it makes some rather bad sounding noises and gives me
the screen saying "We're sorry for the inconvience, but windows has failed
too start." Etc, then asks me how i would like to try to start it, "Last Good
Configuration", "Safe Mode", "Normal Start-up" etc etc, but none of them
work! Also, i may mention that the computer does not like any of the more
recent windows updates and refuses to install them.

So heres what i need to do:

1: Rescue all the important files from her Hard Drive

2: Wipe her Hard Drive

3: Reinstall Windows XP Home Edition

Here is why that is more difficult than i would like:

1: Computer refuses to boot

2: Computer did not come with Windows Install Disc or Boot Disc

3: I cant just wipe it clean and use that 6 Disc Set downloadable from
Microsoft.com with the cd key on the bottom of the computer because i need
files off of it.

4: I am rapidly getting a very large headache.

Just in case, Heres some Misc Info that might come in handy about the
computer itself if anyone is willing to give me advise:

Intel Pentium 4 Processor
Made for Windows 2000/Xp
Has survived a rather nasty encounter with some juice...
Brand Name: Xplio (Never heard of it, cant find any information on the web)
Did Not want to accept windows service pack two, or a whole bunch of other
updates.

If someone would be so kind as to point me in the right direction, it would
be very much appreciated...

 

[R. McCarty]

"Bad Sounding Noises" - may be symptomatic of a failing hard drive.
Be careful whatever steps you take as it may render the drive as a
100% loss. Buy a 2.5" to traditional IDE adapter (<$20). Remove
the drive and install in a desktop ( Single component on the IDE
Controller Channel). Immediately image or copy the necessary data
and burn to CD-R/DVD-R.

 

[NoStop]

So heres my Problem. My Sister's Laptop recently contracted a rather nasty
virus and can no longer start. What i mean by 'can no longer start' is
that when the power goes on, it makes some rather bad sounding noises and
gives me the screen saying "We're sorry for the inconvience, but windows
has failed too start." Etc, then asks me how i would like to try to start
it, "Last Good Configuration", "Safe Mode", "Normal Start-up" etc etc, but
none of them work! Also, i may mention that the computer does not like any
of the more recent windows updates and refuses to install them.

So heres what i need to do:

1: Rescue all the important files from her Hard Drive

2: Wipe her Hard Drive

3: Reinstall Windows XP Home Edition

Here is why that is more difficult than i would like:

1: Computer refuses to boot

2: Computer did not come with Windows Install Disc or Boot Disc

3: I cant just wipe it clean and use that 6 Disc Set downloadable from
Microsoft.com with the cd key on the bottom of the computer because i need
files off of it.

4: I am rapidly getting a very large headache.

Just in case, Heres some Misc Info that might come in handy about the
computer itself if anyone is willing to give me advise:

Intel Pentium 4 Processor
Made for Windows 2000/Xp
Has survived a rather nasty encounter with some juice...
Brand Name: Xplio (Never heard of it, cant find any information on the
web) Did Not want to accept windows service pack two, or a whole bunch of
other updates.

If someone would be so kind as to point me in the right direction, it
would be very much appreciated...

You can download and burn a Knoppix ISO that is a Live CD version of Linux.
This will at least give you access to your hard drive and the data on it.
You can then get those files off. After success, you might consider loading
Linux on that box of hers and get rid of XP entirely, since she'll need to
purchase a copy. Linux is free.


--
The ULTIMATE Windoze Fanboy:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2370205018226686613

View Some Common Linux Desktops ...
http://linclips.crocusplains.com/index.php

 

[Larry Gardner]

Can you use the 6-Disk bootable floppy and come up in Recovery Console?
That way you can at least access the hard drive.