Data Recovery

[Keith]

WinXP on a HP Pavilion laptop.
Windows will not boot past blue WINXP screen regardless of
start mode. HP tech support tells me that my only option
is a destructive re-install. I can get into the repair
option with a command prompt on the recovery console. Is
there any way to recover my data as I do not have a
backup....shame on me!!

 

[Ron Martell]

WinXP on a HP Pavilion laptop.
Windows will not boot past blue WINXP screen regardless of
start mode. HP tech support tells me that my only option
is a destructive re-install. I can get into the repair
option with a command prompt on the recovery console. Is
there any way to recover my data as I do not have a
backup....shame on me!!

How much data?

There are ways of copying off the files using a free utility
(READNTFS.EXE).

If have less than 100 mb of essential data and that is mostly document
files or accounting data then it can be done by copying the files to a
RAMDISK and then compressing the contents of the RAM disk onto
multiple 3.5 inch diskettes.

If you have more than 100 mb of essential data then you are going to
need some sort of external device that you can attach to the laptop
and copy the files to, such as a parallel port ZIP drive.

Post a response back here if you would like detailed instructions for
either method. It requires (especially the first option) a fair bit
of work with making up customized DOS boot disks.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

 

[Keith]

-----Original Message-----


How much data?

There are ways of copying off the files using a free utility
(READNTFS.EXE).

If have less than 100 mb of essential data and that is mostly document
files or accounting data then it can be done by copying the files to a
RAMDISK and then compressing the contents of the RAM disk onto
multiple 3.5 inch diskettes.

If you have more than 100 mb of essential data then you are going to
need some sort of external device that you can attach to the laptop
and copy the files to, such as a parallel port ZIP drive.

Post a response back here if you would like detailed instructions for
either method. It requires (especially the first option) a fair bit
of work with making up customized DOS boot disks.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."
.
Ron,

Thanks for the reply. Not exactly sure about total mb I
need to salvage but think it is more than 100. Please
provide specifics of operation(s). Is making the laptop
drive a slave to a desktop an option?

 

[Ron Martell]

Thanks for the reply. Not exactly sure about total mb I
need to salvage but think it is more than 100. Please
provide specifics of operation(s). Is making the laptop
drive a slave to a desktop an option?

Yes, but you will need a special 2.5 inch to 3.5 inch drive adapter so
as to connect the laptop drive to the IDE cables in the desktop
machine. These can take a bit of searching to find, although the
major cable makers such as Belkin do have them. Belkin Part # F2N511.
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Product_Id=15336

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."