I have a problem Houston!

I have a major problem with my main PC, which is fixable but don't
want to lose data.
Basically, it boots up as far as the 'start windows normally' screen
etc and won't go any further.
It's Serial ATA 80Gig Hard Drive (Has the connection from the SATA1
position on the Mother Board0 and is a connector about the same size
as a USB.
Problem is I have an Easy IDE adapter, which can be used to extract
data off a disk when Windows goes wrong, but of course this won't fit
into the SATA socket on the Disk.

Also if I put the XP disk in to do a repair, (Not repair console) when
I get to the disk/partition bit. 'R' Repair is not an option, so if I
hit Enter it will do a clean install and wipe everything from the
disk.

Any ideas?

Website updates down till further notice :-(

Keith (Southend)
http://www.southendweather.net

On Oct 17, 9:54*pm, "Keith (Southend)G"
wrote:


Is this what I need ?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=226653

Keith (Southend)G wrote:

I have a problem Houston!

I have a major problem with my main PC, which is fixable but don't
want to lose data.
Basically, it boots up as far as the 'start windows normally' screen
etc and won't go any further.
It's Serial ATA 80Gig Hard Drive (Has the connection from the SATA1
position on the Mother Board0 and is a connector about the same size
as a USB.
Problem is I have an Easy IDE adapter, which can be used to extract
data off a disk when Windows goes wrong, but of course this won't fit
into the SATA socket on the Disk.

Also if I put the XP disk in to do a repair, (Not repair console) when
I get to the disk/partition bit. 'R' Repair is not an option, so if I
hit Enter it will do a clean install and wipe everything from the
disk.

Any ideas?


Use a live linux distro such as knoppix or mandriva one, they wont need to
use the hard disk but they'll be able to read it.


--
Brian Wakem

On Oct 17, 10:15*pm, "Keith (Southend)G"
wrote:
On Oct 17, 9:54*pm, "Keith (Southend)G"
wrote:

Is this what I need ?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=226653

The likely SATA refusal problem is that the BIOS will be set for the
modern drive and won't see the new (Older) type.

You can use a live Linux CD to get the computer up and running to
check what is actually at fault.

Can you put the drive you want to rescue in another computer? It
amounts to the same thing as that dock. You'd have to install it as a
second drive of course as it is unlikely to accept the new hardware
without Windows bonging it.

For 29 quid I'd be tempted to look for another SATA or to do something
with the BIOS.

I would take a look at Microsoft's help site:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...dowsxp.general

Have you had the box click jacked from a phishing site? Try a set of
zipped updated security stuff from another PC and boot to Safe mode.

Time to consider getting to know Linux stuff methinketh.

In message , Brian Wakem
writes
Keith (Southend)G wrote:

I have a problem Houston!

I have a major problem with my main PC, which is fixable but don't
want to lose data.
Basically, it boots up as far as the 'start windows normally' screen
etc and won't go any further.
It's Serial ATA 80Gig Hard Drive (Has the connection from the SATA1
position on the Mother Board0 and is a connector about the same size
as a USB.
Problem is I have an Easy IDE adapter, which can be used to extract
data off a disk when Windows goes wrong, but of course this won't fit
into the SATA socket on the Disk.

Also if I put the XP disk in to do a repair, (Not repair console) when
I get to the disk/partition bit. 'R' Repair is not an option, so if I
hit Enter it will do a clean install and wipe everything from the
disk.

Any ideas?


Use a live linux distro such as knoppix or mandriva one, they wont need to
use the hard disk but they'll be able to read it.



This may help.

http://distrowatch.com/table.php?dis...n=systemrescue
--
Tim

On Oct 17, 10:54*pm, Weatherlawyer wrote:

The likely SATA refusal problem is that the BIOS will be set for the
modern drive and won't see the new (Older) type.

I'm confused, are you saying that there are two types of SATA drives?
Do the new SATA drives have the same connector (USB size) or do they
have one looking like the old ATA 50 way (I think) type?

You can use a live Linux CD to get *the computer up and running to
check what is actually at fault.

Can you put the drive you want to rescue in another computer? It
amounts to the same thing as that dock. You'd have to install it as a
second drive of course as it is unlikely to accept the new hardware
without Windows bonging it.

Not got another box that I can fit it into :-( The box I'm using is
not expandable and doesn't ever have USB.

If I got a new SATA drive, can the old one be fitted into SATA2 and be
read as a slave ?

For 29 quid I'd be tempted to look for another SATA or to do something
with the BIOS.

BIOS, I'll probably dig myself a deeper hole!

I would take a look at Microsoft's help site:http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...s/reader.mspx?...

Have you had the box click jacked from a phishing site? Try a set of
zipped updated security stuff from another PC and boot to Safe mode.

Time to consider getting to know Linux stuff methinketh.

Beyond me I'm afraid.

My main concern is recoving the data off the disk. Once I have that I
can start to rebuild, which will take a full day I recon.

Thanks

Keith (Southend)

In article
,
"Keith (Southend)G" writes:
I have a problem Houston!

I have a major problem with my main PC, which is fixable but don't
want to lose data.
Basically, it boots up as far as the 'start windows normally' screen
etc and won't go any further.
snip

1. Have you tried loading Windows in "Safe" mode?

2. Is it set in the BIOS to boot up from the hard drive? If so, do you
have a bootable CD or even floppy disk that you could try booting from?

If you can load Windows successfully, then you'll be in a much better
position to repair things or at least to copy essential files to
somewhere safe.
--
John Hall
"If you haven't got anything nice to say about anybody, come
sit next to me."
Alice Roosevelt Longworth (1884-1980)

On Oct 17, 9:54*pm, "Keith (Southend)G"
wrote:
I have a problem Houston!

I have a major problem with my main PC, which is fixable but don't
want to lose data.
Basically, it boots up as far as the 'start windows normally' screen
etc and won't go any further.
It's Serial ATA 80Gig Hard Drive (Has the connection from the SATA1
position on the Mother Board0 and is a connector about the same size
as a USB.
Problem is I have an Easy IDE adapter, which can be used to extract
data off a disk when Windows goes wrong, but of course this won't fit
into the SATA socket on the Disk.

Also if I put the XP disk in to do a repair, (Not repair console) when
I get to the disk/partition bit. 'R' Repair is not an option, so if I
hit Enter it will do a clean install and wipe everything from the
disk.

Any ideas?

Website updates down till further notice :-(

Keith (Southend)http://www.southendweather.net

Will it open in safe mode Keith? If so you can run diagnostics or
run restore that's if it's a XP software problem? I assume this sat
drive had been working okay?

A friend of mine who used to make a living out of PC repairs would
probabably say reinstall XP on a new drive( they're certainly cheap
enough) and the use the current drive as a secondary device to then
enable you to retain all your data, only losing the xp software.

On Oct 18, 9:18 am, "Keith (Southend)G"
wrote:
On Oct 17, 10:54 pm, Weatherlawyer wrote:

The likely SATA refusal problem is that the BIOS will be set for the
modern drive and won't see the new (Older) type.

I'm confused, are you saying that there are two types of SATA drives?
Do the new SATA drives have the same connector (USB size) or do they
have one looking like the old ATA 50 way (I think) type?

You can use a live Linux CD to get the computer up and running to
check what is actually at fault.

Can you put the drive you want to rescue in another computer? It
amounts to the same thing as that dock. You'd have to install it as a
second drive of course as it is unlikely to accept the new hardware
without Windows bonging it.

Not got another box that I can fit it into :-( The box I'm using is
not expandable and doesn't ever have USB.

If I got a new SATA drive, can the old one be fitted into SATA2 and be
read as a slave ?

For 29 quid I'd be tempted to look for another SATA or to do something
with the BIOS.

BIOS, I'll probably dig myself a deeper hole!

I would take a look at Microsoft's help site:http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...s/reader.mspx?...

Have you had the box click jacked from a phishing site? Try a set of
zipped updated security stuff from another PC and boot to Safe mode.
Time to consider getting to know Linux stuff methinketh.

Beyond me I'm afraid.

My main concern is recoving the data off the disk. Once I have that I
can start to rebuild, which will take a full day I recon.

The modern drive is called the same thing as the old one as far as the
computer is concerned it's just thaty the motherboard is designed to
hook up with something with a different handle.

http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/...186092,00.html

You have to get a bios update if there is one for the motherboard.
Either that or get another drive, usb flash drive or as someone else
suggested the Linux rescue disk. That will take you more than a day to
get your head around.

All the more reason for you to have a spare hard drive if you have
enough shekels. I think that recue disk is a real bargain though.

Had you run out this am to get a new drive it would have cost you 50
or 60 quid and sorted it provided it wasn't an hardware fault
elsewhere. You can get live CDs anywhere Linux Mag, Linux sites,
friends, local, expert, paid opininon and dossers on newsgroups with
nothing better to do than offer vapid, distant assistance and
extracting biscuit coloured liquid from a certain amoeba.

It really is easy to use a live CD. Just tell the start up that the
preferred boot drive is the ROM.

Live distros can be used for many purposes, including providing an
environment for:

* optionally installing a Linux distribution to a hard drive
* testing new versions of software
* testing hardware
* system repair and restoration
* high security/non-invasive environment for a guest
* cracking/stealing passwords
* network security testing
* as a fall back when a main drive fails.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_CD

Most mobos have older IDE options but you'd be best getting a second
hand computer for 50 to 100 notes to use your old stuff and get a nic
card and 2nd hand BB modem to network them. £10 or more?

It will probably cost you more for the cable which are like hen's
teeth.Go figure. If you are really strapped I can send you a router
for the postage. You can pick them up in boot sales for very little.

You know how to get into the BIOS start up?

As the PC starts hit the Delete key. (The # F8 will get you into
Windows start-up mode to choose Safe.)
I'd go into details if I wasn't pretty sure you know the basics. And
that better help is as easy to get as anything I can say.

You don't have to update your PC BIOS and even if you do and it is
unsuccessful, you can undo it (usually) by taking the battery out and
unplugging it. I certainly wouldn't do it on a dodgy box.

Just get an extra ribbon (I really can't remember what the data ribbon
is on these things) and bring it outside the box to connect another
drive. Is your machine a Dell perchance?

I can't imagine any other maker supplying such a case that you can't
put another drive in. Screw with the BIOS too neither.

Well, good luck.

On Oct 18, 11:58*am, Weatherlawyer wrote:
On Oct 18, 9:18 am, "Keith (Southend)G"
wrote:



Thanks for all the replies especially Weatherlawyer, you must have
spent some time typing that lot.

1. No it won't boot into Safe Mode, starts scrolling through files and
gets to about the 10th in the list as it scrolls through, .confg one I
think, and stops a that point.

I bought a Hard Drive Docking Station from Maplins and have
successfully salvaged all my data from the SATA disk. I think the disc
is fine so it must be the boot sector that's corrupted. I can try a
few things now without worrying about losing data, although I may just
buy another SATA drive in the morning and start again, as there's
alwaya something you forget that was on the disk! It's needed a
refresh for sometime as it's been getting slower over time and I've
had some near misses over the last few months, so maybe my luck had
ran out!

Best regards


Keith (Southend)