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| Thread ID: 103944 | 2009-10-11 19:46:00 | Boot disk to restore system | Cuchulain (15188) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 819270 | 2009-10-11 19:46:00 | Hi, Can anyone give me some advice on how to restore my hard drive after I have managed to corrupt the system. I was getting my computer ready for passing on to someone else by running a disk eraser programme to clear some personal files of the system, and I have inadvertently done the same to my whole drive. Upon start up I am prompted to use a boot disk, which I do not have, though I do have the original Windows XP CD. Any advice would be welcome, just be gentle with me I am not that tech savvy. |
Cuchulain (15188) | ||
| 819271 | 2009-10-11 19:52:00 | What exactly does the prompt say? | nofam (9009) | ||
| 819272 | 2009-10-11 19:55:00 | If you have erased the disk there is no way to recover it. That is the whole point of disk erasing programs. You will need to do a fresh install of a operating system on it. |
McRuff (12291) | ||
| 819273 | 2009-10-11 22:54:00 | Did you erase without, or with passes(pattern overwrites)? | Blam (54) | ||
| 819274 | 2009-10-13 19:48:00 | Sorry, you have lost me there. | Cuchulain (15188) | ||
| 819275 | 2009-10-13 19:52:00 | What exactly does the prompt say? Message reads, "Windows could not start because of a computer disc hardware configuration problem. Could not read from boot disc. Check boot path and disc hardware" |
Cuchulain (15188) | ||
| 819276 | 2009-10-13 19:56:00 | If you have erased the disk there is no way to recover it. That is the whole point of disk erasing programs. You will need to do a fresh install of a operating system on it. Thanks for the reply. As for installing a fresh operating system. I have tried running my Windows XP disc, but nothing shows on the screen, so I am a little lost as to re-load the system. |
Cuchulain (15188) | ||
| 819277 | 2009-10-13 20:05:00 | Sorry, you have lost me there. If it was just a format then you *might* be able to recover the info. If you did it with secure deletion, then you'll probably need to take it to a professional.. |
Blam (54) | ||
| 819278 | 2009-10-13 20:41:00 | If it does not prompt to "Press any key to boot from CD..." or similar with the Win XP disc in, then quite possibly the BIOS is not set to boot from CD. You will need to enter BIOS setup (usually DEL, F2, F10 or the likes) and change the boot order to have CD before HDD. | inphinity (7274) | ||
| 819279 | 2009-10-13 20:52:00 | As you mentioned in the original post ready for passing on to someone else as inphinity suggested, boot from the CD, reinstall windows completely, reload drivers etc. Trying to recover the system before passing it on to someone else will be a waste of time. You wont know what damage has been done. Since you wanted to remove all personal data, reformatting, for all general purposes will do this, and the person who is going to have the PC will be starting with a good clean system. |
wainuitech (129) | ||
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