Windows XP has died---HELP!!

A

Armyof7

New Member
I need help.

My laptop OS died and need advise how I can save the data on my hard drive before I lose it all to reinstall the OS.

I am running Windows XP Home and have been told that when I reinstall my OS I have to reformat the hard drive first and I will loose all my data--so I need to back it up first.

How do I do this? I have a desktop computer but it is running Windows 98. Is there a way I can back up my laptop hard drive to my desktop?

Thanks in advance for anyone that can help.

Tim
 
You didnt say what your backing up?
Are you using ntfs? or fat 32.
can you read it from a boot disk?
it would help with more information.
I suspect it would be ntfs.
look for a proggy called ntfsdos.
its not free but from a dos prompt will
make it act like a server so you can use
xcopy files and directory's. at least you will
be able to see the files. is hard-drive corrupt?
is it windows, files or hd?
 
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It is using ntfs. I am trying to get at my "my Documents" mainly due to all of our kids pictures are there. The program files arent a big deal--we have all of them backed up--but for some reason we didnt do the pictures.

My comp gives me a config.sys error and wants the original disk that came with the computer and since they dont come with the computer anymore--I dont have it.

Does that help?
 
Sounds to me like this could be fixed without a format.. Do you have an xp disk at all? If you do boot to the disk and do a repair when you get in hit r for repair. then type the number of your windows usually its 1 and hit enter with a blank password to get in. When you get the blank prompt type chkdsk /r and let it do its work... Try this until you dont get fixed one more more errors and try to boot again. This is not a format and generally is my first step before i do a format...
 
The problem is, I sent the computer to out to Best Buy because it was still under warranty thinking that it might be the hard drive. If it was the hard drive then they would have had to back everything up. In the process they claimed to have removed the OS--I dont have it back yet so I am not sure. I am just trying to figure out what to do if I have a hard drive and no OS--how do I get my data.

Thanks for your responses
 
i see that winternals ntfsdos was bought out by microsoft.
Heres a trial ver i found if you would lke to try.
copy these files to a boot disk or cd. ntfsdos will make
it look like a server. its worth a try. either way doing the iso or
image will require you to mount the hard-drive.
good luck.http://www.softsea.com/review/NTFSDOS-Pro.html
 
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