Laptop help : vista update

rickyg01 · 24-01-2009, 21:23

on updating the laptop its stuck on a loop,

stage 3 of 3, and restarts.....

no cd/dvd drive on laptop,

no recovery software

i have important files on this, and need it operational,

any help will do

RubberyDuck · 24-01-2009, 21:52

Restart Laptop, press F8 straight after Bios Screens. You may need to press a few times.

Select Last Known Configuration and press enter.

If this don't work, restart and select Safe Mode instead.

Re-run Windows Update.

24-01-2009, 21:55

any joy with safe mode? if not perhaps source a live cd of sometype pclinux works in ram if you have enough (I dunno if other nix do as I do not know anything about it) this will allow access to your files I believe. The other option is a clean install but leave the partition intact if you have some operating system software.

Do you have a Vista dvd?

rickyg01 · 24-01-2009, 21:58

tryed going into safe mode, it still does the updating and restarts, and the last known config doesnt work it does the same,

the livecd thing is a nogo as its not got a cd/dvd drive, unless it works by usb flash pen thingy

edit: yeah i got the disk but no dvd drive,

24-01-2009, 22:03

yeah sorry missed that you can get distros to boot off usb but you will need some other nix gurus to sort you out.

What machine is this? how can it ship with no way of recovery?

rickyg01 · 24-01-2009, 22:07

when i go to boot the recovery it like says

edit windows boot options for : vista bla bla

path \windows\system32\winload.exe

partition: 2
hard disk: do4bf3dd

[ /noexecute=optin ]

then it goes to load vista again and carries on with the restarting

---------- Post added at 21:07 ---------- Previous post was at 21:06 ----------

i wouldnt mind going the usb way, i could do whats needed that way?

24-01-2009, 22:08

what machine is it

http://www.linux-usb.org/

you would be better off waiting for those more knowledgable in nix

rickyg01 · 24-01-2009, 22:12

just some random acer laptop, dont know model number, couple months old,

okies i'll wait for them

24-01-2009, 22:13

Take it you have tried hitting CTRL and F11 or just F11 I think they are the combos for acer

rickyg01 · 24-01-2009, 22:15

yeah thats when its coming up with the edit boot options,

RubberyDuck · 24-01-2009, 22:31

You can convert a Linux CD to USB with this tool:

http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/

Dai · 24-01-2009, 22:40

Personally, before I messed with it any more I'd pull the hard disk and slave it to another machine. If you have important files on there you want to be damn sure they're safe before you try to mess with recovery options.

Unfortunately this requires special connectors, so you'll probably need a tech.

admars · 24-01-2009, 22:51

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/
you'd need a 64mb usb device to make a damn small linux bootable OS. The instructions there are pretty good.
if you have alarger device, you could put on something you may find more user friendly/feature packed, but a simple Damn Small Linux should be enough to see your files, I'm fairly sure it can see NTFS now. If nto maybe Puppy Linux can.

24-01-2009, 22:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaiNasty

Personally, before I messed with it any more I'd pull the hard disk and slave it to another machine. If you have important files on there you want to be damn sure they're safe before you try to mess with recovery options.

Unfortunately this requires special connectors, so you'll probably need a tech.

you can get external usb interfaces that may be ok for just getting files off a misbehaving drive

for example

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...C=SO&U=strat15

for IDE

or a bit more expensive (at Maplin anyway) for SATA

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...C=SO&U=strat15

Dai · 24-01-2009, 22:56

but if he can't get the lappie to boot it's all theoretical anyway.

That's why I suggested the slave route.

I guess boot from a USB stick and save to a USB drive could be a workable combination but it's a lot of work when a slave job would be quicker and easier.