CF 28 hard drive failure

Hi,
I'm still farily new to my CF-28, but today while uploading a new revision to a maintenance manual for work windows shut itself down to protect itself. I can't reboot in normal mode or safe mode. I don't have the windows XP disk that was loaded on the computer (bought used off of e-bay). I have a bootleg copy of XP that microsoft knows is bootleg and won't let me use the key to update windows...but I used it to run the repair function. Windows can't repair the disk, ran the fixboot function and restarted, same problem.

Can I use the XP disk to do in Inplace install so I don't loose my files, or is the hard drive done for? If so what is a good replacement hard drive? I have a 20gig in there now, would like something a little bigger. Any recommendations? Thanks in advance,

Jeff

 

If you think you can still recover the files off your drive, your best bet might be to get an adapter to plug it into a desktop IDE harness, boot up the desktop, and transfer the files over. You can then decide if the drive can be saved or if you need to start over.

 

Yup... Bootleg copy of XP... Gravitar is right. You need a 2.5 inch connector. (you can buy these as 2.5 enclosures to turn it into an external hard drive.) Plug it into another PC and you can then pull off the files.

What happened was that when you did an update... Microsoft has you download the Genuine Advantage Tool... It found the bogus copy and shut it down. Sometimes it will give you 30 days other times it shuts it down immediately.

The good news is that this is a software issue (most likely) and not a hardware failure. Just reformat and reinstall.

Who was the seller on ebay so we can stay away from them?

You might try emailing the seller and trying to bluff them for a true copy with COA or you will turn them in. Ebay tends to shut down auctions when a PC is being sold with no COA and no disks but the operating system is installed.

 

I'm not sure if the copy of XP on the computer was genuine or not...seemed so since I could get all the updates for it...but it didn't come with any disks when I bought the computer so I have no idea...it did come with a COA sticker for XP though. The model breakdown said it came with both 2000 and XP loaded, origional owner must have picked XP.

The bootleg copy I have was for my desktop until I got a real copy. I used that to get into the recovery module (the bootleg copy of XP pro). I can't seem to find my XP home discs either...I hate moving.

I didn't really have that much stuff on it, nothing that isn't too difficult to re-install...just gotta get a fresh copy of windows.

Any recommendations on a new hard drive? I've been crusing around Newegg.com and looking at a few, but not sure which ones will work with the toughbook.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

Jeff,

Newegg is a great place to start... But their best hard drives are not in stock at this time. You want a 7200 RPM ATA 6 hard drive. Basically anything from this list...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N=2010150380+1035507776+1035907889&name=ATA-6

I would get the 100GB Seagate drive as that is the only one in stock that you can tweak after installation. The HTS series is the best with Hitachi... The HTE is the same but you can't tweak the settings like you can with the HTS series. (Battery<>Performance, etc.)

If you have a COA I doubt it was a bootleg... There would be no reason for it.

Just my too scents...

 

I can't believe people put up with that. I guess I'm lucky, I didn't realize how bad XP really was for a couple years.. The first copy of XP I got had all that foolishness stripped out of it. It wasn't until later that I got a computer with a legit copy of XP on it, and it demanded some sort of authorization code after I changed video cards(!). I could hardly believe what it was telling me.

I guess MS is doing their best to get people to choose linux or Mac over windows.. I hear its even worse with Vista!

 

Thanks for the info everyone, The Seagate HDD looks pretty cool, might have to go with that. New hard drive and install the new ram stick (praying that this one will work) and hopefully everything should be good for a while

Jeff

 

Now you know why my Toughbook is my only windows machine. I've got two towers (One mac, one x86 home built), and neither of them run windows.

By the way, Mac OS X Leopard is awesome. Looks pretty, and it doesn't require me to enter a serial 3 times.

 

Try this RAM... It works great in mine...

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16820172003

 

That is the one that I had ordered, just waiting for it to show up...hopefully tomorrow!

Jeff

 

Newegg has fallen down on my last two orders. I ordered a bunch of hard drives, RAM and DVD R/W drives for my stock on 12/27... I paid for "rush" ordering! It is due to be delivered on 1/7! I called to complain and they refunded my shipping charges. Since I needed the hard drives the most... I basically ordered the same thing and paid for overnight shipping... They still drug their feet and that order is to be delivered on Monday also. I was livid. I called and screamed at the customer service rep. They said they don't *guarantee* overnight delivery. They refunded the $30+ shipping on that one too... But I still don't have my drives. So... I'll be late for the first time on a few orders. I'm still steamed! I guess I need to shop around for an alternative supplier! Anyone know of another place besides Newegg that has a good reputation.

*Sorry for the OT post*