Please help retrieve my info

Hello, I'm not a computer wiz, so please be gentle. When I boot up my laptop, I get the Toshiba logo, then after a long time thinking, it returns the following error message:

IDE #0 ERROR

Intel UNDI, PXE-2.1 (build 082)
Copyright (C) 1997-2000 Intel Corporation

For Realtek RTL8139(X)/8130/810X PCI Fast Ethernet Controller v2.13 (021015)
PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable
PXE-M0F: Exiting PXE ROM
Insert system disk in drive.
Press any key when ready....

So the thing is, I need to retrieve some file on the hard disk. What can I do to get access to these files, or do I have to reinstall the OS? Please help..and remember to be gentle.

 

Egads!

Hmmm, I take it you see the BIOS screen before the Toshiba logo? Can you access the boot menu? We could try booting a Linux CD to recover your files.

It sounds like you have a hardware problem, maybe your chipset?

:twitcy:

 

That means that it could not find the drive....

3 probable issues here:
a. The drive died (most likely), try a new drive to make sure it is not a system problem
b. The laptop may had a fall or a bump and the HDD is not cotacting properly with the connectors (reseat the HDD0
c. The Chipset is bad on the Motherboard (least likely)

 

i was afraid that it might be drive problems. i bought a hard drive enclosure and tried to use my laptop hd as an external, but the host computer could not recognize it. does this hint that this is hard drive issue?

 

You tried the enclosure with another computer? If it didn't work, that does sound like drive failure.

 

so if it is drive failure, any cheap way to retrieve files from it?

 

Here is a website that might help.