Hard Drive Failure
 

So I became a victim, for the first time ever, of hard drive failure after owning this HP desktop for almost 3 years.

Now I am wondering what I need to do next.

First off, I lost the recovery disks and pretty much everything I got with the computer during my move from SC to FL. However, is there still a way I can reinstall Windows 7 without having to purchase a totally new copy & license in the store?

I will obviously purchase another hard drive and install...I was just hoping there was something I could download or have sent to me by HP to re-install and it recognize product keys.

This sucks and I certainly wasn't prepared for it.

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

You should call HP. You technically own the OEM Windows license tied to that PC. It is non-transferable however they should offer to mail you a disc to reinstall on the same machine. Though, they will probably charge you shipping.

guide to order

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...=bph07143#N102

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

Is the sticker with the license key on the computer somewhere(almost all OEM assembled computers have the windows license sticker on the case somewhere)? If it is, you can go and download the exact version of 7 and use that license key.

Here is all the versions of Win 7 ISO's available for dowload.
http://www.mydigitallife.info/downlo...ownload-links/

Also, how failed is your hard drive? One of these can get your data off the hard drive most likely.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...FQ6EnQodwDYA0g

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

You should get an external Hard Drive as well so you can back up your system from time to time.

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

This is an absolute must. Especially for anyone who makes a living doing digital work. You can get a 2tb external for around $100 nowadays.

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

If you have online access you can order recovery DVDs for under $20 from HP. These things are pretty model specific so make sure that you have that right before ordering.

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

Okay, here is an update.

I was able to create a bootable DOS CD with Seagate's SeaTools on it to try and repair the HDD. It slightly worked...I was able to actually begin booting up Windows, except it stops and needs to now be repaired. So basically, I reached a point where it will allow me to recover Windows and most importantly, create a backup. So I have my external backup hooked up right now transferring.

Once that is done, I will do a Recover and start fresh. However...that doesn't necessarily mean everything will be okay now, right? The HDD could still fail after re-installing at any time I think.

At any rate, at least I know I have my information and re-installing Windows 7 on a new HDD isn't as impossible as it was. (I also downloaded a Windows 7 ISO and found my OEM sticker)

I think I am kind of safe...so far.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I had about 7 years worth of documents, photos, graphic design files, software, and music on this HDD...3 years from this PC and around 4 or so from the one before.

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

I have a 50GB cloud account that I WILL be utilizing from now on.

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

Solid State Drive

That is all.

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

Not sure if this will help or not. I had a HDD failure about 6 years ago. By failed I mean all I could get from it was "corrupted files, missing HDD type errors". No big deal to me but my wife had stored tons of family photos and some other important files on the bad one. A friend of mine who works IT for some bank suggested a device from Black Widow (I think that was it). It basically took the HDD and allowed it to be made "portable". He then sent me a link for some free data reconstruction software which I downloaded to a new computer. Purchased the Black Widow device from Bestbuy for about $75 or so, plugged the bad HDD, plugged it into my laptop and ran the software. Not only did if find all the pics and files she had on there with little problem, it created a folder named "Deleted Files". It undeleted all the previously deleted files on it that had been gone for years. It was pretty amazing that it took me $75 and less than 30 minutes to find all our old and deleted files. Lesson learned, if you ever get rid of a HDD, drill holes in it or smash it. I later sold the device on craigslist for $60 so it only costed me $15 and a little time.

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

If you suspect, at all, that that drive may be failing. DO NOT DO THIS.

Put in a new drive and install windows, etc on the new drive. Instead of buying a prebuilt external hard drive, do this instead. Buy a USB external enclosure that you can put your existing drive in. After you reinstall on your new hard drive, hook up your old one via the usb box and copy your docs, etc to the new drive.

Here's why, when hard drives fail, it's either mechanical or a deteriorating surface. If the mechanics are beginning to fail, you need to use the drive AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE, in order to enhance your chances of recovering your data. If it's a deteriorating surface, it's very possible that the failing area could be where windows software is loaded and not in the area where your docs, etc. are loaded. Not to insult your intelligence, but look at like a music cd with a scratch on it. If the scratch only affects one song, it won't play, but the rest will.

After recovery, you can buy a 1 or 2 TB drive and put it in the purchased enclosure and use it for backup. I do this stuff for a living. PM me if I can help further.

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

Did yo get a S.M.A.R.T warning?

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

This, and the other post he quoted. I have a 1tb seagate external that I save everything to. EVERYTHING. Think of it as a digital briefcase. I can use any windows machine in the world and access all my data. Between that and gotomypc.com I am 100% portable. Your clients only need to know you are getting their work done. Not where, necessarily.

Gotta love a digital job!

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

Yancey talked about his hard drive failure in the WC a while back.

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

Okay guys, really needing some advice here.

So back when I started this thread originally...I ended up deciding it was the hard drive and I replaced it with a new one. Re-installed Win7 and started from scratch again.

A little over a month now...and BANG, blue screen again. Computer won't boot up, system repair does nothing, and when I do a analysis...it hangs up whenever scanning to check my HDD.

How can this be possible? What are the chances of my 1st HDD failing (which was my first in my life, actually) and then a little over a month later a 2nd? What could be the issue because I went through a LOT of work fixing it this past time and reloading a shit ton of software.

Any suggestions beyond throwing the CPU off an overpass?

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

I'm guessing the controller on your motherboard has gone south.

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

boot the computer to the cd and do a chkdsk /r if that dosent work it may be a hard drive failure . the main thing to remember is never buy a seagate

When I try doing that, it says:

Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Chkdsk may run if this volume is dismounted first. ALL OPENED HANDLES TO THIS VOLUME WOULD THEN BE INVALID. Would you like to force a dismount on this volume? (Y/N)

Re: Hard Drive Failure
 

FYI, it is a Seagate...but still, a failure after a month? I feel like another component caused this and probably also my first failure with the other drive. Now I am scrambling to find my reciept for this HDD- ahhh!