Problem with laptop

Yes you can try booting from a DOS disk and using the chkdsk /r command but this will only work if the hard drive is recognized, is it shown in the BIOS?
 
Sorry to exhume a somewhat old thread but I thought you might like to know of the problems conclusion.

Whilst away in the UK last week I left the house in charge of a trusted friend, who while not professing to be a computer expert, managed to install Ubuntu to the hard drive of the malfunctioning laptop! It's working fine and seems somewhat quicker than this one that I normally use.

He said that it appeared the hard drive was empty and I suspect someone has managed to accidentally format it and wipe off the Windows O/S. I don't suppose my stepdaughter or her boyfriend will own up to that, but I suspect one of them had finger trouble!
 
That is odd ................. human intervention must be a strong suspect.

I was going to suggest you replace the entire thing with an Acer, but perhaps not.
 
I've seen hard drives in NTFS format give the impression they have been wiped clean, but on running up a Windows O/S disc and going through the first stages of reinstall (without doing so ), most, if not all the files have reappeared.

I would suspect it might be the hard drive being rewritten over some important initial sectors, however NTFS works in mysterious ways.
 
I've looked at the laptop again and as far as I can tell, Ubuntu seems to be the only thing on the hard drive, going by the amount of free space. Linux is completely new to me, so I'm still feeling my way around the O/S. Is there a graphic which would show me the amount of free space available? (like hard drive properties in Vista)
 
sonnetpete said:
I've looked at the laptop again and as far as I can tell, Ubuntu seems to be the only thing on the hard drive, going by the amount of free space. Linux is completely new to me, so I'm still feeling my way around the O/S. Is there a graphic which would show me the amount of free space available? (like hard drive properties in Vista)
Click to expand...

In Ubuntu, click on System - Administration - Disk Utilities - Storage Devices
 
Thanks Llew, that does show only Ubuntu installed on the hard drive, no sign of any previous O/S or indeed the photo's my stepdaughter would have liked that she had stored on there. Having chatted to her online last night she still doesn't know how she could have possibly formatted the hard drive, nevertheless that's what seems to have happened.
 
Yes, looks like you've lost it SP. Ubuntu would definitely show other OS details, unlike Windoze.
 
Before you do that , slave the drive in another PC and run a recovery software.

I would recommend PCFile Inspector, which has been mentioned before in this section.

If it is a non SATA drive (unlikely) you will need a laptop to IDE drive interface - from Maplin, a fiver.
 
CH thanks, but as the laptop is working fine (better than the one I'm using) it will stay as it is. The laptop isn't going back to my stepdaughter, as she has another her doting stepdad bought her.:):)

She isn't that bothered about the missing photos either.

I can tinker with Ubuntu when I have a spare hour or two during the long winter nights!
 
I tried Linux Mint a year ago, on my Desktop PC. Result one dead PC requiring Factory Installation Recovery using the Discs I burnt (fortunately) shortly after purchase).

That PC is now "spare" anyway, owing to our shiny new Laptop, so I may take encouragement from your efforts, Pete, and have another go soon.

It seems to me that a Sleepy Hollow Seminar on "Linux for Newbies" to take place in, say, Normandy, would be a popular idea :-righton
 
Tivù said:
I tried Linux Mint a year ago....................

It seems to me that a Sleepy Hollow Seminar on "Linux for Newbies" to take place in, say, Normandy, would be a popular idea :-righton
Click to expand...

Probably the release with the hole in the middle

A seminar? Well as ever, I am at your disposal.
 
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