Computer help pls

Don Hardcastle

Busa Ridin' Sailor (ret)
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So the HD in my computer started giving my an error that said the SMART system had detected a hard drive issue and recommended that I back up all data and repair or replace the HD. I bought a 2TB HD and cloning software. I installed the HD and started the software... works great until it gets to a part of the HD then it gives an error that says it can't read from a certain sector on the source HD and the system locks up. I bought this computer preinstalled with the OS so I can't just start over with the 2TB drive. I need the data and OS off the original drive. Any suggestions?
 
Make the clone software skip that sector? Or is it in an important part? Honestly sounds like to me you waited to long.....There are fellows out there like me who will take hds apart and rebuild them as its the motor or bearings which usually give out. But if you are getting sector errors your pretty much screwed. Get the OS off it if possible and use the old drive as a slave. Should be able to transfer most of the software that way without needing to clone
 
Personally if it was me (been there) I would buy an OS as they are pretty cheap especially if
you get a version that can only be put on one machine. Then you could use your new HD as the master and the old one as a Slave.
If you don't get a perfect clone then there is a good chance that programs won't work right. So they have to be re-installed anyways,
either with discs or downloaded again. Might be a better upgrade depending on what OS you had.
If the info on the old HD is irreplaceable there are companies out there that can "fix" or retrieve the info on them. Not cheap but if you really need it.......

They say once something is on a HD it is always there. Just have to know how to get it. Guys are in jail because they thought they took something
off their HD but the cops found it anyways. :laugh:
 
Personally if it was me (been there) I would buy an OS as they are pretty cheap especially if
you get a version that can only be put on one machine. Then you could use your new HD as the master and the old one as a Slave.
If you don't get a perfect clone then there is a good chance that programs won't work right. So they have to be re-installed anyways,
either with discs or downloaded again. Might be a better upgrade depending on what OS you had.
If the info on the old HD is irreplaceable there are companies out there that can "fix" or retrieve the info on them. Not cheap but if you really need it.......

They say once something is on a HD it is always there. Just have to know how to get it. Guys are in jail because they thought they took something
off their HD but the cops found it anyways. :laugh:



If I do that, what OS would you guys recommend. It has Win7 home premium now.
 
Win 7 is a good OS - only thing I didn't like about it is they removed WinMail so you have to go online (open a browser) to get your email.
I think with Win 8.1 they have fix a lot of the bugs and most people I know think it's OK. Win 7 is probably cheaper and if you know
that OS then there is no learning curve to slow you down.
Then again I thought I heard that a new OS is right around the corner so if you got 8.1 it might be a cheaper upgrade when the new OS comes out. IDK for sure though.
 
Win 7 is a good OS - only thing I didn't like about it is they removed WinMail so you have to go online (open a browser) to get your email.
I think with Win 8.1 they have fix a lot of the bugs and most people I know think it's OK. Win 7 is probably cheaper and if you know
that OS then there is no learning curve to slow you down.
Then again I thought I heard that a new OS is right around the corner so if you got 8.1 it might be a cheaper upgrade when the new OS comes out. IDK for sure though.

I can get 8.1 for $120 with a free upgrade to 10 when it comes out.
 
download win 7 home from MS and use the key on the case. install on a new drive. take the old drive and add it to a different sata and drag and drop everything you can save
download and burn it
Microsoft Software Recovery

Good call MoeMar. I read about Microsoft making it easier for people to get/make a copy of Windows 7 for people who got it preinstalled with no backup media but didn't know the website.

I wouldn't recommend the Windows 10 technical preview unless you're willing to put up with some quirks and you have fairly decent hardware. Just my opinion of course. Plus I'm running it on a low end Acer tablet. I have better hardware that I'm sure it would be much better on but I like to see how it performs on the lower end hardware since Microsoft will be offering free upgrades for the first year and they are touting it as more efficient, better performing on lower powered machines.
 
I bought 8.1. Got it installed, I get a free upgrade to 10. Not really sure that I like the interface but I'll have to get used to it. With the HD failure, downloading the beta wasn't an option.
 
LOLOLOL... I forgot all about the product code being on that little sticker on the side of the case.... Oh well... Went to a much bigger drive... I'll have to drag and drop some folders from the old one, install my Adobe suite and should be good to go.
 
put a SSD for your OS and use the big drive for saved files. you can get ssd for less then 50 cents a gig now.
this pc has a 240gb ssd, 80 bucks. going to get a 2nd 240 and run em raid
 
put a SSD for your OS and use the big drive for saved files. you can get ssd for less then 50 cents a gig now.
this pc has a 240gb ssd, 80 bucks. going to get a 2nd 240 and run em raid


Was thinking that I should have done that and I still may. Will 240 be big enough to hold 8.1?
 
partition the drive so your os is on its own partition
 
partition the drive so your os is on its own partition

The solid state drive? If I do this, the only thing that will be on the drive is the OS... I can't really think of a reason to spend the $$ to do this tho. I rarely use my computer anymore. I just don't like things being broken or messed up.
 
put an ssd in (take all others out of the time of the install of the os. so you dont get messed up and put it on the save drive) once windows is up n running put the big HD back in. Windows (c: drive) saved HDD (d: drive) its real easy. put your failing drive in too (e: drive) back up saved files.
 
put an ssd in (take all others out of the time of the install of the os. so you dont get messed up and put it on the save drive) once windows is up n running put the big HD back in. Windows (c: drive) saved HDD (d: drive) its real easy. put your failing drive in too (e: drive) back up saved files.

Since I don't game on the machine anymore and do most things from my phone. I can't justify the expense (even tho it's only $90) on the SSD. I could buy stuff I don't need for the bike instead.... lol.

The thing would run amazingly fast tho.

And I already have the OS up and running on the big HD.. all the drivers updated etc.
 
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