Laptop HD Question

[iChokePeople]

Here's the thing - first, you have to get the laptop's attention:

 

[AppleBonker]

That would be awesome.

If you have the serial, you can use any method you want to "pirate" the ISO. The legal troubles occur when you are downloading/sharing a cracked copy or a keygen. If you can't find one, I've should be able to download a Vista Home ISO later tonight (or maybe even on my lunch break). Though, I'm not sure how I would transfer the file to you... I used to have an FTP server set up on one of my home PCs but I've since killed it. Worst case, if you are forced to go through Dell I could probably burn a dvd and ship it faster than them...

 

[snowman46919]

If you have the serial, you can use any method you want to "pirate" the ISO. The legal troubles occur when you are downloading/sharing a cracked copy or a keygen. If you can't find one, I've should be able to download a Vista Home ISO later tonight (or maybe even on my lunch break). Though, I'm not sure how I would transfer the file to you... I used to have an FTP server set up on one of my home PCs but I've since killed it. Worst case, if you are forced to go through Dell I could probably burn a dvd and ship it faster than them...

Whoa slow down it is not pirating in any form if you are just grabbing the image file so other than the bolded area your good.

 

[AppleBonker]

Whoa slow down it is not pirating in any form if you are just grabbing the image file so other than the bolded area your good.

Sorry. That's why I tossed it in quotes. I am well aware that it isn't illegal, hence my offering to send a copy of the disc (which is also not illegal as long as I don't provide a key).

I just wanted to make it clear that many piracy sites include a keygen or may be a cracked copy. Those are, in fact, illegal.

 

[asystole86]

PM me Benny ill give you my number i probably can help

 

[snowman46919]

Sorry. That's why I tossed it in quotes. I am well aware that it isn't illegal, hence my offering to send a copy of the disc (which is also not illegal as long as I don't provide a key).

I just wanted to make it clear that many piracy sites include a keygen or may be a cracked copy. Those are, in fact, illegal.

Quite alright just wanted to clarify it for people that don't understand computers to the degree that we might. I constantly get accused of pirating since I have a system builders oem serial key.

 

[AppleBonker]

Quite alright just wanted to clarify it for people that don't understand computers to the degree that we might. I constantly get accused of pirating since I have a system builders oem serial key.

Fair enough. I'm not a fan of using ISOs from random sites floating around out there, however. Much safer to just grab them from MS. A TechNet subscription is the way to go if you are in the IT field in any way, shape or form. The OEM builders key is only good for one computer, technically. And I've got four that needed a copy of windows (not about to pay $100+ per).

 

[snowman46919]

Fair enough. I'm not a fan of using ISOs from random sites floating around out there, however. Much safer to just grab them from MS. A TechNet subscription is the way to go if you are in the IT field in any way, shape or form. The OEM builders key is only good for one computer, technically. And I've got four that needed a copy of windows (not about to pay $100+ per).

I change os sometimes more than I change underwear so I am constantly using the same key. Sometimes I dual boot, right now I am triple booting 7 ultimate, BackTrack4 and Android 2.2 on my eeepc if that gives you any idea. It has also run win 2k pr sp4 xp pro sp3 and just about every linux flavor you can think of.

 

[AppleBonker]

Benny, are you planning on just trying to reinstall windows on your current disk drive? I'm guessing that the HDD is shot, based on what you've said so far. It should have been recognized and accessible when connected as an external.

I change os sometimes more than I change underwear so I am constantly using the same key [...] on my eeepc

Well, if you're reinstalling on that same device the key is fine. Technically, using the same key on your netbook and desktop/laptop/whatever would be against the EULA. My eeepc is exclusively Ubuntu, but that is a result of not enough drive space to dual boot...

 

[bwframe]

 

[Benny]

I got it downloaded and on a disc and I'm going to go get a new HD later.

 

[AppleBonker]

Let us know how it goes. Good luck and I'm glad you've got it mostly straightened out!

 

[Benny]

Hmm, the HD is installed correctly(that seems to have been the problem) and the boot disc is in the drive, but it's telling me there are no bootable devices...Does this mean the Vista .ISO file didn't burn correctly?

 

[Noland]

Hmm, the HD is installed correctly(that seems to have been the problem) and the boot disc is in the drive, but it's telling me there are no bootable devices...Does this mean the Vista .ISO file didn't burn correctly?

Make sure that your bios is set to boot from cd.

 

[Benny]

Make sure that your bios is set to boot from cd.

Did that.

Then, I thought maybe the disc drive broke during the fall, so I took the .ISO file and converted it with wintoflash.exe so I could use a USB flash drive to boot from, set the bios to boot from USB and it's just a blank screen with a prompt.

I'm officially out of ideas.

 

[Noland]

See if a different computer will boot from the disc you burned. Then you will at least know if it is not the problem.

 

[Benny]

See if a different computer will boot from the disc you burned. Then you will at least know if it is not the problem.

It didn't.

So I downloaded another copy and it's not booting either.

I seriously don't know WTF I'm doing wrong.

 

[.40caltrucker]

It didn't.

So I downloaded another copy and it's not booting either.

I seriously don't know WTF I'm doing wrong.

Take your burned cd and put it in a computer cd drive with the computer running. It should auto start into windows install. If it doesn't look at the cd through my computer and make sure there are files burned on the cd and not just the .ISO image and make sure it didn't burn them into a sub folder on the cd.

When burning the .ISO image did it ask if you wanted to make the disc bootable?

 

[Benny]

Take your burned cd and put it in a computer cd drive with the computer running. It should auto start into windows install. If it doesn't look at the cd through my computer and make sure there are files burned on the cd and not just the .ISO image and make sure it didn't burn them into a sub folder on the cd.

When burning the .ISO image did it ask if you wanted to make the disc bootable?

Holy crap...HUGE brain fart on my behalf.

I wasn't burning it as an image.

I've done this more times than I care to count, but I'm using a different (burn)program than I have in the past and I guess it just threw me off.



Anyway, .40cal, you are the MAN(for slapping me in the face with the obvious).

To everyone else that has helped, you will be receiving a bronze badge over the next couple of days.

 

[Benny]

...