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  • Mar 20th, 2010 1:46 pm
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Newbie
Jun 21, 2008
23 posts

Crazy Laptop

Here's the thing,
My sister's laptop crashed a month ago, so i tried to run using LiveCD and other boot up linux-based discs to retrieve the data, but none of those worked. Then I removed the hard drive, connected it to my sisters desktop and transferred all her files. After that, I formatted and installed windows 7 on her laptop and the laptop was then working beautifully...for 1 day. The next day the laptop crashed again, and I once again tried to reinstall Windows 7, and about 40% of the way through, it gives me an error (with no number or name) saying installation failed. Restart try again and I got same result.

I googled and looked around online and it boiled down to two issues, RAM or HD problems. What do you think the problem is? If it's HD, where can i get decent price 2.5 HD that I can return if the problem is not the HD?

If it matters, the laptop is a Toshiba Satellite.
10 replies
Deal Addict
Oct 17, 2009
2931 posts
629 upvotes
Mississauga
Desertwolf wrote: If it's HD, where can i get decent price 2.5 HD that I can return if the problem is not the HD?
Choose either a decent price or a return policy. You can only have one.

For the ability to return the products go to BB and FS. Of course they will charge the most.
Sr. Member
Dec 2, 2008
631 posts
68 upvotes
Belleville
Burn a copy of memtest86 and run it to test the memory. http://www.memtest86.com/

The hard drive manufacturer should have a testing utility for the drive.

That'll help you narrow the problem down.
Newbie
Jun 21, 2008
23 posts
I used the utility that came with the laptop and they both told me there's nothing wrong with the RAM or the Hard drive.. ill try memtest
Deal Addict
Dec 1, 2005
1386 posts
7 upvotes
If you have 2 dimms try runnig it with only one. Try both dimms in each slot. Because it's a toshiba i'm leaning towards ram. Most linley one of the simms but could be the actual slot.
Member
Aug 12, 2004
241 posts
45 upvotes
What you've already done confirms it isn't the hard drive (unless details were left out). A live disc doesn't require a hard drive to run, and you stated you were able to connect the hard drive to another computer and it functioned.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Mar 13, 2004
13840 posts
5545 upvotes
Ontario
Find out what brand the Hard Drive is, (WD/Seagate/Maxtor/Samsung) etc then go to that manufacture website and download the hard drive testing tool.

Sounds like it could be a bad HDD if it messed up on you after 1 day. But you say it crashed right? well what does that exactly mean? Did you get an error? BSOD? What did it say?
Deal Addict
Feb 24, 2007
4233 posts
1220 upvotes
Between the two, I will say it's the HD. Ram failure will mostly cause your laptop to hang or reboot. But it's easy to confirm with the memtest program as others mentioned.
FS : Promise NS4300N NAS,Linksys RE400W,E5151,HBB1,VIVOTab RT,MemoPad 8
Newbie
Jun 21, 2008
23 posts
"Sounds like it could be a bad HDD if it messed up on you after 1 day. But you say it crashed right? well what does that exactly mean? Did you get an error? BSOD? What did it say? "

Well i turn it on again, windows 7 circle comes up and freezes there, the circle twirling for over 2 hours ( i waited ) and nothing happened, restarted and it happened again).

I'm doing more tests on the RAM, (I usually buy my stuff from CC or Infonec -> bad return policy)

I'll get back and tell you guys what happened and thanks for the help.
Newbie
Jun 21, 2008
23 posts
Yup, it turned out to be the Hard drive, replaced it and it worked perfectly. Thanks for all the help everyone.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Mar 13, 2004
13840 posts
5545 upvotes
Ontario
Desertwolf wrote: Yup, it turned out to be the Hard drive, replaced it and it worked perfectly. Thanks for all the help everyone.
ah Very nice, thought it would be the HDD.

Good to hear it working properly now. :)

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