[Jetpilot]

Need some IT advice folks,

Got a dell laptop that won't boot. After the XP splash screen, I get a blue screen STOP: c0000241 Bad Image Checksum. The error goes on to read that the file wininet.dll may be corrupted.

I worked through a 55 minute phone call to Dell Customer support and they determined that the hard drive is bad. They are sending another hard drive in the mail since the computer is under warranty.

Questions:
1) Is there anything else I can try? Repairing XP when the discs show up with the new harddrive maybe?

2) If the hardrive is truly dead, is there anyway to recover some or all of the data that is on it. I have videos from the 1st 9 months of my daughters life that I'd really like to recover.

Thanks in advance for the help. I know we have some real smart IT dudes here, thats why I posted.

 

[Inferno]

If it stated the file that is corrupted, good chances are the hard drive is probably fine, but just that one particular file needs to be replaced. Depending on how your recovery disc(s) are setup, you may be given the option to install Windows in a different directory, which means that you will not have to reformat the hard drive, and everything should be intact minus the programs that were installed through Windows Installer (The setup.exe stuff).

 

[Inferno]

Now that I think about it, another way you can recover the files from the old drive would be to invest in a 2.5" HDD USB Enclosure. Put the new drive in your laptop, get Windows installed and running, then stick your old drive in that enclosure and you can use it instead of having it sit around, collecting dust.

 

[Jetpilot]

invest in a 2.5" HDD USB Enclosure.

Funny you mention that... We have an external USB hard drive. I was just telling my wife... "I wonder if we can swap Hard drives and get access to the data that way".

Awesome... thanks a ton for the info Inferno.

 

[Bitter]

you should be able to replace that single file from the recovery console in windows setup, check the microsoft knowledge base. search for your exact error in there, it may give you some more exact help or instructions.

 

[littleman54321]

Funny you mention that... We have an external USB hard drive. I was just telling my wife... "I wonder if we can swap Hard drives and get access to the data that way".

Awesome... thanks a ton for the info Inferno.

Well, a laptop drive won't fit in the typical enclosures, BUT they do make laptop drive enclosures. I have one of each at work that I use frequently when our older PC's just die, and need to try and recover stuff off the drive.

Good luck, stuff like this sucks, but with a little extra research & googling, you should be able to get everything working fine.

 

[Jetpilot]

Thanks guys... I did a little digging last night and wound up buying a USB enclosure from TigerDirect for $29. Whether I can fix the file or not, I'll at least have an additional HD for backing stuff up now with my laptop. The other external hd I mentioned lives connected to my desktop.

 

[littleman54321]

After doing some reading on your error, I don't think your harddrive is shot, I think something just corrupted your windows installation.

If that is true, then you should have no problem using the enclosure to recover your files. Is Dell wanting you to send in your bad drive, or do you get to keep it? I know they offer that option now with their warranties. If you get to keep it, once you have moved all your files you wanted to keep, just format the drive (with NTFS) and use it as a backup/extra storage drive. Like I said, based on the description you gave, I don't think the drive itself is bad.

Hopefully, the one they send you will come with windows pre-installed, but I have a feeling it likely won't...Hope you have your installation discs!

 

[Jetpilot]

After doing some reading on your error, I don't think your harddrive is shot, I think something just corrupted your windows installation.

If that is true, then you should have no problem using the enclosure to recover your files. Is Dell wanting you to send in your bad drive, or do you get to keep it? I know they offer that option now with their warranties. If you get to keep it, once you have moved all your files you wanted to keep, just format the drive (with NTFS) and use it as a backup/extra storage drive. Like I said, based on the description you gave, I don't think the drive itself is bad.

Hopefully, the one they send you will come with windows pre-installed, but I have a feeling it likely won't...Hope you have your installation discs!

New hard drive just arrived at the house (10am on a Monday). Problem was reported to Dell on Friday night. So they managed to replace the part in less than 1 business day. They included a full set of discs... XP, drivers, couple other things, and there has been no mention of me sending back the bad hard drive. The External USB enclosure arrives tomorrow. I'm planning on transferring the needed files and then reformatting it as suggested.

Thanks again for all the help. I'll give one final update once everything is installed and up and running.

 

[littleman54321]

Cool, good luck! Losing movies & pictures sucks

 

[Cyntax713]

So did'ja finish loading windows on your new hdd?

 

[Jetpilot]

ALL IS WELL!!!!

Got the old hard drive into the USB enclosure and it works great. Pulled all the data off and burned it to DVD. New hard drive is up and running. Kinda nice having a completely clean install of XP to work with.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[littleman54321]

Awesome!!! Glad everything worked out for you :wiggle: