[Taskmaster]

Help!!

Computer is a Lenovo U410 I5 with 6GB of ram, running windows 8.
unfortunately, it went into hibernation one day and decided not to wake up...ever.

Sonthe problem is I cant recover the computer at all. Contacted Lenovo and bought recovery disk, and those didn't work, as the disk was defective. Had them send me another set, and the system will quit partially theough, do to a missing file/unable to read file. I even had a friend supply me with Windows 8.1 ISO, and I'm trying to use that.

Here is the problem though, I can't format the drive. At all.
defective harddrive, better software..what's going on?

I have an 80GB I popped in and it worked to format windows and is installing it fine..but my 500GB took forever to even read, muchless attempt to install windows 8.

Wtf is going on?

[Who's on first]

Buy a Mac.

[Delta0311]

For starters get windows 7. Windows 8 is an absolute piece of garbage, it's pretty much windows ME all over again. And if a drive won't format then it is safe to say it is shot.

[WreckerX5d]

If it's stuck at BIOS and not booting Windows, then it's your hard drive.

[Taskmaster]

Originally Posted by Wrecker335d

If it's stuck at BIOS and not booting Windows, then it's your hard drive.

Negative Captain, I don't have that option. I am working with what I have, but you believe that the hard drive is toast?

[The Automotive Enthusiast]

Sounds like your HD is on its last legs.

You need a Mac. I've converted three of my friends, and they are never going back.

[WreckerX5d]

Originally Posted by TheAxiom

Negative Captain, I don't have that option. I am working with what I have, but you believe that the hard drive is toast?

You should have a BIOS, it's based from the motherboard. The hard drive most likely went to crap and thus making not run any programs. You can possibly still save it and install another 500GB+ HD, and depending on the SATA ports available, hook the bad HD to it as well and maybe view the files.

[Taskmaster]

Originally Posted by Wrecker335d

You should have a BIOS, it's based from the motherboard. The hard drive most likely went to crap and thus making not run any programs. You can possibly still save it and install another 500GB+ HD, and depending on the SATA ports available, hook the bad HD to it as well and maybe view the files.

UltraBook, so I can't really do any of that. Any free programs to test the HD.

[WreckerX5d]

Originally Posted by TheAxiom

UltraBook, so I can't really do any of that. Any free programs to test the HD.

Damn, a laptop? It's anybodies game with those, as a lot of the parts are integrated. I'm really not too familiar with the repair of laptops. Hopefully someone else can guide you better with those.

[Delta0311]

Originally Posted by TheAxiom

UltraBook, so I can't really do any of that. Any free programs to test the HD.

The hard drive will be a SATA drive and it is not built into the laptop. You can remove it and replace it. You can then buy a SATA reader. Basically you plop the drive into it like a NES cartridge and the connect it to your PC via USB. Most likely you will be able to at least get your data of off it.

[Delta0311]

Here is the disassembly instructions.

Fairly easy to get to the HD.

[Taskmaster]

Already disassembled and harddrive removed.

So:

500GB HD
Recovery disk don't work
USB boot/Windows install takes forever to boot
Attempted to reinstall windows from USB, but Windows installer cannot format drive

60GB HD
Recovery disk don't work
USB Boot/windows install works instantly
Windows formatted drive just fine.


Bad harddrive?

[FL335]

Seriously...throw the HD/tower in the ocean and buy a Mac..problem solved for like 20 years. OR buy another PC and deal with the same sit every 5-6 years....Profit.

[M_Six]

Hard drives are hard drives, Mac or not. They're just as likely to die in a Mac as they are in a PC. I use Windows and Mac all day long. Both have their bugaboos and both have their charms. But the hard drives are identical equipment. Buying a Mac won't prevent or even reduce hard drive failure.

[FL335]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Hard drives are hard drives, Mac or not. They're just as likely to die in a Mac as they are in a PC. I use Windows and Mac all day long. Both have their bugaboos and both have their charms. But the hard drives are identical equipment. Buying a Mac won't prevent or even reduce hard drive failure.

Seriously...that's like saying an engine is an engine....a Renault will easily be as reliable as a Honda....

Nonsense. Not only is it way off, it's not in the same atmosphere.

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by FL335

Seriously...that's like saying an engine is an engine....a Renault will easily be as reliable as a Honda....

Nonsense. Not only is it way off, it's not in the same atmosphere.

You do realize Apple doesn't make its own drives right? They are samsung drives and yes I'm an Apple user.

[GregTheStig]

ITT: 2 people provide useful advice and everyone else jerks off Apple.

[Delta0311]

Originally Posted by FL335

Seriously...that's like saying an engine is an engine....a Renault will easily be as reliable as a Honda....

Nonsense. Not only is it way off, it's not in the same atmosphere.

Oh good God. (Insert face palm)
Apple DOES NOT make its own components. CPU is Intel, video cards are nvidia, hard drives are what ever vender has cheapest, and mother boards are proprietary but made at FOXCONN (China) using standard components. The only thing that makes a Mac so different than a PC is the OS. Yes the MAC will fail like any other PC. Components do not last forever.

[Whostheboss]

The 500GB disk probably has slow read speed. Do you know what the read write speed is?

The 60GB disk is probably faster.

That's my guess.

Get yourself a 128GB SSD and install your windows there.
Newegg.com always have the best deals

[FL335]

Originally Posted by Delta0311

Oh good God. (Insert face palm)
Apple DOES NOT make its own components. CPU is Intel, video cards are nvidia, hard drives are what ever vender has cheapest, and mother boards are proprietary but made at FOFCONN (China) using standard components. The only thing that makes a Mac so different than a PC is the OS. Yes the MAC will fail like any other PC. Components do not last forever.

Come on! Seriously....anything PC is Fkn garbage...ive had a macbook for years, no issues. My last windows anything...lasted only a few years. Shit gets a llo bogged down and banged up.

Look...I get it. Using mac isn't mainstream but PC is dead...beleedat.

[dreamingat30fps]

OP just buy a new drive, put windows on it then install the old drive as a secondary drive and see if you can pull anything off it and call it a day. Or you can even get one of those drive cloners off Amazon for $20 and see if you can clone the old drive onto a new one. Drives are cheap.

[Whostheboss]

Originally Posted by FL335

Come on! Seriously....anything PC is Fkn garbage...ive had a macbook for years, no issues. My last windows anything...lasted only a few years. Shit gets a llo bogged down and banged up.

Look...I get it. Using mac isn't mainstream but PC is dead...beleedat.

Hahahaha

1st) i don't like the term PC. They're all PC to me.

2nd) i have both. I built my Windows machine with quality parts and it works great.

3rd) i like both but if i were to pick only one, i'd go with the Windows.
Because of its open flexibility. Apple controls too much.