Computer problems.

Ranger Psych

Ranger Psych

Ranger
Verified SOF
Joined
Sep 6, 2008
Messages
3,861
Location
Keeping my hatchet sharp in the PNW
Ok... so, backstory time

MC had an.. event with her laptop where the screen broke. She attempted a screen replacement, and the daughter "assisted" via pulling something that wasn't supposed to be pulled out during live computer operations.

Fast forward to now. I have a USB drive enclosure and a desktop that currently is running Linux.

Given that the OS is Win7 on that hard drive, is there any way that I can be able to run the Win7 that is on that HDD, off that HDD on USB? I attempted to do so on my current laptop I am on and it tried to actually fuck up my current install (modified the boot parameters, luckily I knew how to repair THAT) and am now trying to use it on the linux box. It's not wanting to cooperate.

Basically, long story short, I'm trying to salvage the win7 install that is on that computer's drive so that I can be able to have windows 7 which is bought and paid for on my desktop computer, considering that the laptop computer it originally on now physically is inoperative.

Initial intent is to simply get it running, next step is to flat out image the functional OS off the USB drive onto the desktop and then reformat that now-USB drive for use as storage/backup.

If your eyes glazed over reading all this, please just close the thread, serious business thread is serious business please.
 
Might not work, but could you set up the laptop HDD with Win7 as the master and connect it to the Linux desktop as the only HDD? I'm very familiar with desktop drives but not so much with laptops. But if you could just get the desktop to boot cleanly and then attach the USB...
 
Yeah, I actually went so far as trying with the HDD directly installed into the computer.
A: that drive doesn't like being installed in my computer for w/e reason
B: windows wouldn't start
C: Windows repair shit the bed as well.

SO, I found a MS based source for a Win7 Home Premium ISO and used the MS thumbdrive utility to make a bootable thumbdrive to simply reinstall windows to the desktop, using the former laptop's MS key. It's up and running and downloading a couple gig of updates for AVG + Windows/etc right now.

Next step is finding an appropriate recovery package to attempt to get into the user folder on that HDD (since it's actually functional otherwise) so that I can scoop everything of value off of it, reformat it, and use it as external storage... most likely for our movie collection as a point to copy movies over to the tablets for long roadtrips and bibby entertainment. With it being a laptop drive, the form factor in it's slimline enclosure matches up well with that purpose... provided that I can actually accomplish that. The drive actually requires 2 USB ports, most likely for the amount of power it needs to fire the platters up... which might mean it's not suited for that purpose. Otherwise, it'll be the "tag-along" drive that I use for random stuff that's above and beyond what a thumbdrive can handle. Maybe store every ISO I have, since if it's drivers or software I create ISO's as a general rule now so I have a backup of the hard media. Who knows.

I already have one external drive that's the dedicated backup drive... and will be using leftover Pelican foam to line the ammo can it'll be residing in for protection. That's for pure system backup, although anything we download or otherwise produce on our own not only gets saved on our local systems but gets copied to the NAS which runs a simple RAID mirror setup for redundancy. I'll probably end up reinstalling everything on the VM box at some point if I can find a viable Android and Windows free VPN client that will function with that box and allow us to "ghetto cloud" it up with a local XP VM for our various purposes.

Bit irritated I couldn't just fire the shit up and be able to flat leech off the drive and be done with it, instead of having to use recovery utilities... but such is life in the world of RP. :P
 
First off, love the set up.

Second - What tools for file recovery have you looked into? There are many forensics tools that might be well suited for this purpose, several of which are free. However read carefully as different forensic software utilities preserve differing levels of file system/metadata - some are really only useful for analysis, others are better for actually retrieving files.
 
Forensics isn't needed. I was able to take ownership of the entire drive and it propigated through the entire file system. This wasn't deleted data, it was simply not "owned".

Most forensic tools for the most part won't work on my stuff due to abiding by aggressive deletion/data security techniques. The next step up involves drive destruction, which I do whenever drives fail and have to be discarded. Fun times with pyrotechnic devices, since I don't have access to other equipment to do the job.
 
Fair enough - forensics tools can be used to take ownership of things without copying the entire file system structure, hence the comment. But glad that something worked.

Any videos of said destruction? ;-)
 
Interesting issue.

Here's my .02..

Using Linux, copy the files to an external HD. Something like this http://ubuntu-rescue-remix.org/ may help.
Install Windows anew on the desktop
Here's the clincher -when prompted for the key, use the key you have; if rejected, call MS support and tell them what happened. If the Windows is not OEM, they'll generate a new key for you. If OEM, just play dumb and they should do the same. You paid the license and therefore they will give a key - issue is the OEM part.

I don't know of a technical way to solve this.
 
Last edited:
Belarc Advisor can scan your computer and return the Windows CD key...along with several other applications or games.
 
Ranger Psych said:
If your eyes glazed over reading all this, please just close the thread, serious business thread is serious business please.
Click to expand...
Watch out folks!

Internet-SeriousBusiness.jpg
 
LoL when there was no activity for 24 hours I figured you had conquered the objective. Of course the kid vids and such should be recovered. Lighten up Francis :D:-"

And it was the perfect opportunity to use that meme.

EDIT: Counter-reply
slbs.jpg
 
All this fuckery here is making me laugh on a fucking slow ass night playing paramedic. < 2 more hours to go. Please, add more fuckery! I do have my tin foil beret on as we speak.....:thumbsup:

Side note: I have no fucking clue what the deuce you all were talking about regarding computer shit, hence the reason @racing_kitty needed to un fuck my lap top from being slower than 2 old people fucking in a hot tub while on a paxil / xanax and fentanyl mix.

F.M.
 
That's cool. My little caveat was simply for the preference that the thread not devolve into full retard mode prior to finding an actual solution for the problem. Now? Feel free. LOL

If you've got comp issues, feel free to hit me up as well if necessary. Some things are just stuff I haven't run into before, therefore asking around... especially since it relates to some technical knowledge that guys here might have with relation to specific tasks for work.
 
Ranger Psych said:
That's cool. My little caveat was simply for the preference that the thread not devolve into full retard mode prior to finding an actual solution for the problem. Now? Feel free. LOL

If you've got comp issues, feel free to hit me up as well if necessary. Some things are just stuff I haven't run into before, therefore asking around... especially since it relates to some technical knowledge that guys here might have with relation to specific tasks for work.
Click to expand...

You talking to me bro? If you are. Thanks. If not. Thanks anyhow. Sleep time now.:thumbsup::D

F.M.
 

Similar threads

R.Caerbannog
Economic shifts in Central America and China
2
Replies
28
Views
2K
R.Caerbannog
R.Caerbannog
Archangel27
Star Wars: Andor - Antifascist, not Anticonservative
Replies
0
Views
441
Archangel27
Archangel27
AWP
LET'S GO MONDAY!!!!!
Replies
8
Views
1K
BloodStripe
BloodStripe
DA SWO
Chernobyl, a look back
Replies
0
Views
722
DA SWO
DA SWO
MIkeH92467
Name change and reintroduction
Replies
7
Views
1K
Bypass
Bypass
Back
Top