Ah Windows!
March 24, 2013 9:29 AM Subscribe
The Windows laptop that I have been using for work has slowly been dying 1000 little deaths. They seemed to be all software related, So I decided to do a clean install. The install, from a USB, failed before it even got started. There was a missing DVD driver that could not be located anywhere. I canceled out of the install and try to boot up normally, But that won't work either. I have an error in my BCD file.
I am faced with two choices, it seems to me. First, go buy a new cheap laptop. Second, take a chance and buy Windows 7 media from the store. Those cost in the neighborhood of $200 versus, $600 or so for a new laptop. Obviously, the new laptop will be more or less guaranteed to work, while trying to reinstall from fresh media is no guarantee.
I need this to work tomorrow. There are no computers that I can borrow. I am an independent contractor and have no work resources beyond this computer. So, what should I do? Is there anything that I have not thought of?
Thanks!
I am faced with two choices, it seems to me. First, go buy a new cheap laptop. Second, take a chance and buy Windows 7 media from the store. Those cost in the neighborhood of $200 versus, $600 or so for a new laptop. Obviously, the new laptop will be more or less guaranteed to work, while trying to reinstall from fresh media is no guarantee.
I need this to work tomorrow. There are no computers that I can borrow. I am an independent contractor and have no work resources beyond this computer. So, what should I do? Is there anything that I have not thought of?
Thanks!
First thing that jumps out to me is that it sounds like a bad copy of the installer. Try a different method, different USB stick, burn it to DVD... maybe the ISO you used to make the USB installer is a bad download... something along those lines. It's happened to me before.
posted by laconic skeuomorph at 10:14 AM on March 24, 2013
posted by laconic skeuomorph at 10:14 AM on March 24, 2013
I use Ubuntu to launch and troubleshoot. Sounds to me like a software problem. I would try a different install media.
posted by dejah420 at 10:21 AM on March 24, 2013
posted by dejah420 at 10:21 AM on March 24, 2013
Does your laptop have a recovery partition? Do you have a restore DVD that might have come with it? What laptop is this? You might be able to get a retore DVD from the manufacturer.
I wouldn't buy Windows 7 unless you were really confident of the hardware and it would hold up for a few more years.
posted by DarkForest at 1:16 PM on March 24, 2013
I wouldn't buy Windows 7 unless you were really confident of the hardware and it would hold up for a few more years.
posted by DarkForest at 1:16 PM on March 24, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks for the advice, all. I ended up getting a Windows 7 disc anyway, figuring that even if I had to buy new hardware, I would want it running 7 anyway.
The clean install from the disc worked fine and, aside from the sluggishness of Windows Update installing eleventy million files, seems to be working well.
posted by bluejayway at 11:37 AM on March 25, 2013
The clean install from the disc worked fine and, aside from the sluggishness of Windows Update installing eleventy million files, seems to be working well.
posted by bluejayway at 11:37 AM on March 25, 2013
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posted by deadmessenger at 9:50 AM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]