My friend's laptop runs windows 7. After resetting last night she's getting an Operating System Not Found error during boot. Assuming the hard drive hasn't completely failed, what are the best, simplest tools she can use to either fix the problem or at least get her important data off the drive? She has access to another computer with a cd/dvd burner, an 8GB USB flash drive, and blank cds. She doesn't have access to the system restore disc or anything like that. She can get a blank DVD if that's simplest. I was leaning toward Knoppix as the Linux distribution for a live dvd, but if there's an easier way I'd love to hear it. Thanks.
posted by Green With You on Mar 16, 2013 - 11 answers

Repairing friend's laptop(s). Will be nuking from space. Which Windows OS version to install? Also, failing wifi on second laptop. *sigh* [more inside]
posted by jadepearl on May 24, 2012 - 13 answers

Can anyone help me determine what's safe to delete in the WINDOWS/Installer folder? [more inside]
posted by yorkeandvedder on Mar 23, 2012 - 7 answers

Any experience replacing double-hung windows with something like the "european-style" tilt-and-turn windows or a casement window? [more inside]
posted by RandlePatrickMcMurphy on Feb 10, 2012 - 3 answers

Crap! My computer is borked and I don't know what to do about it. System Restore can't seem to find Windows, either. [more inside]
posted by Scientist on Nov 16, 2011 - 9 answers

How do I keep my father from wrecking his computer - again? [more inside]
posted by koucha on Nov 7, 2011 - 27 answers

What's this smell coming from my new window? Is it toxic? [more inside]
posted by january on Jan 25, 2011 - 12 answers

Computer repair from afar-filter: my sister's Dell desktop is infected with one (or more) viruses, and I'm not around to fix it for her. deezil's profile is too detailed to mail to her or trying to walk her through, so I'm looking to get her to a fix-it shop in Ventura, CA, or recommendations on one of the fix-it shops in chain stores. Oh, and we don't know her admin password. [more inside]
posted by filthy light thief on Aug 31, 2010 - 4 answers

If you were going to bring a USB drive to repair a bunch of workstations, what are some of the latest Windows XP/Vista repair utilities that you would put on it? [more inside]
posted by purephase on Jun 3, 2009 - 7 answers

Computer Diagnostic Help and Interpretation, Please: My son inherited an 8-year-old Dell Dimension L933r from his grandpa. It had been upgraded to Windows XP and had an additional hard drive installed. It was working smoothly for us for almost a year, but recently it went into an infinite reboot loop (which we couldn't resolve ourselves) and we took it to an independent computer repair guy (details and questions inside). [more inside]
posted by amyms on Dec 13, 2008 - 16 answers

How do I remedy the error message I'm getiting on my laptop about the windows\system32\config\system file being missing or corrupt? [more inside]
posted by otherwordlyglow on Jul 12, 2008 - 15 answers

What is the best (most cost effective way) to insulate my apartment windows? [more inside]
posted by judge.mentok.the.mindtaker on Jul 7, 2008 - 9 answers

BSODFilter: I tried to install a RAM upgrade in my girlfriend's Dell Inspiron 1100 laptop, and got nothing on screen after powerup. So I replaced the old DIMM, and got the BSOD -- the file that was missing was a driver for the Intel video adapter. Long story short, it's still not working. [more inside]
posted by YoungAmerican on Aug 2, 2007 - 10 answers

"Error loading OS" after installing new (slave) HD. [more inside]
posted by dondiego87 on Jul 24, 2007 - 3 answers

I'm looking for a list, recommendations or an all-in-one package of must-have applications for a windows repair software toolkit. [more inside]
posted by puddpunk on Jul 19, 2007 - 10 answers

For the past few days, when I start up my computer or start Word, I get dialog boxes about Windows Installer and Norton that want me to uninstall Norton. This has to be some kind of virus, right? [more inside]
posted by misanthropicsarah on Jul 29, 2006 - 10 answers

What did I do to gain Administrator privileges to install software and how can I do it again? [more inside]
posted by nserrano on Jul 19, 2006 - 18 answers

Disk Repair tool similar to Norton Disk Doctor for Windows? [more inside]
posted by apark on Jun 12, 2006 - 4 answers

How do I clean a large, stubborn, aborted media download from my PC, and how do I interpret all this strange, buggy behavior that has plagued me since I terminated the download? [more inside]
posted by zaelic on Jun 7, 2006 - 5 answers

How can I fix the corrupted jpegs on my Win XP computer? [more inside]
posted by skryche on Mar 23, 2006 - 9 answers

How do I backup lots of files in DOS (Windows "recovery" mode)? [more inside]
posted by clgregor on Jul 31, 2005 - 15 answers

I have older windows in my home that weren't taken care of properly (layers upon layers of paint, some don't open, broken weights, etc). Window replacement is about a year off, and I'm trying to get my rental unit up to snuff. Is there some good how-to repair advice anyone has come accross for old windows? I have a couple of fix-it books but they only have cursory info and concentrate more on installing new windows.
posted by sharksandwich on Oct 11, 2004 - 9 answers