HELP COMPUTER!!!!

[EpicLeopard1337]

hey all! got a little problem that I hope someone might be able to help me out with.

my laptop is totally on the fritz and is hardly functioning. I want to wipe the hard drive, but would like to save some documents I have from my time as an astrophysics student for sentimental reasons.

I cannot connect to the internet with it, so e-mail is out, it won't recognize flash drives, and it won't burn cd's.

is there anything I can do to save my countless hours of work? or should i just kiss it goodbye and wipe the laptop?

[some call me...tim?]

Hmm, sounds nasty, whatever is going on. Have you tried to do a system restore yet? (I'm assuming its windows?)

[iowapat]

...but would like to save some documents I have from my time as an astrophysics student for sentimental reasons

I know that I can't be the only one that read that and thought pron

[some call me...tim?]

...but would like to save some documents I have from my time as an astrophysics student for sentimental reasons

I know that I can't be the only one that read that and thought pron

I actually didn't think that at all, but that does make a lot more sense.

[Leopard]

...but would like to save some documents I have from my time as an astrophysics student for sentimental reasons

I know that I can't be the only one that read that and thought pron

I actually didn't think that at all, but that does make a lot more sense.

call your ex
told her you lost the pics
and would she like to take some new ones????

trust me i'm geeksquad certified

[keltik]

pull the hard drive out and use one of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6812232002

it basically turns your old HD into an external data drive. you can plug it into a working computer via USB.

[Dogma]

pull the hard drive out and use one of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6812232002

it basically turns your old HD into an external data drive. you can plug it into a working computer via USB.

Exactly. It's a great thing to have around. I have one, so if you want me to do it for you I'd be happy to, but it's totally worth buying.

[AciDBatH666]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ias31By60N8

[Flipflat]

pull the hard drive out and use one of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6812232002

it basically turns your old HD into an external data drive. you can plug it into a working computer via USB.

Exactly. It's a great thing to have around. I have one, so if you want me to do it for you I'd be happy to, but it's totally worth buying.

Would that prevent viruses from transferring to a new computer?

[keltik]

pull the hard drive out and use one of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6812232002

it basically turns your old HD into an external data drive. you can plug it into a working computer via USB.

Exactly. It's a great thing to have around. I have one, so if you want me to do it for you I'd be happy to, but it's totally worth buying.

Would that prevent viruses from transferring to a new computer?

not necessarily which is unfortunate. but maintaining/updating your antivirus software should keep you safe.

[Powdertoast]

Download and burn the latest Ubuntu live CD through another system and see if your laptop can boot with it. If so, you may be able to get the laptop to save files from the hard drive to a USB drive.
Download Ubuntu here: http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download

I'm recommending Ubuntu just because I'm used to it and think it's one of the easier distributions for new people to work with. You could also use a Knoppix live CD or some other distribution.

[turso]

Download and burn the latest Ubuntu live CD through another system and see if your laptop can boot with it. If so, you may be able to get the laptop to save files from the hard drive to a USB drive.
Download Ubuntu here: http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download

I'm recommending Ubuntu just because I'm used to it and think it's one of the easier distributions for new people to work with. You could also use a Knoppix live CD or some other distribution.

My vote goes for ubuntu live-cd as well.

[jubuttib]

Either that or another linux live-cd, perhaps a rescue oriented one.

[Powdertoast]

Either that or another linux live-cd, perhaps a rescue oriented one.

Yah, Knoppix would be my second choice, but again that's just due to my personal familiarity, not due to experience with a wide range of rescue-oriented Linux distros.

Any update from the OP on whether any of the suggestions so far have worked?

[DiscZombie]

you nerds