I am having problems booting my laptop. When I boot up it just tells me that the operating system can't be found. I tried using the recovery disk, but after a while it tells me that the hard disk can't be found (sorry can't remember the exact words used).

This happened about a month ago but suddenly decided to boot one day as I tried out of the blue. I still have a lot of info on the hard drive so don't particuarly want to write it off.

Any ideas?

Welcome to PCGuide.


Sounds like it is trying to boot from the HDD first.

Make sure the BIOS is set to boot from the CD first. As the computer is starting you'll need to hit a key (Del or whatever) to get to the BIOS settings. Go in and set the order to boot from the CD first. Save and exit. It will then look to boot from the CD first. You should then be able to do the repair/recovery.

Keep in mid that if your recovery reformats the HDD, you will lose all data.

Which OS?
You could use a startup floppy and DOS commands to read the contents of the HDD. If you can do that, then there is no problem with the HDD being inaccessible, it's just that the OS files cannot be found
If you have a startup floppy for it you should be able to use [B]sys a: c: to transfer a copy of the system [DOS] files to the HDD.
Then the BIOS should be able to find an Operating System [DOS at the very least] on the HDD.

Test your hardware [particularly the HDD] with diagnostic software on a bootable floppy.
You can get a free copy of Tuff-Test Lite from http://www.tufftest.com/free.htm
Once the floppy is made you start the PC with it in the drive and sit back and watch the tests.
It doesn't test ALL of the HDD, only part of it [unless you buy the program], but that would be enough to let you see whether the drive can be accessed ok, and once accessed whether it works ok.
You should also get a copy of the HDD manufacturers drive testing utilities [if they supply them], and test the drive with that.

It always helps to have such things nearby and ready for use.
Set up a system of backup, and backup your HDD.
Use AVG to backup the HDD Master Partition Sector.

This happened about a month ago but suddenly decided to boot one day as I tried out of the blue. I still have a lot of info on the hard drive so don't particuarly want to write it off.
Any ideas?

The drive is beginning to fail. You got it to boot and that is a really good thing.

Try not to use the drive or write to it until you get your stuff off.

If you have a CD-Burner: Burn the stuff you want to a CD

IF you only have a floppy and the files are small: Copy them to a floppy.

If you are on a network: copy the files onto one of the network drives for retreival later.

If you have internet access: E-mail the files to yourself and download them later when you get a new drive.

Get the data off before it is gone.

And since Sylvander will probably be around, I won't say I told you so. But if the data is valuable, why in God's name didn't you back it up.

There is something I learned back in the days of d-BaseII, (age showing):

There are only two kinds of computer users:

Those that have experienced hard disk failure and those that are going to.

This could be a failing hard drive but it could also be due to bad connections/cables between the mobo and the drive.

I would first check whether the drive is recognised in the BIOS or not. If it is then you could try it's maker's diagnostic utility to check for errors and diy recovery software to recover your data.

If not recognised then check the power and data connections or try another drive.

Thanks for all your advice everyone. As you have probably gathered by now I am somewhat a novice at this.

I have had a look in DOS at my C drive and done a DIR and everything is still there, so does that indicate something else as well.

Thanks again.

Paul

Go here http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/sys/booterr.htm and click on "Missing Operating System".
Which OS is installed?
If you have a startup disk made by that OS, then transfer the DOS files from the a: drive to the c: drive using a:\>sys a: c: