Tech Help needed

**The-EDSEL** · #1 08-31-2016, 10:33 AM

Hello all, I am in need of help again

Does anyone have, or know how to get a win8 Install disc??
Both my HP p7 towers Crashed on me.
Not only that, but the CRAPtop I was using also Blew
1 Tower Will boot with a Linux (Ubuntu) thoumb-Drive, but will NOT see anything on that H-D
Just that it is 1 TB and "UNKNOWN"
Not sure how I will retrieve anything off that
The other does NOTHING!!
only lights p the power on indicator
NO Monitor, etc

That H-d Is openable on the first tower and I am removing all data I can
but have run out of empty Thumb-drives here too!!

I do Not know if the "Recovery Partition" that is part of Win8 will work
It has not done a complete refresh, etc yet, so believe I need the install dvd

I MIGHT be able to pay $5.oo or so, but H-P or worse MicroCrap price......
I will wait to get a replacement PC

I hope some one can help.

Many Thanks
The-EDSEL (Dan)

**John Bowden** · #2 08-31-2016, 10:40 AM

You can download the ISO file and use software to create either a bootable DVD or USB thumb drive.......... I use Rufus to create mine.

**John Bowden** · #3 08-31-2016, 10:43 AM

Also DO NOT FORMAT any drive that has files you want........ there are devices that will allow you to access that Hard Drive as an external drive and you should(??) be able to recover your files......... of course IF the HD is dead, it can still be done, but by professionals and cost out the wazoo!

**Wulf111** · #4 08-31-2016, 02:14 PM

Dan,

if you contact HP they will sell you the recovery discs for the unit. last time i had to get them they were $25 that includes shipping cost. HP PCs - Obtaining HP Recovery Discs or an HP USB Recovery Drive | HP® Customer Support

are the two tower systems identical? have you tried putting the hard drive from the dead unit into the the working tower to see it it would boot? if that works you should be able to use the system to create recovery discs ( HP PCs - Creating a Recovery Image on Discs or Saving a Recovery Image to a USB Flash Drive (Windows 8) | HP® Customer Support ) i hope this helps.

let me know any questions you have. i have been a computer repair tech for 15+ years now.

**Art Deco** · #5 09-01-2016, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Bowden

there are devices that will allow you to access that Hard Drive as an external drive

When I needed to do this last year, I bought one of these (image below), I think they are commonly called a "drive caddy". You just slide the hard drive into the caddy, power it up, then plug the caddy into a pc's USB port. The hard drive in the caddy is recognized as an external drive, you can access it directly through "File Explorer", no special software is needed. It works great! And it was inexpensive - I bought mine here in China (brand name KingShare) for 80RMB if I recall, which would be about US$12. It works so well that I now use the old drive for backing up data, it's much faster to access than a "thumb drive".

Good luck!

**John Bowden** · #6 09-01-2016, 07:54 AM

Dan.......... any news?

I looked through my download files and I do have a Windows 8.1 image. I can make you up a bootable USB flash Drive and mail it to you if you are unable to download and create your own.

**The-EDSEL** · #7 09-01-2016, 09:57 AM

OK
Though Both Hp's are p7's there is a Slight difference
#1 is a 1534, #2 a 1423

Both have (had) 8GB RAM and a 1TB Hard-Drive
And as stated on my original post the drive from the Dead PC (1534)
is IN the other case
System Restore Does NOT complete or work
I get the Shut down/Advanced page
There I click advanced, the Used device, then the PNY 3.0 Thumb with Ubuntu
This lets me see the H-D but......

The Big differences between the 2 are 1534 had 4 usb 3.o ports 2 front, 2 back plus 2 2.o in back and 4 RAM slots
1423 has only the 2 3.o usb ports in front
4 2.o in back and only 2 RAM slots
Otherwise they are the same.

I am NOT sure I can afford $25.oo for a win8 install disk.

One of the PC's had me do a Bootable/recovery CD/DVD set up, though
Not sure Which one Took 5-6 DVD's to do it too!!

John I do thank you on the bootable offer. Just wish it was 8 only
and not 8.1

I definitely know NOT to Format a disk/Drive if I have files I want off of it!!

I have been looking for one of those H-D Caddy's for a LONG time, but, No one knows about them here in the US!!!!!
Must be a Secret item!!!

Is there a way to create a partition on the working HD to allow me to re-install win8 and not destroy my files???

I know Giveawayoftheday some times gives a partition master software, but
since I never thought about having one
I never paid much attention to those

Not sure I can use one from them anyway
NO PC to install it on!!
That is the one problem with GiveAway!!
Bitsdujour & SharewareonSale will let you re-install, but NOT GiveAway!!

With the Craptop dead, and the towers as they are
I have to use Library PC's And I am limited to 2 Hours Max!!!

At least the connectors for that Craptop H-D matched those on the Towers
I have Most of it cleaned off!!
Just need a few more Thumb-Drives, and I can finish that one

And yea
I was told it might be EXPENSIVE to have the files removed form the Dead H-D!!
I may have to hold onto that one for a few yeas till I can afford that!!!

I still have to raise money
I need to work on my house, and pay off the Nursing Home

**ViperPilot** · #8 09-01-2016, 11:07 AM

Sounds like one of the Towers might have a blown Power Supply Unit (PSU)... that's why you only get the Power light (no HD spin, no boot).

So... do you have a Computer that works?

If so, you need one of these

It's an Adapter that will let you plug the HD from the blown Tower into your good Computer, and will read the HD as a separate External Drive, just like a Thumb drive.

If both of your Towers won't operate properly, you'll spend an inordinate amount of time & money trying to get Info from one to the other, and that might not work, either.

Alan

**John Bowden** · #9 09-01-2016, 07:34 PM

Dan if you want......... I'll look for a Win 8 ISO and do you up a bootable USB drive.......... take a couple of days to get it to you via USPO.

Oh and I'm pretty sure Windows WILL format a drive before installing (Win 7 does for sure......... Hated Win 8 so not too sure)....... there are partitioning software but I believe most of them have to be on a working OS to do their thing............

Those USB PATA/SATA cables like what was recommended in the other post work great....... but the drawback is they don't work as well with larger 3.5" Hard Drives that are norally used in desktop PCs........ 2.5" laptop drives....... no problem........ but the bigger drives require more power to spin up than a typical 5v USB port provides. There are external boxes for the larger drives that have separate power supplies, but of course they cost more.

Keep us updated....... and holler if I can help. I've been building my own PCs since the late 80's...... 386SX25 4 MB Ram 40 MB Hard drives......... DOS 2.0 those were the days............. Yeah Right!!!

**ViperPilot** · #10 09-01-2016, 07:45 PM

John,

The one that I referenced (and own) has its own Power Supply. The USB cord is just for the Interface to your own Computer.

My desktop's MoBo went South last Summer, and I've been using one of those to remove my Files from the HD. Once I've retrieved all of the Files I want, I'm gonna try and re-format the HD, and see what happens.

Alan