I have my stollen laptop REALLY REALLY NEED HELP

Giulietta · #1 (**permalink**) 09-23-2008

Ok, this time I really really really need the help of one of you guys, PLEASE..PLEASE

Just received my old stollen laptop from the Sheriff's dept. (don't know much about the case, sorry).

What a shame and a mess....it's all scratched and the home key is missing..but works.

It did not have the power cord, but with the one from the new one I fired it up...

OK, upon start it says (please note teh laptop is from portugal so the lingo is Portuguese), but it says:

WINDOWS CAN NOT START BECAUSE FILE IS DAMAGED OR MISSING:
\SYSTEM32\HAL.DLL
REINSTALL A COPY OF THE ABOVE FILE

Then once I hit any button it just reboots BUT never starts..

I tried pressing all the buttons at start, including the F keys because I know they do something if you press them on start and got a blue screen with a lot of stuff I don't know what it is...

So I pressed F10 which said EXIT and retried..

On a second occasion I rebooted and kept hitting buttons and a new window asked me if I wanted to reinstall the factory setings and programing...

I almost did...but then...I READ if you do all data in C and D disk will be deleted, including the files you have there...SO I DIDN't do it...

This is what I need...I just want to try to recover my files, re-paint the laptop and give it to Fred, as it's still better than his. BUT I NEED those files. I was told that even if the thief stole it he couldn't get to them because SONY has a pretty hard password protection system. And even if he did they would be in the recycle bin and possibly (I know I am pushing my luck here), possibly recover them...I had photos from the birth of my kids...so I really want them, as we lost all of them..

PLEASE some computer guru, out there, that I can send my laptop, that can fix the crap it needs to go, and then recover my files??

Or even dissasemble it, get the hard drive and copy the files...

Once the files are in my hand, I am going to send it to Sony in Portugal and have it repaired cosmetically.

Please who can help me? I can send it by Fedex

Thanks

Alex

artbyjody · #2 (**permalink**) 09-23-2008

Try purchasing a USB hard drive enclosure:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1175389041039

These are USB - and you simply take your hard drive out of the laptop, install it in the enclosure then hook up the enclosure to your other laptop or pc. You can then get to all the files.. then when done - install the hard drive back into the laptop and do a fresh install..Its how I do it all the time...you can get them for around 40-60 bucks.. if you don't feel comfortable DIY -then PM me I can turn it around in about 12 hours..but it truly is easy to do on your own.

Just make sure it is for the type of Hard Drive you have in the notebook - your local computer re-seller can assist you. I have a slew of them that store my old laptop contents and when I want something just plug it in to whatever I am using at the moment...

eMKay · #3 (**permalink**) 09-23-2008

Reboot your computer and hold down the F8 key, that will put it in safe mode. what that file missing usually means is, the thief that stole it may have tried to install Windows over your old OS. If he did, you may be out of luck but try F8 first

Giulietta · #4 (**permalink**) 09-23-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by eMKay

Reboot your computer and hold down the F8 key, that will put it in safe mode. what that file missing usually means is, the thief that stole it may have tried to install Windows over your old OS. If he did, you may be out of luck but try F8 first

everytime I try this I get the same message about the missing file

Giulietta · #5 (**permalink**) 09-23-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by artbyjody

Try purchasing a USB hard drive enclosure:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1175389041039

These are USB - and you simply take your hard drive out of the laptop, install it in the enclosure then hook up the enclosure to your other laptop or pc. You can then get to all the files.. then when done - install the hard drive back into the laptop and do a fresh install..Its how I do it all the time...you can get them for around 40-60 bucks.. if you don't feel comfortable DIY -then PM me I can turn it around in about 12 hours..but it truly is easy to do on your own.

Just make sure it is for the type of Hard Drive you have in the notebook - your local computer re-seller can assist you. I have a slew of them that store my old laptop contents and when I want something just plug it in to whatever I am using at the moment...

Jody..I am in the land where Judas lost his boots..no Best Buy here

Besides I don't have tools to open the computer...

sailingdog · #6 (**permalink**) 09-23-2008

If the HAL.DLL is missing, it won't boot in to safe mode...it can't. The HAL.DLL is a critical system file.

Basically, you can do one of three things.

The first is what ArtbyJody said, yank the hard drive and put it in an external housing. If you choose to do this, you need to get the right kind of housing, since some laptops use SATA (Serial ATA) drives and require a different housing from those that use the older IDE/ATA style drives.

The second option is to get a Windows CD and re-install the OS, at least long enough to copy the data you need off the system.

The third option, which is probably the best for you, is to ship the computer to someone who can do either the first or second option for you.

If you want to do number three... let me know, and I'll take care of it for you.

PM me if you want me to deal with it for you.

Giulietta · #7 (**permalink**) 09-23-2008

Also..If the files were deleted, how do I find them??

Don't I need windows to get to the recycle binm?

Giulietta · #8 (**permalink**) 09-23-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailingdog

If you want to do number three... let me know, and I'll take care of it for you.

PM me if you want me to deal with it for you.

It will be in the mail tomorrow...

I'll call you tomorrow...
Thanks

Alex

PS..that thing of you making love to your trailer wheel was a joke....you know..

tdw · #9 (**permalink**) 09-23-2008

Alex,

First up I am no expert at this. Also I don't know the gismo ArtbyJody is talking about so cannot comment but...

Don't do anything until you are back home.

Send the thing to whoever looks after your machines or Sony themselves.

When Ms W's old laptop fried itself a few years back our computer technician, pulled the hard drive and somehow, I don't know how, attached that drive to another machine and simply dumped all data files onto the other machines hard drive. Even though the drive would not boot the machine we recovered all the files.

A good computer tech can do this fairly easily but given that everything on you machine is in Portuguese I'd reckon you'd be better off waiting until you were back home.

That said , ABJ's gizmo looks very interesting and may be the answer.

Good Luck.

Edit - My answer comes before I saw SD's reply. By the sounds of things he on top of it. My worry was essentially language barrier if a non Portuguese speak started messing around. Still is but at least SD can speak with you if he has any language glitches.

eMKay · #10 (**permalink**) 09-23-2008

can't you let someone in IT at work look at it? It's work related files you need right?