Problems with Compaq Presario, 2 questions?

[Steve L]

I have had a problem with my regular laptop, which is a Compaq Presario 2100U, with the Celeron 2 gig processor. It won't boot, comes up with a black screen error "disk read error, press ctrl,alt,del to restart"

Tried to recover the system with the Windows XP disc, but it fails and I tried another drive, failed to install XP, the drives show in the BIOS and can be tested by it, but won't work, so I am suspecting an issue with the motherboard. It's an old workhorse, so it's a shame it's died, if anyone has an idea how to fix it, I would appreciate it, but that is currently a secondary priority.

I have some very important files on the hard drive, so I pulled it out and put it into a USB caddy to recover the files I need to my other netbook. I can access the drive OK, which is the other reason I think there is a motherboard issue with the Compaq.

However, I had some files on the desktop that I need now, it was under my user log on to the Compaq and when I have tried to access the "Steve" folder in the Documents and Settings folder of the hard drive, it won't give me access to it, presumably because it was password protected at log on on the old laptop.

Does anyone know a way to get around this, bearing in mind the folder is on the "F" drive letter now it is an external drive on my netbook? The information I have saved on the desktop is current information I was using for my business and without being able to get to it, I have customers waiting for their orders and am really stuck. Thanks in advance guys!

[compass]

Need to take ownership of a folder in oder to access

1. To take ownership of a folder, follow these steps:
2. Right-click the folder that you want to take ownership of, and then click Properties.
3. Click the Security tab, and then click OK on the Security message (if one appears).
4. Click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab.
5. In the Name list, click your user name, or click Administrator if you are logged in as Administrator, or click the Administrators group. If you want to take ownership of the contents of that folder, select the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects check box.
6. Click OK, and then click Yes when you receive the following message:
   You do not have permission to read the contents of directory folder name. Do you want to replace the directory permissions with permissions granting you Full Control?
   
   All permissions will be replaced if you press Yes.
   Note folder name is the name of the folder that you want to take ownership of.
7. Click OK, and then reapply the permissions and security settings that you want for the folder and its contents.

[Steve L]

Thanks buddy, worked a treat once I'd figured out why I couldn't access the security settings.

On XP Home, you need to go into Safe Mode, then log in using the Adminstrator logon it provides (even if your own log on is an Administrator). From there, just do as you said and set access for "Administrators", not "Administrator". Once you've rebooted to your own log on, the access rights remain.

I've been able to print everything I needed off, so that's saved me an awful lot of hassle with customers! Now the BT Broadband is playing up at there end. If it's not one thing it's another . . . . (currently on the internet using the mobile phone through bluetooth!)

[barboy]

i can only think of 1 thing an thats the hard drive isnt selected as boot device in bios if ya cant install on it but ya kno it deffo works n try the ahci modes should b 1for compatability

[Steve L]

Everything has worked fine with the current setup up for about 3 months. I have searched for solutions on the net and it's coming back as basically an unsolved issue, people have reinstalled their OS, then its done it again and again. Fixes seem to range from banging the computer to taking out the harddrive and blowing out the connector. I have tried a load of checks and I think it is a problem in the motherboard somewhere, as the hard drive I put in is the original one the laptop came with, so it it should recognise the drive parameters easily.

I am on the look out for a barebones replacement laptop to use to build a good laptop out of now, as when I had to install it all last time it took several attempts and ripping out memory etc to get the board to run stable. I think maybe it's just old and tired now?