I have a Toshiba Tecra M3 laptop (the one I have all the plane pictures, data, etc on it) and the HD died. I bought a new HD but since its blank I can not use it, and if you have a similar laptap computer, I NEED your help please.

What do you mean by 'your HD died'?

It's unlikely you have lost everything on it. Please explain the sequence when it went wrong.

-David C.

At the beggining it was making weird noises. Then, the message "memory dump" etc was appearing on the screen at boot-up and nothing else till it was deat as in I would power up the puter and nothing happened. I have replaced the HD with a new one but since its blank I need the OS and the drivers, hence I need help from somebody that has the same model.

I presume you were supplied a CD that had the original setup (OS and the supplied software) ? This should be a bootable disk. Alternatively a bootable floppy disk can be made, and you could try to access the HD after booting.You might have get into the BIOS to change the boot sequence to avoid the HD.

Alternatively, take it back to where you bought it and they should have a bootable CD you could use.

There could be many reasons you are having the problem and it's probably not possible to go through a fix in this medium!

Good luck though!

-David C.

even if the drive is totally dead there are places that you can take it to and they can recover you data....all is not lost...and on most lap tops you should not have to get in to bios if the hd is not working the cd drive is most of the time the default secondary boot drive ..that is assumeing that there are no other drives pesent...so in therory if you have or can get the start up disk for your computer all you have to do is reload...

All sound good but the old HD is in the city land fill by now...I have some copies of "My Documents" file.
I bought the puter (used by 99% new) from flying field fella in the spring before he went back home. We have a lot of "snow birds" here - old retired people that come to Arizona in the winter time and go back in the spring. Do not have a bootable CD or floppy drive (puter does not have a floppy drive) and do not have any info about the guy.
The puter came with Windows XP Pro and the original drivers. Need a boot CD to put on the new blank HD.
I found 2 local puter companies here that would do it for me but for the price I could by a 1/4 scale plane with engine as well...

Buy XP Home Edition from your local computer shop. It will install as a bootable CD, and it shouldn't be more than about $100.

It'll have all you need to handle your new HD.

-David C.

Have the XP Home Edition on my Compaq Presario. I need the XP Pro for the wireless and LAN capabilities. Even If I install the XP HE I still need all the original drivers. The Toshiba is (was) configured for wireless communication as well as RF scanner and multiplexer....life sucks...

http://www.driverscollection.com/?H=...0M3&By=Toshiba
Or goto the Toshiba site for drivers.
John

EDIT-> here are the Toshiba drivers. http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/t...ceghdgngdgnj.0

Buying a laptop without the Operating System disk and drivers is like buying a car without a title. Contact Toshiba and they should be able to replace your disk for the cost of shipping. My Toshiba laptop had the operating system, installed programs, and drivers all on a DVD. I've made a backup of that DVD in case anything happens to the original. Never throw away a hard drive. They are easily read in other computers. Of the 200+ 'dead' hard drives that have come across my door, only 2 were truly 'dead'. I suspect your old hard drive had corrupt files, not physical damage. You probably didn't have to buy a new one.

EDIT: Also, XP Pro is not needed for wireless capabilities. That is a device built in to the motherboard. It doesn't care what OS you have, as long as it has it's drivers. Buying XP Pro will not solve your problems, only empty your wallet. Contact Toshiba.

XP Home Edition is perfectly capable of handling LANs (hard wired and Wireless). The drivers come with the interface cards, and if you have lost them, are all available on their web sites.

Life doesn't suck that much!



-David C.

Does it have a product key sticker on it? If so, you do not need to purchase another copy of the OS. Contact Microsoft, and tell them that your disc is lost/damaged, and they will ship you another one. When you purchase XP you are buying the license, not the disc. As long as that sticker remains intact, you are ok.

If you do not have a product key sticker, you will have to purchase another copy of Windows. Having someone send you a cd will not help.

As a computer tech, I can tell you that Microsoft will simply tell him to contact Toshiba. Product key or not. The XP disc comes straight from Toshiba.

All he needs is the model and serial number on the bottom of the laptop. Toshiba will send the DVD for the proce of shipping, and maybe $10 for administration fees. I've seen this situation many times.