[artsywoman]

Hello, I do not know how to use this software Ultimate Boot CD to recover a large amount of data from my powered up laptop that does not load Windows. It doesn't go past the initial screen to load the operating system Windows Media Edition 2005. I downloaded the UBCD, placed it into the CD and it opens up after an initial screen saying boot..., I hit enter and it goes to a blue screen with Mainboard Tools, Hard Disk Tools, Filesystem Tools, Other Tools, User Defined Tools, Dos/Linux Boot Disks, Boot First Hard Disk, Boot Second Hard Disk. By the way, this CD will not boot up my main disk using their prompts. I need to know what to click on step by step to extract a large file folder from this laptop that a computer service guy placed all my computer's data onto just last week. He said it was fixed, they recovered my data into one place on my 250 GB hard drive. I sent it to them because the laptop shut down earlier in the summer after I had a new Adobe Photoshop CS3 installed on it for a week. They told me they just fixed a bad fan and reloaded the same Windows operating system after saving my data. It was working fine when they shipped it after testing. These people are in Ohio and I am in CA, it took a month to have this done. I used them because they were Sony authorized repair specialists and not as expensive as Sony. Upon getting it back home I re-installed several programs, plus the Adobe Photoshop CS-3 I had on it before, it was working fine last night. This morning it was back to the black screen with the white cursor blinking on the upper left screen again. It will not boot up for nothing. I called the service repair shop in Ohio and they said one of my programs is causing Windows to fail and I need to re-install the operating system again, then not install the programs I used. So, I think it is the Adobe Photoshop CS3 that is causing the problems. I have ordered a recovery DVD set from Sony Parts & Accessories to fix it myself this time. The repair shop wanted me to send it back to them to fix it for free. Free, I love that word, well, that will take another month and I am so fed up with waiting. I am also fed up with giving money to local computer repair shops as I spent $425 on data recovery this past spring on this same laptop after the hard drive failed. That is because my laptop is over 3 years old and I used it to death. They were the ones who installed my new 250 GB HD. So, can someone please tell me what to click on to get to my specific file in the list that UBCD has? I saw a 'how-to' link that said it was for the same thing but they show a different colored and more detailed screen on their website, I think it was called Geek Guy. My UBCD shows a basic blue background screen with the Ultimate Boot CD V4.1.1 on the top and the website on the left, then the list I described above. I have a 500GB external HD that connects with a USB cord if I can only tap into my main HD and see the file Iwant to recover before I have to wipe it clean again and re-install this back to factory defaults. The file I want to recover is specifically named Restored Data on my C Drive and it is huge, like 100 GB. Please help walk me through this in layman's terms. I tried clicking on Filesystem Tools and don't know what to pick next. Head me in the right direction so I don't have to spend another $40 to ship this to Ohio and wait another month. They said the laptop's motherboard & processor was fine, it's my Adobe Photoshop CS-3 I am pretty sure. I might have an invalid one, I bought it from eBay and although it looks authentic and the serial number registered online and worked fine in my laptop, it does not show up in my active products on my Adobe account. Pirates are getting really good at duplicating nowadays. That's another rotten story. I will just have to purchase another Adobe Photoshop software from a legitimate dealer, not on eBay.
Thanks

[Rollin_Again]

There should be a CHKDSK utility on the CD. If you can run this utility there is a chance that you can fix whatever is preventing you from booting into WINDOWS.


Regards,
Rollin

[vicks]

Have you tried starting the computer in safe mode? Gently, continously tap the F8 key while computer is booting. This should open the safe mode window. If it does use the arrow keys to move the cursor up to ":last known good configuration", click on enter and let the computer do its thing.
Vicks