Need Computer Advice/Help

[tarheelpride]

A week or so ago, I've been getting messages that the hard drive is failing on my computer. Thinking it was a mistake or something annoying, I started ignoring it, until the notifications became numerous. After that, my computer started to slow down significantly, even when I was getting on the internet or starting the computer.

I did a virus and malware scan in safe mode and it turned up nothing. The SMART data shows an imminent failure (resetting the disk to normal does nothing). My necessary files are backed up and I have a copy of the programs I normally use that I can install back on my laptop. I'm using about half the space on the drive and it has been recently defragmented.

The warranty is expired on it and I have no money to send it in. Any ideas or suggestions? It's an HP Pavilion dm4.

[Panthers128]

A week or so ago, I've been getting messages that the hard drive is failing on my computer. Thinking it was a mistake or something annoying, I started ignoring it, until the notifications became numerous. After that, my computer started to slow down significantly, even when I was getting on the internet or starting the computer.

I did a virus and malware scan in safe mode and it turned up nothing. The SMART data shows an imminent failure (resetting the disk to normal does nothing). My necessary files are backed up and I have a copy of the programs I normally use that I can install back on my laptop. I'm using about half the space on the drive and it has been recently defragmented.

The warranty is expired on it and I have no money to send it in. Any ideas or suggestions? It's an HP Pavilion dm4.

Buy a new 2.5" SATA HDD (what your laptop most likely uses) and clone the drive. You'll need a SATA to USB cable or a SATA dock (the cables are much cheaper and can be found on ebay/amazon/newegg). There are numerous programs for cloning drives including Norton Ghost. You can pirate a program or find a free one online.

If the clone fails you'll need to reinstall windows again onto the new HDD. Prior to doing this you may want to go to HP's website and download all the latest drives to a flash drive then install them after windows installs. If you don't, sometimes things like wireless and audio won't work.

Sometimes you can pirate a specific version of windows and have the key your laptop came with work. I did this with my Dell Inspiron E1700 a few years ago. I was able to find a torrent with the Dell OEM Windows XP Media Center edition. After installing it asked for the key and the one on my laptop worked. I'm not sure how Windows 7 is with keys.

[Guild]

I'm not sure how Windows 7 is with keys.

Someone in a dark back alley somewhere once told someone that you could easily search a demon android for an OEM version of Windows 7 that requires no key and updates with no issue.

Also you need to buy a new hdd.

[tarheelpride]

So basically there's nothing free I can do?

Dammit

[Argus Plexus]

Buy new hard drive. Open computer. Replace hard drive. Take to local computer place. Have them reload Windows. Take computer home.

[tarheelpride]

Already got it fixed. Had to get a new hard drive, found a program to copy everything over. it was hell trying to get the hard drives to read, but it has worked