laptop hard drive problem

[moktail]

well, I have an old laptop, a Dell Latitude CSx that has Windows 2000, 128mb RAM, 6 gig hard drive, no cd or floppy drive, a Xircom RealPort Ethernet 10/100+Modem 56 card, and 500 mHz Pentium 3 processor. I do not remember the login password, and I would like to reformat it so I can do word processing in it, and smaller tasks, however I cannot reformat it since it has no floppy or cd drives. Im having trouble finding a hard drive for it, therefore I need a solution to reinstall an operating system on it. Someone told me about booting from a network, but I'm unsure how to do that. What are some solutions?

Thank You

[brad211987]

I've been able to install windows on laptop drives by hooking them up to a desktop PC before(there is an adapter you can buy to go from laptop IDE to desktop IDE)

Never done a network installation but it sounds like that would be the better idea.

If you can hook the hard drive up to another computer, you could boot a linux distrobution and crack the windows password as well, that would be more fun if you ask me. You can set it up as a slave drive and there are plenty of windows based password crackers out there.

[moktail]

I've been able to install windows on laptop drives by hooking them up to a desktop PC before(there is an adapter you can buy to go from laptop IDE to desktop IDE)

Never done a network installation but it sounds like that would be the better idea.

If you can hook the hard drive up to another computer, you could boot a linux distrobution and crack the windows password as well, that would be more fun if you ask me. You can set it up as a slave drive and there are plenty of windows based password crackers out there.

ok, so i will go buy that adapter, can someone give me a link to a passwork cracker?

[moktail]

where can i get that adapter? any good deals online?
thanks in advance

[kungfu71186]

You can search for IDE23 to IDE or 2.5 to 3.5 hard drive cable.

You can also buy external floppy drives or cd drives which i would recommend anyway or you wont be able to get office on unless you format and install everything from your computer.

[brad211987]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16812203012

That is the one that I have, works well for me.

Here is a link to a site for network security tools, you can get password crackers there.
http://sectools.org/

[moktail]

thank you, i will update later on the situation.

[Jeroentje]

Yep. Using the 2.5 > 3.5 converter will give you full access. U can create 2 partitions which the second one should hold the installation files + drivers u might need in the future.

[moktail]

well i dont want two hard drives, i just want to format the laptop hard drive so i can get the laptop working properly again. i still havent bought the plug/wire/whatever the hell its called (adapter?), but will probably next week.

[Jeroentje]

yes but what i'm saying is ,

it is better for your laptop , to make 2 partitions, and put the installation files (windows, drivers and setup-programs etc) on the second partition) so if your OS ever gets lost, you can always reinstall without re-doing these steps again of removing the Harddrive.

it's called a 2.5 to 3.5 converter, shoud'nt be more then 5 $ bucks.

[moktail]

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-5-to-3-5-IDE-Laptop-Hard-Disk-Converter-Adapter_W0QQitemZ200082706389QQihZ010QQcategoryZ41993QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-5-LAPTOP-to-3-5-PC-HARD-DRIVE-IDE-ADAPTER-CONVERTER_W0QQitemZ300084024957QQihZ020QQcategoryZ41994QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

those are two items that i'm looking at, thats the converters you guys are talking about right?

[Jeroentje]

Yep. those will fit perfectly fine :)

Just keep in mind with installing that such a item does'nt make contact with anything at all (case, wires, etc). and make sure you have the right allign (master / slave).

Atm i'm backupping an older 2GB disk with a simular device :)

[moktail]

well, i got the converter, can someone post up the steps to begin reformatting the drive starting from turning on the computer.

thank you

[brad211987]

I usually plug in the laptop hard drive, into the desktop via the adapter, and use it as the primary, and only drive in the system. Then put in the windows CD and install as if installing on a normal desktop hard drive. Download all the neccessary drivers with a different computer, and put them onto the laptop hard drive using a CD, and then put the laptop drive into the laptop and install all of the drivers.

Should work just fine as long as you install the drivers using the laptop to avoid any confusion in windows.

[moktail]

thank you, i will update if i have any difficulties and the final outcome of my task. thank you again

[nexosis]

Earn a bit ca$h, then sell your old laptop, then buy a new one.

[foiled_again]

I have two of those csx's, and it worked on one, but not the other. The only difference I can see between them is that one has bios revision a10 (worked) and the other a13(didnt) For that one it just hangs at a blank screen. Not a problem with the machine either, I put in the hard drive from the working one and it booted fine in that machine. I tried again with a different hard drive, same failure. Tried again with win2000, and it hangs at starting windows with that little white bar at the bottom. Tried again with the a10 version and still wouldn't work. Could it be the desktop I started the install from? That was different.

[moktail]

well, the it seems as though the converter didn't work since my pc tells me to insert a proper boot device. also, to 'foiled again', the laptop has revision a08. im not sure what to do.