Tech advice needed on C-drive crash

[Super Firebug]

The hard drive on my laptop crashed, but I'm still able to use my laptop by booting into Ubuntu from a USB thumb drive. To my surprise, it also lets me access the files on the C-drive, which allowed me to recover a lot of stuff that I had thought was lost. Ubuntu's diagnostic program provides information about the recovery partition on the same drive. Is there a way that I can copy and use the recovery section (15GB) to restore my computer onto a replacement C-drive? (The HP Tools section might also be useful, while I'm at it.) Information from those who know about this stuff would be greatly appreciated.

[Tahquitz]

Depends...

Do you have Windows 7 or newer?  And do you still have the OEM key?

If so, the retail ISO/CDs of Windows 7, 8 and 10 make no distinction between OEM and Retail keys anymore.  If your key is valid and you're not using it for more than one copy (or trying to activate an HP issued Windows key on let's say, a Dell) you should be able to reinstall Windows without the recovery partition.

[Super Firebug]

It came with Windows 7, but a clean Win7 install wouldn't restore my computer to how it was when I bought it - I'd still need whatever HP might have added to it, such as help tools, etc. That's why I'm asking specifically if there's a way to extract and use the Recovery partition. (And, frankly, even if I can download a clean Win7 copy, and then get the extras from HP's site, I've made myself curious, by now, as to the feasibility of using the Recovery partition from one hard drive on a replacement hard drive. ) I'm planning to download the clean Win7 anyway, in case I need it, but the experimenter in me still needs to know. (And, yeah, I hope that this teaches me to make full restore media in the future, instead of just the recovery disk.)

[Tahquitz]

It came with Windows 7, but a clean Win7 install wouldn't restore my computer to how it was when I bought it - I'd still need whatever HP might have added to it, such as help tools, etc. That's why I'm asking specifically if there's a way to extract and use the Recovery partition. (And, frankly, even if I can download a clean Win7 copy, and then get the extras from HP's site, I've made myself curious, by now, as to the feasibility of using the Recovery partition from one hard drive on a replacement hard drive. ) I'm planning to download the clean Win7 anyway, in case I need it, but the experimenter in me still needs to know. (And, yeah, I hope that this teaches me to make full restore media in the future, instead of just the recovery disk.)

Okay, then I wish you luck in copying the recovery partition.  It's unusual for me to hear someone want to keep OEM add-ons after a reinstallation of Windows.  Most folks I know want that stuff off their system or never use it in the first place.  But to each their own.  There's no wrong answer as long as the system works again, right?

In case you need it, the recovery ISO is on Microsoft's support website.  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7

[eabrace]

Would Partition Wizard be of any use?

https://www.partitionwizard.com/

I've used that for copying old hard drives to new ones before.  Pretty sure you can create a bootable USB with it (I used a CD when I used it, but should be the same idea.)  You'd need to have the new drive connected (like with an external USB drive enclosure), but it seems like it should be doable.

[Super Firebug]

Would Partition Wizard be of any use?

https://www.partitionwizard.com/

I've used that for copying old hard drives to new ones before.  Pretty sure you can create a bootable USB with it (I used a CD when I used it, but should be the same idea.)  You'd need to have the new drive connected (like with an external USB drive enclosure), but it seems like it should be doable.

I wrote down the names and sizes of the four partitions on the original drive, and copied the folders and files of the Recovery and HP Tools partitions. If I were to set up the System, Recovery and HP Tools partitions on the new drive (same names and sizes), copy the contents of the Recovery and HP Tools partitions into the new ones, and install the new drive, would the computer then be able to use the Recovery partition to re-create the System partition? (Kind of like if the contents of the original System partition had been deleted.)

[Tahquitz]

Also, types.

I'm assuming if it's been made in 2014, and it's a factory installed hard drive it's GPT (GUID Partition Table), which is common with Windows 8 going forward.  If it's Windows 7, it might be MBR (Master Boot Record) style, the same partition table that's been in use for decades.  The system partition would be the primary partition (the FIRST one written, that has your bootloader code in it.)  The rest can be extended partitions, but the first one is important to get right.

More Info:
PC Partition Types: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_partitioning#Primary_partition
Understanding Disk Partitions: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd799232(v=ws.10).aspx
How to override the System Partition: https://www.howtogeek.com/192772/what-is-the-system-reserved-partition-and-can-you-delete-it/

[Manga]

I wrote down the names and sizes of the four partitions on the original drive, and copied the folders and files of the Recovery and HP Tools partitions. If I were to set up the System, Recovery and HP Tools partitions on the new drive (same names and sizes), copy the contents of the Recovery and HP Tools partitions into the new ones, and install the new drive, would the computer then be able to use the Recovery partition to re-create the System partition? (Kind of like if the contents of the original System partition had been deleted.)

That won't work, you won't be able to duplicate the boot partition - which, incidentally, is probably what's damaged if the PC won't boot but the data is all still there.

Really the fastest and best way to get that computer factory reset is to have someone HP authorized do it, since they'll have the boot/recovery media lying around.

[Tahquitz]

There's cloning software, but that makes a byte perfect copy of the hard drive (including the installation you want to replace.). I've used Clonezilla and Fog, but I can't recommend either to someone who isn't well versed in Linux.  They both have a learning curve. (Clonezilla is CUI based, so one mistake and you're either unmounting volumes or wiping ifconfig, or like most folks you have to reboot to try again.  Fog relies on booting over Ethernet to work.  Neither approach is easy.)

There's also Symantec Ghost, but that's left the consumer market a while ago, so it's pricey.

[Golden Aurora]

If your hard drive is physically damaged (i.e. has bad sectors), you need to get your data off it ASAP.
Put your thumb drive with ubuntu into the computer and boot from it.
Also get a removable hard disk (usb external hdd) and plug that in before booting ubuntu.
That will let you get your data off.
After your data is safe, replace the hard disk and use a recovery media from hp (or an oem version of whatever os you use which is made for your brand) to get windows up and running on the new equipment.

If your hard drive is NOT physically damaged and the files just somehow got corrupted, you should be able to repair windows from a windows install/recovery cd.
Here's the instructions for windows 7.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17423/windows-7-create-system-repair-disc

Again, I want to stress that if any of that data matters to you, you need to get it off asap.
Another option is just to take the hard drive out of the laptop and put it in an external enclosure and grab it from another computer.
You can use something like this to do it.
https://www.amazon.com/Vantec-SATA-Adapter-case-CB-STU3-2PB/dp/B015FB3R12

Good luck!

[Super Firebug]

I have my laptop back (new drive with twice the capacity, and complete manufacturer's-original software install from restoredisks.com), and now I have a less-vital question. Before the crash, the version of ZoneAlarm that I was using had a system-tray icon that showed network activity - the left side showing when data from my computer went to wherever, and the right side showing data coming to my computer (I think I have those right). Now, the icon of the latest ZA version just sits there. Is there a way to "turn on" the activity indicator? Or, barring that, is there a system-tray gadget that'll show network activity? (I know about the Networking tab in Task Manager, but I'd rather have a system-tray gadget, and not have Task Manager open all the time.) As I'm typing this, I keep glancing down at the system tray to see if my current download is done yet. :/

[Tahquitz]

This is probably where you will say that's not what I'm asking for again.   I haven't used Zone Alarm in a decade.  Sorry on that part.

As for a gadget that shows network activity, cFosSpeed does the job for $20.  It's marketed as ASUS Turbo LAN in newer ASUS Motherboards and it's helped me eke out an extra 7-10% speed increase out of my 1GBps ethernet at work (being an educational institution, it's not just LAN, it's actually 1GB symmetrical uplink.)  The app has a desktop widget (not a Windows 7 widget) and a system tray net speed monitor that shows you current activity at a glance.  If your router at home doesn't have NAT instructions on their help website, if you help them write instructions specific to your router, they'll give you a copy for free.

The other one I've been familiar with since Windows 2000 is Bandwidth Monitor, but it's a bit aged, the same price as cFos and does nothing but show usage.