# Dropped my laptop: Fixable? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 17, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropped-my-laptop-fixable/532709 "2010-03-17T00:07:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropped-my-laptop-fixable/532709/1 "2010-03-17T00:07:32Z")
I dropped my HP 550, Compaq, onto the floor yesterday…twice! So, when I reboot, I get a black screen with Compaq centerred in the middle in white text. At the lower left hand are two lines of text: Press esc for different setup order. Pressf10 for…something… I’m away from computer, so I can’t remember for sure what it is. When I press f10, I get a screen with ‘diagnostics, x, x,x’ tabs. When I press enter it goes either back to the compaq screen, or stays on the same screen with the tabs on it. So, when I press escape, or don’t press anything, the screen goes to a black screen with “No operating system Identified”. So, Is my computer hosed, or did I just knock the OS off? Will a reinstall of an operating work, or is it broken totally? I don’t have any discs, or anything from the manufacturer, but, it was a Windows vista, so will I have to pay for a new OS? Thanks, hh ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropped-my-laptop-fixable/532709/2 "2010-03-17T01:14:37Z")
It’s telling you it can’t find and/or access the drive. If the drive is the only thing damaged consider yourself very fortunate. A new 160 to 320 gig SATA notebook drive can be had at Best Buy or Newegg for 50-80 dollars. Use your OS install CD if you have one or you can buy a new one from Compaq/HP for around $ 15 or so. On the other hand if the unit is misbehaving because the notebook MB is fractured you are in pretty deep poo affordable repair-wise. [Here are your specs. The drive is an SATA notebook drive.](http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF06a/321957-321957-64295-321838-89315-3764998.html) ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropped-my-laptop-fixable/532709/3 "2010-03-17T01:27:46Z")
Did you check to see if the hard drive is still properly seated? If so, see if you can boot from an external boot disc on a CD or flash drive. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropped-my-laptop-fixable/532709/4 "2010-03-17T21:45:20Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Did you check to see if the hard drive is still properly seated? If so, see if you can boot from an external boot disc on a CD or flash drive. OK, what CD or external boot disk? I have one source that says I can download a recovery disc, I’m suspecting that that’s the same thing? Thanks! Best wishes, hh ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dropped-my-laptop-fixable/532709/5 "2010-03-17T21:46:21Z")
> [@astro](#): > > It’s telling you it can’t find and/or access the drive. If the drive is the only thing damaged consider yourself very fortunate. A new 160 to 320 gig SATA notebook drive can be had at Best Buy or Newegg for 50-80 dollars. Use your OS install CD if you have one or you can buy a new one from Compaq/HP for around $ 15 or so. > > On the other hand if the unit is misbehaving because the notebook MB is fractured you are in pretty deep poo affordable repair-wise. > > [Here are your specs. The drive is an SATA notebook drive.](http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF06a/321957-321957-64295-321838-89315-3764998.html) Thank you very much! hh