Lenovo G580 hard disk failure - how to reinstall W7 with no recovery disc?

[TheNiceGuy]

Hello all
My wife's G580 has recently started hanging at a black screen after the bios. Can't get any farther, and bios once showed the HDD as "not installed". I'm guessing the HDD has died? She has no backup, and the laptop came with W7 preinstalled (and associated recovery files on the disc partition). So I'm assuming they're all gone.
If it is indeed the disc, I have a spare hard drive disk salvaged from her old Lenovo which is still working (I turned it into an external hard drive for data), although it's blank.
how can I reinstall her copy of Windows 7 if we have no physical disk?
Thanks

Edit: since I have the compatible laptop hard drive already hooked up with a USB, would it be possible to download a Lenovo oem Windows 7 with the drivers and everything installed, from my other PC onto the disk, and then just slap it in the Lenovo and it'd be like a new laptop?

 

[TheNiceGuy]

Well, I took out the HD and using a USB adapter can plug it into my PC to take a look. It is recognized right away, and I can look through the 3 partitions on it. Not sure what to check for. I ran MSE and no viruses showed up. I also ran "error-checking" under tools, and the main partition had errors it said it automatically repaired them and all is OK.
Put it back in the laptop, and same problem. After BIOS screen, it hangs forever in a black screen.
Likely a hardware issue?
Any ideas?

 

[ravana]

Is this one of those Lenovo models that has the 16 GB (or some other size) mSATA drive to speed up system performance?

My Y500 had that disk die & it wouldnt go past the bios. Went in and by trial and error pulled out RAM, HDD, etc. one by one and the moment I removed that drive, it booted up right away.

I couldn't find anything online that mentioned that this model had the same thing, but you could try seeing if it's an issue with a swappable component (including optical drive if it has one).

 

[TheNiceGuy]

I'm not sure if it has such a component. Would it show up in BIOS?
Disconnecting DVD drive might help?
I think I found a recovery/install disc online in English. This laptop is Japanese.
It is super slow to boot into any BIOS etc. menu on startup.

 

[compuwiz1]

Hit f8 as it's trying to boot and see if you can get recovery options to come up. If repair or system restore comes up, you have a way to possibly fix it.

 

[TheNiceGuy]

Hit f8 as it's trying to boot and see if you can get recovery options to come up. If repair or system restore comes up, you have a way to possibly fix it.

No, nothing.

 

[TheNiceGuy]

I dowloaded what appears to be a recovery DVD from a Microsoft forum, if I recall correctly. I tried to boot via USB drive, but it wouldn't bite. I was able to boot via my desk top copy of Windows 7 via SD card, initiated "repair", but got an error message of some kind and it would not proceed.
Would burning that downloaded DVD to a physical optical DVD and trying that help, or is it a waste of time?

 

[Blue_Max]

Surprised no one suggested downloading the ISO of Windows and simply using your key printed on the side of the machine on a Microsoft Windows sticker...
Then the drivers for the machine off the Lenovo support site. Then install!

100% legal because you have a valid key.

 

[TheNiceGuy]

Thank you.
Do you have links to the W7 home version, and drivers, that will work on this model? I couldn't find them.
Not sure if it's applicable, but this is a Japanese version with Japanese keyboard layout.

 

[TheNiceGuy]

As a side, I was just trial and error changing all settings in bios, and changing "sata controller working mode" from "ahci" to "compatible" mode has allowed it to progress to a system restore/repair screen I believe.
I ran every test available in the menus, such as memory test (appeared ok, although it restarted before I could see the results page) and restore to earlier update, and all have failed to allow windows to start properly.
Sorry, but hard to understand as everything other than bios is in japanese.

 

[TheNiceGuy]

Ok, it appears to give the "your computer had a big crash" screen and gives the option to repair or start normaly. Repair runs for maybe Half an hour then says it failed. There's a report, but it's technical stuff in japanese. Boot normaly crashes and loops back to repair option screen.

 

[TheNiceGuy]

I have an earlier model Lenovo for parts. Some hardware may be compatible. Is it possible something like bad ram etc would cause this? What would you recommend I try swapping out the test?

 

[Burpo]

Is it the original drive you're trying to restore?
I'd pop your spare drive in & try it..
Burn your OS to dvd or USB & install

 

[TheNiceGuy]

How do I burn the OS to usb etc?
Yesterday I did try the other hd, but same problem as its a blank hd.
Btw, I updated post #10.

 

[TheNiceGuy]

Pressing f8 now opens a boot option screen, with lots of choices such as safe mode.

 

[Burpo]

Well try safe mode and see if it boots thru..

Would burning that downloaded DVD to a physical optical DVD and trying that help, or is it a waste of time?

Yes.

If your drive has issues, use your back up drive and install Win 7 from dvd.. Up & running by this afternoon & then you can hook up original drive via USB and get your data off it.

 

[TheNiceGuy]

Where can I find this Windows 7 that works with the CD key on the laptop case?!
I've been looking for this from the beginning!

 

[TheNiceGuy]

Not looking good!

https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Lenovo...hased-a-Lenovo-G580-UNFORTUNATELY/td-p/973855

 

[Blue_Max]

Where can I find this Windows 7 that works with the CD key on the laptop case?!
I've been looking for this from the beginning!

http://www.howtogeek.com/186775/how-to-download-windows-7-8-and-8.1-installation-media-legally/

Scroll about halfway down -- be sure you download the right version for your key, though your key will work for either 32 or 64-bit versions. Go 64-bit if you have 4GB RAM or more.

It's the Digital River links so it's legit, and appears to be working.

[EDIT:] Hey... make sure it's a Windows *7* key on the machine. I had a new Dell that came with a Win8 key even though it shipped with 7. You might have no choice but to spend the ~$20 on Lenovo sending you a new disc, worst case.

 

[TheNiceGuy]

Thanks for the tips. It's W7 64 Home version. That link says it's the English version. Will it work with the Japanese system and the Japanese keyboard? G580 Drivers can be found where?

Would it help to post a pic of the error report?

 

[Burpo]

It's a simple Windows installation. It will detect hardware as it installs. You can grab the Altheros lan driver here & install.
http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/pro.../lenovo-g-series-laptops/lenovo-g580-notebook
After a few reboots and 100+ Windows updates, everything should be recognized and installed.

Alternatively;
If you have any disc clone software like Acronis or something, you may be able to image the old drive, transfer that image to your replacement drive. Install in laptop & let Windows repair the boot problem.. IF you can successfully image the old drive.

 

[Blue_Max]

It's a simple Windows installation. It will detect hardware as it installs. You can grab the Altheros lan driver here & install.
http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/pro.../lenovo-g-series-laptops/lenovo-g580-notebook
After a few reboots and 100+ Windows updates, everything should be recognized and installed.

Alternatively;
If you have any disc clone software like Acronis or something, you may be able to image the old drive, transfer that image to your replacement drive & let Windows repair the boot problem.. IF you can successfully image the old drive..

Depending on how badly corrupted... maybe the classic "freezer trick"?

 

[TheNiceGuy]

I just checked, and that ISO file, I had already burned to cd and it wouldn't allow me to install on the old current drive. No install option ever showed up, even with optical drive 1st boot priority. I'll try with the spare HD.

 

[TheNiceGuy]

Ya, something is seriously wrong.
I'be now burnt 3 install DVDs, tried usb card, every possible setting and option - all either loop or end with what appear to be error reports. Can't fresh install anything on either HD.
Maybe I should link photos of screenshots?

 

[TheNiceGuy]

Ok, here's some of the error messages:
http://s22.photobucket.com/user/excipio/embed/slideshow/Mobile Uploads
In addition, I jus tried chkdsk/c from command prompt, and it reported no errors.