I'm having laptop problems. Vista won't boot up...same with Ubuntu. The HD activity light pretty much stays on constantly. Does this indicate a fucked HD? If so, is there anything I can do to salvage the HD information?

I haven't use Vista yet, but does it boot up like the rest of the Windows family with a DOS-like screen first? Does it give you the option to boot up in some kind of safe mode at all? Maybe you could work it from there if so.

As for it possibly being a bad HD- well......could be, but it could be a few other things as well such as a bad cable running from your hard drive to your processor or whatever.
And yes, many times data can be recovered from HDs that shit the bed. But it'll most likely cost you a penny (a few hundreds or two) at a shop to do it.

I tried to boot from safe mode AND from the last known configuration...no dice. Even getting to the F8 options takes forever.

Linux is the answer.

Sounds like a corrupt drive/boot sector.

Linux is the answer.

He just said he couldnt get Ubuntu to run, read sir.

Oh yeah.

Slave current drive. Install new primary. Try to move files.

Try a boot from another source if possible too. Got recovery CDs?

Sounds like a corrupt drive/boot sector.
What does this mean/what do I need to do to fix this?

Vert, I have no idea what you are talking about. And no, I don't have the recovery CDs...

Get a new hard drive with Operating System on it. Make this your primary (you can go external USB for simplicity) hard drive. Through your Operating system, you should be able to access the files on your current hard drive (which will be a secondary/slave drive). With what you're giving me to work with, I would say that is your best bet to get files.

Or try a new Operating System/destructive reformat.

yeap, pull the drive out and stick it on a USB-IDE-SATA adapter. Hook that up to a working computer. Save data. Format drive.

What could have caused this...a virus or something of that nature?

Edit: Is this HD fucked or not?

Well start by telling us where you kept your laptop lately. Has it been by any high powered magnets by any chance? Maybe that such as in a Subwoofer?

Well start by telling us where you kept your laptop lately. Has it been by any high powered magnets by any chance? Maybe that such as in a Subwoofer?
Nope...it's been in the same place it's always been; next to the couch on an endtable. This also happened after coming out of hibernation. And I didn't do anything to any files before hibernation.

What do you have the hibernation sector set to? It has a movable size setting for the file. Did you adjust it at all?

I have no idea what it was set to. And I made no adjustments...on anything.

Eh, replace HD.

Thank you for the simple answer. ;)

Whats with all these technical terms? Go outside and enjoy a sunset, nerd! ;p