Help needed with a windows 7 laptop that won’t start

[rob-nikon]

A school within our borough has put out a plea for help for the donation of any old laptop that may be lurking in cupboards gathering dust as 320 of their students (nearly 3/4 of their pupils) don't have access to a laptop to do online learning during this recent lockdown.

I have a windows 7 Samsung notebook laptop (2012 model) that I’d like to donate but I can’t get it to boot up. It says there’s an error and it can’t be automatically repaired by windows. I’ve not used it for several years so that could be a reason why it’s not starting.

I’m wondering if it needs to be wiped and install a fresh copy of windows 7.

 

[Box Brownie]

A worthy (local) cause bearing in mind the reports of what a parlous state the remote learning 'infrastructure' is in!

Now, I wonder that even if your W7 laptop was working, would it comply with the schools requirements.

Surely the DoE and the schools have a compliance structure in place to ensure that all "devices" will function in a manner that the school can support??? Such as all the donated PC's will be checked and installed with a legally compliant and supported OS plus software to do the remote learning. (if nothing else they have school wide MS Windows Educational License)

In other words it is all very well putting out the call for donations for 320 old laptops but have they done so with the knowledge that if they reach the 320..................just how many of that number will need to be "made good". IMO it could be al 320 of them !

PS let alone the 100% need to make sure that all data from the donator has been expunged.................not every owner will know how to do that securely & thoroughly!

 

[broc]

A school within our borough has put out a plea for help for the donation of any old laptop that may be lurking in cupboards gathering dust as 320 of their students (nearly 3/4 of their pupils) don't have access to a laptop to do online learning during this recent lockdown.

I have a windows 7 Samsung notebook laptop (2012 model) that I’d like to donate but I can’t get it to boot up. It says there’s an error and it can’t be automatically repaired by windows. I’ve not used it for several years so that could be a reason why it’s not starting.

I’m wondering if it needs to be wiped and install a fresh copy of windows 7.

Contact the school & explain the situation. Schools have ICT support either onsite (secondaries) or provided by the LA. They will be geared up to reimage it. (I used manage a school network).

 

[ancient_mariner]

I would suggest downloading something like Linux mint Mate edition and either burning a DVD or making a bootable memory stick. Run it as a live installation from the media to check everything still works, then reformat the HDD and install it before handing the computer over.

 

[rob-nikon]

Thanks for the replies. I’m having no luck trying to restore it. I’m going to contact the school to see if it’s useful to them. I don’t want to give them something that’s not useful to them. Its a primary school but they have their own IT manager onsite and have already said any laptops donated will be properly data wiped and set up for their students. To be honest they are trying to do the best they can with what they have (like all schools really). The government have provided 4 laptops but that doesn't touch the sides considering the number required.

 

[broc]

Thanks for the replies. I’m having no luck trying to restore it. I’m going to contact the school to see if it’s useful to them. I don’t want to give them something that’s not useful to them. Its a primary school but they have their own IT manager onsite and have already said any laptops donated will be properly data wiped and set up for their students. To be honest they are trying to do the best they can with what they have (like all schools really). The government have provided 4 laptops but that doesn't touch the sides considering the number required.

If it turns out the HDD is faulty it's a simple job to replace it. We used to be forever replacing laptop HDDs at the school where I worked, but we did have almost 700 including staff laptops. School ICT staff are very resourceful.

 

[darkroom12]

A school within our borough has put out a plea for help for the donation of any old laptop that may be lurking in cupboards gathering dust as 320 of their students (nearly 3/4 of their pupils) don't have access to a laptop to do online learning during this recent lockdown.

I have a windows 7 Samsung notebook laptop (2012 model) that I’d like to donate but I can’t get it to boot up. It says there’s an error and it can’t be automatically repaired by windows. I’ve not used it for several years so that could be a reason why it’s not starting.

I’m wondering if it needs to be wiped and install a fresh copy of windows 7.

If a computer is to be donated, it would be wise to have it wiped in before it is handed over. I am not certain but if it is like my desktop which was Windows 7 originally and when the freebie version of Windows 10 came along the new software loaded even without it being wiped before hand.
The point is, if you wipe it, a local authority should have the ability to upload Windows 10 and get it working. That would be a lot cheaper than a new laptop.