(Before I start, I really couldn't think of where to put this, so mods feel free to move it to where you believe it should be)

So yeah after a drama class I was putting my laptop into my carry case and accidentally dropped it about 4 foot.

Anyways didn't think much of it. But 2 hours later and i've just gotten home and had a chance to see the damage. I turned on the laptop, it booted up normally (and got to the windows xp loading screen before having to choose which user name to use) and then it just flashes a BSOD and then reboots.

So, have I lost all my coursework? I always thought that the BSOD was a problem with windows, and not with hardware (but thats just me being stupid).

What do i do to fix this? (Would rather not have to format my hard drive due to a lot of important school work on their.) Thanks guys!

Anything can break in a laptop that has been dropped! First thing to do is to check for loose memory or hard drive. Check these things out, and be more careful

Ok will open it up in a moment and check everything is attached correctly brb.

edit -
everything seems fine.
I just turned on the laptop again and it gave a few beeps this time and had a BSOD that didnt reboot.

it had lots of words and said "unmountable_boot_volume"

guessing i've killed my hard drive?

Great just followed the advice at this site:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/297185
and now my laptop wont even turn on,
i was in the middle of checking the disk with "chkdsk /r" thing and it just turned off.

Just wont turn on now.....


GUUUUUUYSSS I'M GOING MENTAL I HAVE TO HAVE THIS FOR SCHOOL, plus the fact I have numerous amounts of coursework and notes from over the last two years....

You dropped the laptop, remember? You are going to need to take it in to a repair shop and have it checked. Chances are good the all you data is still intact. The shop would remove your hard drive and install another to check out the laptop. Once they got the system up and running again, they would install your original drive

hehe guess i'm gonna have to take it to a repair shop. I plugged in the AC adapter and it turns on now.
Used the recovery console from the windows xp disk and used the chkdsk facility. It got to 75% and then told me it was un-repairable.
So i guess i've broken something in my hard drive.

So yeah to the repair shop tis =[
thanks for the help.