I need a Win 7 recovery USB or disk

[GregSamsa]

I never created a recovery disk because every time I tried, I got an "incorrect parameter" error message and could find no workaround online that didn't involve messing with registry keys.

Much later, I was streaming a video and used the slider to move back to a point a little earlier, and the image froze while the sound got stuck in a very short loop ("a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a").  At this point the laptop was entirely unresponsive.  ESC wouldn't take it out of full screen, no cursor visible, ctrl-alt-del did nothing, so I had to turn it off.

When I restarted it, I got a message on a black screen saying that Windows failed to start, a recent hardware or software change might be the cause, and to insert the Windows installation disk (which this laptop did not come with).  "Status: 0xc000000f"  Info: The boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible."

Pressing ESC allowed me to enter diagnostics and it passed the memory test and disk tests.  However, when I choose System Recovery I get the message "The file is possibly corrupt.  The file header checksum does not match the computed checksum."  There are no options and no other text.

F11 allows me into the bios,  and from there the memory and disk tests pass.  However pressing F8 just gets the the first error message above.

So I just bought a new HP Win 10, but I would VERY MUCH like to retrieve some things from the old laptop.  Since it appears that I can change the source from which the machine boots, I'm trying to find a downloadable recovery disk or usb.  I tried the product key at the Microsoft site and got the message "It appears you are trying to use the product key from pre-installed software.  Please contact the device manufacturer."

Trying the above processes over and over, just a FEW times it has managed to boot to my desktop, but before I can get it to an earlier restore point the screen goes black and shows the corrupt file message mentioned above.  The same has occurred on the rare appearance of the menu that allows me to try Safe Mode.

HELP! 

If I am unable to find and download a recovery disk or usb, would it be possible to connect it with a usb-to-usb cord to my new laptop and use the old laptop as an external drive, and retrieve my stuff that way?

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

You are getting warm. The easiest way to recover files is actually to remove the hard drive from the old computer put it in a usb adapter box or cable and plug into the new laptop. The driver will appear in the new computer as a lettered volume and you can copy and paste to your heart's content from old to new. 

The old laptop is likely still perfectly good and all you need is a Windows 7 OEM (not retail) recovery disk of the right type (likely Win7 Home Premium 64 bit). Microsoft made .isos of the OEM install disks available for free download until about 2 years ago when they pulled them, citing the cost of providing the free bandwidth. Mirrors of the old Microsoft "digital river" site are still out there at some University and other sites but you do run some malware risk in downloading from an unknown source. HP and Microsoft have made it very clear we are not to provide links for such downloads. 

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-SATA-Drive-Adapter-Cable/dp/B00HJZJI84/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=149919...

Another way to do this without opening the old laptop is to download a Linux "Live" disk and boot the old computer from it. That will activate your network devices and you can connect the old and new laptop to the same file-sharing network and transfer files from old to new that way. 

But hard drive removal is a piece of cake on that model:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RvPJa4AjOg

If this is "the Answer" please click "Accept as Solution" to help others find it. 

[GregSamsa]

I really appreciate your speedy reply!

You are right about how the removal of the hard drive is very easy on this model; I've done that when replacing a display cable, a job which entailed dismantling almost the whole thing.

Pardon the noob question, but will that cable/adaptor suffice to run the hard disk as an external drive without a separate power source, or does it get that through the USB connection? 

Thanks again for your help.  I will try to find the old OEM .isos and failing that I'll get the adaptor.  I wish I knew what caused the original problem because I had not recently downloaded anything.  I also wish the repair instructions didn't ask to insert a disk laptops rarely come with nowadays.

[Huffer]

The adapter is bus powered...needs no external power supply