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Tech help pls.: My HP laptop wont boot
July 3 2009 | max

Posted on 07/03/2009 7:59:53 PM PDT by max americana

Need some techie help pls . fellow Freepers. I have an XP Media HP laptop 2006 1.6 GB 2006. The laptop keeps attempting to boot up, the power is on but it wont just go to the XP /os start up,,,(the past 20 minutes now)

the solution pls especially how to access the laptop drive because it looks like I will have to reboot this laptop completely with the recovery disks BUT I dont want to unless neccessary. And there's some info that I need to get to especially the hard drive.

Expert and intermediate suggestions and solutions pls..


TOPICS: Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: boot; laptop; xp
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To: Viking2002

splash screen is what? The HP invent screen or the Xp screen?


21 posted on 07/03/2009 8:20:27 PM PDT by max americana
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To: max americana
Just a black screen, nothing at all happening? When you turn on the computor do you get a cursor, anything at all flashing on the screen? If so, let's start with a peek at your BIOS, see what it thinks it's doing. Often you get at that by hitting shortly after your computor has beeped at you upon powerup. We need to check the BIOS to ensure that it is looking for your boot drive in the right place. If it isn't, it might produce the results you are currently getting. Or it might drop you down to an A: cursor, in the absence of an operating system. If we can, let's rule out the BIOS first. Now, if you AREN'T getting anything at all flashing on your screen when you power up, I'd be guessing your videocard or, more likely these days, the motherboard. One thing at a time, tho'.
22 posted on 07/03/2009 8:20:27 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: DieHard the Hunter

nothing. As black as Obama’s heart. No cursor either, and at this moment, I welcome a BSOD.


23 posted on 07/03/2009 8:21:53 PM PDT by max americana
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To: max americana

Do you use McAfee?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2285248/posts?page=1


24 posted on 07/03/2009 8:22:02 PM PDT by Fido969 ("The hardest thing in the world to understand is income tax." - Albert Einstein)
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To: max americana; D Rider; advance_copy; All
You are correct, it SHOULD be the motherboard...that’s why I hate HP. I was just too lazy to make copies.

My family had an HP once.

It was a piece of s***. And the fact that it ran Windows Me really didn't help.

Worst laptop we ever owned.

Multiple system board failures, hard disk failures, you name it. The damn thing was in the shop so often, it wasn't funny.

Needless to say, my sis and I both have ThinkPads -- an R series for me, and a T series for my sis -- these days, and they have been perfectly wonderful, aside from the DVD-RW on mine sounding like a jet taking off (which reminds me why I never use the drive), and my sis' laptop blue-screening whenever she does the three-finger salute and clicks "Change Password." [Too lazy/busy to fix the problems, so I just leave them be.]

In summary, my personal advice to fellow FReepers is either buy a ThinkPad (stay away from the SL series, though) or a Mac. Oh, and stay away from Dell, unless you want the data on your hard disk to go to hell.

25 posted on 07/03/2009 8:22:06 PM PDT by rabscuttle385 ("If this be treason, then make the most of it!" —Patrick Henry)
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To: rabscuttle385

Were you running McAfee antivirus software? If so, there’s a thread posted on that, very recently here on FR, some sort of malicious code in it that causes an “autoimmune” attack, wiping out core files. Some networks in England and Italy are experiencing 50% BSOD.


26 posted on 07/03/2009 8:22:19 PM PDT by RegulatorCountry
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To: max americana

If you have a USB drive that has an OS loaded on it, which is a tricky thing to put together, and the BIOS is configured to boot from USB it would boot if there isn’t a problem with the Mobo (that’s motherboard for those of you in geek rio linda). But, if the Mobo is fried, it won’t boot no matter what you do.


27 posted on 07/03/2009 8:22:36 PM PDT by advance_copy (Stand for life or nothing at all)
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To: RegulatorCountry; max americana

Dude, McAfee is a piece of s***, especially the consumer version. Symantec’s not much better. That’s why I use Nod32. :-D


28 posted on 07/03/2009 8:23:24 PM PDT by rabscuttle385 ("If this be treason, then make the most of it!" —Patrick Henry)
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To: DieHard the Hunter; max americana

Crikey — I’m tired too. The strikeout in my previous message should be stet. and after the word “hitting” and before the word “shortly” (where the strikeouts begin) should be the word “DEL”


29 posted on 07/03/2009 8:23:43 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: Fido969

No, I hate McAfee and witched to Avira after Mcafee failed to spot a vicious trojan that shot down my laptop...but Spybot caught it which is amazing...


30 posted on 07/03/2009 8:24:34 PM PDT by max americana
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To: rabscuttle385

Rab..Im currently using a KOREAN laptop from Compaq w/c uses Windows ME. This is my emergency laptop.


31 posted on 07/03/2009 8:25:47 PM PDT by max americana
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To: rabscuttle385

I have Norton on my work mac, and nothing on my personal PowerBook.

Haven’t had any problems. It’s been years since Norton picked up anything in a scan, even.


32 posted on 07/03/2009 8:26:00 PM PDT by RegulatorCountry
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To: max americana

> nothing. As black as Obama’s heart. No cursor either, and at this moment, I welcome a BSOD.

I’m guessing it’s the motherboard then. If you feel adventurous you may want to check your cables and re-seat any boards, but not a good idea if your machine is under warranty.

It does not sound like there is anything wrong with the drive itself, so chances are good that your data is there just fine.

Is your machine under warranty?


33 posted on 07/03/2009 8:26:24 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: max americana

I tried to buy an HP laptop, once. I bought three of them in less than a week. They all had something wrong with them. I brought them back and got a new one, three times.

After demanding my money back and no more tries at finding a unit that actually worked...they sent me home with a higher priced Toshiba, at an HP price....

And I’m posting this reply on that same Toshiba...six years later.....


34 posted on 07/03/2009 8:26:33 PM PDT by ButThreeLeftsDo (FR....Monthly Donors Wanted.)
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To: DieHard the Hunter

Now worries DHTD, Ill decide tonight if I have to pay Best Buy and their nerd guys to fix it. Thanks for the replies though.


35 posted on 07/03/2009 8:27:15 PM PDT by max americana
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To: DieHard the Hunter

The warranty just ended. I didnt want to pay HP anymnore because the laptop is a lemon.


36 posted on 07/03/2009 8:28:26 PM PDT by max americana
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To: max americana

That’s unfortunate. I’d offer you the extra ThinkPad on my shelf here, but you’d have to pay to get the screen fixed.


37 posted on 07/03/2009 8:30:36 PM PDT by rabscuttle385 ("If this be treason, then make the most of it!" —Patrick Henry)
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To: RegulatorCountry
Haven’t had any problems

Perhaps because you're using a Mac. [I'm jealous. :-)]

38 posted on 07/03/2009 8:31:25 PM PDT by rabscuttle385 ("If this be treason, then make the most of it!" —Patrick Henry)
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To: max americana

If it’s the system board, you might as well just take a gun to the laptop.


39 posted on 07/03/2009 8:31:57 PM PDT by rabscuttle385 ("If this be treason, then make the most of it!" —Patrick Henry)
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To: rabscuttle385

I appreciate the offer but thanks anyway.


40 posted on 07/03/2009 8:33:03 PM PDT by max americana
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