Vista repair help please.
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Well if you need any help, i'll be online until about 3am.
(upgrading an ESXi server with 250gb of virtual machines on board - and it's taking ages to copy from the datastore)
(upgrading an ESXi server with 250gb of virtual machines on board - and it's taking ages to copy from the datastore)
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Thanks for the offer. MB.
Now, this is getting silly! Here's a head scratcher for all youpatient MS wizards.
I have a 'lent' Vista CD. Pop it in my desktop, boot from it, 'Windows is loading files', --> Vista setup screen.
Now into the HP Laptop.
1) Boot from CD/DVD takes a while to appear
2) Windows is loading files'
3) Now, 50% of the time a power reset, 50% a blank screen??
OK you ****, in goes my own XP CD and/or my UBCD Cd
Straight into setup??
This happens battery in or out. What is the difference in a Vista 'boot from DVD' and an XP 'boot from CD'?
Now, this is getting silly! Here's a head scratcher for all youpatient MS wizards.
I have a 'lent' Vista CD. Pop it in my desktop, boot from it, 'Windows is loading files', --> Vista setup screen.
Now into the HP Laptop.
1) Boot from CD/DVD takes a while to appear
2) Windows is loading files'
3) Now, 50% of the time a power reset, 50% a blank screen??
OK you ****, in goes my own XP CD and/or my UBCD Cd
Straight into setup??
This happens battery in or out. What is the difference in a Vista 'boot from DVD' and an XP 'boot from CD'?
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Bit of a funny one...
Since XP works, I would look into upgrading the laptops bios... might help. - That is, if you are not already using the latest one.
See: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport...riesId=3466363 - for driver and bios updates.
You might have to temporarily install XP to do that which could take some time. As I said earlier, if it is still under warranty, contact HP support. You should be able to get a replacement system board out of them which doesn't have these problems.
I also found a troubleshooting page for the G6000 which may well be of some use, some of the problems here seem to match yours!
HP G6000 Notebook PC series- Troubleshoot a problem - HP Business Support Center
Since XP works, I would look into upgrading the laptops bios... might help. - That is, if you are not already using the latest one.
See: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport...riesId=3466363 - for driver and bios updates.
You might have to temporarily install XP to do that which could take some time. As I said earlier, if it is still under warranty, contact HP support. You should be able to get a replacement system board out of them which doesn't have these problems.
I also found a troubleshooting page for the G6000 which may well be of some use, some of the problems here seem to match yours!
HP G6000 Notebook PC series- Troubleshoot a problem - HP Business Support Center
This happens battery in or out. What is the difference in a Vista 'boot from DVD' and an XP 'boot from CD'?
I did notice with one bootable disc, the PC had to be fully shut down first, not just restarted, for the disc to work.
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I have a 'lent' Vista CD. Pop it in my desktop, boot from it, 'Windows is loading files', --> Vista setup screen.
Now into the HP Laptop.
1) Boot from CD/DVD takes a while to appear
2) Windows is loading files'
3) Now, 50% of the time a power reset, 50% a blank screen??
OK you ****, in goes my own XP CD and/or my UBCD Cd
Straight into setup??
This happens battery in or out. What is the difference in a Vista 'boot from DVD' and an XP 'boot from CD'?
Now into the HP Laptop.
1) Boot from CD/DVD takes a while to appear
2) Windows is loading files'
3) Now, 50% of the time a power reset, 50% a blank screen??
OK you ****, in goes my own XP CD and/or my UBCD Cd
Straight into setup??
This happens battery in or out. What is the difference in a Vista 'boot from DVD' and an XP 'boot from CD'?
Vista is loading drivers for the hardware it detects (and XP likewise), and Vista is encountering an issue with one piece of hardware which then causes the power reset or blank screen.
Do you have any specific driver disks for Vista for the laptop? indeed, has the laptop been Vista certified?
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I'm afraid you've lost me there, Mike. From Post #1, Lap was Vista pre-loaded (bought from Staples). Problems occurred following apparent broken SP2 update. In addition I thought that booting from CD/DVD would bypass any driver issues?
Last edited by BOAC; 16th Jul 2009 at 15:02.
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Power issues
BOAC,
The power supply issues are one of two things: the batteries are going bad, have gone bad, or have become defective.
But it also might be the motherboard battery. (Something many users overlook during troubleshooting.) I don't know how old the system is
but the motherboard battery doesn't usually last all that long. Replace the motherboard battery and if that solves the power issue that was the cause. If not, then the battery pack needs to be replaced. (which is easy enough to do.)
The power supply issues are one of two things: the batteries are going bad, have gone bad, or have become defective.
But it also might be the motherboard battery. (Something many users overlook during troubleshooting.) I don't know how old the system is
but the motherboard battery doesn't usually last all that long. Replace the motherboard battery and if that solves the power issue that was the cause. If not, then the battery pack needs to be replaced. (which is easy enough to do.)
More bang for your buck
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This might help: http://www.pprune.org/newreply.php?d...te=1&p=5064940
Restore the PC to its original condition with the HP Recovery Manager if Windows Vista is not accessible
If the PC cannot launch into Windows, it may still be possible to use the HP Recovery Manager on the hard drive to restore the computer to its original operating condition by first pressing the Power button to start the PC, and then pressing the F11 key to start the HP Recovery Manager.
NOTE: Depending on the BIOS version, your computer may display multiple prompts during startup including F11 to start System Recovery. Pressing the F11 key on a computer with an HP factory image will start System Recovery even if the prompt is not displayed.
* If the HP Recovery Manager can access the hard drive, a prompt is displayed to backup the user files before beginning the recovery. Follow any on-screen instructions.
If the PC cannot launch into Windows, it may still be possible to use the HP Recovery Manager on the hard drive to restore the computer to its original operating condition by first pressing the Power button to start the PC, and then pressing the F11 key to start the HP Recovery Manager.
NOTE: Depending on the BIOS version, your computer may display multiple prompts during startup including F11 to start System Recovery. Pressing the F11 key on a computer with an HP factory image will start System Recovery even if the prompt is not displayed.
* If the HP Recovery Manager can access the hard drive, a prompt is displayed to backup the user files before beginning the recovery. Follow any on-screen instructions.
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By mobi battery I mean the small battery which sits in its cradle on the motherboard itself. CMOS battery, yes. Do not just reset the CMOS battery: replace it.
It's cheap enough at Radio Shack. (Or your equivalent in the UK)
The CD/DVD. I'm writing this at work (tsk! tsk! bad boy!) on an HP NC8000 craptop (laptop).
(I believe the craptop you are working on is also an HP bestowed one?) I have a similar problem to yours e ie, CD's work fine - to boot from - but DVDs boot occasionally. I believe, but I'm not certain, that a BIOS update might fix that OR
the CD/DVD drive needs to be replaced.
In essence, you not only have software issues - which I assume you're still working on - but hardware as well. I do, however, concur with others in that unless you
get Vista running properly soon, I would start all over again. During the SP2 "upgrade" the process will patch some files, delete other files and add new ones. Since this process was interrupted the system is in a rather precarious state, to say the least.
If the DVD drive won't install properly can you get your hands on an external USB drive?
It's cheap enough at Radio Shack. (Or your equivalent in the UK)
The CD/DVD. I'm writing this at work (tsk! tsk! bad boy!) on an HP NC8000 craptop (laptop).
(I believe the craptop you are working on is also an HP bestowed one?) I have a similar problem to yours e ie, CD's work fine - to boot from - but DVDs boot occasionally. I believe, but I'm not certain, that a BIOS update might fix that OR
the CD/DVD drive needs to be replaced.
In essence, you not only have software issues - which I assume you're still working on - but hardware as well. I do, however, concur with others in that unless you
get Vista running properly soon, I would start all over again. During the SP2 "upgrade" the process will patch some files, delete other files and add new ones. Since this process was interrupted the system is in a rather precarious state, to say the least.
If the DVD drive won't install properly can you get your hands on an external USB drive?
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gg - sadly exhausted that one a while back... loads files then blank screen. I just need to get into DOS and maybe I could sort the update (Google has instructions) but I cannae get into DOS! F12 does not produce a CMD prompt - just 'run repair/start normally' options.
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If the DVD drive won't install properly can you get your hands on an external USB drive?
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BOAC. Dropping into DOS, and the command line, although admirable your task to sort the update would be formidable. Google might have the "answers" but depending on how much time you want to spend on this I'd start from scratch. If your friend's husband has all their personal files copied off somewhere then there is no harm in formatting the hard drive and re-installing the "OS".
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By USB drive I mean an external USB DVD drive. Plug it into one of the craptop's USB ports, set the BIOS to boot from there (assuming you can get to the BIOS) and begin the install.
There is a way, though, to copy the DVD's contents to an external USB Hard drive.
But you would need a utility to set the USB hard drive to bootable. I know there is something "out there" to do this but I can't think of the name of the utility.
Time to Google it and find the utility.
BOAC - I have indeed found the utility. It's called make_bootable and can be found here:
http://www.megaleecher.net/uploads/Make_bootable.zip
Thus, if you have an external USB hard drive, copy the entire contents of the DVD to the USB drive and then run the make_bootable utility. (The utility does not work with FAT32 and NTFS file systems. You would have to reformat the USB drive to FAT)
--------------------------- OR MORE PREFERABLE-------------------
1. First format your USB drive in NTFS file system. You can do it by attaching your USB drive to a nicely behaving system and then format it from My Computer window.
2. Now open Command Prompt window from Start menu. Right-click on Command Prompt entry in start menu and select "Run as administrator" option.
3. Now type diskpart in Command Prompt window and press Enter. It'll launch DiskPart program:
4. Now provide following command:
Now you have to select the USB drive volume by providing select volume no. command. Since in our case volume no. of USB drive is "Volume 4", the command would be:
5. Now we need to create Boot sector on USB drive. We'll use "bootsect.exe" utility for this task. You can find this utility in Windows Vista setup disk. It'll be present in "Boot" directory.
Now provide following command in Command Prompt:
bootsect /nt60 G:
Here G is drive letter of USB drive. Replace it with the correct drive letter if your system has some other letter for USB drive.
6. At last, copy all files/folders from Vista Setup DVD to your USB drive and you have done.
Now you can boot using your USB drive and can install Windows Vista in any system.
There is a way, though, to copy the DVD's contents to an external USB Hard drive.
But you would need a utility to set the USB hard drive to bootable. I know there is something "out there" to do this but I can't think of the name of the utility.
Time to Google it and find the utility.
BOAC - I have indeed found the utility. It's called make_bootable and can be found here:
http://www.megaleecher.net/uploads/Make_bootable.zip
Thus, if you have an external USB hard drive, copy the entire contents of the DVD to the USB drive and then run the make_bootable utility. (The utility does not work with FAT32 and NTFS file systems. You would have to reformat the USB drive to FAT)
--------------------------- OR MORE PREFERABLE-------------------
1. First format your USB drive in NTFS file system. You can do it by attaching your USB drive to a nicely behaving system and then format it from My Computer window.
2. Now open Command Prompt window from Start menu. Right-click on Command Prompt entry in start menu and select "Run as administrator" option.
3. Now type diskpart in Command Prompt window and press Enter. It'll launch DiskPart program:
4. Now provide following command:
list volume
It'll show a list of all drives in your system. Look for your USB drive entry. As in the below screenshot, the USB drive is "G" which you can determine from its "Type" entry.Now you have to select the USB drive volume by providing select volume no. command. Since in our case volume no. of USB drive is "Volume 4", the command would be:
select volume 4
Now we have to make this drive active. So provide active command:active
Now exit from DiskPart using exit command.5. Now we need to create Boot sector on USB drive. We'll use "bootsect.exe" utility for this task. You can find this utility in Windows Vista setup disk. It'll be present in "Boot" directory.
Now provide following command in Command Prompt:
bootsect /nt60 G:
Here G is drive letter of USB drive. Replace it with the correct drive letter if your system has some other letter for USB drive.
6. At last, copy all files/folders from Vista Setup DVD to your USB drive and you have done.
Now you can boot using your USB drive and can install Windows Vista in any system.
Last edited by rgbrock1; 16th Jul 2009 at 17:52.
More bang for your buck
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Could you not download DOS and burn it to a cd and run it from there?
MS-DOS Boot Disk Download | AllBootDisks - Providing Free Boot Disks from MS-DOS to Windows XP.
MS-DOS Boot Disk Download | AllBootDisks - Providing Free Boot Disks from MS-DOS to Windows XP.
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rgb - been away trying that. I do not seem to have cracked it, though as my own laptop will not boot from my 500gb USB hard drive partition (after using Partition manager and bootsect). New territory for me. USB drive was set up in XP - will that affect this?
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BOAC says:
rgb - been away trying that. I do not seem to have cracked it, though as my own laptop will not boot from my 500gb USB hard drive partition (after using Partition manager and bootsect). New territory for me. USB drive was set up in XP - will that affect this?
Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you but the 5 hour time difference between us is not conducive to helping someone with a problem!
That the USB drive was set up in XP should be irrelevant. I would imagine
that the drive is using the NTFS file system? Can you verify that? Can you get into the BIOS on your laptop and, using the appropriate menu action, re-order the boot sequence so the first one would be your USB device?
Did you try the preferred method I wrote earlier?
rgb - been away trying that. I do not seem to have cracked it, though as my own laptop will not boot from my 500gb USB hard drive partition (after using Partition manager and bootsect). New territory for me. USB drive was set up in XP - will that affect this?
Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you but the 5 hour time difference between us is not conducive to helping someone with a problem!
That the USB drive was set up in XP should be irrelevant. I would imagine
that the drive is using the NTFS file system? Can you verify that? Can you get into the BIOS on your laptop and, using the appropriate menu action, re-order the boot sequence so the first one would be your USB device?
Did you try the preferred method I wrote earlier?
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Rgb - I actually set up the usb drive (a 500gb external) using Partition Magic, but all else as per - except that I setup another partition on it and made that bootable using bootsect. All appeared to go as per your post.
As this is all new to me, is the problem that I am trying to use a partition on the usb drive rather than making the whole usb drive bootable?
As this is all new to me, is the problem that I am trying to use a partition on the usb drive rather than making the whole usb drive bootable?
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You need to make the whole drive bootable and not a specific partition.
Partition Magic, from what I remember of it, can do this. It also depends on WHERE the bootable partition is. With a 500GB drive if it's located past
the first 3GB (i believe) it won't boot. There's a limit imposed by the BIOS
on where the bootable partition is in the partition map. I would start over again and set the entire drive bootable.
PS: I know you were, or still are, following the AF447 thread as I've seen
you there. You might find this of interest:
Guyana newspapers report a large section of AF 447 and other items have washed up on the beaches there.
Partition Magic, from what I remember of it, can do this. It also depends on WHERE the bootable partition is. With a 500GB drive if it's located past
the first 3GB (i believe) it won't boot. There's a limit imposed by the BIOS
on where the bootable partition is in the partition map. I would start over again and set the entire drive bootable.
PS: I know you were, or still are, following the AF447 thread as I've seen
you there. You might find this of interest:
Guyana newspapers report a large section of AF 447 and other items have washed up on the beaches there.