Laptop not doing ANYTHING.

jackdfc · 23 May 2012

Hi,
This is my first post so please be nice!

I was on my laptop last night. I plugged in my iPod, before everything froze (even the cursor). Small problems like this usually happen to me, so I just turned it off using the power button, and expected to be able to just start it up again normally.
But now everytime I turn it on, it comes up with 2 options of 'Launch Startup Repair (recommended)' and 'Start Windows Normally'. Whatever option I pick, it will come up saying 'Starting Windows' and under it the black box and green loading bar (but no windows sign) and then after that says 'Windows is loading files' before it comes to a blue background and cursor, and thats it.
So I cant get on the laptop to do anything AT ALL. So any tips on doing things that involves getting past the start up screen, will unfortunately not be useful.

Being a kid who got a laptop for Christmas, after breaking the other one, help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Edit: As soon as I posted this, a HP Recovery Manager came up and its now backing everything up. I'm not sure why it decided to work now, instead of last night!!

jackdfc · 23 May 2012

Update - The HP Recovery Manager backed everything up, then said it had to restart. I allowed that and now it is coming up with Status: 0xc00000e9. Info: An unexpected I/O has occured. When I press enter it takes me to 2 options. Operating System to start: Ramdisk Options [EMS Enabled]. (Surely it should be Windows 7?!) And also Tools: Windows Memory Diagnostic. (Which I have done, but didn't seem to do anything. When I choose the Ramdisk Options it goes back to the Status screen.

Please will someone help as I really am getting quite worried!!

I am not aware of any discs that came with the laptop.

usasma · 23 May 2012

Start with the free hard drive diagnostic here: Hard Drive Diagnostic Procedure
If that passes, post back and there will be other tests to run.

If it doesn't pass, then you probably have a dead hard drive. If the system is still under warranty, HP should fix it under warranty (but you'll have to send it away). If it's not fixed by HP (but by the people that you bought it from) you'll probably need the recovery disks. You can order them from HP - here's a link on how to contact them in the US: Order Recovery Discs (USA)

jackdfc · 23 May 2012

usasma said:

Start with the free hard drive diagnostic here: Hard Drive Diagnostic Procedure
If that passes, post back and there will be other tests to run.

If it doesn't pass, then you probably have a dead hard drive. If the system is still under warranty, HP should fix it under warranty (but you'll have to send it away). If it's not fixed by HP (but by the people that you bought it from) you'll probably need the recovery disks. You can order them from HP - here's a link on how to contact them in the US: Order Recovery Discs (USA)

Hi,

I can't actually do the process for the Hard Drive Diagnostic Procedure because I can not get on the desktop.
Or I'm just being really dumb and can't properly understand it.
Thanks for getting back to me.

usasma · 23 May 2012

Nope, not stupid. My first day at work as a PC Tech - I burned 10 ISO files to disks, and none of them worked (because I didn't use an ISO burner, I just copied them). I was embarrassed!

The hard drive diagnostic disk is bootable (doesn't need Windows). You burn the ISO file with an ISO burner in order to make it bootable.

Put the disk in the drive
Boot the system
Rapidly tap "Esc" as the HP splash screen shows up
It'll ask you for a choice (can't recall all of them) - but F9 is the choice for booting from a different device. Choose it
Then select the DVD drive and press Enter.

Then follow the directions to run the Long/Extended/Thorough test and see what it says.

jackdfc · 23 May 2012

usasma said:

Nope, not stupid. My first day at work as a PC Tech - I burned 10 ISO files to disks, and none of them worked (because I didn't use an ISO burner, I just copied them). I was embarrassed!

The hard drive diagnostic disk is bootable (doesn't need Windows). You burn the ISO file with an ISO burner in order to make it bootable.

Put the disk in the drive
Boot the system
Rapidly tap "Esc" as the HP splash screen shows up
It'll ask you for a choice (can't recall all of them) - but F9 is the choice for booting from a different device. Choose it
Then select the DVD drive and press Enter.

Then follow the directions to run the Long/Extended/Thorough test and see what it says.

Thanks, I'll give that a go. Appreciate it.