[amyafa]

Hi. So basically, when I turn on my laptop (it's a compaq evo n1020v) it goes past the loading screens and straight into the black screen with white text that offers safe mode, safe mode with command prompt, last known good config etc.

No matter what option I choose, bad things happen.

Last good config and Start windows normally = both send me into a black screen from which I never recover.
Safe mode w/ networking/command prompt = I get a long list of text, various things being loaded, it gets to loading Mup.sys and then freezes. I was advised to wait a long time, as loading can be slow ... left it overnight and nothing. It just sits there.

Um ... I took out the hard drive, put it in a spare laptop and got blue screen of death on it. So I reinstalled windows and it's now working absolutely fine. I put it back in the broken laptop and .... nothing.

Uh ... trying to think of anything else that might be helpful. I tried running it on both AC and battery (which is plenty charged) and neither made a difference. I took out the DVD drive and tried without that = no change. I also did this for the floppy drive just in case. Only other thing I can think of is the video card.

I did switch out the RAM, but the only spare RAM I had lying around was also potentially questionable. Does this sound like a RAM issue anyway?

Oy. I have no idea what to do from here ... it's getting frustrating and I'd hate to have to throw it out, poor thing.

Thanks.

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Welcome to G2G amyafa

Re. the hard disk/Windows reinstall - if you install Windows on a hard disk on one computer, then connect the same hard disk to a second computer & attempt to boot from it, the chances are it won't work (unless the 2 machines are very similar). The reason being is that Windows will be set up & configured for the hardware in computer #1 so attempting to boot the drive to Windows whilst connected to a machine with different hardware (i.e computer #2) invaribly causes problems.

What would be useful to know is, now that you have reinstalled Windows using a spare laptop & returned the drive to the original laptop, if you now attempt to boot up in SAFE MODE, do you get the exact same symptoms as before? (i.e freezing at mup.sys etc)

[Samm]

Welcome to G2G amyafa

Re. the hard disk/Windows reinstall - if you install Windows on a hard disk on one computer, then connect the same hard disk to a second computer & attempt to boot from it, the chances are it won't work (unless the 2 machines are very similar). The reason being is that Windows will be set up & configured for the hardware in computer #1 so attempting to boot the drive to Windows whilst connected to a machine with different hardware (i.e computer #2) invaribly causes problems.

What would be useful to know is, now that you have reinstalled Windows using a spare laptop & returned the drive to the original laptop, if you now attempt to boot up in SAFE MODE, do you get the exact same symptoms as before? (i.e freezing at mup.sys etc)

[amyafa]

if it helps, the laptops should be identical in terms of hardware. bought at same time, same ram same drives as far as i'm aware, which is why i was hoping it'd work.


yes, the problem is exactly the same. it behaves in the exact same way as before with the newly installed OS.

thanks for replying.

[Samm]

Ok, then it does sound like a hardware problem in that case.

If the 2 laptops are so similar then I assume they use the same RAM, right? You have 2 choices for testing the memory:

1) Swap the RAM between the 2 laptops & see if the problematic laptop works with the other memory in. If you still have the same problem, then the stick is obviously ok but it doesn't rule out the memory socket itself. (Remember to disconnect power & remove battery before attempting this. Also discharge your static & never touch any of the contacts)

2) If your laptop has a floppy drive, then you can download memtest86 (see link below) & use that on a bootable floppy to test the memory. If it passes the tests then the chances are both the ram module & the socket are fine.

memtest86:
http://www.memtest86.com

Follow the link for 'free download' then select the v3.3 release entitled 'Pre-compiled Memtest86 v3.3 installable from Windows and Dos'.

You'll need a new or good blank floppy ready when you run it. The installer will create a bootable floppy containing memtest. If the laptop doesn't boot from it, you'll need to change the boot priority in the bios. Make sure you let memtest run for a long time (until it completes at least one full cycle of tests). This usually takes a few hours depending on the amount of ram you have. If memtest finds errors before the end of the cycle, you can stop it there.

[amyafa]

Yeah, the ram is the same, but i really didn't want to risk swapping it over. I'm paranoid that if i put my working laptop ram in the dodgy laptop and it screws it up, then i'm completely in a hole. Lol. I want at least one machine that runs.

Ty for the memtest thing. I'll give it a try and let you know. Thanks again for help.

[amyafa]

Alright, I quit. I give up, it wins.

I downloaded and ran the memtest thing, it ran for about a half an hour then crashed. Now the laptop won't even turn on. I mean literally ... the lights go on but nobody's home. No bios, no NOTHING. I quit, it's a paperweight.

Thanks for the help, though. I appreciate it.

Argh, this sucks so bad.

[Samm]

Interesting. It's very rare for a system to crash while the DOS version of memtest is running. It could signify a cpu, motherboard or power issue I guess. Are you sure the laptop is not overheating though? If you decide to have another bash at it, then leave it for a day then try & boot it up again. If it won't boot, then try removing the battery & just connect it to the mains power (and vice versa) to see if that helps.

If it does boot then just get it into the bios & leave it there for a while. There should be a temperature monitor in the bios, so leave it on that screen & keep an eye on the temps.

[amyafa]

I've just tried running it cold ... still no dice. I switched the battery, tried on AC only .... nada. The lights still work, lol, but that seems to be about all. It's not even trying.


Definite paperweight, I think. I don't have the time or money to keep screwing around with something I almost certainly can't fix at this point, so ... eBay spares and repairs time for the poor thing I guess. Thanks again.

[Troy]

Hi amyafa!

I have an idea - if you are still interested, I'll venture that the battery is flat and there is a power-cord connection issue. Can you swap batteries from your other "identical" laptop? Make sure it's fully charged first!

Does it even "try" to boot now?

[amyafa]

if you notice, i said i already switched the battery to no avail.

thanks anyway.