[rshaffer61]

There are several variables that we need to look at.
First is if the monitor itself is the issue.
Have you tried a different monitor to see if it is the problem?
Second is the system coming on or shutting down right away?
Third are you getting any kind of beeps from the system if it is staying on?
Fourth is the video built on the motherboard or is it a add on card?

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yes tried a different monitor. video card is on mobo (nvidia). system comes up no problems there. here's a play by play.

I start system...Blue HP invent screen comes up with prompts on bottom
(ESC-boot F10-settings F11-system recovery F12-boot from LAN)


then it says windows is loading files with a white bar a under it. then it goes to a screen that says microsoft corp with a green loading bar under it, then a black screen appears and stays there. I have even left this screen up over night and nothing changes. However if the recovery cd is in the computer the same thing happens except the black screen is now blue.

I can go into F8 which takes me to a advanced boot where i see
safe mode but it freezes on the safe mode screen too. I also tried last known good configuration... no luck

[kantlooz]

yes tried a different monitor. video card is on mobo (nvidia). system comes up no problems there. here's a play by play.

I start system...Blue HP invent screen comes up with prompts on bottom
(ESC-boot F10-settings F11-system recovery F12-boot from LAN)


then it says windows is loading files with a white bar a under it. then it goes to a screen that says microsoft corp with a green loading bar under it, then a black screen appears and stays there. I have even left this screen up over night and nothing changes. However if the recovery cd is in the computer the same thing happens except the black screen is now blue.

I can go into F8 which takes me to a advanced boot where i see
safe mode but it freezes on the safe mode screen too. I also tried last known good configuration... no luck

[kantlooz]

only beeps I heard was testing ram removal to see if mobo was ok...and it was

[rshaffer61]

OK so you have a Vista recovery cd then from the manufacturer correct?
What about data on the hard drive is there anything you need to save?
You can do a Repair Installation but being this is a name brand system this will most likely format the drive in some cases. There is a way to do a startup repair if you would like to try it.

You will have to Perform a Repair Installation For Vista...guide is here...
This will allow you to repair your Vista installation and keep all of your personal user account files, settings, and programs

[kantlooz]

it won't read any cd's/dvd's (recovery or windows upgrade). I went out and purchased a external dvd player in hopes that would be a quick fix, but it didn't work

[kantlooz]

to be honest at this point, i really don't even care if i lose everything left on the hard drive. i just really want a computer that works. super frustrated

[rshaffer61]

Click F10 as this will take you into the BIOS.
Once there does it see your Hard drive and cdrom drive?
Not knowing which Bios you have I can't tell you what you will be looking at. Either the first screen will show the drives or you will get a tab screen where you would go into General.
Please do not make any changes in this as it will affect how the system works.
After finding this information I need you to find the Boot area which again depending on the bios it may be in Boot or Advanced area.
Please let me know what the boot sequence is set for.
In other words is it set for
Hd and then Cdrom
or
Cdrom and then Hd

[kantlooz]

the 5th drive shows my hard drive Samsung SP2504C
SMART status check OK
short self test shows....Test Failed
Self Test Status Value 7 (completed with read element of the test failed)
There is another test Extended...it takes 82 minutes

Boot-time diagnostic screen (disabled)
Boot device priority...Opened this and changed it
now Reads:
1st boot device CD-Rom group
2nd boot device HDD Group
3rd boot device network boot group
4th boot device Floppy Group

Floppy group boot priority ---Not Installed
Cd-rom group boot priority ---ATAPI DVD A D
Hdd group boot priority ---Samsung SP250
netword group boot priority---NVIDIA Boot A

[rshaffer61]

short self test shows....Test Failed
Self Test Status Value 7 (completed with read element of the test failed)

This could be a indication of a failing hd from the description it is giving.
Boot sequence is right.
Can you run the extended test and see what it says.

[kantlooz]

I tried but it won't run the extended, it stops right away and says the same error the shorty test gives failed ---completed with read element failed

[rshaffer61]

I think you may have found your issue.
Let's see if we can get you to your data so you can backup what you can't lose. To do this we need to use a Linux Live cd. If the drive is working at all you should be able to get to the data. Your OS will have no affect on this as this loads in memory to run. Follow the instructions and let me know how it works for you.

Get Puppy Linux from my signature below...Get puppy-2.16-seamonkey-fulldrivers.iso download it and burn it to cd
..
if you don't have a burning program that will burn .ISO files get Burncdcc from my signature...it is a small FAST no frills iso burning program...

NOTE...do not put a blank cd in until burncdcc opens the tray for you
1. Start BurnCDCC
2. Browse to the ISO file you want to burn on cd/dvd ....in this case its puppy-2.16-seamonkey-fulldrivers.iso
3. Select the ISO file
4. click on Start

make sure in the bios the cd drive is the first boot device....

put the cd in the cd drive..boot your computer....puppy will boot and run totally in ram...if your hardware is is good working order you will know...
after you get it running and your at the desktop...you take the puppy linux cd out and then you can use the burner to copy all your data to cd/dvds
you can also use it to backup your data to a external usb harddrive..just have it hooked to the computer when you boot up with puppy...

==========================
quick guide for saving data...music..files on a system that will not boot using puppy Linux..


after you get to puppy desktop..
click on the drives icon...looks like a flash drive...top row..it will list all the drives connected to

your computer...

click on the red icon for the drive you want to mount...in this case its a flash drive ...puppy will

mount the drive..the drive icon turns green when its mounted...
minimize the drives mounter window..you will need it again in a few minutes..
drag the right edge of it sideways to shrink it to its narrowest size...about half the width of the screen...then drag the window to the right edge of the screen...

now click on the icon that looks like a filing cabinet (kind of yellow) on the main drive...it should
already be green..
you will see a list of all the folders on the main drive Usually your C: drive..shrink that window to
the narrowest you can..about half the width of the screen...drag that window to the left side of the screen...
at this point you should have 2 windows open on your desktop..the flash drive on the right side..
go back to the folders on the C: drive...click on the documents and settings folder...then your user
name or all users..find the folders that has your data..
drag and drop the folder with the data you want to make copies of to the flash drive window...

your options are to move ..copy ect...JUST COPY..if its to big you will have to open the folder and
drag and drop individual files until the flash drive is full...(I have a 120 GB external USB drive for
big data recovery jobs and a 4 GB flash drive for the smaller jobs)..after you get the files copied to
the flash drive...
Click on the drives mounter you minimized earlier
UNMOUNT THE FLASH DRIVE by clicking on the green icon..you will once in awhile get error messages when
unmouting the drive..ignore them..when the flash drive icon turns red again its safe to remove the
flash drive..trot on over (stroll if you want to look cool) to another computer and plug in the flash

drive and copy all the data files ( I drag and drop) to the other computer..
make sure the other computer can read them...

now delete the data on the flash drive...take it back to the misbehaving computer and plug it in

again..click on the drives icon again and repeat until you have all your data transferred to the working
system..

Thanks to happyrock

Edited by rshaffer61, 29 March 2010 - 11:15 AM.

[kantlooz]

Ok...sounds like a lot, I'm getting started. But will this run the computer or do I need a new HD?

[rshaffer61]

This will hopefully get you access to your data so you can back it up. From there we will see what we can do to get your system back up and running. I just want to make sure your data is safe first.

[kantlooz]

i'm in the puppy drive mounter. I'm lost, I don't see any files that belong to me

[rshaffer61]

Are you looking at the main hard drive?
It sounds more like you are looking at the Root directory which would look like greek to most people.