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HP Pavillion Won't Boot


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#1
Poochure

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HP Pavilion 2v5000
Intell Pentium 4
74.5 GB HD (15% used), 382 MB RAM
XP Home, SP 3
Arsenal: Avast, Malwarebytes

It's a friend's computer that I've been borrowing since June, although it does not get used very often. It always made a grinding sound upon start up, which would go away once it booted and warmed up. When I first got it there were major issues http://www.geekstogo...14#entry2032614 that were addressed. It worked really nicely, other than the grinding, since then. All of a sudden yesterday it did not want to boot all the way. I thought it was the screen at first, so I powered it off and on a few times--which worked once. The last time I saw it successfully boot yesterday a bios screen came up saying there was some sort of a conflict...I knew that I should have taken a picture of it. :( After a dozen or so attempts this morning...it just does not want to work. It grinds a little, then holds. I don't know if it's booting....because the screen remains dark. I thought I'd come and ask for help before I wear out the power button! :)

Edited by Poochure, 21 January 2012 - 10:28 AM.

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#2
phillpower2

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It always made a grinding sound upon start up

Classic signs that the HDD was failing, I hope that you backed up all important data!

Before I make any suggestions can you let us know if there is data on the HDD that you want to try and recover.

From my signature;

Staff and Members give their time freely to help others, please be courteous and conclude your topic if assistance is no longer required.


I note that Essexboy closed the topic that he helped you with as you did not reply, please do not leave topics hanging conclude them whether the outcome is good or bad, forums are for learning and sharing knowledge, thank you.
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#3
Poochure

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Hi Philpower and thanks! Nice to see you.

I am sorry that I did not update publicly. He did recommend that I come back if there was still a problem in his last reply. I do believe that I thanked him in a PM, and with what little the dollar is worth now, which might be why the topic was closed after two days. I appreciate all of you, deeply. :D I won't leave you hanging, either way, promise.

Before the friend gave me the HP to address issues on my own Toshiba, she'd not used it in two years. There's nothing of value to her on it, so far as data is concerned, and she's an awesome Sony and iPad now. Still, since it's in my possession I feel responsible for it. HDD issues--yikes! ...maybe from the intrusion or...is it par for the HP course...I wonder.

Edited by Poochure, 21 January 2012 - 12:50 PM.

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#4
phillpower2

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Hi Poochure

Have you tried getting into the BIOS and if so was the HDD listed there?

Run hard drive diagnostics http://www.tacktech....ay.cfm?ttid=287
Make sure, you select the tool which is appropriate for the brand of your hard drive.
Depending on the program, it'll create bootable floppy, or bootable CD.
If downloaded file is of .iso type, use ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/ to burn .iso file to a CD (select "Write image file to disc" option), and make the CD bootable.

NOTE. If your hard drive is made by Toshiba, unfortunately, you're out of luck, because Toshiba doesn't provide any diagnostic tool.
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#5
Poochure

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Hi Philpower2! Thanks for replying. Sorry to have confused the situation (although it's good to know about HDD's and my Toshiba)...the issue is on the HP and I am not sure what kind it has. Could I find the answer to that in the logs from the thread essexboy helped me in? Since the HP won't really do anything, I've not tried to get into the bios. I don't know how to, either, especially when it's in this blackout state. :D Another issue the HP has is that the disk drive is burned out, and I don't have an external one (yet).

Edited by Poochure, 21 January 2012 - 01:59 PM.

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#6
phillpower2

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The HDD is an Hitachi http://www.tacktech....tid=287#hitachi

I've not tried to get into the bios. I don't know how to,

When you power up the laptop try tapping the F8 or Del key, not all computers are the same some are F2 or F12 and you will have to try all of these to establish which, powering on and off each time.

especially when it's in this blackout state

Do you at any time get any sort of display on the screen?

Another issue the HP has is that the disk drive is burned out, and I don't have an external one (yet).

This causes us a problem testing then.
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#7
Poochure

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Thanks Philpower! I powered on in between trying all keys, to no avail.

Yesterday it did this a couple of times, then did show an error message on the BIOS boot screen (something was in conflict and I cannot recall what exactly). I pressed F12 to continue booting and it did so fine, but has not ever since.

I could try to borrow an external drive.
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#8
phillpower2

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So the notebook remains powered up but no display on the screen, correct!
A failed HDD will not prevent you from seeing or accessing the BIOS so this suggests a display issue, try connecting to an external screen gy way of the VGA port, you may need to press the Fn and F5 keys together to toggle between screens.
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#9
Poochure

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That is correct--powered up but no display. I have an HP x20LED that I could use, but...it requires drivers to be installed, I am pretty sure. I have only done it once, to the Toshiba and not to the HP that's blacked out right now. I don't have another monitor handy, and if I did I would not be sure of how to connect it.

What is odd is that I leave it on now and there's no more grinding. It hums while being blacked out. :blink: For all I know I could have hit some button that turned the screen off. There are a lot of doohickies on this HP. I can check for a manual online....

Edited by Poochure, 21 January 2012 - 03:47 PM.

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#10
phillpower2

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I don't have another monitor handy, and if I did I would not be sure of how to connect it.

The laptop has a VGA port on it, you can connect this to another notebook screen using a lead the same as you would a desktop and screen, another thing for you to check is shining a flashlight into the screen and looking closely to see if there any images in the background.

you may need to press the Fn and F5 keys together to toggle between screens.

It may be the Fn + one of the other F1 to F12 keys, the Fn key is in the bottom left hand corner of the keypad.
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#11
Poochure

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Oh! Durt, that screen. I tried to connect the blacked out HP to my Toshiba and it did not work. I did not get to the toggling part, though. But, I got the HP monitor because the Toshiba's screen was dimming. My Toshiba won't display at all while not connected externally to either the monitor or the HP right now. It might have gone out completely, or..maybe I fiddled with a setting on the Toshiba assign screen display to the Hp monitor w hen I got it. I honestly don't remember and will check into it.

:)

Edited by Poochure, 21 January 2012 - 05:20 PM.

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