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Windows not starting?


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#1
gwhoosh

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I have been experiencing some problems with my laptop lately, restarting, slowness. I started running virus detections recommended in the Malware section and I thought it was getting better. But then I got a BSOD (blue screen of death) and it did a physical memory dump. Now, the computer turns on, but Windows doesn't start up, so I think Windows may be the problem? My parents want to bring it in the Best Buy (where we bought it), but if there's something I can do myself to fix it, I'd rather do that because I don't want to risk the chance of loosing anything on it, mainly my pictures! My friend thinks it's something to do with a locked hard drive or something. Is he on the right track, should I listen to his advice?

I would appreciate help a lot, this forum has pulled my laptop back from the brink of virus destruction before, I'm very grateful and I hope someone can help again.

Edited by gwhoosh, 21 January 2006 - 11:27 AM.

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#2
Fenor

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Hi gwhoosh!

Are you able to boot the laptop up in Safe Mode? (To Enter Safe Mode tab F8 about once a second when you first turn on the laptop until you see the screen that allows you to enter Safe Mode.)

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#3
gwhoosh

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Hi Fenor :tazz:

No, I can't. It's an HP, so the HP symbol shows up for about one second, then it goes to a black screen. That's it. Which is frustrating because there's not much I can think of to try.
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#4
Fenor

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You should be able to see that screen, if you can't then it's a much worse problem then just a Windows problem. Turn your computer completely off, then turn it on and begin to repeatedly hit F8 until you are given the option to enter Safe Mode.

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#5
gwhoosh

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I did, there is no response.
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#6
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Do you get anywhere if you boot the PC and keep tapping the delete key (possibly F2) to look for fail safe or BIOS defaults, press F10, press enter, type Y then press enter

Tapping F5 might get you in to safe mode
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#7
gwhoosh

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Hmmm when I press Esc, it gives me a Boot Menu and Hard Drive has a + next to it. When I select it, it says

SMART Failure Predicted on Hard Disk 0: TOSHIBA MK6021GAS-(PM)

WARNING: Immediately back-up your data and replace your hard disk drive. A failure may be imminent.

Press F1 to continue.


0_0 How can I back up my data?? *scared*
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#8
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At which point do you press esc

You can press F1 if you haven't
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#9
gwhoosh

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When the HP symbol comes up, I caught a glimps of it at the bottom. It said like press [esc] for boot menu or something similar to that. None of the other keys were working, so I tried that. I tapped it pretty much right after I pressed the power button, but it came up after the HP screen did.

I pressed F1 and Windows is booting up.

After a long time, a blueish screen came up with a WindowsXP logo at the top and said

file system on C:
The type of file system is NFTS

One of your disks needs to be check for consistency. You can cancel but it's recommended.

Windows will now check the disk.

CHKDSK is verifying files...
File verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes...
Correcting error in index $I30 for file 10407
Correcting error in index $I30 for file 10407
Sorting index $I30 in file 10407
Completed
CHKDSK is recovering lost files
Recovering orphaned file.... (whole bunch of these, different files)
CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors

Then is did some more stuff I didn't catch and seemed to restart, HP logo came up for a second.

But now it's a black screen again, oh no.
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#10
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Boot the PC and keep tapping F2 until it does something, hopefully enter set up
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#11
gwhoosh

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Nothing :tazz: It's in the same condition as before. Whatever that was didn't seem to do anything.
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#12
gwhoosh

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Oo, at the same screen with the [esc] I caught press [F10] to change setup, which I managed to do.

I gave me PhoenixBIOS Setup Utility.

(Although for some reason when I was tapping F10 before this never happened?)

Edited by gwhoosh, 22 January 2006 - 10:51 AM.

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#13
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Good one, can you see load BIOS defaults or fail safe defaults, if so choose that, press whichever key it says to save this setting, type Y to confirm then press enter and it should reboot
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#14
gwhoosh

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I got it to load defaults, exited and saved. It rebooted, but did the same thing. Black screen.
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#15
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Boot the PC and keep tapping F5 or F8 to see if it gives you the start menu
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