[BTPH]

heres what happens, i turn on the laptop,

1st screen i see is ASUS written in the middle of the screen

2nd screen
it shows me an empty black screen with the little white underscore ( _ ) blinking a few times, then

3rd screen
goes to the windows xp loading screen,

during the 2ndt screen i can press F8 and get the following options

"Windows Advanced Options Menu
Please Select an Option

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with command Prompt

Enable Boot Logging
Enale VGA Mode
Last Know Good Configuration
Directory Services Restore Mode
Debugging Mode

Start Windows Normally
Reboot
Return to OS Choices Menu

Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice."

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Let's try to reset the CMOS.

You'll need to shutdown the machine, disconnect from the AC power source, and remove the battery. Let the machine sit for at least 30 minutes so the motherboard completely discharges. Put the battery back in, plug it in, and power it up. Try entering BIOS setup.

okay ill give that a go,

Thanks,
Ben

[BTPH]

Let's try to reset the CMOS.

You'll need to shutdown the machine, disconnect from the AC power source, and remove the battery. Let the machine sit for at least 30 minutes so the motherboard completely discharges. Put the battery back in, plug it in, and power it up. Try entering BIOS setup.

okay ill give that a go,

Thanks,
Ben

[The Skeptic]

What do you see on the screen when booting the computer? Is it the maker's screen or something? Even if you don't see the screen with DEL try tapping DEL it repeatedly as if entering BIOS (or F2 or whatever key is required to enter BIOS). I have seen this before.

If you can reach the cmos battery on your laptop's motherboard then wannabe's advice a a sound one.

[wannabe1]

Have you tried any of the options you get on the second screen?

[wannabe1]

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with command Prompt<---can you boot to that?

[BTPH]

i can boot the ssafe mode with command prompt, after booting in command promt what should i do?

also how can i get to the cmos battery?

[wannabe1]

Hold off on the battery for a moment.

AT command prompt, type D: (or whatever letter your CD-ROM drive is) and press "Enter".
Type cd i386 and press "Enter"
Type winnt and press "Enter" (The Windows XP Setup program should start)
Type the path of the Windows XP installation files, and then press "Enter". For example, type d:\i386 and press "Enter".

The Windows Setup program copies files to the hard disk. When the files are copied, you receive the following message:

The MS-DOS based part of The Setup Program Is complete.
The Setup program will now restart your computer. After your computer restarts,
the Windows XP Setup program will continue.

Let me know how this goes.

[BTPH]

it gave me an error message saying winnt didnt run on 32 bit version, so i ran winnt32 instead, worked exactly the same as running the install cd from windows, whilst it does run the install it still doesnt give me the option of formatting the hard drive

[wannabe1]

Ok...

The UBCD has FDISK and FORMAT on it. Use it to format and partition the drive. Then try running the XP installation from command prompt.

We may want to figure out this BIOS issue before you format, though. It's not much of an issue now, but could sure be a headache if it won't boot to cd for the install.

Before you format, try to reset the CMOS as suggested earlier. Check your machine manufacturer's website to see if there is a downloadable manual. That may show you the exact location of the CMOS battery. Crefully remove the battery (about the size of a quarter). Near the battery (either below or to the right on most) you may see 3 small pins with a jumper block on them. If they are present they should look like this, where the underscore represents the jumper . . . Move the jumper to the other pins . . . for about 30 seconds and then move it back to it's original position. Put the battery back in, making sure to put it in + side up.

Try to boot your machine to BIOS Setup.

Edited by wannabe1, 21 February 2006 - 12:36 AM.

[BTPH]

how would you normally get to the mobo from a latop, i know it may involve moving the keyboard out, but ive never done it before?

[wannabe1]

I'd be looking at all the access panels on the bottom first. The manual would be helpful...most manufacturers have them for download as PDF files.

[BTPH]

laptop is an asus m2400, spent the last hour googleing for a manual but no luck, also looked around for the manual it came with, cant find it,

[BTPH]

found the printed manual which came with the laptop, but it has no info on opening the [bleep] thing up