Wont boot eh

Got a call from my father today. "My computer wont boot." Less than a year-old AMD 64 HP running WinXP PRO, and it wouldn't boot.

First off, I can't stand all the little bullshit changes HP makes to the OS, BIOS, etc.

It kept lodaing a screen, with 4 options:
-Safe MOde
-Safe Mode with Networking
-Safe MOde with command prompt
-last known system config
-Normal mode

All resulted in 20 seconds of the beautiful windows logo then loop back to that menu.

recovery CD's? Yea we have them. Loading the first brings us to the HP System Restore Menu. Wouldn't you know it, it wanted to...Format the drive and load from those disks. Yay! Asinine.

System backed up on separate Partition? Yes. refer to above.

No windows CD to run. NO option to boot into DOS. recovery CD's and partition won't work because we cant get far enough to start it up.

My poor father is currently formatting and reloading from the 9 backup CDs he made upon first boot up.

There's other options, I'm sure, but he decided just starting fresh is worth it.

Oh, He ran disk defragment this morning, and I'm sure that's the culprit. Although, Machine ran fine for hours afterwards. It was just upon restart that it all crapped out.

Any ideas what happened or how to maybe fix it next time?

PS Fuck you HP

in adition yuu can add Fuck You Compaq.

no way to boot to a windows xp cd and use the recovery console with a chkdsk /r ???

tell him to pry off the hp logo. it will make it boot and give a 10% performance boost guaranteed!

This is what you need to do. You can use any WinXP cd to do it. Home or Pro it doesnt matter. If this doesnt fix it then dl the Hirens boot cd iso and burn it. Run the disk recovery tools from that disk. If this doesnt work boot to a knoppix cd and backup whatever you can to another pc over a network. Then do a full format and install linux...

edit:
next time im me b4 you format... doh'

Yes, There is no way. Do not have a winXP disk or it would have been my first try.

My father chose to format. He decided he didnt have a lot of programs on it, so he wouldn't lose much.

Suppose I could have spent 2 days pirating a CD tho, then burned it.

Fuck you Compaq, HP, Gateway, IBM Thinkpads, MACINTOSH, Tiger?, and Toshiba.

Oh, incase xpider reads this, I'm pretty sure it's because it's an AMD.

Intel/nVidia 4 lyfe.

In a word Elmo,
No.
There are no other options at that point but a clean install.
The reason why the defrag screwed it up is HP adds some non
readable (hpfs) partitions, for recovery and whatnot, and when you
defrag, Windows, being as awesome as it is, moves files to these
partitions, but "forgets" to move em back after the defrag. which
explains why it worked until reboot.
Your best bet is to "borrow" Xp pro w/SP2 from the 'net,
I have a key you can use, do a fresh install from the XP CD,
When you get to the "partition" screen DELETE all of the partitions,
Then create a smallish (20gb) one for windows, and whatever is left
create a second partition, for storage.
Install Windows on the Smaller Part. then make sure to save all
crucial data on the Storage Partition.
This way if something screw up with windows, you can simply
blow away the Windows Partition, leaving your crucial data safe on
the second partition.
As an after thought, test the HDD with the appropriate software:
WD: DLGDiagnostic, Maxtor: PowMax, Samsung: SHDiag, etc.
The tools can be downloaded from the company's websites, they are usually bootable floppy's.
If the HDD tests bad, get on the Horn to HP RIGHT AWAY. They may
not warranty the drive, but the drive will have a 2-3 year manuf warranty.
But HP has to get you an RMA#. (This was how it worked when I worked
for HP as a Quality Case Manager).

Sorry for the Novel, Hope it's helpful.

Xp!der

fuck insmell....couch, ahem....intel.

intel sucks

fuck intel, eh? fucking mexico touchin intel... eh?

Thank you Xpider, I will pass this info along.

i've formatted compaq hdd's before and sometimes they never come back.

since hp is fucking compaq, or blowing them, whatever, i'd be hesitant to do anything regarding deleting factory partitions.

dude if u dont have a windows cd do the same process in which u got cod 2 :wink:

OK, spent some time on the phone with my father this morning. Oy.

His format and recover from cd didn't work apparently. So, he spent all that time for nothing. PC got to 47% and stopped...then couldn't recognize his recovery disks.

So, he calls tech support, who has him unplug his HDD, his Battery, fiddle with some factory menus, blablabla. 2 hours later, he had his 160gb maxtor HDD 'cleaned' or completely erased. Once again, no winXP CD and his recovery cds aren't being recognized, so HP is sending him a 'recovery package' which should be here by Friday.

I just realized, I have some winXP cds buried somewhere from my days at the University of Buffalo, so I'll see if I can dig them up and go over and help him out.

As of right now, he has a non-functunioning machine with an empty HDD.

NOw, here's the reason TS gave for the error:
A virus, known as "The Black Worm" is running rampant throughout the internet, completely UNDETECTABLE by the Symantec Corporation. Basically, it works like cancer; attaches to and destroys files and data, then spreads to others it comes in "contact" with. So, according to TS, when he defragged, he spread it to every file on the disk.

I don't want to say I'm a skeptical person, but I sure as hell like to know as much about everything I can, and when I hear someone say "oh yea, it's the 'Black worm' almost 18,000 computers in the US and INDIA have been damaged"...I have to take the rose-colored glasses off for a minute. I understand there's millions of virii lurking about, but for one to be name 'the black worm' to find his machine??

Here's a description of his computer usage.
-PC is on NO MORE THAN 4 hours a day.
-He does some internet researching (he also likes to know as much as possible about things)but usually rotating between 3 sites: the lotto numbers, the weather, and a forum.
-latest norton Internet security package, with all the updates, and all the settings set at "maximum". I don't think he's EVER had a popup, and he doesn't even see half of most sites due to blocked content.
-runs AV scan once a week
-doesn't open emails unless someone calls and says "I just sent and email" and attachments? NO Way.
-ISP is ADSL passing through a "firewalled" modem, then an actual HW firewall-router...

...
...
...
YUp, thanks for all your help guys. I am now heading over to see him and try to 'battle' this HP.

-elmo

i think blackworm is a hoax.

also, i think your dad needs a Dell.

buy a mac

fuck dell
your dad needs a mac cause theyre foolproof

Re: buy a mac

If I didn't have a great sense of humor, I'd think that was a bad joke.

Macintosh fool-proof? Maybe in the sense that it will crash and be a piece of crap whether you're a fool or not. But, to be fair, I base my opinions on older macs. I havent used one in a few years and they might suck less now.

Dell, is my favorite of all the Manufacturers.

He hE,
The "Black Worm" is actually a tecno-babble term meaning::
We Have No Idea what the fuck happenned, but it isn't our fault.

I'd go back to testing that hdd, use powmax off a floppy,
I'm really starting to lean hard on the fact that the HDD
is probably corrupted, and POWmax will tell you for sure.
Just make sure you write down the Disposition code after the test.
You can RMA the drive right on Maxtor's website, if need be.

X

P.S. Dell makes Computers now?

Re: buy a mac

LOL

Im a G5 user @work and Ive been using MAC since the PowerPC models

trust me they are anything but "foolproof"

one of the first keyboard commands any MAC user learns is "force quit"

:roll:

Snioer69

pebkac

I believe 80% of a computer problems are P.E.B.K.A.C. related. PEBKAC, or Problem Exists Between the Keyboard And Chair, is the bane of all techies... The other, often overlooked, 20% is usually caused by P.O.S.O.E.M Syndrome. POSOEM or Piece Of Shit Original Equipment Manufacturer is responsible for creating bottom of the barrel pc's with substandard components purchased from the Chinese parts company with the lowest bid per thousand units. Such POSOEMs are well known computer manufacturers such as Dell, Compaq, Gateway, HP, and the dreaded Emachine... The best cure for these syndromes is to build your own computer. With only the manual and a screw driver... no webforums or friends to help. You will learn a thing or two or end up killing yourself, either way we'll know...

update:

HP mailed next-day a REfurbished Seagate HDD, nearly matching the specs of the Fried maxtor.

Aye, one thing: they didn't send it with a power cable and the one from the maxtor, of course isn't compatible. So, it will be a few more days before we get the cable from TS.

I directed my father to Newegg.com today, where we looked at HDD from western digital. We felt like two kids in a candy store. "oh, oh, look at this one!" and my response: "get two!"

hdd

The connectors were not compatible? I guess that one used the standard 4 pin molex connector and the other a flat SATA power connector... I have 3 SATA hdds and all 3 have a plastic cover over the standard molex connector. If your drive has this you can pry it off and use it instead of getting a new drive or power supply. BTW 2 of my drives are Hitachi and one is a SATA2 WD and they all have this plastic cover.