XP Problem

[toshiyori]

After loading XP Home SP2 the unit wont boot I get the message: "A problem has been detected and windows has been shutdown to prevent damage to your computer".
I tried the safe mode, no luck. I ran the test on the HDD it passed. Checked the HDD connection, OK, The unit was operating before due to internet problems I chose to reinstall the OS.
Any suggestions?

[glc]

Did you do a clean reinstall or an over the top?

[toshiyori]

Over the top.

[glc]

Pull the drive, recover your data using another computer, then wipe it and start over.

[toshiyori]

Pulled the HD, refurbished it, did not format it. Installed the OS & formatted the HD using the OS. When the installation completed the unit tried to boot only to go to the blue screen again. Went into the BIOS selected the boot from the HD, again the boot screen appeared for a coiple of seconds then to the blue screen. Sometimes the sequence is: Boot screen, blue screen, flashing cursor, back to boot screen. This sequence will continue, each phase only a couple of seconds until I shutdown.
As I mentioned before, the HDD has been through the test programs several times, each time it has passed the test.
I have tried to make, aquire an emergency boot disk for XP home SP2 on NTFS, so far I have not been able to get a boot disk to work.
I'm considering replacing the HD.

[glc]

Does the drive pass basic and extended manufacturer's diagnostics? Does the ram pass memtest86+?

[kisk]

Also if you have multiple sticks of RAM, test them individually with memtest86+

A lot of times no errors will show up when multiple sticks are installed.

[toshiyori]

I have only tested the HD on the BIOS, both 'Short" & "Extended". I not aware of a test by Toshiba. I will test the RAM using mentest86+, I have never used this test so I may be back asking questions.

[kisk]

It's quite easy to use. Just burn the bootable disk and let it boot at system startup. What I like to do is test each stick individually, then in addition also test each ram slot individually. That way you rule out each stick, plus the possibility of the actual slot itself. One pass for each should be efficient.

[toshiyori]

After download, the Mentest86+ unziped to "Wavepad Sound Editor". I put it on a floppy, 1.08 mb, set BIOS to boot from the floppy, I got the "Non-System disk error". Of course, removing the disk, back to status quo.
I can change from "Wavepad" to what?

[shadowpr]

Did you get it from here: http://www.memtest.org/

That wavepad doesn't sound right at all.

I suggest burning the iso to a cd if possible.

[glc]

If you want to use a floppy, get this one:

Download - Pre-Compiled package for Floppy (DOS - Win)

Unzip it, and what do you know! There's a README.TXT file in there!

If you get the CD .iso version, unzip it, and there's an iso! Use CD burning software and burn the iso, you burn it as an image, you don't just copy the iso to the CD.

[toshiyori]

Downloaded the "Pre-Compiled Package, unzipped it, got a "memtest86_3.5.iso file. Opens with windows picture & fax viewer, 1.08 mb. Reading the Techinical Info on Memtest86 it states the downloaded files have to be uncompressed. "To extract", right click on the downloaded file and select the "Extract All" option. This is where I get lost, cannot locate "Extract All". Tried the floppy as is, in all cases the unit starts to boot then goes to the blue screen.

[glc]

You didn't download the right one. Go to www.memtest.org and get it from here:

Download (Pre-built & ISOs) =-

Here is some pre-compiled distributions of memtest86+. Memtest86+ comes in three different way, first is a pre-build bootable ISO, second is a bootable binary and third an installable package for creating a bootable floppy. Third version are compressed in .zip and .tar.gz.

** Memtest86+ V4.00 (22/09/2009) **
Download - Pre-Compiled Bootable ISO (.gz)
Download - Pre-Compiled Bootable ISO (.zip)

Download - Pre-Compiled Bootable Binary (.gz)
Download - Pre-Compiled Bootable Binary (.zip)

Download - Pre-Compiled EXE file for USB Key (Pure DOS)

Download - Pre-Compiled package for Floppy (DOS - Win)

Unzip it and read the readme.

For Windows, unzip the package into a directory like C:\memtest, insert a blank floppy into your a: disk drive and run the install.bat file. As the install prompts you, to use memtest directly, leave the disk in the drive and reboot your machine.

Your other option is to download:

Download - Pre-Compiled Bootable ISO (.zip)

This is for burning a bootable CD. You will need CD burning software that's capable of processing and burning an iso. The software that comes with Windows is NOT capable of doing that.

[toshiyori]

Ran Mentest86, no errors. Set BIOS to boot from HDD, same as before, started to boot then blue screen. Shall I use it for a boat anchor?

[glc]

Zero fill the hard drive and start from scratch - in other words, a complete wipe.

www.dban.org

[toshiyori]

This is the same thing I done after your reply #4, You are saying: remove the HDD, refurbish, reformat, reload the OS?

[toshiyori]

Sorry mate, I was too quick on the reply. After returning to the posting I saw the link you had left for the HDD clean up. I downloaded it & it is currently running on the problem computer.
Thanks much for your help. Some day, this @@## HP Laptop may operate again.

[toshiyori]

Ran dban-beta took 4 hrs. showed the HD to be wiped (raw) installed the OS, partitioned & formatted the HD, same thing, tried to boot, then the blue screen.
I will run the mantest86 again, never know, something may show up.
Thanks for all your help, I think this laptop is ready for spare parts.

[glc]

HP laptops are known for weak motherboards, you may be right.

[toshiyori]

During the memtest86 I ran this afternoon I noticed a strange display on the screen. "Chipset : ADM K8 ((ECC: Disabeled)"
I looked in the BIOS for this, HP has no file showing any thing that can be disabeled or abeled.

[glc]

That's because it doesn't support ECC.