Laptop won't boot. Help!!!!

sue800

My 12 year old has a Hp Compaq mini notebook. I decided to clean it ul for him today as he's always downloading rubbish.. In the process it froze and I switched it off by the button. Now it won't turn on, well it does but then screen goes blank. I tried the safe mode and the last known good configuration and nothing has happened. I got into the bios utility setup and ran a test and it cane back clear. It still won't turn on.. Please help

fionny

When you say wont turn on what message is it giving?

chin_grin

Leave the laptop unplugged and take out the battery for a while (twenty minutes say). Power it back up and see how far you get.

Also if it's still not powering up try to remove a stick of RAM (if it has two).

leon.healy

fionny wrote: »

When you say wont turn on what message is it giving?

Your answer is in the question.

sue800 wrote: »

Now it won't turn on, well it does but then screen goes blank.

Hi,

Is it beeping by any chance. Computers use beep codes to tell you what is wrong sometimes.

fionny

chin_grin wrote: »

It does "turn on" as they are going into the BIOS screen so the issue is lying with either a corrupt install or a failed hard-disk, so its not a stupid question im trying to fill the gaps in the missing info.

leon.healy

fionny wrote: »

It does "turn on" as they are going into the BIOS screen so the issue is lying with either a corrupt install or a failed hard-disk, so its not a stupid question im trying to fill the gaps in the missing info.

I'd say it's a corrupt install since it can attempt to boot to safe mode.
What is the O.S. of this system?

sue800

Do you have a installation disc? To boot to start-up repair?

Spacedog

download ubuntu from www.ubuntu.com, burn it to a CD...

boot the machine from the CD, save the data you wanna keep to a usb drive, this includes files shortcuts, links passwords, programs and config files.
-most important of all save your network card drivers (then you can always download the rest)

boot windows boot CD, and reinastall clean version of windows

restore data,

happy days

leon.healy

Spacedog wrote: »

download ubuntu from www.ubuntu.com, burn it to a CD...

boot the machine from the CD, save the data you wanna keep to a usb drive, this includes files shortcuts, links passwords, programs and config files.
-most important of all save your network card drivers (then you can always download the rest)

boot windows boot CD, and reinastall clean version of windows

restore data,

happy days

Might have a problem with both our ideas actually. Does this particular model even have a disc drive.... if not then a bootable usb will have to be made.......

sue800

It's not giving any messages. It starts up but then when it tries to go to desktop the screen goes blank. It's not The power though and taking out the battery won't work. It's Definetly happening due to a curript file or something

sue800

Doesn't have a disc drive as it's just a mini notebook

leon.healy

sue800 wrote: »

It's not giving any messages. It starts up but then when it tries to go to desktop the screen goes blank. It's not The power though and taking out the battery won't work. It's Definetly happening due to a curript file or something

Does it have a cd drive?

leon.healy

leon.healy wrote: »

Does it have a cd drive?

Sorry wrote that as you posted the answer.

What you need is a bootable usb key with ubuntu loaded on it. Retrieve the files. Then perform a clean install of whichever os it is you want

yoyo

Try pressing F11 when the machine is booting to do a Factory Restore of Windows, that will wipe the drive, you could also do a repair install possibly. You press F11 when the HP logo shows as it starts up. I believe F11 is the key used by this machine from Googling,

Good luck,

Nick

sue800

leon.healy wrote: »

Sorry wrote that as you posted the answer.

What you need is a bootable usb key with ubuntu loaded on it. Retrieve the files. Then perform a clean install of whichever os it is you want

I'm not very good with computers I'm afraid so where would I get this ? Do I download it

yoyo

sue800 wrote: »

I'm not very good with computers I'm afraid so where would I get this ? Do I download it

Try my suggestion above before that step, will be less awkward if it works

Nick

sue800

yoyo wrote: »

Try pressing F11 when the machine is booting to do a Factory Restore of Windows, that will wipe the drive, you could also do a repair install possibly. You press F11 when the HP logo shows as it starts up. I believe F11 is the key used by this machine from Googling,

Good luck,

Nick

F11 is bringing me to the safe mode option only.. To which I can't get into as the screen goes blank. F8 brings me to the bios page but from here I don't know whats the best thing to do
Thanks nick

yoyo

sue800 wrote: »

F11 is bringing me to the safe mode option only.. To which I can't get into as the screen goes blank. F8 brings me to the bios page but from here I don't know whats the best thing to do
Thanks nick

You need to hit it multiple times at the HP logo stage, when the HP logo comes up, it probably says at the bottom press [F2] for setup, [F12] for boot menu, [F11] for recovery or something along those lines, there is a hidden partition on that hard drive which will allow you restore the operating system without needing a USB key/formatting tools/iso etc.

Nick

leon.healy

yoyo wrote: »

Try my suggestion above before that step, will be less awkward if it works

Nick

I agree with Nick!

sue800

yoyo wrote: »

Try pressing F11 when the machine is booting to do a Factory Restore of Windows, that will wipe the drive, you could also do a repair install possibly. You press F11 when the HP logo shows as it starts up. I believe F11 is the key used by this machine from Googling,

Good luck,

Nick

F11 is not working. It's only taking me into Thr safe mode option which does nothing, it tries but screen goes blank again. F8 takes me to the bios menu but I don't know what to do in there. Ran a test and it came back clear

yoyo

sue800 wrote: »

F11 is not working. It's only taking me into Thr safe mode option which does nothing, it tries but screen goes blank again. F8 takes me to the bios menu but I don't know what to do in there. Ran a test and it came back clear

When your on the HP screen, where you pressed F8 is there any other options displayed? Ie one for restore/recovery or wording along those lines, what is the exact model of the netbook so I can help further? If someone has already wiped the drive before there is a chance this recovery partition was wiped

Nick

leon.healy

leon.healy wrote: »

Try F6

on this hp forum it says f6

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Operating-systems-and/System-restore-for-HP-Mini-110-HELP/td-p/196947

fionny

If the harddisk is borked then the HP recovery wont work unless they made the backup disc's... but 99% of people ignore those prompts until its too late.

sue800

leon.healy wrote: »

I agree with Nick!

Sorry I posted my last post twice as didn't know if it had sent. Tapping f11 does nothing. When it turns on it it tells me f9 changes the boot menu and f10 changes the bios settings

yoyo

sue800 wrote: »

Sorry I posted my last post twice as didn't know if it had sent. Tapping f11 does nothing. When it turns on it it tells me f9 changes the boot menu and f10 changes the bios settings

Press F6 at the HP logo and see what happens Also as fionny pointed out the hard drive could be broken, in this case you'll need to sent it back for repair if under warranty

Nick

sue800

leon.healy wrote: »

on this hp forum it says f6

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Operating-systems-and/System-restore-for-HP-Mini-110-HELP/td-p/196947

F6 does nothing either

yoyo

sue800 wrote: »

F6 does nothing either

What is the exact model of the netbook? HP mini xx should be written on a sticker on the bottom

Nick

sue800

yoyo wrote: »

When your on the HP screen, where you pressed F8 is there any other options displayed? Ie one for restore/recovery or wording along those lines, what is the exact model of the netbook so I can help further? If someone has already wiped the drive before there is a chance this recovery partition was wiped

Nick

Here are the options when I press f8

Safe mode
Safe mode with networkingsafe mode with command prompt
Enable boot logging
Last known configuration
Directory services restore mode
Debugging mode
Disable automatic restart on system failure

Start windows normally
Reboot
Return to os choices menu

yoyo

sue800 wrote: »

Here are the options when I press f8

Safe mode
Safe mode with networkingsafe mode with command prompt
Enable boot logging
Last known configuration
Directory services restore mode
Debugging mode
Disable automatic restart on system failure

Start windows normally
Reboot
Return to os choices menu

Thats a windows menu, of no use to us at this stage, we want to try reload the OS, what is the model number of the netbook, also is it in warranty?

Nick

sue800

yoyo wrote: »

What is the exact model of the netbook? HP mini xx should be written on a sticker on the bottom

Nick

Compaq mini 110-1110sa
Product number Vt 274ea#Abu

sue800

yoyo wrote: »

Thats a windows menu, of no use to us at this stage, we want to try reload the OS, what is the model number of the netbook, also is it in warranty?

Nick

Warranty is out by 3 weeks.:(

yoyo

sue800 wrote: »

Compaq mini 110-1110sa
Product number Vt 274ea#Abu

3. Turn on or restart the computer, and then press esc while the “Press the ESC key for Startup Menu”
message is displayed at the bottom of the screen.
4. Press f11 while the “Press <F11> for recovery” message is displayed on the screen.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Try this (Taken from the user manual for that machine)

Nick

sue800

Nick I tried your suggestion and nothings happening Im afraid. Iv given up

the whole year inn

Have you not tried to install the os from usb stick,take it from there then.Installing the os is easy enough!Chin up fella!!

yoyo

sue800 wrote: »

Nick I tried your suggestion and nothings happening Im afraid. Iv given up

You can use WinToFlash to transfer your windows install to a USB key, do you have a Windows XP/Vista/7 cd? You will need this and another computer with a CD/DVD drive to prepare the restore usb key. For windows XP you must have at min a 1gig USB key, for Vista/7 a 4Gig key.
You choose boot options menu that you saw earlier and pick USB to boot of to begin installing the operating system. Note there is a possibility the hard drive is broken, especially likely if the inbuilt recovery failed to work

Nick

mach1982

sue800 wrote: »

My 12 year old has a Hp Compaq mini notebook. I decided to clean it ul for him today as he's always downloading rubbish.. In the process it froze and I switched it off by the button. Now it won't turn on, well it does but then screen goes blank. I tried the safe mode and the last known good configuration and nothing has happened. I got into the bios utility setup and ran a test and it cane back clear. It still won't turn on.. Please help

Whine you say cleaning do mean disk fragmentation, or did you just delete files ? if still warranty, the just bring It back.Usally with the net books you get a a restore disk , you can pick up a usb external CD/DVD drive for under 50 euro .

coolmoose

@ sue800, where are you based?

zenno

can you get into safe-mode with command prompt ? black screen with flashing white curser ?. if you manage to get in there type in CHKDSK then hit enter button and let it scan for file system errors and disk errors it will take a few minutes, when it is done scanning and you see the white curser flashing again type in EXIT and click enter button. restart the laptop/notebook and see will it start up ok. if not the master boot record could be damaged and you will have to fix mbr.