Solve : WindowsXP won't start?

1.	Solve : WindowsXP won't start?
Answer» I have been working on a Compaq Presario 2500 laptop running WindowsXP Professional. It has been experiencing a couple of problems the most troublesome being that it will take approximately 1 hour for WindowsXP to start. It will start in safe mode, but is still extremely slow. I have used a Linux live CD and am able to boot from it and run the laptop. The second problem involves the laptop intermittently shutting down during boot up. After I removed the battery, this problem occurs not as frequently. Not sure if these two are in any way related. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.Does it boot in 'normal' time from the Linux CD? I think that I would: a) run the hard drive diagnostic from the hard drive manufacturer and b) run memtest 86 (memtest86.org) for starters. Yes, it seems to boot normally from the CD. I ran defrag from "safe mode" and did not find any problems. I tried to run chkdsk from the Run... dialog. However, it informed that it would not run in "safe mode". I'll check what type of HD it has and try to download the drive utility as well as the memory testing software. Thanks for the advise. I'll let you know what I find.For memtest86, you'll need to burn the .iso to CD then boot from the CD. (If you need suggestion for .iso burn program, post back.) Run memtest86 on one RAM module at a time for 2 hours at least; longer is better up to 7 passes. Repeat for each RAM module. If all modules pass individually, INSTALL all RAM and run memtest86 for 4 hours. (ANY error means a bad module. Best of luck.So far, so good! I lucked out. A dowloaded a copy of the newest Ubuntu OS last night and found it has a copy of memtest86 as one of its options from the CD's main menu. I'm into my third pass and so far have no errors.How did the hard drive diagnostic turn out?Have not got to the HD test. However, I believe the laptop has a Toshiba HD and it appears the manufacturer does not supply a utility for their products. As far as the memory test, I am on pass #8 without any errors. I guess we can assume the RAM is not to blame. Let me know if their is a generic application that can be run to check the integrity of the HD. Thanks Quote from: harpo on September 06, 2008, 10:01:38 PM However, I believe the laptop has a Toshiba HD and it appears the manufacturer does not supply a utility for their products. Yep, no diagnostic software from Toshiba. Memory sounds great. Do you have a Windows CD?Unfortunately, I do not have the disk set to WindowsXP Professional. I have backup disks for WindowsXP Home Edition which is running my desktop. I forgot to mention that the other night I attempted to WIPE WindowsXP from the system by installing WindowsNT Workstation 4.0. Twice while initializing the system from the floppy disks, the laptop gave me the "blue screen of death" while loading the second floppy. In reading the OUTPUT from this screen, I saw many hex addresses with a reference to ntkrnl (I guess that's the NT kernel). I've never had a problem with installing WindowsNT from this media before, so I assume the error has something to do with the laptop. I may have access to a computer running WindowsXP Professional Tuesday evening. I'll be upgrading the RAM in a friend's laptop and I believe it is running XP Pro.If the laptop has the Authorisation # for XP you can use another XP CD to re-install it You will still have to activate it. I suggest visiting Compaq's site first to collect all the laptop drivers before starting. Quote from: harpo on September 07, 2008, 02:31:54 PM Will the Home Edition contain data files that will repair the Professional edition? You need an XP Pro CD unless you want to do a clean install with the Home version and are licensed to do so.You need to use the same version the machine is liscensed for including the appropiate SERVICE packs... XP Home SP2 = XP Home SP2 XP Pro SP2 = XP Pro SP2 etc.I need to install a RAM upgrade in a friends Dell laptop Tuesday. I believe his system is running WinXP Professional. I may be able to make a backup set of installation CDS from his laptop. As long as they are compatible and I use the XP authorization code from the Compaq do you think this will work? ThanksYou would be best served borrowing the original CD since you are doing him a favor... XP OS CD's do not copy well unless you take alot of convoluted steps... This is by design. But it's a popular Topic here as many people who are having issues don't have a genuine XP CD... I'd actually go out on a limb and say it's the most common issue here other than Viruses and Malware.

Answer»

I have been working on a Compaq Presario 2500 laptop running WindowsXP Professional.
It has been experiencing a couple of problems the most troublesome being that it will take approximately 1 hour for WindowsXP to start. It will start in safe mode, but is still extremely slow.

I have used a Linux live CD and am able to boot from it and run the laptop.

The second problem involves the laptop intermittently shutting down during boot up. After I removed the battery, this problem occurs not as frequently. Not sure if these two are in any way related. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.Does it boot in 'normal' time from the Linux CD?

I think that I would: a) run the hard drive diagnostic from the hard drive manufacturer and b) run memtest 86 (memtest86.org) for starters. Yes, it seems to boot normally from the CD.
I ran defrag from "safe mode" and did not find any problems.
I tried to run chkdsk from the Run... dialog. However, it informed that it would not run in "safe mode".

I'll check what type of HD it has and try to download the drive utility as well as the memory testing software. Thanks for the advise. I'll let you know what I find.For memtest86, you'll need to burn the .iso to CD then boot from the CD. (If you need suggestion for .iso burn program, post back.)

*Run memtest86 on one RAM module at a time for 2 hours at least; longer is better up to 7 passes. Repeat for each RAM module.

*If all modules pass individually, INSTALL all RAM and run memtest86 for 4 hours.

(ANY error means a bad module.

Best of luck.So far, so good!
I lucked out. A dowloaded a copy of the newest Ubuntu OS last night and found it has a copy of memtest86 as one of its options from the CD's main menu.
I'm into my third pass and so far have no errors.How did the hard drive diagnostic turn out?Have not got to the HD test. However, I believe the laptop has a Toshiba HD and it appears the manufacturer does not supply a utility for their products.
As far as the memory test, I am on pass #8 without any errors. I guess we can assume the RAM is not to blame.
Let me know if their is a generic application that can be run to check the integrity of the HD.
Thanks Quote from: harpo on September 06, 2008, 10:01:38 PM

However, I believe the laptop has a Toshiba HD and it appears the manufacturer does not supply a utility for their products.

Yep, no diagnostic software from Toshiba.

Memory sounds great.

Do you have a Windows CD?Unfortunately, I do not have the disk set to WindowsXP Professional.
I have backup disks for WindowsXP Home Edition which is running my desktop.

I forgot to mention that the other night I attempted to WIPE WindowsXP from the system by installing WindowsNT Workstation 4.0. Twice while initializing the system from the floppy disks, the laptop gave me the "blue screen of death" while loading the second floppy. In reading the OUTPUT from this screen, I saw many hex addresses with a reference to ntkrnl (I guess that's the NT kernel).
I've never had a problem with installing WindowsNT from this media before, so I assume the error has something to do with the laptop.

I may have access to a computer running WindowsXP Professional Tuesday evening. I'll be upgrading the RAM in a friend's laptop and I believe it is running XP Pro.If the laptop has the Authorisation # for XP you can use another XP CD to re-install it
You will still have to activate it.
I suggest visiting Compaq's site first to collect all the laptop drivers before starting. Quote from: harpo on September 07, 2008, 02:31:54 PM

Will the Home Edition contain data files that will repair the Professional edition?

You need an XP Pro CD unless you want to do a clean install with the Home version and are licensed to do so.You need to use the same version the machine is liscensed for including the appropiate SERVICE packs...

XP Home SP2 = XP Home SP2
XP Pro SP2 = XP Pro SP2

etc.I need to install a RAM upgrade in a friends Dell laptop Tuesday. I believe his system is running WinXP Professional. I may be able to make a backup set of installation CDS from his laptop.
As long as they are compatible and I use the XP authorization code from the Compaq do you think this will work?
ThanksYou would be best served borrowing the original CD since you are doing him a favor...
XP OS CD's do not copy well unless you take alot of convoluted steps...
This is by design.
But it's a popular Topic here as many people who are having issues don't have a genuine XP CD...

I'd actually go out on a limb and say it's the most common issue here other than Viruses and Malware.

Solve : WindowsXP won't start?

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