Strange Windows problem (1 Viewer)

[olley]

Hi daughters Tos laptop won't load Vista, keeps saying its shutting it down to prevent damage to the computor, that's before we get to the welcome screen. Running it in any of the safe modes, makes no difference.

I tried booting it with my XP disc, same thing happens, so I thought sod this and bought a new hard disk for £30 of ebay, stuck it in and tried to install XP, same thing happens as before. oh:

Now in a flash of inspiration, I downloaded Ubuntu, and installed it on a 4gig usb stick, put it in the laptop and it boots and runs perfectly, so what the heck is going on?

Why is it with a brand new disk I can't install XP but I can install Ubuntu?

Ian

 

[G4GMO]

Maybe the cd/dvd drive is faulty or the lens is dirty. Could be dirt on the cd/dvd but sounds unlikely.

 

[olley]

Sorry should have said its been running fine until the other night, the cat walked over the keyboard and it shut down and wouldn't restart, it kept saying it couldn't load the hive file, and then when I tried to install XP it said it was shutting down to prevent damage to the computer.

Ian

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[G4GMO]

I think we need to establish what you are trying to do.

Are you saying that the installed operating system (Vista) will not start up? It sounds like you have tried to install another operating system (XP) and this will not install but you have managed to run the laptop from Ubuntu via a USB memory stick. If this is correct there doesn't sound like there is much wrong with the laptop/hardware.

This points to either dust/dirt on the installation disc or a faulty cd/dvd drive or dust/dirt on the lens of the cd/dvd drive.

It is unlikely that the cat has caused any damage to the hardware but may have inadvertently caused issues with the existing operating system (Vista).

Lots of assumptions here so please bare with me.

 

[G4GMO]

I would recommend you reboot the laptop pressing F8 (numerous times) to enable you to get into safe mode. (this assumes you haven't already suffered damage to the existing Vista operating system).

Forgive me if you already know all this.

By the way I think you made the right decision in trying to install XP (if that is what you were attempting). Vista is a failed operating system in my opinion.

 

[olley]

Hi Jon tried safe mode when it wouldn't start vista, everytime it said the same, can't load the hive file, crash dump and that was it.

Thats why I gave up, assuming there was something corrupted with vista, and tried to install XP. It went through the process of loading loads of files as it does when you do a new install, then said it was shutting down to prevent damage to the computor. Reboots and goes through the same loop again.

I then assumed its was an HD problem so I bought a new one but its the same, its now got the old HD in and is running ubuntu of the stick.

It won't install unbuntu on the H/D, on either of the discs, the bar goes along the bottom, but stops before it reaches the end and says its waiting for me, but the forward button isn't clickable. God I hate computers sometimes.

Ian

Ubuntu is as perverse as windows, just found the reason why it wont install, I used a capital for the daughters nickname. :Angry:

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[SandJ]

Hi Jon tried safe mode when it wouldn't start vista, everytime it said the same, can't load the hive file, crash dump and that was it.

Thats why I gave up, assuming there was something corrupted with vista, and tried to install XP. It went through the process of loading loads of files as it does when you do a new install, then said it was shutting down to prevent damage to the computor. Reboots and goes through the same loop again.

I then assumed its was an HD problem so I bought a new one but its the same, its now got the old HD in and is running ubuntu of the stick.

It won't install unbuntu on the H/D, on either of the discs, the bar goes along the bottom, but stops before it reaches the end and says its waiting for me, but the forward button isn't clickable. God I hate computers sometimes.

Ian

Ubuntu is as perverse as windows, just found the reason why it wont install, I used a capital for the daughters nickname. :Angry:

Ian

I believe it is a fail of the registry loading, have you done a search for the problem?

The drive does not seem to be the problem.

join a pc forum and they will talk you through it

I have used a few over the years

hope you sort it

Steve

 

[G4GMO]

I concur with SandJ where they will be able to spend more time and talk you through the issues. Worth trying http://www.notebookforums.com/ who I have found very helpful.

 

[imprint]

Here are some more hints:

I hope these help:
Tech Support: Click on the 'MY COMPUTER' icon on the left of the screen.
Customer: Your left or my left?

.Customer: I have problems printing in red. Tech Support: Do you have a colour printer?
Customer: Aaaah . . . . . .. . . . . thank you.

.Tech Support: What's on your monitor now, ma'am?
Customer: A teddy bear that my boyfriend bought for me
..............................................
.Tech Support: Your password is the small letter 'a' as in apple, a capital letter 'V' as in Victor, and the number '7'.
Customer: Is that '7' in capital letters?
............................................................................................
Customer: I have a huge problem! My friend has placed a screen saver on my computer . but, every time I move my mouse, it disappears.
..............................................
.A woman customer called the Canon help desk because she had a problem with her printer. Tech Support: Are you running it under windows?
Customer: No, my desk is next to the door, but that is a good point. The man sitting next to me is by a window, and his printer is working fine!
--
Tech Support: Okay, press the control and escape
keys at the same time. That brings up a task list in the
middle of the screen. Now, type the letter 'P' to bring
up the Program Manager.
Customer: I don't have a 'P'.
Tech Support: On your keyboard, Bob.
Customer: What do you mean ?
Tech Support: 'P' . . .. on your keyboard, Bob.
Customer: I AM NOT GOING TO DO THAT!!!

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[olley]

Hi guys, given up with it, Ubuntu is now installed and running fine, even detected the wi-fi straight from the box. I have used the new drive so its a clean install not dual boot.

I booted her old disc using the usb stick and copied some of her stuff off on to one of my usb drives, and have now copied them back to the new drive. I have bought an enclosure of fleabay for £6 so when that comes if there's anything else she wants I can copy it over. Then I will format the disc and she can use it for backup.

So that's her sorted, Just got to sort my old laptop out now, decided to let it reinstall XP from its recovery partition, and now the blasted wi-fi won't work, probably have to put a fixed IP address in, and see if that sorts it. Computors don't you just love em. oh:

Ian