Compaq Presario V4130EA Notebook

I've been working on a compaq presario v4130ea, the problem is it will not boot into the windows install thats on the hdd or boot from the cdrom drive, the only device it will attempted to boot from is the network if i enable that as the boot device in the bios, all you get once the compaq logo has poped up and disapeard is a flashing white cursor in the top left hand corner of the screen.

The customer said the system had been running slow and freezing within windows, those symptons had begun after he had plugged a projector into the system, as he would use the laptop for doing presentations.

When first powered up it didnt want to go properly in2 windows, after a few restarts it did seem to be running ok, the xp home install has to profiles one was working fine but the other one when you clicked onto the profile logo the system would BSOD and restart (the bsod disapeard to quick to read), i once more booted into the working profile left the system for a few moments while it was idling at the windows desktop, when i came back to the system all that was on the screen was this flashing white cursor in the top left hand corner of the screen, thats all its done every time its been powered up since is give that after the compaq logo, i can get into the bios page with no problems, also get to the boot device menu it has on startup.

I've tryed a blank hdd in the laptop but will not boot from cd just get the cursor, i've tryed ghosting the cust install to a diffrent hdd and booting from that drv again just get the cursor, i've tryed leaving out the hdd from the system again all i get is the flashing cursor no error message or boot error, i've tryed just having the cdrom as the only boot device still wont boot from any windows cd or diag cd's.

I did find the below link on the hp site that discribes the fault i'm having, i've also tryed the suggestions it lists with no sucsess.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...name=c00372143

It just seems to be hanging before the boot detection phase each time, i'm thinking it may well be a controller issue on the lappys mainboard.

Anyone have any thoughts or experiance with this type of problem with compaqs or other makes of laptops.

Thanks in advance

OK well if it won't boot from a CD then the drive is probably bad.. or the controller. Does the bios see the hdd and the cd drive?

Yep the bios see's both the hdd and cdrom drives.

Update from todays battle with the lappy, i was doin some further investigation via the net into the symptoms the lappy was showing and at the time had the notebook sitting on my lap, i needed to check a setting in the bios so i fired it up managed to miss the bios screen and was shocked to see it start booting into windows, i let it finish its boot and tryed again and lown behold yup it fully booted with no problems, i then put the lappy back on the desk to fire it up as it was getting a tadd warm and uncomfetable on my lap, once it was back on the desk though it halted at the compaq logo screen and froze, i then tryed again still did the same, i then lifted the laptop off the desk and powered it up and it booted up again fine into windows, the other odd thing was it would also boot fine into the second profile all ok unlike the day before when it would bsod in there and restart (well it did that pretty much the only time it did boot in2 windows the day before).

I then tryed having the lappy on the desk but raised slighty with the help of 4x old hdd under each corner of the laptop then tryed booting it up and again it booted fine into windows under both profiles.

So for one final time i tryed the system back flat on the desk........ and the flipping thing now boots all ok each and every time.

So i'm thinking now theres and intermitant loose connection somewere in the bowels of the notebook or the drive conrollers also have an intermitant issue, fingers crossed when i go into work tomorrow it will at least boot once so i can launch my diag s/w from the cd and at least do some type of check on the memory/mainboard and such see what the results give me.

Or is it possible it's overheating? Tipping the laptop allows airflow underneath as well.

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Originally Posted by NooNoo

Or is it possible it's overheating? Tipping the laptop allows airflow underneath as well.

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Maybe you need a laptop cooler for air flow.Hummmm

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=laptop+cooler

Try finding a compressor and blowing out the fan intakes

Geo uses a compressor safely everyday cleaning out laptops, desktops, etc. Usually the dust isn't just clogging the fan, but is also coated around the fins on the heatsink. If you have a compressor with an air drier and an adjustable air flow, it is just as safe as using canned air, and a lot more useful. Given the 20-30 computers I service each week, canned air would cost a small fortune.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by geoscomp

If you have a compressor with an air drier and an adjustable air flow, it is just as safe as using canned air, and a lot more useful.

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I also use a compressor with an air drier. Works great. Or just use a can of compressed air, since you only have one laptop to fix.

what part of air drier don't you understand? air driers remove the condensation and renders the air safe to use even in medical and pharmaceutical situations. (oh..and also in painting cars, etc.)

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Originally Posted by OMGmissinglink

We us compressors on desktops not in laptops, compressors tend to have condensation than could damage laptop's guts.

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I do not use air I use nitrogen and yes I have it regulated down to
75psi, and my laptop has no problems after blowing crap out of it and
my desk top also gets cleaned with same substance DRY NITROGEN :)

I think geoscomp is near reminding people like NooNoo did yesterday,about
the famous quote by Mark Twain.

................................... and remove all doubt.

Use non-wet air pressure at a reasonably constant pressure to remove
loose dust and lent etc.....from the fans and stuff to create a more brisk
air flow so it don't get as hot as it does now -then.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by daffy86

air driers is that as in jet driers blast standing 3 miles behind the lappy/

:p

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Air Driers as in a membrane air drier that does not affect the air running through it other than to dry it. The compresser is set to 42 psi. The air coming out of the trigger nozzle is at 42 psi. Interesting to use straight nitrogen, but I don't see the advantage, since standard room air is approx 70% Nitrogen, with the remainder being 20.95% O2 and the rest mostly CO2..and the air you are blowing on the computer is the same air, chemically speaking, as the air that the computer operates in day in and day out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by geoscomp

Air Driers as in a membrane air drier that does not affect the air running through it other than to dry it. The compresser is set to 42 psi. The air coming out of the trigger nozzle is at 42 psi. Interesting to use straight nitrogen, but I don't see the advantage, since standard room air is approx 70% Nitrogen, with the remainder being 20.95% O2 and the rest mostly CO2..and the air you are blowing on the computer is the same air, chemically speaking, as the air that the computer operates in day in and day out.

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I work on A/C and Refrigeration, You cannot pressurize a system with
any air particles. That is why I have Nitrogen and then vacuum
system and then charge with freon.

So the reason you use Nitrogen is just because you have it around?

annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnyway back to the laptop, after checking all that i'm able to check and the info provided in here/chat i've given the customer the following information.

the symtoms that the laptop is displaying leads me to belive it has either some type of damage to the mainboard has occoured possibly dry joints or a cracked mainboard in someway, also it could be down to fault with the ide contollers on the mainboard of the laptop, i could possibly get the laptop apart but could not garrantee being able to put it back together to its original state, also havin spoken to another local company who do some laptop repairs they tell me the expence of compaq lappy mainboards (in the region of £250/350) its more than likly not going to be cost affective again in my opinion.

I did manage to get the lappy booted up into my testing s/w (pc-check) and run a full h/w burnin test that it passed with flying colours.

The customer is happy with the information i've provided, he apparently knows someone who is willing to have a go at getting the laptop fully apart, who ever it is is braver than me cus even when i took all the screws out the top and bottom of the lappy it still seemed welded shut, i didnt fancy using brute force but if that othere peep does good luck to them.

Thanks again for all your suggestions.

but at least now you know the ins and outs of using a compressor on laptops and desktops.... :)

Have you tried a low level format?

I have lots of problems with compaqs (and HPs) and norton ghost 2k3. I find i have to low level format (a quick one will do) to be able to use the hdd again in that system.

Welcome to Windrivers spacefrog.
I don't think you meant low level format Here is why It is not possible to do a "quick" low level format. The only quick format available on a high level format here is the difference between quick and ordinary format.

I know the difference between a low level format, and a normal format. The low level format offered these days is different to what it was back in the day, basically these days it writes zero's to every sector on the drive. A quick low level format will write zero's at the start and end of the drive, and skip all the data in between.

Aah good - but other readers do not know the difference here is a comparison for those who are interested

A zero fill utility does something completely different to a low level format, for the life of me I do not understand why even the drive manufacturer's call it an low level format.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NooNoo

Aah good - but other readers do not know the difference here is a comparison for those who are interested

A zero fill utility does something completely different to a low level format, for the life of me I do not understand why even the drive manufacturer's call it an low level format.

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It ought to be called a HAT format.Here And There.Just thinking back to hittiles. :grin:

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Originally Posted by street1

a HAT format.

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I doffs me HAT to that one... :wave: