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Comp suddenly not starting...

B

Bob002

Gawd
Joined
Jul 22, 2004
Messages
884
Not sure if it's a 98 or XP system, but one of the comps at my wife's work suddenly won't start up. It's probably an HP :rolleyes: but that is what her grandparent's buy... She said it won't start in safe mode, or any of the modes. Says something about insuffcient memory.

I know this isn't a lot to go on, but that's all I get over the phone... I'm going up there to check it out.

My thoughts are probably bad RAM. Although I would think it would at least still start in safe mode...

Any ideas??
 
Okay, just got here. Checked the computer out...

It's a win 98 comsmack... er compaq... :rolleyes:

Says several files are missing or corrupted and to run scanreg. Only problem is I can't find scanreg.

some of the missing or corrupted files include himem.sys, dblbuff.sys, and ifshlp.sys.

Now, just for those of you actually reading this, my first suggestion was to tell them that they should get better computers. All these computers are HPs or Compaqs, as they just go to Staples/Office Depot/Sam's Club and buy whatever is cheapest. I tried to make them realize what would happen if they actually bought a quality computer... :rolleyes: Maybe they'll actually listen this time...
 
You obviously have little experience with any of our systems in the last 2 years or so if your still labelling them crap, however.....

Win98 is very easy to fix for these types of problems. Find a boot disk and boot from it to access any of the drive utilities, or boot into a command prompt and do the same. Run the scanreg tool from there.

Also, please explain to me how a problem with Microsoft's OS is HP/Compaqs fault????
 
I should say this is an older compaq, more likely like over 2 years old. However, you're right, I do have little experience with them in the last few years. The experience I HAVE had has left a bad taste in my mouth, consistently.

Now, this thread is neither the here nor there for that debate. If i wanted to have it, I would've started a thread for you.
 
We've made significant changes and upgrades in our personal computer market. Currently ranked number one across the board of major OEMs.

Did you happen to try booting to the command prompt and running scanreg?
 
yes, I did. says it can't find scanreg. I found the compaq quick restore disks, but as they format the hard drive, that's not a good idea as there is information on this computer that is needed. I'm going to get a win98 cd I have at home and try reinstalling JUST the OS and see if that works...
 
If your DOS commands are sharp, you may be able to grab scanreg and the files you need off of the CD.
 
yeah... 98 is crap.. you have to reformat it every few months in my experience... i am sure that computer you are workign on has never been reformated.. but i could be wrong...
 
reformat the drive chances are the person/people using it managed to fill the task bar up with useless apps. until the rescources were stretched beyond it's capabilities or a virus may have done that for them as well....still reformat.
 
I'm having a weird problem now. reinstalling win98 worked, to a certain point. I reinstalled the network card (Linksys LNE100TX) and it just constantly restarts. It will start up in safe mode, but not in normal mode. It has only done this since I reinstalled the NIC card...
 
Every Compaq I've ever had the displeasure of servicing has been a complete and utter piece of crap. But so are most "store bought" brands.

Made in China/Mexico/Penguinland for the lose.
 
Well, imo, after the 1st reinstall of win98, your gonna do it a lot after :p I got my 1st compaq in 1998, 466 Celly that kicked ass in its day. anyway, that 'puter had 98 on it from june of '98 to january of '04, without an error to it( not counting the given common errors..no way at all user related ;) ) then, it came time for the ol bigfoot's first reformat...after that, i had to reinstall win98 like 3 times in as many months. Till about a month ago the celly finally went and mobo died. Still have the 10gig 5.25" BigFoot in my AMD rig :cool: . Anyway, my point is, why not find an old hard drive as a boot drive and install the other drives as slaves and get all the important info, then format and new OS?Jmo
 
scottatwittenberg said:
yeah... 98 is crap.. you have to reformat it every few months in my experience... i am sure that computer you are workign on has never been reformated.. but i could be wrong...
Click to expand...

I'm having as many problems with xp also, so far WinME :eek: has a better stability record on it. 98 is about the only OS that works right.
 
scottatwittenberg said:
yeah... 98 is crap.. you have to reformat it every few months in my experience... i
Click to expand...

I've never reformatted my 98 system, it runs really well. No stability issues or anything...

Back to the Compaqs... you may have a conflict with another device in the computer. Check the resources out in safe mode. Question: When does it reboot? As soon as it finishes booting? After a little while?
If you still have problems, do what IceBawX suggested: stick the HDDs in another computer, set them as slaves, and then get the important data off it.

BTW, all the experiences I've had with re-installing Win98 on brand name computers (i'm looking at you, Dell...) have been really bad. I think its because the companies set up the hardware in a certain way, and its hard to re-configure. That may be what you are experiencing now.
 
A few things I left out/ would clarify.

It doesn't finish booting in normal mode. Will boot in safe mode. I'm assuming (since when it started) it's due to a conflict with the NIC card. It's a newer linksys card, at least from what I can tell.

I can get all the important data off... that's not a problem. The only *real* important data is various office docs, and while it may take a while to get them off on floppies, it can be done.

Really, I think they just need to buy something that isn't in the bargin bin at wal mart...

Most of the other comps they ahve are HPs running XP with 256 mb of ram... The purchaser really doesn't know jack about computers. On top of that, they went so far as to not network certain computers so that people couldn't look at and see certain things (like payroll stuff). I was like... um... you have to ALLOW that sharing in the first place. You can set it to NOT be shared....

:rolleyes:
 
If you want, you can (i *think*) change the configurations settings under safe mode, but your best bet is to tell them to get new computers. Maybe you should apply for a position as system administrator there. That may help them...
 
I actually told them to get new computers. More specifically, I said "You should get something that doesn't suck."

Now, whether or not Compaqs/HPs have gotten better at this point isn't the issue. These computers flat suck.

The answer I got was "Well I don't want to spend 5000 dollars on a new computer".

I simply said, "You don't have to. You can get them fairly cheap."

I then proceeded to spec out a Dell 4600C for 900. Those computers would last them reliably for several years, and barely cost them anything...

However, this is my wife's family, and they probably won't listen to me.
 
Okay, it's definitely a problem with the NIC card. I can restart it with the NIC card disabled, but enabled it resets itself as its loading windows. I'm going to check and see if the card is actually in all the way... Maybe this is causing the problem???
 
Just tried something new. Pulled the NIC card again to double check. It was actually a version newer than what I had originally thought (has markings for 2 different cards on it).

However, it's still restarting when loading windows. I'm positive it's related to the NIC card, as it starts just fine in safe mode...

Any ideas???
 
So the computers boot fine without the Nic's installed? If so, i had this problem with my LinkSys 10/100 ethernet card, windows would keep restarting if i left it in, but was just fine if i took it out. You may need to boot without the Nic, and install the drivers, then put the Nic back in, and go. Main reason....Winders gets confused :p Also, does that mobo have on board LAN? if so..that could be why windows is getting all paranoid about another network card.
 
IceBawx said:
So the computers boot fine without the Nic's installed? If so, i had this problem with my LinkSys 10/100 ethernet card, windows would keep restarting if i left it in, but was just fine if i took it out. You may need to boot without the Nic, and install the drivers, then put the Nic back in, and go. Main reason....Winders gets confused :p Also, does that mobo have on board LAN? if so..that could be why windows is getting all paranoid about another network card.
Click to expand...


It boots fine without the NIC in. Are you saying that you had the same problem???

I've tried reinstalling the card several times... The mobo doesn't have onboard LAN, just this card. It's an older compaq with k6 processor.

Just tried what you suggested and same result. Doesn't want to restart. I'm going to try another slot and see if that works...
 
Yep, I had the same problem with a LAN card. Windows would make it to the desktop, and restart. I would try a PCI and see if that works, i dont particularly like the little CNR or AMR slots.
 
Bob002 said:
It boots fine without the NIC in. Are you saying that you had the same problem???

I've tried reinstalling the card several times... The mobo doesn't have onboard LAN, just this card. It's an older compaq with k6 processor.

Just tried what you suggested and same result. Doesn't want to restart. I'm going to try another slot and see if that works...
Click to expand...

my linksys net card is doing the same thing :(
 
I tried everything suggested here, and still couldn't get it to work. And I mean everything, and could never get it to. So, I think I convinced them to get a new comp...
 
djnes said:
You obviously have little experience with any of our systems in the last 2 years or so if your still labelling them crap, however.....
Click to expand...
The majority of computers that I repair due to hardware failures are Compaqs or HPs. Some of them are less than 6 months old. Let's just say that I still label them crap... :rolleyes:


djnes said:
We've made significant changes and upgrades in our personal computer market. Currently ranked number one across the board of major OEMs.
Click to expand...
And I'm sure that's a totally unbiased ranking, of course... :rolleyes:
I heard the same statement from a P.R. representative at Gateway. So you'll have to excuse me if I don't believe everything that I hear.

Anyways, Bob002, did you try formating the HD and reinstalling Windows? I normally reserve that as a last resort, but I think that you are at that point. :(
 
Eidolon said:
The majority of computers that I repair due to hardware failures are Compaqs or HPs. Some of them are less than 6 months old. Let's just say that I still label them crap... :rolleyes:



And I'm sure that's a totally unbiased ranking, of course... :rolleyes:
I heard the same statement from a P.R. representative at Gateway. So you'll have to excuse me if I don't believe everything that I hear.

Anyways, Bob002, did you try formating the HD and reinstalling Windows? I normally reserve that as a last resort, but I think that you are at that point. :(
Click to expand...


Originally I just re-installed Windows, without formatting. The reasoning being that there was some data that I needed to get off the computer for the in-laws. Now, there was approximately 50 mb in this folder. I ended up needing about 10ish, if that, of these documents. After trying for the better part of 2 days to get the damn thing to work, I finally told them I had no idea whatsoever, and that no one else I knew did either.

So, as the comp was at least 4 years old (still running an AMD k62 with 56 mb of RAM), they are going to get a new one. Hopefully she won't just run into Staples or Sam's and buy the cheapest thing they have. I recommended that they actually spend a *little* bit of money and go with a Dell.
 
Widows 98 is finicky crap...got to remove ALL NON-ESSENTIAL cards and install windows....THEN add a card and driver...until all cards are in and running. OR you can do it a hundred times and it will be screwed every time.
 
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