Posted by KBLedgard_CA on 5/9/06 1:58am
Msg #118474

Computer Help Needed...PAW?

I am having problems with my laptop to the point it will not start up properly. If Paw or any other technically advanced person can please call me, I would greatly appreciate it. I will be out the door tomorrow at 6:30a-6:45a PST.


Thanks,


Kyle

Reply by Drakester_IA on 5/9/06 2:15am
Msg #118477

what kind of probs are you having I will try to help

Reply by KBLedgard_CA on 5/9/06 2:19am
Msg #118478

Computer started to freeze...I rebooted computer. When I did, it wasn't booting up properly. At some point, it said that the system did not recognize XP. Then I got a msg that a sys file is either corrupt or missing. I just found master reboot cd and will give it a try. I'll post again in a few minutes once cd is done.

Reply by KBLedgard_CA on 5/9/06 2:43am
Msg #118480

I'm too tired to keep working on this...I will deal with this again in the morning. I do still have a few questions, though.

Reply by Drakester_IA on 5/9/06 2:52am
Msg #118481

I will do what I can

Reply by BrendaTx on 5/9/06 6:55am
Msg #118483

Re: Computer Help Needed...PAW? Not Paul, but...

If it is freezing, and having trouble rebooting, I think it is new hard drive or reformat time.

If you need to get info off of it first you might be able to slave your notebook disk on your desktop computer (or take it into the shop) by getting ribbon cable adapter which is regular desktop size on one side and laptop size on the other. Sometimes you can get them at BestBuy or CircuitCity - I think those adapters are around $8. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

Reply by KBLedgard_CA on 5/9/06 8:29am
Msg #118495

Re: Computer Help Needed...PAW? Not Paul, but...

It won't even start up properly. I saw 2 distinct messages...1 told me it wasn't recognizing XP and the other saying that a .sys file was corrupted or damaged. I found the master cd. I've been trying to use the "recover console" as the computer instructed when it told me when I saw the .sys file error msg. Should I re-install XP? Is it safe to assume I will lose everything that was on the computer?

Thanks Brenda and Drakester. I am going to leave in about 10 minutes if anyone has any thoughts. Give me a call. TIA

Reply by BrendaTx on 5/9/06 8:40am
Msg #118499

Re: Computer Help Needed...PAW? Not Paul, but...

My knowledge is limited. If a *.sys file is damaged, you could try doing a search on google.com or windows.com.

That's what I do. Usually a KB message will float up and say how to fix if you know how to boot to dos and copy a file from the XP disk to the disk drive.

This happened to me and I fixed the computer with that tidbit. However, shortly thereafter the drive started to fail. From my research, it seems like these lap top drives do not do the same good long term work a regular desktop drive will do.

Reply by PAW on 5/9/06 8:30am
Msg #118496

Boot is SAFE mode

If it comes up, it is a driver/OS file corruption problem or a hardware failure with a peripheral processor. If it doesn't boot up in SAFE mode, does it boot from your recovery CD? If so, it's probably not a hardware problem. Let us know how you make out with the "recovery" fix.

Reply by Winston_Tn on 5/9/06 9:32am
Msg #118516

Re: Computer Help

This type of problem is difficult to ascertain without being able to have the laptop in front of you. There are several processes to XP 'startup'...from the POST , NTLDR....to LOGIN.
I am directing you to a link that will familiarize you with the processes, and explain how to
instantiate the many built-in troubleshooting and recovery console applications. There are
detailed explanations (How To)...replace specific damaged or corrupt file and registry entries.
A reinstall should be your last choice.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/reskit/c29621675.mspx

Reply by KBLedgard_CA on 5/9/06 10:31pm
Msg #118740

Re: Computer Help

Thank you all for the help. Since it was a .sys file error and I had the backup cd, I called support and they are having me run chkdsk /r to repair the corrupted files. Based on what they have said, this should resolve the problem. I'll be happy when the repair is done.

Thanks again.

Reply by BrendaTx on 5/9/06 10:33pm
Msg #118743

Re: Computer Help - Winston...

**A reinstall should be your last choice.**

Aw c'mon Winston, let's have little fun with him.

JK!!!!