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Question

Laptop wont boot up

Jun 28, 2019 9:05AM PDT

Hi guys,

I have a 15 year old laptop that I am trying to boot up but I have tried everything and it refuses to. It wont start in safe mode (i get a list of windows/driver...sys paths), it wont start in last good configuration, it wont start normally. I have tried booting from an XP Professional repair CD but it jut ignores it, even after changing boot priority in setup. This happened after I updated the graphics drivers.

I am out of ideas and thought I would try here before I throw it out the window. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Try booting up a
Jun 28, 2019 9:41AM PDT

Linux Live disc to see if the computer boots and everything works.
Maybe try booting up Linux Mint give it a go and let us know ...

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Answer
I feel your pain
Jun 29, 2019 6:30AM PDT

I have a 2002 laptop that exhibits similar traits after Patch Tuesday updates if Microsoft updates ACPI power management. The machine isn't fully ACPI compliant - it uses the earlier APM mechanism. It runs Windows 7 and if it refuses to start, it takes many attempts trying all the options in F8 diagnostic start menu.

Once started, it runs perfectly, no errors of any sort, curious.

In your case, you need to get those graphics drivers off but you need to get it to boot somehow to do that. I can't remember if the XP diagnostic list includes a System Restore option, that may help, if it does.

I'm guessing you don't have a restorable backup, so your only option would be a clean install from an original XP install disk. Would the hassle that would give you be worth it? Only you can decide. Possibly cheaper than a new window!

The live Linux boot, as suggested by itsdigger may help - who knows, you might become a Linux convert! Good luck.

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Thanks for the replies.
Jun 29, 2019 8:58AM PDT

I am trying the linux option, just waiting for some dvd's to write the image to. I'm not very optimistic this is going to do anything. If it wont read the repair CD why would it respond to the linux boot?

I'm quite happy converting to linux. It may actually be more stable than XP - and not completely break when upgrading drivers. I still don't know how this can happen to, what was at the time a £1000 laptop.

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I have seen this work
Jun 29, 2019 9:51AM PDT

we boot up Linux to diagnose hardware problems . If it boot up with the Linux disc , and everything runs cool , your computer has no hardware issues. Than it's a Driver issue or something else wrong like Windows OS or some software installed ...

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Answer
What are the symptoms?
Jun 29, 2019 12:55PM PDT

When you say it won't boot up what exactly do you mean?
Do any lights come on?
Is there anything displayed on the screen?
Can you hear the hard drive spin up?
Are there any error messages on the screen?

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Freezes on startup
Jun 30, 2019 2:31AM PDT

It will start up as normal and get to the - windows did not shutdown properly screen. I have tried safe mode, last known configuration, all of the options and I will either get a blank screen or a list of driver pathnames, then it freezes.

No error messages, the hard drive seems to work - keyboard will sometimes work.
I can enter bios setup and sometimes advanced options menu.
Going to try this linux boot.

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Answer
No luck
Jul 3, 2019 11:20AM PDT

Unfortunately, I have tried linux mint 32bit and no luck. To my surprise it actually recognized the disc and got to the Mint boot menu. But when trying to boot in "compatibility mode" it kept saying I/0 error then finally, no live medium found and froze.

I know the disc works because i tried it on another old laptop. Thanks for the help guys but i think this ones going in the scrap, not going to waste anymore time on it.

Luke