No, Not Again! Help??!!1!

[betheny]

My new Compaq Presario F767NR Notebook computer has an even newer hard drive, as the first was defective. This new one DID work better, so the first one was always glitchy. For example it would never Save As .jpg. I had to copy all photos to Paint and then save as jpeg...

Now, imo, the new one was ok for maybe 2 months. Last night I fell asleep in bed w/out turning pc off. (I mention this because it WAS online.) Now, when I power on, it won't go to the OS. (Vista, btw.)

It shows the Compaq screen, w some BIOS directions at the bottom, I think, such as Press ESC F9, F11 etc. It won't take me to System Recovery, although that is one of the options.

Here's the weird part...1. You have to hit those buttons FAST because 2. No matter where I go or what I do, it starts running real loud then shuts itself off. Restarts after 10 secs, back at the Compaq screen, and starts all over again.

Is this likely to be a bug or another hard drive malfunction?

I have no hardware installed and hardly any software either. I use AVG, as Avast wouldn't install. I DO have my install disk this time, which puts me ahead of the game compared to usual. But I'm tired of this game!

This is the pc:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01399740&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en

[sjean423]

Put the install disc into the drive, turn it on and see what happens. You may be able to boot from there.

Other thought to try, can you get it to come up in safe mode? Push f10 over and over when you turn it on to do that.

I am thinking it is a hard drive issue again, as it restarts so fast, almost too quickly for a virus to be controlling it?

But that is just based on my experience w/ both virus issues and with hardware problems.

As far as another drive so fast .... not unheard of, my daughter ran into that more than once. In her case tho, it turned out her fan was defective, and I think she was just cooking the hard drives.

[McDuff]

I'm thinking hard drive problem too. Those bios buttons do come/go fast, since it makes it past those options, it is trying to go ahead and boot up windows. Sounds like something got corrupted.

Was it covered up or anything when it was left on? Coincidence of leaving on overnight and not working could speak of a heat related issue. Like Sjean said, also need to make sure the fan is working, 2 HD's in such short order points to something else may be the cause.

[Foolish Old]

B - Sorry for your troubles. Computers are great - until they decide to become a PITA.

FWIW - the previous "save as" .jpg problem doesn't sound like a hardware problem.

It sounds like your machine is failing the POST procedure. It could be so many things. One possibility is a faulty power supply. Since you posted this message, you must have another computer? Try Googling your symptoms - and check the tech support of the HP website. Maybe that can help you eliminate some possibilities or highlight some possibilities.

If it turns out to be a hardware problem, like McDuff, I suspect heat is the culprit.

Read a little bit, then see if you can launch the recovery process. Don't be afraid to try stuff. You can't hurt it too bad without a hammer. But only try one thing a a time.

Good luck.

[rybread]

Based on the fact that it's making a really loud noise right before it restarts, my guess would be a hard drive or else the processor fanhas gone out on it.Typically on laptops there is no cooling system for the hard drive, it's just in their.The only cooling system would befor the processorand if that's not working,the computer will automatically restart and go into what's called POST (pre-operating system tests) again and it will continue to do that. I don't think it has anything to do with leaving it on overnight, I barely ever turn mine off, I just think you got a bad laptop.Good luck getting it taken care of.

[sjean423]

I read in another thread you sent the computer back?

[Foolish Old]

FWIW - some people refer to the POST procedure as Power On Self Test. No matter what it stands for, B's computer ain't passing that test.:(Based on the fact that it's making a really loud noise right before it restarts, my guess would be a hard drive or else the processor fanhas gone out on it.Typically on laptops there is no cooling system for the hard drive, it's just in their.The only cooling system would befor the processorand if that's not working,the computer will automatically restart and go into what's called POST (pre-operating system tests) again and it will continue to do that. I don't think it has anything to do with leaving it on overnight, I barely ever turn mine off, I just think you got a bad laptop.Good luck getting it taken care of.

[rybread]

FWIW - some people refer to the POST procedure as Power On Self Test. No matter what it stands for, B's computer ain't passing that test.:(

All I remember is that it was a test that ran before the operating system started. It kind of sounds to me like there's a possibility it's passing almost all the tests until it spins up the hard drives where the hard drive malfunctions and the system reboots. But I'm not a professional so I'm not sure, it's just a hobby of mine.

[woman from Europe]

betheny, that happened to mine too, and it was a bug in the start. A friend of me fixed it and it was like new after. It is the one I have now and it is working nice even if it is close to two years.

Who is the pc expert around you ;o)

[russianboss]

http://bpr.hpordercenter.com/hbpr/

[rybread]

You may want to go and see if there's an update to the BIOS. Then matrix all your problems right there, although with that noise, it sounds like something is physically broken. Good luck getting it fixed.

[Foolish Old]

Flashing the BIOS is one of very few exception to my previous statement that you can't do much to hurt your computer by experimenting with possible cures. IMHO, A BIOS update gone wrong can do serious damage. Suggest that you try other things first.