So I bought a new laptop direct from HP last fall when school was starting, and it's been having problems and I can't figure out what the hell to do with it. The primary issue is that it won't boot up about 1/2 of the time, and then I have to sit there while it runs its system restore for like 20 minutes, after which time I've got about 80% odds that it will boot up. It's bugging the hell out of me, and I probably will have to send it to HP so they can figure out what's wrong with it, but I was wondering if any of you guys have any recommendations of stuff I can do first. I'm incredibly tech-illiterate, but what can cause something like that? I run that thing pretty bare-bones...it has Vista and OpenOffice, and very little else software-wise. Do I have any avenues to try before I send it to HP? Thanks!
Get Vista off it ASAP. Replace it with XP until W7 comes out. They wedged VISTA onto a high number of computers that didn't really have the hardware to run it, and the latops make up a big percentage of that number. Get Vista off it.
Need more information. Could be as simple as a RAM issue. What does it do when you try and boot it up? Any error messages? Are you experiencing the dreaded Blue Screen of Death? Could be a hardware issue too. Let us know.
If he bought it new last year, it is VERY unlikely that it's because the hardware can't run Vista. Was the laptop like that when you first got it? Have you tried restoring it to factory settings? Make sure you back up your data first if you do. You should also still have one-year warranty. Take full advantage of that since it should be covered.
If you would have asked me, I would have recommended you get an Apple Mac Book. I'm going to be getting one this summer, and I know people that already have one with both Windows and Mac installed. The thing is, even though the Mac Book may seem pricey, it will still run really smoothly and it won't have any kind of bugs or problems like HP, Dell or some of the other PC manufacturers have. Also, the battery is not a portable battery on the Mac Book, but it lasts longer than a standard PC battery does and it's guaranteed to last like that for 5 years.
How is that even remotely close to useful information for the OP? He asked for suggestions on fixing his laptop, not advice on buying a new laptop. To the original post, I'd speculate somethings wrong with either the ram, hard drive or OS. Maybe the ram is bad or the hard drive is dieing, but you should also just check the connections to see if ram is seated properly or the hard drive connector is properly attached. If the laptop just won't boot, its probably not the OS.
hard reset? might be a BIOS issue. and if you bought it last year like I did, it should be perfectly fine running Vista.
It sounds like a hardware imho. And w/ laptops, there are few DIY solutions. I'm guessing you'll end up sending it in. I had 2 HP laptops that both crapped out on me (And I take very good care of my computers ) after 1.5 yrs each, and both times it was a motherboard issue. Good luck, just be thankful it's still under warranty unlike mine.
Just saying what I was going to get.. lol. There aren't many threads about laptops in the Hangout to begin with, thought I might as well post some stuff about a Mac Book in here.
Here we go again. Apple > PC iPod > Zune Steve Jobs > Bill Gates This post wasn't even remotely helpful. Oh, and to say that the MAC will run "really smooth and it won't have any kind of bugs" is a pre-conceived notion. Oh, and one last thing, not all PCs have this problem. I've owned my PC (Vista OS) for nearly 2 years. No problems. But yeah man, it sounds like a hardware issue.
I have a HP Pavilion notebook DV6000 series and it had similiar problems. When I would start it the onboard LED lights would blink but the screen would not boot into Windows at all, completely blank. I troubleshooted with HP and was told it was almost 99% assuredly a motherboard problem.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not an Apple/Mac fan boy. I wasn't trying to debate in which is better, I was just simply pointing out what a Mac Book has and what I was planning on getting. Well, from what I've seen so far and what I've heard from others, Macs have been pretty smooth (never been an owner of a Mac before though). I never said all Pcs have problems, I just said that you'll have less problems with a Mac than you will have with a PC. Believe me, I still love Windows over Mac, I'm was just pointing out what advantages a Mac Book has over a PC Notebook. Also, I know my post wasn't exactly contributing towards the OP, I just wanted to point out that if he had asked for advice on buying a laptop I would have recommended a Mac Book. Sorry if I offended any PC fanboys though.
I know. Sorry for jumping the gun, mate. It's just this discussion gets real old read quick. It's nerve wracking really, haha. /end thread hi-jack
Definetly sounds like a hardware problem. Possible RAM/hard drive. I'd look at replacing the hard drive first since those tend to be most unreliable part of a laptop.
