Sorry for the repost, but I thought people might have thought my post in his thread was about his issue. Here's my problem: my laptop went out last monday. At first it said it couldn't find the OS. Then I screwed around a bit with it and got it back up to where I was able to boot it up using the "start windows the last time it worked normally". Then it would operate like normal for 5 minutes before I'd get the blue screen of death. Tried to system restore, but I kept getting a blue screen after that. Then after a half dozen tries, it went back to the black screen saying it couldn't locate the OS. Tried to screw around in BIOS, but that just seemed to change the black screen's message. Now when I turn it on, I only get a black screen saying it is unable to reroot. Any help?
My guess is that you have a bad hard drive. If you have the OS cd, you should try to reinstall it. Are you trying to recover some fills of that hard drive? How important is the information you are trying to recover?
I'd like to save it, but it isn't that important. I just need the thing working, as I use it for work. R2K installed the OS it had on there, so I don't have a backup to install. The other odd thing about it was that nothing was running when it went down, although I had left an internet window up. No warnings at all, it just suddenly went black one morning.
I agree, sounds like a hard drive issue. If it's a Dell, hit CTRL+ALT+D when you see the Dell logo and it will run a drive diagnostic and tell you if it passes or fails.
It's an IBM thinkpad. And does it still seem like a hard drive issue even though it did successfully boot up several times before going to the Blue screen?
Yep, that's a classic sign of the HD going bad. Like others suggested, back everything up. Putting a new drive in and getting someone (R2K?) to reload the software isn't that expensive or that big a deal.
I live and work here in The Woodlands. I can burn a copy tonight and have it in my truck. I have to go pick the kids up after work tomorrow but if you are out here in the middle of the day, I can hook you up. I still have your email, I'll send you my digits.
Awesome! I'll check my email. I've got an appt. in Willis at 4:00, so I can meet you before or after.
As others mentioned, it could be the hard drive. The message on the blue screen could provide further input. If it is not the drive, it could very well be the controller. If it is the hard drive or controller, reinstalling the OS is just delaying the inevitable.
It seems too new to warrant something like that, IMO. Besides, before this occured, there was never a problem with it, other than a screen that kept saying that my OS wasn't genuine.
Before works better for me. I work at Chevron Phillips and it is right off of 45 at Woodlands Parkway. You could jump off, get the CD from me, and jump back on the freeway in probably 10 - 15 minutes tops. Chevron Phillips Chemical Map
My daughter's laptop exhibited similar behavior and the blue screen messages (it's been almost 2 years so I don't remember the specifics) pointed to a drive problem. I replaced the drive to no avail. I assumed then it was probably the controller but she was in the market for a new laptop anyway so we didn't pursue it any further.
