> "Twayne" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> "S" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>> news:ZR3Ok.9404$(E-Mail Removed)2...
>>>> Slightly off topic.
>>>>
>>>> Trying to sort a PC with xp on it, it wont let me boot up and gave
>>>> an error message now it doesn`t even got that far and just freezes
>>>> at the first screen when booting so cant use another disc for
>>>> repair.
>>>> A few years back I had a problem booting and it turned out it was
>>>> the internal battery so I took the one out the pc and its a 3 v but
>>>> registers 2.4v on a voltmeter, this is against a new one I have
>>>> that shows 3.2v . I am going back to friends at the weekend to try
>>>> new battery but just wondering if anyone knows if the old one has
>>>> enough charge to boot at 2.4v. its probably been in the tower for
>>>> 4 years or so.
>>
>> 2.4V is too low so it does appear the battery is ready to replace.
>> One thing a low battery can do is scramble CMOS RAM and thus could
>> well be the culprit. Especially if the voltage is right at the
>> threshold of being able to support RAM, which was probably a tenth
>> of a volt or so earlier. IIRC 2.7V is the min for the battery voltage
>> (-10%).
>>
>> Since it's quick and reasonably fast to do, I'd start with the
>> battery. Details: Even connected 2.4V is too low, but I want to
>> point out
>> you cannot compare voltages between a connected and a not connected
>> battery. At the last battery change I made, the battery measured
>> 3.21V outside and when installed read 2.94V. Completeley normal.
>>
>> If the battery doesn't seem like a fix right away, remember, your
>> CMOS RAM could be scrambled. During the first startup, go into the
>> CMOS/System RAM settings and look for a "default" choice or if you
>> have it, a "saved" setting and reload it. Not all BIOS's will allow
>> you to save settings for recall, so ... it it's not there, don't
>> worry about it; look for default instead. Default will at least let
>> you get booted up. IF it then boots but something isn't quite
>> right, there may be some settings that need adjustment. If nothing
>> changed, then it probably wan't the battery, but ... if your 2.4V is
>> accurate, I'm betting on the battery and scrambled RAM.
>>
>> Let us know, even if the new battery doesn't help anything.
>>
>> Twayne
>>
>>
>>>>
>>>> thanks
>>>
>>> That problem isn't likely to be the battery. The system does not
>>> boot from the battery.
>>>
>>> The battery should just cause you problems with having to go into
>>> Setup to recognise hardware and set the date/time on power-up, and
>>> then restart into XP.
>>>
>>> What is the error message? That is a rather important piece of
>>> information.
>>>
>>> HTH
>>>
>>> -pk
>>
>> This is the error message...........
> Friends PC wont boot to desktop and keep getting error
> message.........
> unmountable-boot-volume.
> Stop: 0x000000 (0x82796818,0x0000032,0x00000000,0x00000000.
>
> I tried to boot in safe mode to try and do a system restore but keeps
> throwing up the same message, I tried the other modes prompt etc but
> to no avail.
If you can make it that far inthe boot process, then you are well past
the end of the POST, which is the point at which you press the key to
access your CMOS/System RAM. You MUST press the correct access key
immediately after the POST, and the second you see hte message on the
screen that says press ... for system settings or something similar.
I repeat: If you can get to the point where you can ask for Safe
Mode, etc, or anything ot do with it, you have gone PAST the point in
time where you could have pressed the access key to go into your CMOS
settings. If you don't know what key that is, or the screen goes by too
fast, check on your vendor's site - they will have the info. What the
key is depends on whose BIOS you have in the machine.
>
> Now when I try and boot it doesn`t even get as far as the error
> message it just freezes so I cant access anything....bios, safe mode
> etc.
EXACTLY what sounds, screens, etc, do you see just before it "freezes"?
Almost sounds like a reinstall is going to be your only option. If you
have your paperwork, there IS a slight possibility there might be a
jumper or tiny button on the motherboard that you can press to "reset"
your system settings. Or you could check at your vendor's site for that
info on your model.
I understand what you're saying, but ... are you CERTAIN you can't get
to the CMOS/System settings? You press the key for it (often F2 and it
should show briefly on the first screen you see). The time to do that
is immediately after the POST and before any furhter processing can
occur. The CMOS/System settings being read do NOT come into play until
AFTER that point in the boot process.
Just watch the screen as you try to boot and the second you see a
message, press the key. This is BEFORE the point where you'd press F8
to get at Safe Mode, etc., and immediately after the POST completes and
gives one short beep.
Do you know for sure which key is to access the CMOS ram settings?
If that's not available to you, then it's about 99.99% certain that you
have a serious hardware problem, I'd say since no software has run yet
at that point, not even a read of the CMOS settings so you're looking at
hardware failure.
How many beeps do you get from the system speaker when it starts to
beep? None? Listen carefully for it; it signals the end of the Power On
Self Test (POST). There should only be one short beep. If you're
getting none or more than that, then you definitely have hardware
problems. Time to dig inside or take it to a neighborhood shop. IMO
avoid the big box stores for computer repair.
HTH
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