Boot and general operating problems with Home Premium 64

[Stephen @ ZennHAUS]

Hi Guys and Gals

I have an HP Pavillion dv7 Notebook (Model No. FS136UAR to be specific)
running Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit.

As a little bit of history to the current problem, here is a basic run down
of the problems so far.

Got the laptop in first week of February. Up until about Mid April, the
laptop would regularly not boot. Post would run as normal and then a black
screen message saying Windows could not boot; insert the CD/DVD and repair
or run a recovery.

Twice the setup based repair and the HP provided recovery repair did not
work and I had to rebuild the laptop. Once I rebuilt it with HP recovery
partition and the second time I got a new MS retail CD and installed the
system from scratch with drivers downloaded from HP's site.

My initial "diagnosis" was that the hard drive was faulty, but between
rebuild 1 and rebuild 2, HP had me run an HDD self test from the BIOS and it
passed with flying colours.

So that is the history to this point.

NOW ... running retail VHP64 with O2007, Windows Live, IE8, CS3 and AVG as
pretty much the only apps installed. All updates have been installed.
However, when the updates were installing, the system kept failing to
install a large number of updates. Upon the next boot it would install some
more but still some would fail and so on until there were only 4 updates
left. A few times it would fail and revert on next boot, but eventually it
finally installed all the updates.

Last night (about 10 days since last rebuild) for no apparent reason, every
time I double click something (an app, file, explorer) a command prompt is
launched. If I right click on an icon, the first and default option is "Open
in a command prompt". I can launch apps and open files etc by right
clicking and choosing open.

As frustrating as it is, I can get by, but after shutting down my laptop and
restarting it at a friends place, it no longer recognizes my mouse (MS
compatible 3 button (2+wheel) optical). The mouse has never needed a
specific driver, but now it is asking for one. My touch pad is not working
either. GRRR!

I have run a virus scan last night and all comes up clean.

This is the first time I have had a system with a 64-bit OS. Is this
something I can expect when running 32-bit apps or is this indicative of a
deeper hardware issue?

If there is any further detail that might be useful feel free to ask. Also,
I am considering putting Windows 7 Ultimate 64 RC on the machine to rebuild
it (or is that a bad idea too?)

Cheers

Stephen @ ZennHAUS

 

[Guest]

Why haven't you returned it? It's HP's problem.

 

[Ray Luca]

Hi Guys and Gals

I have an HP Pavillion dv7 Notebook (Model No. FS136UAR to be specific)
running Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit.

As a little bit of history to the current problem, here is a basic run down
of the problems so far.

Got the laptop in first week of February. Up until about Mid April, the
laptop would regularly not boot. Post would run as normal and then a black
screen message saying Windows could not boot; insert the CD/DVD and repair
or run a recovery.

Twice the setup based repair and the HP provided recovery repair did not
work and I had to rebuild the laptop. Once I rebuilt it with HP recovery
partition and the second time I got a new MS retail CD and installed the
system from scratch with drivers downloaded from HP's site.

My initial "diagnosis" was that the hard drive was faulty, but between
rebuild 1 and rebuild 2, HP had me run an HDD self test from the BIOS and it
passed with flying colours.

You should have returned the computer under warranty by this time.

[snip]

If there is any further detail that might be useful feel free to ask. Also,
I am considering putting Windows 7 Ultimate 64 RC on the machine to rebuild
it (or is that a bad idea too?)

Bad idea. ONE... you've got too many problems. TWO... that
installation would have to be deleted and started over once the final
version becomes available.

 

[Stephen @ ZennHAUS]

I don't know how the warranty works in the US, but here in Australia you
have to have a return code from HP support first which won't happen if they
think there is some sort of user fixable problem and they classify
reinstallation as user fixable. Since the HDD comes up clean in the BIOS
self test, they say there is nothing wrong with the HDD and don't see how
the other issues could be hardware based.

 

[Stephen @ ZennHAUS]

I don't know how the warranty works in the US, but here in Australia you
have to have a return code from HP support first which won't happen if they
think there is some sort of user fixable problem and they classify
reinstallation as user fixable. Since the HDD comes up clean in the BIOS
self test, they say there is nothing wrong with the HDD and don't see how
the other issues could be hardware based.

Reinstalling the new version will be no big deal for me, the biggest issue I
have is whether this is hardware or software issue OR is it a 32-bit or
64-bit issue. Should I be running 32-bit Windows?

Hi Guys and Gals

I have an HP Pavillion dv7 Notebook (Model No. FS136UAR to be specific)
running Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit.

As a little bit of history to the current problem, here is a basic run
down
of the problems so far.

Got the laptop in first week of February. Up until about Mid April, the
laptop would regularly not boot. Post would run as normal and then a
black
screen message saying Windows could not boot; insert the CD/DVD and repair
or run a recovery.

Twice the setup based repair and the HP provided recovery repair did not
work and I had to rebuild the laptop. Once I rebuilt it with HP recovery
partition and the second time I got a new MS retail CD and installed the
system from scratch with drivers downloaded from HP's site.

My initial "diagnosis" was that the hard drive was faulty, but between
rebuild 1 and rebuild 2, HP had me run an HDD self test from the BIOS and
it
passed with flying colours.

You should have returned the computer under warranty by this time.

[snip]

If there is any further detail that might be useful feel free to ask.
Also,
I am considering putting Windows 7 Ultimate 64 RC on the machine to
rebuild
it (or is that a bad idea too?)

Bad idea. ONE... you've got too many problems. TWO... that
installation would have to be deleted and started over once the final
version becomes available.

 

[Bill]

Return it to the retailer. It his responsibility to sell you a machine that
works as warranted. Check with your state's Fair Trading Office if the
retailer is shonky.

HP also have a Peer to peer Support forum which I have successfully used
from time to time:

http://forums13.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/bizsupport/home.do?forumId=2

 

[Stephen @ ZennHAUS]

Thanks for the advice Bill

I have contacted the Fair Trade people here who say they have no specific
record of the retailer which means they have never had them on their radar.
That being said, according to warranty guidelines in Australia, it's all
return to HP rather than return to retailer for laptops.

I will make good use of the HP forums though. Thanks

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

Sounds more like a loose connection in the machine causing the intermittent
problem. Has nothing to do with 32 vs. 64 bit installations as either will
fail when there is a hardware issue.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

I don't know how the warranty works in the US, but here in Australia you
have to have a return code from HP support first which won't happen if they
think there is some sort of user fixable problem and they classify
reinstallation as user fixable. Since the HDD comes up clean in the BIOS
self test, they say there is nothing wrong with the HDD and don't see how
the other issues could be hardware based.

Reinstalling the new version will be no big deal for me, the biggest issue
I have is whether this is hardware or software issue OR is it a 32-bit or
64-bit issue. Should I be running 32-bit Windows?

Hi Guys and Gals

I have an HP Pavillion dv7 Notebook (Model No. FS136UAR to be specific)
running Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit.

As a little bit of history to the current problem, here is a basic run
down
of the problems so far.

Got the laptop in first week of February. Up until about Mid April, the
laptop would regularly not boot. Post would run as normal and then a
black
screen message saying Windows could not boot; insert the CD/DVD and
repair
or run a recovery.

Twice the setup based repair and the HP provided recovery repair did not
work and I had to rebuild the laptop. Once I rebuilt it with HP recovery
partition and the second time I got a new MS retail CD and installed the
system from scratch with drivers downloaded from HP's site.

My initial "diagnosis" was that the hard drive was faulty, but between
rebuild 1 and rebuild 2, HP had me run an HDD self test from the BIOS and
it
passed with flying colours.

You should have returned the computer under warranty by this time.

[snip]

If there is any further detail that might be useful feel free to ask.
Also,
I am considering putting Windows 7 Ultimate 64 RC on the machine to
rebuild
it (or is that a bad idea too?)

Bad idea. ONE... you've got too many problems. TWO... that
installation would have to be deleted and started over once the final
version becomes available.

 

[Chad Harris]

Hi Guys and Gals

I have an HP Pavillion dv7 Notebook (Model No. FS136UAR to be specific)
running Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit.

As a little bit of history to the current problem, here is a basic run
down of the problems so far.

Got the laptop in first week of February. Up until about Mid April, the
laptop would regularly not boot. Post would run as normal and then a
black screen message saying Windows could not boot; insert the CD/DVD and
repair or run a recovery.

Twice the setup based repair and the HP provided recovery repair did not
work and I had to rebuild the laptop. Once I rebuilt it with HP recovery
partition and the second time I got a new MS retail CD and installed the
system from scratch with drivers downloaded from HP's site.

My initial "diagnosis" was that the hard drive was faulty, but between
rebuild 1 and rebuild 2, HP had me run an HDD self test from the BIOS and
it passed with flying colours.

So that is the history to this point.

NOW ... running retail VHP64 with O2007, Windows Live, IE8, CS3 and AVG as
pretty much the only apps installed. All updates have been installed.
However, when the updates were installing, the system kept failing to
install a large number of updates. Upon the next boot it would install
some more but still some would fail and so on until there were only 4
updates left. A few times it would fail and revert on next boot, but
eventually it finally installed all the updates.

Last night (about 10 days since last rebuild) for no apparent reason,
every time I double click something (an app, file, explorer) a command
prompt is launched. If I right click on an icon, the first and default
option is "Open in a command prompt". I can launch apps and open files
etc by right clicking and choosing open.

As frustrating as it is, I can get by, but after shutting down my laptop
and restarting it at a friends place, it no longer recognizes my mouse (MS
compatible 3 button (2+wheel) optical). The mouse has never needed a
specific driver, but now it is asking for one. My touch pad is not working
either. GRRR!

I have run a virus scan last night and all comes up clean.

This is the first time I have had a system with a 64-bit OS. Is this
something I can expect when running 32-bit apps or is this indicative of a
deeper hardware issue?

If there is any further detail that might be useful feel free to ask.
Also, I am considering putting Windows 7 Ultimate 64 RC on the machine to
rebuild it (or is that a bad idea too?)

Cheers

Stephen @ ZennHAUS

Check all your connections as Rick said, then run a chkdsk c: /r at an
elevated command prompt (with admin privileges)--type cmd in the search
box>rt. click cmd when pops up>run as admin> type y when it asks if you want
to run next start>restart.

After that run sfc /scannow at elevated cmd prompt.

If those don't help, you can try a startup repair which acts as an uber SFC
to possibly replenish/fix corrupted files.

MSFT bills it for no boots, but I've seen it fix systemically broken Vista
components.

If you need to repair major components of the Vista OS or can't boot, and
don't have a Vista DVD, you can download the .iso from this link and burn
it:

Download Vista Repair Disk
http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/

1) First try 3 options from Startup Repair. If you have a Vista DVD then
restart with it in the drive>press any key to boot from it and run Startup
Repair. From Startup Repair you have 3 good tools with an excellent chance
of fixing your system. If you don't have a Vista DVD from which to boot to
Startup Repair, no problem, Download the .iso from the link below and
burn it, and you'll have the Microsoft Vista Repair Disk with Startup
Repair.

Download Vista Repair Disk
http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/

How to Use Startup Repair from the Vista DVD or the Repair Disk you make:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial142.html

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/5c59f8c1-b0d1-4f1a-af55-74f3922f3f351033.mspx


Good luck,

CH