Not able to repair Windows XP

[no-account]

I've got a neighbors Compaq Presario 6029 here that just plain
refuses to let me repair it. Originally, it would get to a DOS
window on boot up
that give the choice of Safe Mode or Starting in Normal Mode and a
couple of other choices, but no matter which one you picked it would
sit there for about four or five minutes and then go to sleep
(using his monitor).

Help! I'm at a loss to explain it. I was
thinking the power supply, but it is to predictable, not random
enough for that to be the likely reason, right?

I put the Compaq Operating System CD
into the drive and go through the repair process just fine until it
gets to the "Installing Devices" window at about 34 minutes left and
it stalls there for about five minutes and then it re-boots and
starts all over again. And again. And again.

Using his monitor it would say that Compaq was going to sleep (LCD
screen) and on my monitor (CRT) it just re-boots.


Lowrent in TX

 

[no-account]

No joy! It restarts the Install CD and looks like it is picking up
where it left off, and then it just sits there for a couple of
minutes until it reboots itself and starts the whole process all
over again. I've tried booting without the CD in the drive, but that
goes nowhere and tells me to put the disc back in.

The CD I've been using says "Compaq Operating System CD" and there
is another CD that says "Compaq Restore Plus!" Which I haven't
tried yet. Does the Operating System CD contain the complete Windows
installation files, or is it just a recovery CD?

I also have four, count 'em, (4) software Enhancement CD's for
Windows XP. What ever the heck those are?

I have a full retail version of Windows XP Home. Can I install that
on this computer and use the Windows key that is stuck on the case
of the Compaq unit to install it?? Or will that mess it up big time?
I have been to the Compaq support site and downloaded all the
hardware drivers.

 

[sdlomi2]

No joy! It restarts the Install CD and looks like it is picking up
where it left off, and then it just sits there for a couple of
minutes until it reboots itself and starts the whole process all
over again. I've tried booting without the CD in the drive, but that
goes nowhere and tells me to put the disc back in.

The CD I've been using says "Compaq Operating System CD" and there
is another CD that says "Compaq Restore Plus!" Which I haven't
tried yet. Does the Operating System CD contain the complete Windows
installation files, or is it just a recovery CD?

I also have four, count 'em, (4) software Enhancement CD's for
Windows XP. What ever the heck those are?

I have a full retail version of Windows XP Home. Can I install that
on this computer and use the Windows key that is stuck on the case
of the Compaq unit to install it?? Or will that mess it up big time?
I have been to the Compaq support site and downloaded all the
hardware drivers.

I just finished with the exact symptoms--a Dell model 1100. It too
stopped at 34 minutes left every time. I finally put laptop into refrig.
for ~5 minutes, then sat it on a blue-freeze-pak to run the repair-install.
This time it buzzed right on by the 34-minute bottleneck & installed fine.
HTH, s

 

[no-account]

??????? You're saying it is getting too hot? I have the front and
side panels off in an air conditioned room set at 74 degrees F. I
don't think putting it in the fridge for a couple of minutes is
going to help much. Is he going to have to do that every ten minutes
or so, 'cause if it gets hot during install, what happens when it
gets hot during normal operations?

 

[Rich Barry]

Try disconnecting all the devices that are not needed for reinstall. Then
go back to using
the Compaq Recovery Disk.

 

[sdlomi2]

??????? You're saying it is getting too hot? I have the front and
side panels off in an air conditioned room set at 74 degrees F. I
don't think putting it in the fridge for a couple of minutes is
going to help much. Is he going to have to do that every ten minutes
or so, 'cause if it gets hot during install, what happens when it
gets hot during normal operations?

Not really, but it seems some laptops came with defective OS discs--this
one seemed so. Did a Google for "ialmnt5.sys file" which popped up several
times at the 34-minute segment of install. Dunno why, but I just tried
refrig. it & it worked. Luck, s

 

[no-account]

Yeah, I've already retrieved most of his data fro the HDD, and I put
another known good HDD into the machine and still no joy! I couldn't
even get the different HDD to post, and now I can't post on the
original HDD.

I also tried a brand new power supply and that didn't make any
difference. I am at a complete loss to this problem.

 

[w_tom]

??????? You're saying it is getting too hot? I have the front and
side panels off in an air conditioned room set at 74 degrees F. I
don't think putting it in the fridge for a couple of minutes is
going to help much.

If it fails due to heat, then hardware is completely (hard)
defective and was probably (intermittent) defective previously. Both
are examples of 100% defective hardware. Yes a computer can boot just
fine and still have 100% defective hardware.

Heat is a tool for finding defects. Every computer must work just
fine even in a 100 degree F room. Those who never learned electronics
will want to cure symptoms with 'more fans'.

If it is a Compaq, then it came with manufacturer comprehensive
hardware diagnostics. Notice how to find problems. First break the
problem down into parts. Then address separate parts. How do you
test hardware with an OS? You don't. Those diagnostics test
individual hardware without making the problem exponentially more
complex with the OS. That exponential complication is why you are
having so much trouble.

Get the manufacturer comprehensive hardware diagnostics. Execute
only them.

Meanwhile, the problem may have also been stored in the system
(event) logs. But by trying to fix a problem before identifying the
problem, you would have destroyed more helpful information. That is
the point. Don't try to fix anything yet. You don't know what is
wrong. You have not collected all pertinent information yet. Trying
to fix things without first identifying the suspect (ie swapping a
power supply) is how to exponentially complicate the problem.

Not only do you execute those diagnostics at room temperature. You
also put that computer in a 100 degree F room and run diagnostics
again. How did we routinely find failures before it because flight
hardware? We also refrigerated it and ran diagnostics again. If you
don't have those diagnostics, then download them from Compaq (HP).
This is but another way to identify superior manufacturers. They
provide comprehensive hardware diagnostics - and for free.

BTW, even Windows provides a diagnostic. As it loads drivers, it
can report the progress. Simply identify the driver that is crashed on
by enabling that boot option. But unfortunately you tried to fix it
by reloading Windows. By trying to fix it before identifying the
problem, you have made the problem exponentially more complex - lost
another option to help identify a hardware problem.

 

[no-account]

All good points. But if you can't boot into Windows, to a floppy or
a CD, how are you going to be able to run this diagnostic software??

 

[w_tom]

All good points. But if you can't boot into Windows, to a floppy or
a CD, how are you going to be able to run this diagnostic software??

Earlier the system was booting - starting a load of Windows from a
CD-Rom. Then is when diagnostic software should have been executed.
Since system no longer even executes BIOS (POST is part of the BIOS),
then that option expired. When it was only booting to a DOS Window,
then diagnostics could be executed without any complication from
Windows. Again, obtain facts before trying to fix anything.

Why do we fix things? To learn. Appreciate why better computer
manufactures provide that comprehensive hardware diagnostic - and for
free. Just another fact next time someone asks for a computer
recommendation. Appreciate how much better informed your replies
would be if that information was provided.

What can you do at this point? Some have suggested a power supply
problem. With better technical knowledge and a meter, you could have
discovered or exonerated the power supply system. Unfortunately, I
don't believe you have that option because you would not know (from
experience) where to touch the probe AND because we are not looking at
the system to help identify that touch point.

Can you make the computer bootable by refrigerating (not freezing)
it? If not, then your options are few - such as take it to a repair
facility.

Meanwhile, appreciate what was learned from this. The value of heat
as a diagnostic tool - not something to be solved with excessive
fans. The need for facts long before fixing anything. A procedure
that 'follows the evidence' rather that wildly speculate that it
'could be this or could be that'. How to break a problem down into
parts; then analyze those parts separately to first establish what is
definitively good. Superior value from newsgroups when useful
information is provided - especially the numbers.