Recover the system

[Scott]

Scott, what type of XP disk and Service Pack level did you use to attempt
the repair? Be very specific; OEM (branded or unbranded), retail upgrade,
or
full retail? The Service Pack level?

That is Windows XP Pro 2002 retail upgrade version that includes service
pack 2. I also search HP website that mentioned that the BIOS has a
diagnostics for hard drive. I ran the Hard Drive Self Test both in quick
and comprehensive modes and got Pass result. It seems right that the
problem may not be the HDD. I will build a CD to check for any other parts
failure as per your advice and report back later.

Scott

 

[Mark Adams]

That is Windows XP Pro 2002 retail upgrade version that includes service
pack 2. I also search HP website that mentioned that the BIOS has a
diagnostics for hard drive. I ran the Hard Drive Self Test both in quick
and comprehensive modes and got Pass result. It seems right that the
problem may not be the HDD. I will build a CD to check for any other parts
failure as per your advice and report back later.

Scott

If the laptop is running XP Home, you cannot use an XP Pro install disk for
a repair install. Also, if the hard drive Service Pack level is at SP3, you
cannot use a SP2 disk for a repair. The XP versions and Service Pack levels
must be the same, or it won't work.

Check the RAM with memtest86+. If the RAM tests good, and the hard drive
tests good, you will probably need to take your machine to a competent repair
shop.

Please post back with the result of your tests for the benefit of others
here at the newsgroup.

Good luck,
Mark.

 

[Scott]

If the laptop is running XP Home, you cannot use an XP Pro install disk
for
a repair install. Also, if the hard drive Service Pack level is at SP3,
you
cannot use a SP2 disk for a repair. The XP versions and Service Pack
levels
must be the same, or it won't work.

Check the RAM with memtest86+. If the RAM tests good, and the hard drive
tests good, you will probably need to take your machine to a competent
repair
shop.

Please post back with the result of your tests for the benefit of others
here at the newsgroup.

Good luck,
Mark.

The laptop was using Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 and I do not have
the exact version. As per your advice, probably it did not work due to
different version.

I created a Knoppix disc and started the laptop with it. It loaded
unsuccessfully and stopped with an error message:/init:exec: line 589:
/sbin/init: Input/output error. It looks like a Windows command prompt. As
I am unfamiliar with linux OS, I do not know what to do next.

I also tested the memory with Memtest-86+ v1.7 with Pass result. Can it be
concluded to be sent to HP for repair.

Scott

 

[Paul]

The laptop was using Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 and I do not
have the exact version. As per your advice, probably it did not work
due to different version.

I created a Knoppix disc and started the laptop with it. It loaded
unsuccessfully and stopped with an error message:/init:exec: line 589:
/sbin/init: Input/output error. It looks like a Windows command
prompt. As I am unfamiliar with linux OS, I do not know what to do next.

I also tested the memory with Memtest-86+ v1.7 with Pass result. Can it
be concluded to be sent to HP for repair.

Scott

Knoppix has cheat codes, which you can type at the boot prompt.
Various Linux Live CDs allow you to press function keys, while the
boot prompt is present. On Knoppix 6, you might have F2 and F3 for example.
Each function key has a small text file bound to it, with command
options. When there are bootup problems, you can use cheat codes
to try to get the thing to start.

knoppix acpi=off nolapic

Knoppix 6 lacks a bit in terms of these details, so not everything
may be documented as well as it should. (For example, the documentation
may indicate you have a wealth of window managers to choose from, but
all that appears to be present is LXDE.) One of the earlier releases
have a pretty comprehensive list of options or cheat codes. The
initial release of 6, didn't have the cheat codes finished. More
of them appeared in 6.01.

http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Cheat_Codes

Each release, doesn't necessarily build on the previous one. For
example, the release 6 version uses a lot more stuff you might have
seen in Debian, so it would appear to try to not diverge so much
from the core software. The previous versions had lots of colored
text messages sent to the screen, during the boot process, which
helps if the hardware is busted. You can see stuff failing when
your processor is flaky and so on. My all time favorite version
is the 5.3.1 DVD, but not many people like such a large download,
just for a maintenance tool.

HTH,
Paul

 

[David]

No... the first real failure was the HD was just failing and I was able to
spot it and recover everything off it before it finally gave up.

The second HD never failed... just needed extra space so I upgraded it. I
still have that second disk and have reverted to it to recover my windows
folder when I had a virus that I just could not get rid of.

The last two failures were identical drives, when the second one failed, I
checked out the drive spec and found many people were having the same
failure. Basically, it just wouldn't boot but all files were fine. It looks
like a general fault with that drive. (a Western Digital WD2500BEVE 250GB
2.5" disk)

Nothing fishy really. So, in real terms, only the first HD failed, the last
two were a fault.

--
Best regards,
Dave Colliver.
http://www.AshfieldFOCUS.com
~~
http://www.FOCUSPortals.com - Local franchises available

 

[David]

I never considered that the secret... at the time, I only had one caddy plus
the HD in the system. I knew that if I booted on the system disk, I couldn't
copy the files to the caddy. As I had not yet copied the files to the caddy,
I couldn't boot off that one either. The simple solution was to just create
a boot cd and boot from that.

In theory, if you have a desktop with two spare bays, or a laptop with two
caddies, you can copy straight from one caddy to the other, without having
to use a boot cd.

--
Best regards,
Dave Colliver.
http://www.AshfieldFOCUS.com
~~
http://www.FOCUSPortals.com - Local franchises available

 

[Scott]

Knoppix has cheat codes, which you can type at the boot prompt.
Various Linux Live CDs allow you to press function keys, while the
boot prompt is present. On Knoppix 6, you might have F2 and F3 for
example.
Each function key has a small text file bound to it, with command
options. When there are bootup problems, you can use cheat codes
to try to get the thing to start.

knoppix acpi=off nolapic

Knoppix 6 lacks a bit in terms of these details, so not everything
may be documented as well as it should. (For example, the documentation
may indicate you have a wealth of window managers to choose from, but
all that appears to be present is LXDE.) One of the earlier releases
have a pretty comprehensive list of options or cheat codes. The
initial release of 6, didn't have the cheat codes finished. More
of them appeared in 6.01.

http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Cheat_Codes

Each release, doesn't necessarily build on the previous one. For
example, the release 6 version uses a lot more stuff you might have
seen in Debian, so it would appear to try to not diverge so much
from the core software. The previous versions had lots of colored
text messages sent to the screen, during the boot process, which
helps if the hardware is busted. You can see stuff failing when
your processor is flaky and so on. My all time favorite version
is the 5.3.1 DVD, but not many people like such a large download,
just for a maintenance tool.

HTH,
Paul

Thanks for all your support and advice. Obviously, it fails beyond a simple
fix and needs to go to HP repair.

Scott

 

[Mark Adams]

Thanks for all your support and advice. Obviously, it fails beyond a simple
fix and needs to go to HP repair.

Scott

Scott, good to see that you have a resolution to your boot problem; even if
it is not the most desirable outcome. Your hard drive is probably just fine,
when you get the laptop back you should be able to restore it with the hidden
partition. You can probably have the repair shop do it for you; you'll get it
back ready to go. Make sure you get any data that you can, off of the drive
before you take it in. At least now you have some diagnostic tools and a
little more knowledge to work with.

One last test that you may consider since you already have a new hard drive.
Put the new drive in the machine and use your XP Pro disk to install. If the
install fails on a brand new drive; well there's your answer!