Unable to start Windows on my laptop

[Guest]

I try to startup my laptop and immediately get get the message about pressing
F2 to enter setup and then nothing else - if I press F2 then the laptop just
waits and then starts normally afer about 15mins - Next time I switch on
everything is OK for perhaps a week and then it all happens again - Am I
missing something really simple?

 

[Guest]

I would guess your hard drive is beginning to fail. I would try to find some
hard disk analysis tools for your type of drive.

 

[Vanguard]

I try to startup my laptop and immediately get get the message about
pressing
F2 to enter setup and then nothing else - if I press F2 then the
laptop just
waits and then starts normally afer about 15mins - Next time I switch
on
everything is OK for perhaps a week and then it all happens again - Am
I
missing something really simple?

"F2 to enter setup" probably means to enter your BIOS configuration
screens after the POC (power-on check) has completed. So do you end up
in the BIOS screens? Hard to know since you never identified WHICH
laptop you have. Someone with the same brand and model could tell you
what F2 does on startup. That is not a trigger key for Windows to alter
its startup (i.e., by showing an OS boot menu) unless the OEM modified
Windows.

How long does the laptop sit unpowered before you boot it when the
problem reoccurs? If it is okay for a week then maybe it is because you
didn't let it sit as long unused before using it the next time. In that
case, maybe you need to replace the battery. You never mentioned if the
laptop was on battery or AC power.

The BIOS issuing the message that you need to enter it often means the
CRC for the CMOS table is invalid (i.e., the BIOS copy of settings in
the CMOS table is corrupted). You have to go into the BIOS and save its
settings to force a rewrite of the *copy* of the settings saved in the
CMOS. If this is what is happening and it happens more than once then
maybe you need to replace the CMOS battery.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Mark
Laptop is Toshiba Satellite and just over 12months old - we just use it once
or twice a week to run payroll software - so it's important to sort the
problem - are you able to suggest a way of checking the HDD?

 

[Guest]

Thanks Vanguard
Laptop is Toshiba Satellite and is only used once or twice a week for
running ny payroll software - running on AC and connected to mains most of
the week even when not in use - I press F2 and sometimes the message remains
on the screen for 15 mins and then Windows starts - sometimes it goes to
"setup" I save settings - it restarts and then goes back to F2 message Hope
this makes it a little clearer?

 

[Vanguard]

Thanks Mark
Laptop is Toshiba Satellite and just over 12months old - we just use
it once
or twice a week to run payroll software - so it's important to sort
the
problem - are you able to suggest a way of checking the HDD?

Go to the hard drive maker's web site to see if they provide diagnostic
software. You might even be able to use Western Digital's diag utility.
Otherwise, and because this is a company asset, the expense for getting
diagnostic software should be a valid purchase and can also be used on
other company hosts. If your company is using computers, they should
already know there are expenses in maintaining and repairing them.
Besides diag software, you might want to look into SpinRite. This
assumes the IT group in your company doesn't already possess all the
diag and recovery software.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your advice - Good Luck

Go to the hard drive maker's web site to see if they provide diagnostic
software. You might even be able to use Western Digital's diag utility.
Otherwise, and because this is a company asset, the expense for getting
diagnostic software should be a valid purchase and can also be used on
other company hosts. If your company is using computers, they should
already know there are expenses in maintaining and repairing them.
Besides diag software, you might want to look into SpinRite. This
assumes the IT group in your company doesn't already possess all the
diag and recovery software.