Error diagnosis

[fohfoh]

This afternoon, my laptop stopped functioning properly. I've toyed with a plethora of attempts to fix it, but it seems to refuse to cooperate. (Might have to talk to a rep, it's less than 10 months old).

How it happened was this....

I was surfing the net (with firefox, it did an update), when all of a sudden the whole OS froze. (win7). OK, no biggie. I just manually restart (hold down power) and let it go off. Then I turn it back on.

I get to the login screen and my keyboard doesn't work. Hmm... ok restart again.

Same thing at the login screen. Restart again.

Get to the login screen again, but it plays the sound.... repeatedly. It's stuck on some loop or something. restart again.

Go into safe mode, hey it works! Roll back to the day before. Antivirus scan just to be sure (nothing) restart again.

Gets stuck in the loading screen before login screen. (wait 5 mins, restart)
Same thing
Same thing
Same thing
Windows refuses to let me into safe mode anymore.
Either start normally or startup repair. Might I also add that I just get a black screen partway after it Loads the startup repair tool... no good.
__________________

Try my linux. It doesn't work either. (WTF?)

recovery mode: Stuck on IT/IS 4/8... err... nvm.

Mem-Test+: All systems perfect.

Try again on windows and linux... both don't work. (Linux doesn't show the loading bar, just black screen. Windows gets stuck on the loading screen)

__________________

Open up laptop, check for any strange things. Nothing. Close it back up and try again. Nothing.


Whip out new HDD. Attempt to install new copy of win 7. Freezes before installer can load. (Uhh... what the hell?)
Install win 7 on other laptop, transfer over to current laptop. Still freezes in the same spot. (loading screen)

__________________

Put old HDD back in, try again. (Suprise, suprise... Same shit same pile)
Still can't get into safemode. (Startup repair takes over the whole damn thing)

Go into BIOS. Check stuff. All is normal. (Just in case) reset factory default.
All stuff loads faster but the thing still freezes on the loading screen.

* fohfoh sighs exasperatedly

Any ideas what I should do? I've done everything I can think of (including several hours of cooling off) except grabbing a freezer bag and tossing it into my freezer for an hour. Also, safemode doesn't %#$#@$# work because startup repair keeps taking over.

[Sosseres]

Doesn't it sound like a gfx problem where it works on low resolution but when booting at high res it stops dead?

[fohfoh]

It's the same with both graphics cards on my laptop. (Mine is a turbo cache. Intel 945 and NVidia Go 7400). It will display stuff, it just gets stuck partway during the boot up. I have no idea why though.

(I'm assuming it's not a graphics issue due to the fact I can see the loading screen for a long time but nothing happens)

Also, sometimes the light flashes to show that the processor is working hard. But sometimes it doesn't. (But still the same "stuck at loading screen" crap)

[psyren]

Mobo died?

[BuriaL]

Try clocking the ram and FSB down.

Download the last couple of bioses for the mobo and try them.

*Shrugs*

[Tatsujin]

This afternoon, my laptop stopped functioning properly. I've toyed with a plethora of attempts to fix it, but it seems to refuse to cooperate. (Might have to talk to a rep, it's less than 10 months old).

How it happened was this....

I was surfing the net (with firefox, it did an update), when all of a sudden the whole OS froze. (win7). OK, no biggie. I just manually restart (hold down power) and let it go off. Then I turn it back on.

I get to the login screen and my keyboard doesn't work. Hmm... ok restart again.

Same thing at the login screen. Restart again.

Get to the login screen again, but it plays the sound.... repeatedly. It's stuck on some loop or something. restart again.

Go into safe mode, hey it works! Roll back to the day before. Antivirus scan just to be sure (nothing) restart again.

Gets stuck in the loading screen before login screen. (wait 5 mins, restart)
Same thing
Same thing
Same thing
Windows refuses to let me into safe mode anymore.
Either start normally or startup repair. Might I also add that I just get a black screen partway after it Loads the startup repair tool... no good.
__________________

Try my linux. It doesn't work either. (WTF?)

recovery mode: Stuck on IT/IS 4/8... err... nvm.

Mem-Test+: All systems perfect.

Try again on windows and linux... both don't work. (Linux doesn't show the loading bar, just black screen. Windows gets stuck on the loading screen)

__________________

Open up laptop, check for any strange things. Nothing. Close it back up and try again. Nothing.


Whip out new HDD. Attempt to install new copy of win 7. Freezes before installer can load. (Uhh... what the hell?)
Install win 7 on other laptop, transfer over to current laptop. Still freezes in the same spot. (loading screen)

__________________

Put old HDD back in, try again. (Suprise, suprise... Same shit same pile)
Still can't get into safemode. (Startup repair takes over the whole damn thing)

Go into BIOS. Check stuff. All is normal. (Just in case) reset factory default.
All stuff loads faster but the thing still freezes on the loading screen.

* fohfoh sighs exasperatedly

Any ideas what I should do? I've done everything I can think of (including several hours of cooling off) except grabbing a freezer bag and tossing it into my freezer for an hour. Also, safemode doesn't %#$#@$# work because startup repair keeps taking over.

RIP fohfoh laptop. =[ .............

[Lupin]

I say talk to a rep if it's still covered by warranty.

Some tips when talking to a rep:
1. Never contact them via email or chat. Both gives them some time to respond. Talking to them (through phone) allows you to shout at them or at least pressure the person on the other end of the line to refer you to his/her superiors.
2. Act like you're computer-illiterate. Don't tell them your self-diagnosis of the problem. If you do this, they'll make all sorts of reasons why the problem isn't covered by warranty. Just tell them the laptop doesn't work. Make them guide you through the whole troubleshooting process. If you can't do this, ask someone who has very little computer knowledge to do it for you.

[fohfoh]

I'll give it a shot. But yeah, it's weird. I've never seen it load halfway and just freeze.

[Sosseres]

My old stationary did something similar to this, the RAM had the wrong settings in the BIOS, the ram itself was fine and passed tests, just had to change a few settings. Well that then lead to my long term problem of a corrupt OS installation that I never realised was corrupted since I thought the RAM was the problem. Probably not related to this.

[Lupin]

Have you tried reinstalling/repairing your boot loader?

[fohfoh]

Have you tried reinstalling/repairing your boot loader?

Yes. When I try to install ubuntu, it freezes. Try to install windows, it freezes at the same loading screen as the one before the login screen.

However, if found that safemode works. (Finally figured out how to bypass startup repair)

So... it's not a ram setting I'm assuming. Just some weird corruption? But then, why does it affect a brand new install which should go off of a DVD instead of the HDD?


EDIT: I did call the tech, and I have a service number to use. I was supposed to back everything up and try to re-install my OS. Not working. I'll probably call them again tomorrow. I don't feel a need to call this late at night.

Though this stupid error is driving me nuts. I want to know what the issue is. I am at the point where I don't really care that it's messed, but more along the lines of why.

[Lupin]

maybe the DVD drive is broken.

Have you tried installing ubuntu using a USB drive? I'm assuming your laptop is capable of booting of USB drives since it's pretty new.

EDIT: Ubuntu has an option to test the ram using memtest86. Have you tried using it?

[fohfoh]

DVD drive broken... but then it shouldn't affect the boot up of the OS? Both have the same symptom... sort of weird.

I'll consider the USB drive thing.

Ram is fine using memtest. (Yeah, I used it. Took quite a while... 2 hours maybe?)

[fohfoh]

Ok, just a follow up. (sorry for the double post)

But anyways, I took it to the local Sony repair centre on Tuesday. It got fixed today. YAY! Apparently it was a screwed up Motherboard. Free fix, and a "recovery" done. <_< Hiya Vista... let's wait till October to upgrade you to 7, m'kay?

But anyways... I guess it's all good.

Just a question though... is it bad that I smell something that smells slightly like warm/burning oil from a brand new Mobo? (My dad thought it smelled like beer...)


EDIT: Has Vista always needed over 5 hours to install updates and all that shit?

[Lupin]

EDIT: Has Vista always needed over 5 hours to install updates and all that shit?

If you use windows update to update your installation, it may take several hours. I strongly suggest you download the standalone service pack which you can then slipstream to your install disc.

Another suggestion is to create an image of a your fresh installation. This will save you the time when the need to reinstall arises.

[fohfoh]

EDIT: Has Vista always needed over 5 hours to install updates and all that shit?

If you use windows update to update your installation, it may take several hours. I strongly suggest you download the standalone service pack which you can then slipstream to your install disc.

Another suggestion is to create an image of a your fresh installation. This will save you the time when the need to reinstall arises.

Yeah, but I think I'm going to just chuck this install later on for a win7 upgrade. So we'll see.

But yeah, after all those installs, it finally goes "Installation of Sp1".

<_< Fucks sake.