Basically, my laptop will not start anymore (no, I'm not using the problem computer now, obviously). Well, it won't start easy, anyway. It keeps freezing at the windows screen (the one with the loading bar). It will not start in safe mode, nor will it start with the last known good settings. It's been doing it on and off for the last month or two, sometimes it doesn't have any problems, sometimes it takes a few attempts to get it to start up. Yesterday it took me about an hour's worth of trying to get it to start, and today it hasn't started yet (been trying for an hour).

Since it keeps failing to start, it's giving me two options: "Launch Startup Repair" and "Start Windows Normally". Trying to launch the startup repair really doesn't accomplish much as it loads the files then freezes at a black screen, so I've been trying to start it normally. Again, it freezes even trying to boot in safe mode.

The computer is an HP Pavilion dv9700 laptop running Windows Vista 64 bit. It displays the same problem starting up without the charger plugged up and with the battery disconnected using only the charger. If it's pertinent, the laptop was having overheating issues a few months back (cleaning the fans out fixed the problem), but the failure to start issue didn't begin for a few months after the overheating issue, so I don't think it's related, but what do I know?

Any help would be appreciated so long as it doesn't involve a system recovery (I really don't feel like losing all my files, and having done three or four recoveries on this computer I've come to admit that the computer won't let me save my files). I'm going to have my friend set up a custom gaming desktop for me when I get the money, so if I can get this laptop to last me another month or two I'll be happy.

*edit: Okay, after an hour and forty minutes, I finally got the computer to start up. I don't think I'm going to shut it down again until I get another computer lulz

 

Yank the battery. Unplug from power. Press and hold the power button to discharge all data from the RAM. Plug stuff back in and reboot.

 

I'm scared to shut it down after spending almost 2 hours getting it to boot up lol

*edit: I'm going to try Josh's advice. If that doesn't work, I'll try doing what you said.

*edit #2: tried Josh's advice to no avail, tried hobo's advice to no avail. I'm wondering if it isn't a hardware problem.

 

i say you have a bad ram card. ive had this problem before in wifes labtop.

 

i have a extra 1gig ddr2 ram card, let me know

 

Since it's an HP, when you first turn on the computer there should be a screen with options for entering BIOS or system recovery by pressing one of the F keys. Press the F key that corresponds with "system recovery" or whatever they are calling it in this case. Now, I know what you are thinking: "i'm gonna lose all my files if I do that though"... not the case. I thought the same thing until I actually had to do the same thing on an HP desktop computer that wouldn't start... I was unaware that the HP system recovery tool included an option for Windows System Restore. Anyhow, somewhere along the line you will encounter an option to do "system restore" to revert the computer back to a certain point in time... hopefully you have not cleared your restore points recently (vista will create a restore point before most (if not all?) windows updates). So, just select a date when it last worked properly.

Hopefully that solves your problem... worked for me.

 

amateurs...

 

cat ****ers.....

 

That should have shown up on a memory diagnostic scan, no? I did a diagnostic scan last night and it showed no problems. Did a checkdisk scan, fixed the problems it found, and it's still displaying the same startup problem.

Stu, worst comes to worst I'll do a system recovery, but the last few times I did one it wouldn't let me access my old files for whatever reason. I think I'll definitely do a system recovery and return the laptop to factory settings (ie, clear and reinstall OS, delete all installed 3rd party programs) after I get a new computer and transfer all important files.

Gene, any insight or are we going to continue to make fun of someone who really doesn't care about computers so long as they're properly functioning? You know I'm a mechanic; I can do whatever with ECMs, TCMs, PCMs, BIUs, etc. I just don't know much about PCs/Macs/etc.

 

Without looking I'd be guessing. Try reseating ram and see if it's loose. HP's are notorious for having bad ram sockets and actually I had the same laptop as yours in for service where the bottom socket needed some "adjustment" with a soldering iron. It could also be a software problem, it could also be a hard drive going bad.