Laptop won't boot

[Yommadall]

I've got a E-systems sorrento 1 laptop thats running windows 7 and I'm having problems with getting it to boot up. When I turn it on it brings up the 'windows error recovery' screen with the options 'launch startup repair' and 'start windows normally'. Whichever option I select doesn't work, it gets through to the screen where the windows logo appears and then the screen turns black and then it reboots itself. I've tried everything, used all the options when pressing F8, such as safe mode and repair but non of these options work, they just do the same thing as before (doesn't boot and screen eventually goes black). I've pressed F2, gone into BIOS and I noticed that the CD drive were set as priority, I moved the HDD too priority and still get the same results. Also in BIOS I noticed when I selected 'setup defaults' (F9) in the 'Boot' tab, it put the CD drive as priorty and the HDD second. I am rather confused and have run out of solutions. Help needed!!

 

Thanks

[KenB]

Hi and welcome to ExTS

 

There is no problem with having the CDROM drive as first in the boot order - this is normal.

If, for instance, you wanted to put in an Operating System disk to boot from - if you had the hard drive as the first boot device it would never see the OS on the disk.

 

If there is no OS in the CDROM drive the system then looks at the next device in the boot order ...........the hard drive.

 

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Do you get any error message at all ?

 

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Do you have any means of connecting this hard drive to another machine ?

external caddy or adapter ?

 

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Do you have a full installation disk or recovery disks ?

[Yommadall]

Okay thanks for your reply. I don't get any error messages, it gets to the screen where the windows animation (logo) comes up, the screen goes black for a few minutes, then it reboots itself. It's my uncles laptop and he just asked me to have a look at it, so I am unsure whether he has backup/recovery disks, he is a super-novice at computers so he probably doesn't.

 

What are the steps to fixing the laptop and are these steps relatively easy? Will it be costly if I take it too get repaired, the laptop cost around £300 to buy so is it really worth getting ripped off by a computer shop?

 

Thanks

[KenB]

so is it really worth getting ripped off by a computer shop?

It really depends on what is wrong.

Not all computer techs will "rip you off" - but taking a laptop apart is a complex process. Parts can be expensive and the total bill may look out of proportion to what you are told has been done.

 

Let's see what we can do before it comes to that.

 

Switch on .....constantly tap F8 about once per second

This will take you to the Advanced Startup OPtions

 

Try "Last Known Good Configuration"

 

If that doesn't do it ...... try Safe Mode from the same list

[Yommadall]

Okay, I was just asking if its not worth it and if it's best just to buy a new laptop. Yeah I've tried Safe Mode and Last Known Good Configuration but still get the same results (screen goes black and reboots itself). I've tried near enough all of the options on the 'F8' screen but the same thing still happens.

 

Is there a problem with the OS and does it need re-installing? What steps would you recommend?

 

Thanks again

[seedy21]

 

Is there a problem with the OS and does it need re-installing? What steps would you recommend?

 

Thanks again

 

 

It does Sound like a Problem with the OS. Is the machine that you are using at the Minuite Also Windows 7???

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, in Kens absence, I think perhaps this question he asked in his first reply is going to be the next move.

 

 

Do you have any means of connecting this hard drive to another machine ?

external caddy or adapter ?

 

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To physically remove the hard drive, connect it to an adapter (To USB) or fit to a caddy is very simple to do as most laptop hard drives are easy to remove, usually just one or two small screws to undo, then slide it out.

Connecting to an adapter or fitting to a caddy is also quite easy, however you will need either one or the other, though adapters are fairly cheap as a full caddy is a little more expensive.

 

You will need to know the type of hard drive which will be either SATA, (for more modern machines, and being Windows 7, most likely) Or it may just be an older IDE type drive.

The drive type will dictate what type of adapter or caddy you need, and whichever it is, being a laptop it is most likely to be a 2.5 inch drive.

 

Once connected to an adapter or caddy, it can then be connected to your computer, various checks and tests can then be carried out, as well as rescuing valuable data such as photo's or music.

It will also of course prove one way or the other if the hard drive itself has failed, or just the operating system on it is corrupted.

 

If you wish to go down this way, we can help stage by stage as needed.

 

Nev.

 

Edit to add, Seedy posted while I was writing, please take note and answer his question also, thanks.