computer issues.

[JeepcoMJ]

I'm trying to get my brother's A1130n Hewlett Packard desktop to work again, after a few years of it being "dead". It is a windows XP model, and I'm trying to fix it so that we have a computer to use down in my dad's shop.

 

It has an onboard ATI radion graphics card

 

It was a very nice computer, then all of a sudden it died. Never really got a full story, but after some testing, the power source turned out to be toast.

 

So, I gutted my old custom built desktop that had a fried out processor socket, put the similarly spec'd codegen power source in in place of the old Hipro, and got her to fire up.

 

On the boot screen, I can access everything.

 

At the startup screen, I can hold F8 and get into safe mode, and safe mode (in which I can access all files on the computer without issue) with networking.

 

After that, at the xp load screen, it will go through the motions and attempt to load. once the load status bar reaches it's end, it then proceeds to a blank black screen, while the computer continues to make noises as though it's loading.

 

 

I've checked out all the capacitors on the mother board, none are "popped" or leaking electrolite. one had a brownish tinge to the top, but that turned out to be dust.

 

All RAM tests out good on my other computer as well, and switching RAM sockets doesn't help.

 

 

At this point, I'm leaning towards a generally junk mother board. after all, if an electrical jolt hit the computer hard enough to fry the power supply, it could have done more damage.

 

The only thing I do not have in order to further test is a known good graphics card. I have several that I'm not sure about, as the computer won't recognize them/I'm not sure exactly how to add them and select that as the main graphics card.

 

Anyone here know enough about computers to perhaps shed some light on what the issue could be, or a definitive answer on what the problem actually is? We're trying to get this going rather than blow another $400 on a decent tower.

 

Thanks,

 

Pat

[dave92cherokee]

Sounds like windows has gotten corrupt preventing it from coming up all the way, either that or the hard drive is acting up. If you have a xp cd I'd try reinstalling windows from scratch (after backing up everything you can) to see if that fixes it. You can also try last known good configuration from the safe mode menu (might/might not be an available option).

[Blue88Comanche]

or for a faster test of the system (might not use the HDD) is to use a live Linux cd... it can be downloaded for free just google Ubuntu and it will also have the instructions on how to make the CD.. it should have some way of testing the hard drive as well.

 

re installing windows is also a good option but it takes time

[terrawombat]

Sounds like windows has gotten corrupt preventing it from coming up all the way, either that or the hard drive is acting up. If you have a xp cd I'd try reinstalling windows from scratch (after backing up everything you can) to see if that fixes it. You can also try last known good configuration from the safe mode menu (might/might not be an available option).

 

I agree. Throw the hard drive in a working PC as a slave, back up files, put it back in the host PC, wipe it clean and reinstall Windows.

 

At the very least, it will narrow down the problem to a hardware issue...and you'll still have any important files.

[JeepcoMJ]

not windows. does the same thing with an 80 gig hard drive loaded with xp.

[jeepdoggydogB]

It could either be a bad video card or for whatever reason the universal video card driver will not work with higher resolution. You can purchase a new card on the cheap, but with deals on older computers on ebay and craigslist I wouldn't bother throwing money at this and buy another junker.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-Pavilion-a11 ... 2c620e2e9e

[Geonovast]

Corrupt video driver. Safe mode uses a generic driver, which will run pretty much anything in a low resolution, but if it tries to load the card's actual driver during a normal startup, and it's corrupt, it won't boot. Find the newest driver for that card, install it in safe mode, and hopefully that will fix it.

[terrawombat]

not windows. does the same thing with an 80 gig hard drive loaded with xp.

 

Surprised you were able to get another drive from another PC to even boot up. I've always gotten a BSOD immediately after the Windows screen when I've tried that.

[JeepcoMJ]

not windows. does the same thing with an 80 gig hard drive loaded with xp.

 

Surprised you were able to get another drive from another PC to even boot up. I've always gotten a BSOD immediately after the Windows screen when I've tried that.

 

 

yeah. the other pc was an almost identically equipped machine, though.

[JeepcoMJ]

Corrupt video driver. Safe mode uses a generic driver, which will run pretty much anything in a low resolution, but if it tries to load the card's actual driver during a normal startup, and it's corrupt, it won't boot. Find the newest driver for that card, install it in safe mode, and hopefully that will fix it.

 

 

I will try that.

[JeepcoMJ]

Correy, thanks! it ended up being the driver. uninstalled it, then added new hardware, it automatically installed in safe mode, and then exiting safe mode and restarting, worked like a charm!