Laptop experts need now.

[ukracer]

A mate has given my son his laptop that has diagnostic software on it.

And asked him to see if I can sort it.

Well I start it up and it already has start up repair running . I have never had much luck with that program anyway but it says this program can not be cancelled and several hours later still the same blue bar going from left to right.

So my question how do I get the damn repair to stop running and what's the best plan of attack bearing in mind I am trying to save the os and programs on the computer if possible.

 

[MattH]

Power it off by holding the power button down. reboot and choose start windows normally.

That repair tool never works and never gets to a point where it lets you reboot.

 

[the snooper]

as above but try restoring to an earlier date when it worked ok

 

[ukracer]

Yeah my experience also. Sadly it runs on every power down and restart

 

[the snooper]

Yeah my experience also. Sadly it runs on every power down and restart

use another machine and create a start up disc then change the bios to optical drive cd for the first boot, and if you can start with a command prompt you could repair the master boot record and see if that works

 

[skotl]

When you see the BIOS boot screen, hit and hold down F8. That should bring up the Windows boot menu and allow you to select a different option.

Or, if you have a bootable Windows DVD or USB stick, try booting from that and run chkdsk from it.

 

[ukracer]

When you see the BIOS boot screen, hit and hold down F8. That should bring up the Windows boot menu and allow you to select a different option.

Or, if you have a bootable Windows DVD or USB stick, try booting from that and run chkdsk from it.

That's my problem I can't seem to get the f8 key to do anything.

 

[skotl]

Huh... and does F2 or F9 get you into the BIOS, then? Keyboard knackered?

 

[MattH]

Func + F8?

 

[the snooper]

which version of windows if its 8 then its shift +f8 or hold the shift and click restart but I doubt you have that option same with 10

 

[MattH]

I was thinking along the lines of most laptops have the function keys as secondary functions.

 

[ukracer]

Yeah it was f2 and it was set to boot from cd Tom. Changed it back to hard drive but still tries to setup repair. Lol

Need to hunt for a windows boot disk I have not needed one for ages.

 

[the snooper]

I was thinking along the lines of most laptops have the function keys as secondary functions.

I think the fn only works when windows is running never tried it any other way

 

[ukracer]

I was thinking along the lines of most laptops have the function keys as secondary functions.

Yeah my Toshiba had fn key as does this aspire. But in the bios it allowed me to map F12 to start the boot options. Still can't get to safe mode or start windows normally.

 

[the snooper]

Yeah it was f2 and it was set to boot from cd Tom. Changed it back to hard drive but still tries to setup repair. Lol

Need to hunt for a windows boot disk I have not needed one for ages.

it wouldn't make a difference as it will boot from where ever it finds the master boot record, so if no cd found it will move on, change it back and create a disc that will get you to cmd prompt

 

[ukracer]

Yeah there is no disk in drive anyway as you say boot order would make no difference in this instance

 

[the snooper]

which version of windows

 

[ukracer]

I think it's 7 mate. But as I say someone has been playing with it before it was given to me to sort.

 

[MattH]

Just stick a refresh install on there. Much less buggering about.

 

[the snooper]

I think it's 7 mate. But as I say someone has been playing with it before it was given to me to sort.

do you have a win 7 disc ?