Problem using the ASUS recovery discs with my backup V6Va

I may not need to go into long explanations if the answer to the following question is yes:

Are the two recovery discs along with the third disc, the ASUS driver and utility disc, designed to work properly after one formats the system hard drive from DOS simply with the command format c:?

 

It will recover.The only problem might be the Master Boot Record which a FixMBR utility (you can use Windows XP bootable CD if you have and type in FixMBR - not the OEM one shipped with the laptop)

 

Yes.

If you have problems you can always fdisk c: /mbr from the same DOS, and install afterwards.

You may also hit F9 to recover from HDD hidden partition if you didn't delete it. Much faster (minutes rather than hours).

 

Thanks!

The bootable Windows intallation disc I got from a family member goes into a process for installation etc. How do I get it to go to DOS?

 

Choose the "recovery console" option.

 

It does not show me that option. The closest it comes is asking if I want to insert a recovery disc.

 

Can you list the options it gives you ?

 

First, at the top of a black screen it says "Setup is inspecting your computer's hardware configuration."

Then it goes to a blue screen that at the top says "Windows Setup"

and at the bottom first says "Press F6 if you need to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver"

and later says "Press F2 to run Automated System Recovery (ASR)."

 

1. Are you having a problem that is preventing you to recover from the recovery partition using F9, or from the CDs by booting from them?

If you don't (and you shouldn't regardless what kind of format you did to any of the partitions) then all this is pointless.

2. If you do have, just use a FreeDOS bootable CD to rewrite the MBR, it's much easier. And then recover

 

It is 2. Neither way will recover.

I will take steps to use a FreeDOS bootable CD to rewrite the MBR. Thanks!

 

You're welcome!

Yep, fixing the MBR should do it then:

FDISK /MBR

Did you by any chance try to install Vista? I know it was causing this sort of problems.

If it still doesn't work, then you will need to try also "fixboot" and "fixmbr" from Win XP Recovery Console. It's been so long since I used it that I can't give any advice on how to start it up But probably the other poster will be able to do so.

 

If this helps, here is the link to the FreeDOS images: http://www.freedos.org/freedos/files/

Download one, burn it to a CD (rewriteable preferably since you might want to reuse it) and boot from it.

 

I did not try to install Vista.

Tomorrow I will try the new potential solution.

[edit: I did not try until May 22.]

 

I could not get FreeDOS to run an /mbr option when formatting.

I tried fdisk /mbr, and it took me into a customized FreeDOS fdisk menu with no mention of the master boot record. I performed the format, but that format did not allow recovery.

Then I went back to FreeDOS, and used format /mbr instead of fdisk /mbr. It said /mbr was not a valid option, so I used /s instead, and reformatted. That format did not allow recovery either.

Do I need to find another program than FreeDOS to fix the master boot record?

 

Update:

The MBR was apparently fiine all along. Something is wrong with my backup (newer) computer. I have now successfully recovered the newer HDD with the older computer and the ASUS recovery discs.

The newer computer now will not boot from any device I try, nor will it allow me to access the BIOS in the normal way, if at all. It goes through a USB-controller test, and tests the RAM and says it is OK.

Any ideas on how to get this machine into line other than sending it back to ASUS?

 

Well, this sounds like a firmware (i.e., BIOS) problem.

Am I to understand you cannot even access the BIOS?
I you can, you could try the following things in sequence:
- Reset BIOS to optimized (user?) defaults
- Reset BIOS to factory defaults
- Update/rewrite BIOS, even if it's the same version

If you can't... the only thing left to try is the hard reset button under the laptop... I'm not sure if the V6V has it...

Other options would be to swap the memory and HDD from newer notebook to the old one, and the other way around, and see if the fault is not "transported" with these components; it may be the RAM. An easier way would be to use Memtest86+ -- but for that you need to be able to boot.

If all this fails, there's no other option that I can see but RMA the notebook.

 

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, I can no longer access the BIOS. I have successfully accessed this computer's BIOS several times before.

How do I determine if there is a hard reset button? If I can use it, that is what I want to try to do next.

I have not swapped the RAM, but have swapped the HDD.

 

The hard reset as I remember has the symbol |> o <| where the |> are triangles. It should be on the bottom of the notebook; not all notebooks have that button. It's in a small hole in the bottom material, you need a needle or smth similar to press it.

Try swapping the RAM as well, who knows...

If you can't access the BIOS the options are rather limited...

 

OK, I have that button, and I just got a straightpin from my wife. [Edit: The blunt end of the straightpin was too wide to fit the hole, so I used a straightened paperclip.]

Do I simply turn on the machine and insert the straightpin blunt-end first onto the button's hole?

 

I think so, I never did such a thing Maybe the machine needs to be on, but try perhaps first with it off.

 

Resetting turned off the computer, but did not noticeably change the situation at all.

I will now swap the RAM.

 

Yay, swapping the RAM worked 100%!

I am making this post from the newer computer!

Now, I will try to determine if the RAM is really bad, or if it was just loose.

 

Glad you finally narrowed down the problem.

Here's how to test the RAM: Keep it in the old computer, download the memtest86+ iso (just google for it) burn to a CD and boot from it.

Maybe it's best left a few hours so you may delay it until tonight.

edit i meant old computer

 

That's funny - I've never seen RAM completely prevent the startup of the BIOS. Nice job figuring it out, E.B.E.

~ Brett

 

Thanks again, E. B. E.

I have isolated the one bad RAM stick. I cannot get it tested, though, because its mere presence in either slot keeps me from booting every time now.

So, a bad RAM stick and a bad battery are the RMA items from my bakup-V6Va purchase--early on, I found out that the inability to get onto cable internet was simply from not restarting my cable modem.

Nrbelex, I also find the bad RAM stick's behavior odd--it is as if it got worse over time--at first, everything ran fine, then infrequent abnormal terminations, and eventually not getting all the way through startup in various unpredictable ways.

 

What's with the battery? You seem to be having a lot of bad luck with this computer.

I know that some recently bought V6Va-s have had battery problems mentioned on the forum.

 

Yes, the backup V6Va was one of that final few from Newegg that all had too-long-dormant dead-as-a-doornail batteries. I wanted to wait to find out exactly what else I needed to send back on RMA, and then send the battery with it. I was not in a hurry also because I already have a good battery and use wallplug power whenever I can, *plus* I wanted to give ASUS time to realize they needed to make sure that the replacement batteries they sent back were not also too-long-dormant dead-as-a-doornail ones, as I have been reading about, on another thread here, some actually being.

My first V6Va, which I got from Newegg last Autumn, has had absolutely no problems.