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A classmate of mine has a compac that recently stopped functioning.
It will boot up and start windows but after the desktop is loaded no programs can be accessed.
I'll try to get some more info, but as for now, does anyone have any thoughs or ideas on the cause of this occurance?
If you don't have the time and patience to anwser questions from people trying to help you to identify the problem, your best bet is to talk to someone technically-inclined that can look at the laptop physically, either a friend or a computer shop.
I am technically inclined but I'm doing this in the dark since I don't have the laptop in front of me at the moment. i have plenty of patients now that class has just ended. I thought I was ansering the questions. It's just that she really wanted an answer before class let out.
I couldn't see the Task manager to check the CPU and RAM usage but my guess is it was being hevily used if it was difficult to simply access the start menu. I won't be seeing her until thursday so feel free to stop by and post suggestions and possible solutions to fixing this problem.
once again thanks in advance and I'm sorry if I tried to rush the forum too much.
Something similar happened to me a while back...it turned out to be a prank from my room mate. Here's what he did:
1) Made a 'print screen' of my computer at the desktop.
2) Made my start bar disappear, along with all my Icons (hidden then) like My Computer and My Desktop
3) Changed my background to that print screen (saved in a hidden file), so that nothing looked wrong.
So I'm suggesting that you change your background and then check to see if the start bar "auto hides"
well, not entirely, I can on occasion click the start menu with success and the clock works, and the cursor changes when dragged over a program icon. I think something is eating her resources, which would if I'm not mistaken, cause programs to not load when she clicks on them.
I won't be able to give much more info until thursday since that is the next time we have class.
keep the suggestions coming and thanks in advance.
Well, if the system boots into safe mode you could try running system file checker or perform a windows repair using a Win XP disc if it doesnt boot into safe mode. Does the system get hot when you leave it for a few minutes at the desktop?? If a process is using 100% of the cpu then it should heat up pretty quickly. In any case I would suggest backing up the data by using an external HDD enclosure & another system. This way you can also see if the system is clogged up with malware.
well, I have a feeling she doesn't have a WinXP disk since she bought it as a shelf model from office depot. If I had more than an hour at a time to work on it I would do a sys restore/reformat but i don't. If I could just get to access the start menu I could at least defrag it but that isn't likely either. I suppose the best bet in her case is to refer her to someonewho has more time on their hands. I'd fix it myself but time is not on my side.
Any suggestions on where to refer her for service/repair. Other than the manufacturer the only place around here that I can think of that would be halfway helpful is the Geek Squad at Best Buy. But I have half a mind to not suggest them since from personal experience I find that in the end they are just trying to make money off you. I've gotten screwed by them one too many time to trust them anymore.
Have her call HP and request that the restore /OS install disc be sent to her. You might want though to NOT mention it being a floor model (some mfg's will not work with you on issues if they find out it's been a floor model, which I think is really stupid, seeing how that display made allot of sales for them)... Anyhow have her call HP, and tell HP that either the restore disc(s) would not "create", or did create and now she needs them and they don't work and request from them they send the restore /and or OS re-install disc directly to her. (an OS re-install disc being the prefered option of course as the HP/Compaq OS install disc should be just the OS, no bloatware)
Go to
HP PartSurfer, type in the model number, and get the part number of what you/she wants BEFORE calling HP, so you/her will be able to confirm the correct disc is sent.
http://www.partsurfer.hp.com/cgi-bin/spi/main
BTW: What model /sub model does all this pertain to? How old is it?
In that case have her call and request the discs. They should send them at no-charge. I told them I had created the "restore" discs, and then deleted the "restore" partition to gain disc space... and then later on needed the restore disc... and the "user" created discs didn't work.
While I was talking with the guy I told him I would really prefer the OS install disc (minus the bloatware), vs the HP restore disc. Verified the part number... Got the OS- install disc a few days later.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.
