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Laptop troubleshooting: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me
- 11/13/09 2:53 PM
Don't drop anything electronic!
by dog daddy - 10/30/09 7:34 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Dropping anything electronic, be it a laptop or a digital camera, can
break the micro-chip, the motherboard, other very sensitive electrical connections.
My advice: go to Micro Center and ask for a free evaluation, telling them, what happen and the symptoms, and ask them, is it cheaper to fix it or buy a new laptop.If you want them to repair it, it's $70+ and 1-week, verses BestBuy/Geek=$200+ and closer to 6-months -before-
you see your laptop ever again!
-Dog Daddy
Try this program
by Slimjim09 - 10/30/09 7:46 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
There is a newer malware program called " Advanced System Care " that works very well clearing up malware problems. This is a free program that does a great job. The bought version which I think is 19.00 that even does much more. This program goes after malware, registry problems, security issues, defrags hard drive if needed & lots more. Normally you would have to buy about 5 to 6 separate program to do what this one program does. Give it a try, you will be glad you did. Jim (IT Tech)
maybe a shot in the dark...but
by Dale E Marcum - 10/30/09 7:47 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
sounds like a crack in the motherboard that gives an intermittent disconnect condition. Can cause weird things to happen. Hope I am wrong
Please help, my computer goes rogue on me
by feduchin - 10/30/09 7:50 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Having dropped the laptop onto a hard surface, you have broken soldering joints within the computer. Thus, as long as the computer is at rest the joints might touch each other but as soon as it is moved or dislodged they disconnect, ie they don't touch, or don't make a connection.
You need to take it to a computer repairer who will disassemble the computer and check for dry solder joints and damaged connections.
It will NEVER right itself, so get it done ASAP to save yourself heartache and irritation.
Most 'solid state' electronics will last for many years undisturbed, but you have well and truly disturbed yours!
not a virus!
by love.savenearn - 10/30/09 8:05 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hello Michael,
As i read your sentiments regarding your computer, i think the operating system and the anti-virus are not the reasons of your problem. It was dropped down into the floor. So first thing you must do is to go to a computer shop and let them check because i think there is a loose contact of the parts inside the laptop. Stop shaking your laptop it may cause fatal problem that will make your problem worst.
Rogue Keyboard?
by r_shomaker - 10/30/09 8:06 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
It sounds like the meeting with the floor may have jarred the keyboard or the keyboard connector. Consult the documentation for your laptop on where to find the connector and how to get to it (screwdriver may be required!). Take it out completely, blow with compressed air between its floor and keys, make sure all keys are in the correct position (slightly up from the keyboard floor), and reconnect it carefully. If you're not comfortable doing this yourself, it should be a quick thing for a computer repair shop to do for you while you wait.
you are welcome
by Slimjim09 - 10/30/09 8:07 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Let me know how things go with using Advanced System Care. If you still have issues you can drop me a message & will try to help. Hope all goes well which I think it wilL. Jim jm09@comcast.net
hard drive mabye?
by eovnu87435ds - 10/30/09 8:08 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The logical problem would be some moving part inside your laptop, since they are easily affected by shock (compared to solid state devices.) The only moving part that could cause such a problem would be the hard drive. Here is what I would test (in this order)
Burn a bootable Linux Live CD, like ubuntu, or load it onto a flashdrive and make that bootable. boot into it, and see if it acts up. If it does, that means the problem still persists even when not using the hard drive.
Borrow a friend's harddrive out of their laptop. Note, when you start their version of windows on your laptop, windows will ask to activate. this should work fine.
If it works fine under your friend's hard drive, and the linux distro, then it is definitely your hard drive. It could be a mechanical error with the drive, or just a mis-written file due to the drop. Hoping that it is the latter, format the drive, and re-install xp. If it still does it, chances are you may need yet another hard drive.
Hope this helps
re: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me
by channa_SBSMVP - 10/30/09 8:35 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Most hard drives are very susceptible to falls such as the one you indicated your laptop took recently. New laptop harddrives have sensors and protection for this kind of accident. My suspicion is that you're looking at replacing the hard drive.
Your other option would be save your data to an external source, and reinstall the OS and programs and see if it continues, if the OS install is even successful on the drive.
Work uses Thinkpads to avoid that problem
by studmoose - 10/31/09 9:27 AM In reply to: re: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by channa_SBSMVPMy employer has been using Thinkpads with the Active Protection System enabled. With a couple hundred TPs in the field, one gets dropped every few days, with minimal to no damage. The IBM Rep demoed one to us by dropping it 3.5 feet onto a hard carpetted floor while it was running. No damage to the unit and the system did not skip a beat when picked back up.
The Active Protection System detects G movements on the laptop and automatically parks the heads when it thinks it's falling. There are several modes, such as office, car, etc. that take into account certain levels of force before parking them.
Re: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me
by PhilParsons - 10/30/09 8:36 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Offhand I can think of a number of possibilities:
1) depending on the installation method, the drive connection may have been loosened by the drop. To many this may seem unlikely, but I have seen it happen with IDE drives where the system continues more-or-less but not 100%.
2) a trojan attempting to connect with a failed website
3) a crashed hard drive. When a hard drive crashes, it doesn't always crash hard. Depending on where the heads park it is possible to have a surface touchdown without damaging the head(s) so the drop could have created a bad spot on the drive that appears to hang the system whenever it is read.
4) the drive had a bad spot that was either marginal during the manufacturing process and subsequent low-level format, or it has developed over time.
Most times when this behaviour occurs it is either an application looping until a timeout or the OS trying a hard drive recovery (as in #3 and #4)
I have had several laptops over the last 15 years, including Compaq, and I've only ever replaced hard drives to upgrade, and all the originals are still operational, so 3 years sounds like it might be more than just the hard drive, but I'd still lean towards #3 or #4.
As a first step I'd use chkdsk /f /r to see what it turns up, I suspect it will replace one or more blocks, and if the same thing happens soon after then I'd suspect the head(s) got damaged too.
INSTRUCTIONS ON DO IT YOURSELF FIXES
by GEO2003 - 10/30/09 8:36 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hello Micheal,
Make sure you do a complete back up of your data and make sure you have the product keys for any particular program that you have purchased including XP.
The problem could be hardware related as has been mentioned. Opening up a laptop is time consuming and sometimes difficult but if you dare to try out to find out if there is anything inside that is loose, you might be able to re-seat any possible connector that could be loose if that is the case, I am posting here the link to the steps available at HP/Compaq on how to access panels and service certain components on your laptop.
I hope it helps.
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/CsrDocumentIndex.jsp?contentGroup=BSC_SYSTEM_CG_CSR_PEL&lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=321957&prodSeriesId=1847703
Regards,
Geo
Some suggestions
by si - 10/30/09 8:45 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Shock usually damages the screen and hard drive first; the traces on the motherboard are also a consideration. Usually, when the lid is closed, the drive is "parked" to prevent the head from touching the drive and damaging it. However, severe shock can cause this sort of damage. But, since your display was not affected, I don't think the shock was severe enough for this. I would try, in this order:
1. Remove the hard drive and then put it back in to make sure the connections are good.
2. Install Passmark Diskcheckup [from download.com] and verify the health of the hard drive. If it is failing, this program will tell you.
3. Run CHKDSK with the "/r" switch to have the unit check for any system file damage and repair if possible
4. Run memtest86+ to verify the integrity of the memory. If any errors are found, remove and reseat the memory sticks and run again.
5. Disassemble the unit far enough to view the keyboard connection and verify or disconnect and reconnect. Visually inspect for any debris/damage from the shock.
6.Disassemble further if you are comfortable enough, and perform a visual inspection of all connections and any traces visible on the MB. Clean as necessary and reseat/check all connections.
7.Open Task Manager on your desktop and try to duplicate the problem - watch the load on your CPU usage and the memory usage when it starts acting up. See if that identifies any culprits (processes in particular) which might provide clues for further troubleshooting.
Report back and let us know what you find. Good luck!
The dropping part...
by Zorched - 10/30/09 8:49 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Seems to be the key clue here. Does the laptop sit level on a flat surface now or does it rock back and forth on its little rubber feet(assuming it still has all of them)? If it rocks back and forth, then you bent the frame of the notebook and it could be affecting the operation of the electronics.
It could be that the drop also jostled the connection to the keyboard and it could be intermittent.
Of the two fixes, the second is really cheap and the first is... painful.
To me, since it started after the drop, it seems to be a hardware issue that needs repair.
answer of Michael G.
by manoj.joshi26 - 10/30/09 8:52 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
dear sir
i have some suggestion for your problem please remove the ram from mother broad and check it clean it and fix on again in slot it is due to losing of ram in the slot or check the configuration of the ram if you have two ram i ave suggestion that use only one ram in place of two
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