[appophylite]

My parents have a laptop lying around and all they told me a couple of days ago was that 'it's not working' and they asked me to 'fix it'. I just took it out to take a look at it and it turns out that it boots up to the Windows XP log-on screen just fine, but when it gets there, it seems like nothing can be selected. I click on the Users to log on with the mouse, but it refuses to allow me to select a user or log into that user. I try selecting the Turn Off Computer Icon in the bottom corner, but it won't let me select that either. So basically, I can't go forward, and the only way to go back is to either hold down the power and let the computer enter Hibernation and die on its own charge, or pull the battery right then and there. Unfortunately, my parents don't know where they put their Windows Restore disc and I currently don't have my copy available. Is there anything that I can do to clear this mess and get back into the computer so that they can use it again? Thanks for any help guys!

 

[The Legend]

How old is the laptop and what is the model? Is there a recovery partition or options to make another set of recovery discs?

 

[appophylite]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Legend /img/forum/go_quote.gif How old is the laptop and what is the model? Is there a recovery partition or options to make another set of recovery discs?

My guess is it's no more than 1-1 1/2 years old HP ze2000 w/ Celeron M Processor. It can't be that great a laptop spec-wise since my Dad only picked it up as a spare for the house and my mom (who doesn't care at all for using computers) is the only one who really uses it. Unfortunately, I wouldn't know if there is a recovery partition as this is the first time I'm dealing with this computer and I can't really get anywhere with it myself. It seems that whenever the battery dies, if you plug back in and start up the computer again, it resumes processes from Hibernation, so it's kinda caught in a loop. When you try to shut down or kill power, it jumps directly into hibernation mode and then boots back out of hibernation when you start again. I wouldn't expect there to be a recovery partition though, as neither parent bothers working around with computers like that and are usually content with the machine as long as it connects to the internet and has a word processor.

 

[fraseyboy]

Get an Ubuntu CD from somewhere and boot into the live CD. There you can check stuff out and maybe find out where the problem is...

 

[GordonFreeman]

Laptop should have come with a recovery CD or a windows CD. Put one of the two in the notebook and boot from the CD. Might require you to enter the bios and make the CD-ROM the first boot device.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

You guys are killing me...

Quote:

Originally Posted by appophylite /img/forum/go_quote.gif Unfortunately, my parents don't know where they put their Windows Restore disc and I currently don't have my copy available.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Legend /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is there a recovery partition or options to make another set of recovery discs?

Quote:

Originally Posted by GordonFreeman /img/forum/go_quote.gif Laptop should have come with a recovery CD or a windows CD.

To the OP, have you tried booting in Safe Mode? That's when you hold down the F8 key as your computer boots.

 

[dsavitsk]

Maybe the mouse button is broken? Try plugging in an external one.

 

[Bizzel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fraseyboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Get an Ubuntu CD from somewhere and boot into the live CD. There you can check stuff out and maybe find out where the problem is...

Agreed. You can use that to check pretty quickly if it's a Windows fault or something more serious.

You should also try the external mouse idea as I've seen a laptop touchpad lose its click before now. When you hold F8 during boot, you'll get the boot menu and if safe mode doesn't work either you can try "last known good configuration" as a last shot.

 

[GordonFreeman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMarchingMule /img/forum/go_quote.gif You guys are killing me... To the OP, have you tried booting in Safe Mode? That's when you hold down the F8 key as your computer boots.

Then buy a copy of windows, if I gave you a 100 dollar bill would you loose that? Boot from an ubuntu CD? For what? So you can discover the OS is hosed and you need to buy a new copy of windows? One more thing, ya think if you contacted HP and gave them the numbers off the computer they would sell you another restore disk for a nominal charge?

HP Notebook PCs*-* Ordering an HP Certified Replacement Part*

 

[Baines93]

Tried the key shortcuts or external mouse? Any Underlined characters? Vista is ALT+S to bring up the shutdown menu, then from there i think ALT+S for shutdown. Maybe an ALT+U for USERS menu you speak of. Have you tried both the tactile click button, and the tap-on-touchpad-click feature? Either of ways will let you know whether the mouse click tactile button OR touchpad click feature is working.

 

[appophylite]

Thanks for all the replies everyone:

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMarchingMule /img/forum/go_quote.gif You guys are killing me... To the OP, have you tried booting in Safe Mode? That's when you hold down the F8 key as your computer boots.

I'll try that; I didn't think you can boot into safe mode when the computer is trying to resume operation out of hibernation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baines93 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Tried the key shortcuts or external mouse? Any Underlined characters? Vista is ALT+S to bring up the shutdown menu, then from there i think ALT+S for shutdown. Maybe an ALT+U for USERS menu you speak of. Have you tried both the tactile click button, and the tap-on-touchpad-click feature? Either of ways will let you know whether the mouse click tactile button OR touchpad click feature is working.

Neither the built-in touch pad or an external mouse work--the cursor moves just fine, but it acts like there is nothing there to select when you try to select something.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GordonFreeman /img/forum/go_quote.gif Then buy a copy of windows, if I gave you a 100 dollar bill would you loose that? Boot from an ubuntu CD? For what? So you can discover the OS is hosed and you need to buy a new copy of windows? One more thing, ya think if you contacted HP and gave them the numbers off the computer they would sell you another restore disk for a nominal charge?

If it comes to it, I'd buy a new copy, but I don't want to just yet on the off-chance that my parents miraculously find their restore disc or I get a chance to get my copy of Windows back. Its not a pressing matter as nobody relies on that laptop for anything much, and I just don't see the point in buying another copy if I know I have one and I just have to get it back. I'm just trying to see if I can get it back up and running right now-if I can't the laptop can wait another month or so until I get a chance to go at it again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fraseyboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Get an Ubuntu CD from somewhere and boot into the live CD. There you can check stuff out and maybe find out where the problem is...

I might try that when I get back from the field. Heck, I may just leave Ubuntu on it and call it a day.

 

[The Legend]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMarchingMule /img/forum/go_quote.gif You guys are killing me... To the OP, have you tried booting in Safe Mode? That's when you hold down the F8 key as your computer boots.

The OP said he didn't have restore discs and he doesn't have his copy available. Asking if the machine has a recovery partition or the option to create another sets of discs is a completely valid question.?

I don't get why we 'are killing you'?