blank screen half way through boot

[garwain]

I've got a compaq presario V5000, with XP home installed on it, but part way through the boot process, the screen blanks out on me. I've tried all variation of safemode, and as a last mesure I tried to restore the previous known configuration. Still blanks out on me. Safemode flashes mups.sys just before going blank.

Also, the CD drive appears to be dead, since I can't boot from any of my restore CD's (XP, 2K, 98, Ubuntu, Debian), all CD's that I know are bootable.

I've reset the BIOS to factory settings, and checked to see if there was anything there that could possibly cause issues, but the BIOS is as simple as can be, and resetting it changed nothing.

Any ideas what else I can try before telling my client that they have a paperweight?

 

[linney]

Even though you have set the Bios to safe default settings, is the CD drive set to boot ahead of the hard drive?

Even though the screen is blank, is there any signs of life, if so can you connect via Remote Desktop?

 

[garwain]

The system does get far enough to pull an IP address, but the RDP client does not connect. a portscan shows only ports 139 and 445 as open.

and yes, the CD drive is the first drive in the boot order, and the system accesses it, but it never really spins up like it should, and I never get the "press any key to boot from this CD" prompt.

 

[fitfixer]

I would look at the RAM, with faulty memory XP will sometimes boot right up to were it has to display graphics before freezing, if you cannot run a diagnostics boot CD try re-seating and then removing one stick at a time,

FrankF
A+,Network+,MCSA

 

[goombawaho]

^^^Agreed with trying half the RAM and then trying the other half, but.......

You really need to get the CD-ROM working so you can boot from something like the Ultimate Boot CD and then run memory, hard drive and other diagnostics on the hardware in your system.

Start with the RAM test, then the manufacturer's hard drive test and run the LONG test if there's an option.

 

[garwain]

the RAM checks out. I've tried one chip at a time, in each of the 2 slots, and also tried with another NEW chip, no change.

Also, I've tried using a CD drive from another laptop, and it fails to boot as well. I've reloaded the default settings for the BIOS, and verified the boot order again, and tried selecting the CD drive as the boot device, but still no luck.

 

[goombawaho]

Okay, now your looking at a bad motherboard maybe or a bad peripheral part. This is the best way to tell.

Take the motherboard out of the case and only connect the bare necessities - power supply, memory, video card (if not integrated). Unplug everything like front USB and audio cables plus to the motherboard, the hard drive, any ide devices and all PCI cards.

I know it's a pain, but I saw a PC once where just disconnecting a fried front USB cable to the motherboard fixed all my problems in a no-boot situation.

Boot without the hard drive and see how it does. Then try to add a CD-ROM drive WITHOUT the hard drive. Then try substituting the hard drive for the CD-ROM and see if there is a change.

 

[garwain]

Unfortuantly, this is a laptop, so pretty much everything is integrated. I've tried removing the wireless NIC, but beyond that, everything is either integrated, or soldered connections.

 

[linney]

Is the battery fully charged on this Laptop and is there any difference in behavior between running on battery and using the mains power via the Adapter?

 

[garwain]

yes, the battery is fully charged, but I've tested without the battery, using only AC power, and there is no difference.

 

[goombawaho]

Sorry - didn't look up the model number to determine that it was a laptop. All that brilliant explanation and then it's worthless. Time for a professional diagnosis maybe.

 

[BadBigBen]

How to fix an XP\Win 2000 System that freezes after loading mup.sys while booting

http://www.aitechsolutions.net/mupdotsysXPhang.html

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.

 

[goombawaho]

and yes, the CD drive is the first drive in the boot order, and the system accesses it, but it never really spins up like it should, and I never get the "press any key to boot from this CD" prompt."

Seems to me that this indicates bigger problems - not being able to boot from a CD. But you can try what BadBigBen said, I'm just not sure we've ruled out hardware yet.

 

[BadBigBen]

On the hardware side of things...

have you tried an USB optical drive, to see if it can boot from it?



Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.