Wannabetechie
Technical User
Hello,
This is my first post on here, but not my first time asking this question. I've been in expert-exchange and other forums, and have even called HP support. My question is about my laptop. Here are the specifiations for my laptop.
Model : HP Pavilion Notebook N5195 (F1942A)
CPU : Intel P3 w/ Speedstep 100 MHz FSB
Chip Set : Intel 440ZXM-100
Main Memory : 128 MB SODIMM (144 pin/3.3v) 100 MHz SDRAM (PC100)
Hard Disk Drive : 9.5 mm, 2.5 inch HDD
PCI Bus Master Enhanced IDE
Supports Ultra DMA/33
Video Chip : S3 Savage/IX
OS : Windows ME (yeah, I know)
Hard Disk Type: IBM Travelstar 20 gig (OEM)
(2nd one) IBM Travelstar 30 gig
(current one) IBM Travelstar 30 gig
This laptop worked great for 3 yrs and 8 months. I've restored the OS with the recovery discs probably 5 - 6 times. Anyway, the last time, I wanted to upgrade to XP home. Well it wouldn't let me just upgrade, so I did a clean install by formatting the hard drive and installing the OS. That couldn't hurt right because if it didn't work, I could just use the recovery discs again an be back where I started.
Well, the install worked, the computer ran, and all was fine. A week went by, and I had the computer connected to the internet over a weekend at my work. Nothing was blocking the fan, and when I got back, the computer was running fine. I noticed that it had downloaded some updates, so I clicked on the icon and it went to updating. It got to one file, and something happened, a window popped up asking something about not finding something.(I can't remeber, I just thought it had downloaded some wrong driver or something). Well I hit cancel button and I might as well of hit the hard drive with a hammer. The computer locked up, and the nothing would happen. I hard booted, and windows would not load. I finally got in under safe mode, but the hard disc was starting to grind a lot like it was looking but not finding. I got my files off, and shut down. Later, I tried to run scandisk, but it locked up, and gave an error. By this time, the HDD is knocking kinda loud.
I thought, HDD shot, get new one. Well I did. Installed new one, all was fine... for a day. It started to knock, and came up with operating system not found. (first one did the same). I sent that one back, and they sent me a new one. This one lasted for two months, and here recently, it has started to have the same symptoms. This came up with the operating system not found and was starting to grind. I ran scandisk,and thought I repaired the bad sectors. I reloaded the OS, and afterwards, it booted up. I shut it down, and went to bed. I started it up the next day, and know it shows that operating system not found.
I've upgraded the BIOS. It recongized the HDD at first, but know doesn't. Have I got another bad hard drive, and were all the others bad, or is my MD failing. CMOS battery doesn't seem to be going dead because the time stays the same.
Sorry for the long post, but I really need help. No one seems to have the right answer.
Thank You,
Dennis
This is my first post on here, but not my first time asking this question. I've been in expert-exchange and other forums, and have even called HP support. My question is about my laptop. Here are the specifiations for my laptop.
Model : HP Pavilion Notebook N5195 (F1942A)
CPU : Intel P3 w/ Speedstep 100 MHz FSB
Chip Set : Intel 440ZXM-100
Main Memory : 128 MB SODIMM (144 pin/3.3v) 100 MHz SDRAM (PC100)
Hard Disk Drive : 9.5 mm, 2.5 inch HDD
PCI Bus Master Enhanced IDE
Supports Ultra DMA/33
Video Chip : S3 Savage/IX
OS : Windows ME (yeah, I know)
Hard Disk Type: IBM Travelstar 20 gig (OEM)
(2nd one) IBM Travelstar 30 gig
(current one) IBM Travelstar 30 gig
This laptop worked great for 3 yrs and 8 months. I've restored the OS with the recovery discs probably 5 - 6 times. Anyway, the last time, I wanted to upgrade to XP home. Well it wouldn't let me just upgrade, so I did a clean install by formatting the hard drive and installing the OS. That couldn't hurt right because if it didn't work, I could just use the recovery discs again an be back where I started.
Well, the install worked, the computer ran, and all was fine. A week went by, and I had the computer connected to the internet over a weekend at my work. Nothing was blocking the fan, and when I got back, the computer was running fine. I noticed that it had downloaded some updates, so I clicked on the icon and it went to updating. It got to one file, and something happened, a window popped up asking something about not finding something.(I can't remeber, I just thought it had downloaded some wrong driver or something). Well I hit cancel button and I might as well of hit the hard drive with a hammer. The computer locked up, and the nothing would happen. I hard booted, and windows would not load. I finally got in under safe mode, but the hard disc was starting to grind a lot like it was looking but not finding. I got my files off, and shut down. Later, I tried to run scandisk, but it locked up, and gave an error. By this time, the HDD is knocking kinda loud.
I thought, HDD shot, get new one. Well I did. Installed new one, all was fine... for a day. It started to knock, and came up with operating system not found. (first one did the same). I sent that one back, and they sent me a new one. This one lasted for two months, and here recently, it has started to have the same symptoms. This came up with the operating system not found and was starting to grind. I ran scandisk,and thought I repaired the bad sectors. I reloaded the OS, and afterwards, it booted up. I shut it down, and went to bed. I started it up the next day, and know it shows that operating system not found.
I've upgraded the BIOS. It recongized the HDD at first, but know doesn't. Have I got another bad hard drive, and were all the others bad, or is my MD failing. CMOS battery doesn't seem to be going dead because the time stays the same.
Sorry for the long post, but I really need help. No one seems to have the right answer.
Thank You,
Dennis