Author Topic: Notebook freezes (Read 48420 times)

Shane · « **Reply #25 on:** March 26, 2015, 02:55:57 pm »

OK you said the bios is F.5A The page shows F.58a
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/previousVersions?softwareitem=ob-62510-1&product=3717537&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&os=2100&productOid=3717536&sw_lang=

Can you double check if yours is F.5 or F.58

If it is only F.5 I would go ahead and do the F.58A updated, it should be newer AND there is no F.5A listed for it, so if it was a bios meant for a different model it could explain why you have this problem.

So do the F.58A and let me know how it goes.

Shane

Nomad · « **Reply #26 on:** March 29, 2015, 05:39:27 am »

Hi again

I have been thinking about this and done nothing yet because:
1) There's no doubt my BIOS is F.5A;
2) As you say it isn't listed anymore; maybe, at the time I updated it, I have missed the correct reference of my computer, as Boggin said it's unusual a
BIOS update beeing withdrawn. A few times after that update, I got to the HP support site to look for updates and it was there, though.
Unless, again, I was using an incorrect computer reference, this beeing a bit hard for me to concede now.
3) In case F.5A is meant for a different model, wouldn't it just not allow the computer to boot? Or showing incompatibilities whatever?
4) F.5A is newer than F.58 A (it was released in 22 March 2010). In case I do the F.58 A update (July 2008), what can I do if something goes wrong?
5) Is there a way to find out which was the original BIOS version of this computer?

I feel I need to see clearly in all this so I can act having no afraid of the next scenario.
Thanks Shane

Boggin · « **Reply #27 on:** March 29, 2015, 06:51:38 am »

Resetting the BIOS to Default would be one way of finding the original version but from what I can find on that, it seems you would have to remove the CMOS battery for a few minutes.

It's possible there could be different BIOS versions for locale, but can you give us a link where you found the F.5A version.

On the site that Shane had linked there is an auto detect for out of date drivers http://support.hp.com/gb-en/product/HP-Pavilion-dv9800-Entertainment-Notebook-PC-series/3675209/model/3717536/drivers?lang=en&cc=uk but your computer also has a built in facility for BIOS recovery which will update you to the latest version http://support.hp.com/gb-en/document/c02693833

Always have a fully charged battery installed and connect the AC when dealing with any BIOS changes as a loss of power during the operation will brick your laptop.

Rick · « **Reply #28 on:** March 30, 2015, 03:20:34 am »

Shane has a point, how old is your hard drive?

Have you made an image of your hard drive, I would do this before anything else at this point. make an image offline, perhaps Shane or one of the guys can describe how to do.

that is your first priority, then look at a new hard drive and download X-copy and copy your old system to the new hard drive.
** X-copy is a free program with boot options for home users.

what type of computer do you have?

Shane · « **Reply #29 on:** March 30, 2015, 11:30:13 am »

There is 2 possible ways why you have a different bios version than what is listed.

1. The bios was for another model that had a motherboard very similar to yours and so the bios works on both. But if it was the wrong bios for the motherboard it would explain both drives just dropping out manually as that would be the sata ports on the motherboard.

If that is the case then installing the F.58A should be fine. (No promises though since I havent seen the machine)

2. The motherboard had been replaced, say a while back you had it fixed and they replaced the board with a newer model or one that was from another model laptop. If that happened and you dont have the motherboard as they have it listed on their site, then you bios build would be different, in that case you do NOT want to do the F.58A update.

Have you ever had the motherboard replaced? Did you by the laptop new or was it used?

Shane

Nomad · « **Reply #30 on:** March 30, 2015, 04:09:50 pm »

Boggin, I used to look for software in http://support.hp.com/pt-pt/product/HP-Pavilion-dv9800-Entertainment-Notebook-PC-series/3675209/model/3717536/drivers?cc=pt&lang=pt, the HP support site for Portugal, although, as I said, I might have been looking for an incorrect model reference.
The information you posted about the built in facility for BIOS recovery seems very promising, though I have 3 questions: 1) Is it certain my computer has it? 2) Is the HP TOOLS partition the recovery partition? 3) If my computer doesn't have that facility, will the current or any BIOS version still be there to boot normally after the procedure (Windows key+B key+Power button)?

Rick, for now let consider the perspective of a BIOS defective case.

Shane, I bought it new, and since I have it, the motherboard was never replaced, so I must admit it is the original one, it's a QUANTA 30CB 79.2E (from system informations).
It is not mentioned in the specifications I looked for http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-c01422158, so I can't tell it is the one that should be. Oddly these specs mention the microprocessor as "2.40 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor T8300", where the system informations on my notebook say it is "2.5 GHz Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T9300". So there is a little thing different here.

Can you help here?

Nomad

Boggin · « **Reply #31 on:** March 30, 2015, 04:26:01 pm »

I think the only way to find out would be to follow the tutorial, but clicking on this link which is near the bottom of the article http://support.hp.com/gb-en/document/c01443485 gives you an extra bit to follow.

Shane · « **Reply #32 on:** March 30, 2015, 06:54:27 pm »

Quote

Oddly these specs mention the microprocessor as "2.40 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor T8300", where the system informations on my notebook say it is "2.5 GHz Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T9300". So there is a little thing different here.

That is odd. The thing about the bios is that it shouldnt let you upgrade it if it wont work on the board. At least most boards have that check and I do believe all the OEM ones do as well.

A lot of times the bios update tool will show you your current bios version and what the new one will be and if it will allow it, so it wont hurt to at least get that far and see what it says. It is possible the reason why you cant find that version bios any more is it could have been a beta build they didnt mean to put online.

Shane

Rick · « **Reply #33 on:** March 30, 2015, 07:38:18 pm »

Quote from: Shane on March 30, 2015, 06:54:27 pm

Quote
Oddly these specs mention the microprocessor as "2.40 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor T8300", where the system informations on my notebook say it is "2.5 GHz Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T9300". So there is a little thing different here.

That is odd. The thing about the bios is that it shouldnt let you upgrade it if it wont work on the board. At least most boards have that check and I do believe all the OEM ones do as well.

A lot of times the bios update tool will show you your current bios version and what the new one will be and if it will allow it, so it wont hurt to at least get that far and see what it says. It is possible the reason why you cant find that version bios any more is it could have been a beta build they didnt mean to put online.

Shane

is the motherboard 6 years old? hint hint

Nomad · « **Reply #34 on:** April 01, 2015, 06:08:52 am »

Well,

I tried to recover the previous BIOS version (Windows key + B key + power button) a few times, but didn't work, the result was always a blank screen and beeping sounds for more than a minute, so either my computer does not have that BIOS restore tool, or there's some trouble.

Then I downloaded the F.58 A version and installed it. A wizard came telling I was replacing F.5A with F.58 - 16/Oct/2008, when F.58 A's date is 8/Jul/2008. I agreed because it is told that F.58 A is a revised version, so, I think, it's related to F.58.
Operation ended, system informations say BIOS version is F.58.

Next I commanded a CHKDSK C: /r; didn't come to end, stalled about the same point as previous tries (52% concluded).
Then CHKDSK D: /r; didn't come to end either (33 % concluded, about the same point as previous tries).

Seems there was no issue with F.5A.

Back to disk, I have a disk image by Macrium Reflect. However It seems it could only be restored in a drive with, at least, equal capacity, I mean, it could not be smaller than the original.
But could it be a SSD?

Nomad

Nomad · « **Reply #35 on:** April 01, 2015, 08:17:23 am »

Just to correct in previous post F.58 - 16/Oct/2008, it is F.58 -16/June/2008.

Nomad

Samson · « **Reply #36 on:** April 01, 2015, 08:51:15 am »

Quote from: Nomad on April 01, 2015, 06:08:52 am

Back to disk, I have a disk image by Macrium Reflect. However It seems it could only be restored in a drive with, at least, equal capacity, I mean, it could not be smaller than the original.
But could it be a SSD?

Nomad

Hi Nomad,

I use Macrium Reflect (Free version), and I have successfully restored an image of a larger drive (250GB) to a smaller one (80GB), It'll work as long as the amount of data is less than the smaller HDD's capacity and leave at least 25% headroom too. Just drag the image to the smaller HDD.

http://www.macrium.com/help/v5/How_to/Restore/Restore_Partitions_with_Resize_and_Reorder.htm

Nomad · « **Reply #37 on:** April 01, 2015, 03:11:10 pm »

Hi Samson

The image I have was made in an old Macrium version (4.2 3775) and to boot for restoring I recorded a Linux CD.
Which is your version?

Nomad

Samson · « **Reply #38 on:** April 01, 2015, 03:45:54 pm »

Quote from: Nomad on April 01, 2015, 03:11:10 pm

Hi Samson

The image I have was made in an old Macrium version (4.2 3775) and to boot for restoring I recorded a Linux CD.
Which is your version?

Nomad

V 5.3.7297 But I have used previous versions of 5 as described above, also I use Win PE rescue CD.
I don't think that the type of rescue CD (Linux or Win PE) would make any difference. But I don't know about V4.

To be sure just get a drive the same capacity or bigger, you'll probably need the space at sometime anyway.

Shane · « **Reply #39 on:** April 01, 2015, 05:11:12 pm »

I was kind of hoping it was the bios lol

Ok so normally I would say it is the hard drive that needs replaced. But when you said that a 2nd drive in the system does the same thing, and it was a 2nd drive and not a 2nd partition.

Because of that it makes me think it is the motherboard that is dropping the sata ports.

So now we just need to find out once and for all which it is, and we can do that by doing a simple test, if you are able to.

2 ways we can do this,

1. Take both drives out of the laptop and hook them into a tower or another system and run the chkdsk on them there.
If they fail out at the same point then we know it is bad drives (Since we are connected to a different mother board).
If chkdsk works just fine and doesnt drop out then we know the drives are good and the problem is the motherboard in the laptop.

2. If you dont have another system to hook the drives to then if you have a 3rd and different hard drive you can remove the 2nd drive in the system and put in the 3rd drive and do a chkdsk to it. But of course you need to be sure the 3rd drive is good.

The first test would be best to do if you have another system you can use.

Shane

Rick · « **Reply #40 on:** April 01, 2015, 08:17:54 pm »

Quote from: Shane on April 01, 2015, 05:11:12 pm

I was kind of hoping it was the bios lol

Ok so normally I would say it is the hard drive that needs replaced. But when you said that a 2nd drive in the system does the same thing, and it was a 2nd drive and not a 2nd partition.

Because of that it makes me think it is the motherboard that is dropping the sata ports.

So now we just need to find out once and for all which it is, and we can do that by doing a simple test, if you are able to.

2 ways we can do this,

1. Take both drives out of the laptop and hook them into a tower or another system and run the chkdsk on them there.
If they fail out at the same point then we know it is bad drives (Since we are connected to a different mother board).
If chkdsk works just fine and doesnt drop out then we know the drives are good and the problem is the motherboard in the laptop.

2. If you dont have another system to hook the drives to then if you have a 3rd and different hard drive you can remove the 2nd drive in the system and put in the 3rd drive and do a chkdsk to it. But of course you need to be sure the 3rd drive is good.

The first test would be best to do if you have another system you can use.

Shane

Motherboard 6 years old?
maybe need a new processor and FAN!

Nomad · « **Reply #41 on:** April 02, 2015, 03:37:45 am »

Hi Shane

I could use another laptop with Windows XP O. S., which has USB ports, for test 1 as you hint, if it will do.
As I never took off a hard disk from a computer, please tell me how the connection can be made and what care should be taken in the whole operation.

Thanks

Shane · « **Reply #42 on:** April 02, 2015, 10:08:30 am »

Not going to be easy to do with another laptop.

The laptop drives are a sata connection from what you said. So normally I would take the drive out and plug it into a spare sata port in a tower, and hooke the power end to it as well and then boot into the tower like normal, with the drive being a secondary drive. Then run chkdsk on it and see how it does.

The trick is to have the system be a secondary drive because you cant put it into another laptop and have it be the main drive as the windows install has drivers for the other motherboard and the system will just blue screen.

Does the other laptop have a 2nd drive bay like your current laptop? most laptops only have 1 slot for a hard drive, the older models did have 2 on some models.

Shane

Nomad · « **Reply #43 on:** April 02, 2015, 04:44:00 pm »

Shane

I was not getting it. It seems to me that the laptop I mentioned is IDE, single drive, so, no way.

But, tell me, couldn't I try to take the D: hard drive off my HP and connect it to an USB port of the other laptop and do a CHKDSK? Would it work with an adapter?

Shane · « **Reply #44 on:** April 03, 2015, 09:16:50 pm »

If you have a sata to usb adapter then yes that will work. I have one myself that is for laptop drives only and it works well. I got it off of newegg.com

Shane

Nomad · « **Reply #45 on:** April 07, 2015, 07:30:40 am »

Hi Shane

Last Friday the notebook went through a BSOD; after that somethings changed, like the desktop backgound image and the shortcuts in the desktop. I used the Macrium image I mentioned to recover. It took me a lot of time to update.

Quote from: Shane on April 03, 2015, 09:16:50 pm

If you have a sata to usb adapter then yes that will work. I have one myself that is for laptop drives only and it works well. I got it off of newegg.com

Shane

I have not such adapter but I'll look for one.
I suppose it would not work with the disk that has the C: partition, right?

Nomad

Willy2 · « **Reply #46 on:** April 07, 2015, 09:38:08 am »

- Download Piriform's SPECCY.
- Change the language to english
- Select "File", "Publish Snapshot" & add the weblink that shows up to your next post in this thread. Then we can see what the specifications are of your system. That would help A LOT.

Nomad · « **Reply #47 on:** April 08, 2015, 10:05:26 am »

Hi Willy2

Here it is http://speccy.piriform.com/results/vvHBkw4LOfrarv203z1MiOa.

Hope you can tell something.

Thanks

Willy2 · « **Reply #48 on:** April 10, 2015, 10:14:58 am »

- Get rid of "SmartDefrag", "Driver Booster". Nothing but "snake oil" IMO. Instead use the build-in Windows Defragmentation program and set it to automatically optimize every week or month. It works "hand in glove" with Windows itself.
- Use Piriform's Ccleaner to disable (NOT remove (yet) !!!) a number of tasks in Task Scheduler. Do you REALLY need those programs ?
-The "freezing" occurs every 14 days. Was/is "SmartDefrag" set to run every 2 weeks ? That could explain the freezing.
- Install PcWinTech's (a.k.a. Shane's) Cleanmem. It reduces memory usage every 15 minutes. Much better than many other "optimizers".
- Run "GSmartcontrol" (http://gsmartcontrol.sourceforge.net/home/index.php/) and make a screenshot of the "Attributes" tab and post it here. Are there any red(ish) lines in the picture ? That would point to problems with your harddisk(s).

Willy2 · « **Reply #49 on:** April 11, 2015, 12:04:52 am »

@Nomad: Install Tweaking's Registry Backup. It makes a backup of the registry upon startup. If you get more BSODs then you can try to restore the registry to a previous point with this program.