Laptop stop on Windows Screen

[Squid_uk]

Hey Guys,

Having a bit of a problem with a Acer aspire one laptop, when the laptop is turned on it begins the booting process and gets as far as the Windows XP logo screen with the bar moving at the bottom but does not seem to get any further, now I tried to use the recovery disks that were burnt when the laptop was first used only problem is the 3rd disk has been misplaced! DOH!

Any suggestions on what the problem could be and how I can fix it?

[classfour]

If you can get your hands on a live Linux distribution (i.e. ubuntu) and boot from a portable drive (i.e. CD, USB, etc.) you can rule out an issue with windows.

I recently had a Dell Dimension in for repair doing something similar - except it would sometimes go into windows, sometimes not. I scanned the HDD and cleaned a few viruses from it; but it would give the BSOD after sitting for an hour or so. I ended up checking the windows error code given and it suggested a bad stick of RAM.

Sure enough, I removed one stick of RAM and the thing booted and ran for 24 hours straight. Replaced all of the memory, and it's working fine.

I looked up how to get to the memory on one of these netbooks, and remembered why I bought an ASUS eeePC - you have to really take them apart. http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/08/28/how-to-add-ram-to-the-acer-aspire-one-netbook/

Anyway, it looks like you may have a problem with memory or the processor (as a guess).

Do these have a single Windows XP (operating system) recovery disc?

If so, attempt to restore the operating system - you'll still lose your data.

Check the other discs: If they're application discs, you'll eventually need them to get it back to OEM, but not to get it running.

You may want to lurk about the acer aspire one user forum http://www.aspireoneuser.com/forum and see if someone over there has had similar issues. I know that I haunt the eeepc forums regularly: I have two of the little fellas (one XP, one eeebuntu) and need all the help I can get. It will clue you in to what fails on them.

[classfour]

If you suspect a hardware failure, and it's still under warranty: https://secure2.tx.acer.com/FixMyAcer3/FixMyAcer.aspx

To purchase a set of restore discs:
https://secure.tx.acer.com/RCDB/Main.aspx?brand=acer

acer support has a fairly extensive knowledge base:
http://netbooks-us.custhelp.com/

[MOVIEGEEK]

Have you tried hitting F8 on boot and selecting "last known good configuration"?
If that doesn't help go into safe mode( F8 ) and do a system restore.
I would do a clean install as a last resort.

[Bjs]

If the drive has not been formatted use the acer one's system restore

F8 for options ... and acer one also states option to run recovery partition upon boot ... look at bottom of the screen

If these no longer exist you'll need to purchase the system recovery set from acer

[Squid_uk]

Well I managed to get hold of the recovery disks and repaired the laptop and I seems to be working fine again and the data was recovered!

But there is another thing! The same has just happened to my girlfriends laptop, which is also and Acer Aspire One (different model)! But instead of not progressing from the XP screen it goes straight to a blue screen of death, the only problem is it only appears for a few seconds so I dont have chance to see the error code because it restarts after that. The same thing happens no matter which start up option I choose!

Now my girlfriend seems to think it happened on both laptops when she was using the website www.confetti.co.uk

Is there anything on this site that could cause the laptop to fail?

EDIT: Or could it just be a coinciedence?

[aedipuss]

possible but not likely. the hompage source looks pretty clean, they do have 2 adservers though - adstech.de and doubleclick so it might have been a drive by install from one of their ads.

[Squid_uk]

Is there any way if I can see if either of those have caused a problem?

[johns0]

Usually when you get a bsod on start windows will say "a problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer".

Problems like that can be a new piece of hardware was installed or a device driver and its conflicting.

[aedipuss]

the usually checks for spyware/malware/adware. malwarebytes is a decent one. but unless you can match date/time of a malware install to the exact time you were at a site, there is no way to know.

[Squid_uk]

I thought about running something like malware but the only problem is I cannot get to the desktop

[aedipuss]

try booing into bios and look to see if all hardware is listed. then try to boot into safe mode f8. then i'd try a windows os disc and see if the repair options work.

[Squid_uk]

I dont have a OS disk but I have heard about some linux OS that you can boot from a CD-ROM so you dont actually install anything but you can still view files and desktop etc as long as its not a hardware fault

Could you please recommend which software this is?

[zoobie]

I dont have a OS disk but I have heard about some linux OS that you can boot from a CD-ROM so you dont actually install anything but you can still view files and desktop etc as long as its not a hardware fault

Could you please recommend which software this is?

Knoppix

[Squid_uk]

I have a Knoppix disk but i dont know how to use

[aedipuss]

go into the computer's bios and set the first boot device to the cd/dvd drive. insert the cd and let it boot.

[Squid_uk]

Ok I tried the knoppix disk but cant seem to make any progress with it.

I get the screen saying:

Welcome to the KNOPPIX live linux on CD
Scanning for USB devices etc.........
Can't find Knoppix filesystem, sorry
Dropping you to a (very limited) shell
Press reset button to quit

Additional builtin commands avaliable:
cat mount unmout
insmod rmmod lsmod

knoppix#

How would I proceed?

[zoobie]

You've set your bios like aedipuss mentioned? This way, Knoppix starts first.
From the Knoppix disc:

How do I run KNOPPIX?
In order to start the CD, first adjust the boot list in the BIOS Setup of your computer to boot from your CD/DVD drive (before the hard drive). Put the CD in and restart the computer. If your computer does not support this option, you must use a boot diskette (floppy), which you can create with the help of the boot image /KNOPPIX/boot.img available on the CD. Use the mkfloppy.bat script for the regular boot image (German version). Use the command rawrite2 -f boot-en.img -d A (in the KNOPPIX directory) to create an English boot disk.

[Squid_uk]

The latop has an option when first started to select how you would like to boot

[Squid_uk]

UPDATE!

I managed to get hold of a copy of Ubuntu from thier main site and burnt is to CDrom and booted from that. I can view the desktop and files stored on the laptop! Yay! But this still doesnt boot without the CDROM?

What would you guys recommend I do next bearing in mind I want to keep all data that is on the drive

[aedipuss]

you could try downloading linux versions of avast, avg, comodo or others to run. or there is a free version of the linux bootable live cd called DR.web you might try.

[Squid_uk]

Would that be to check for any viruses, malware adware etc?

Do know if it helps but if that site had caused the problems, when I restored the 1st laptop I used a Acer recovery disk i tried the same disks in the 2nd laptop and noticed that in the option of restore OS and retain data, that it said that viruses and malware effecting the system will not be removed!

Yet the 1st laptop appears to now be working properly!

[Squid_uk]

Well this appear to be confusing me somewhat! I just tried to boot using a Windows XP Pro but I didnt press F12 to boot from CDrom and it continued to load windows next thing I know CHKDSK is running and then BAM! The desktop was there! And working!