Holy Cow! What can I do?

[sj022698]

Ok. Here we go... I have a Compaq Presario 2100 laptop. (512mb, winXP Home) Once you log in, you end up locking up (and you can't ctrl,alt,delete) You have to hard shut down. It also will lock up before it even gets to the login page or the monitor won't kick on either sometimes. I have run virus scan, lavasoft, and disk cleanup. I have cleaned all temp. and prefetch files. I have tried to do a "system restore" back to an earlier date and it will lock up. I have tried going into safe mode. Even hitting F2 on the boot and doing a "hard disk test" locks up.

I don't have the QuickRestore disks for them but I'm hesitant to buy them because I don't know if it would make it though 4 disks without locking up. Sometimes it locks up in 5 seconds!

I don't care about losing everything. It doesn't matter to me. I just want the bare bones. I have the XP disk so I can just put it back on.

I'd love to be able to reformat very quickly. If I do a reformat, how can I do so without the restore disks? Is there a cmd prompt? If so, what do I do about the partitions. I'm not real familiar with partitions so please dumb down the answers for me please. I just want everything erased. All suggestions, thoughts, freeware software recommendations are very much welcomed!

Thanks,
Justin

 

[macdude425]

If you have the XP disk, you can reformat via that. Before you install, it will ask you how you want your HD set up, and you can choose to reformat the existing partition and install.

 

[joshd]

try a repair first. it may fix ur problem without losing files or programs

 

[joshd]

when you boot from cd, dont press r to repair the first time, press enter to set up xp, and then press r on the second menu.

 

[sj022698]

I tried to do the boot from cd and repair, and I got to a point I needed the password for the administrative identity. I don't know where that is at? Where can I find that password?

What cd would I boot from. WinXP operating recovery disc?

 

[sj022698]

Also, I don't care about any of the files. The computer is wrecked. I would love to reformat but don't have the Quickrestore discs. Is there any other way to reformat?

I appreciate your help!

 

[macdude425]

See my post above.

 

[Dean66]

Since you have the CD, a clean reformat should be easy. Boot up your computer and get into bios. Change the boot order so your CD-rom is your first boot device. Save changes and exit, and when you reboot, make sure the CD is in the drive. When your system reboots, you'll get a message to "Press any key to boot from CD". Do it.

Then, just follow the onscreen instructions.

 

[Slayer]

This definately souds like an overheating problem. Il bet that your laptop is sitting on carpet maybe? if not, check underneath and see if the fans are working, and are blowing out air and not blocked by anything. If one of the fans is not working, it would cause all the lockups no matter what you do. Compaq should have a replacement fan for it. If this is not the problem, than try repairing and then reformat. As for the admin password you should have set that when you first got the comp I think.

 

[sj022698]

This definately souds like an overheating problem. Il bet that your laptop is sitting on carpet maybe? if not, check underneath and see if the fans are working, and are blowing out air and not blocked by anything. If one of the fans is not working, it would cause all the lockups no matter what you do. Compaq should have a replacement fan for it. If this is not the problem, than try repairing and then reformat. As for the admin password you should have set that when you first got the comp I think.

I can back left there is vents and hot is blowing out. That is basically on the back and side, not the top or bottom. On the bottom, it has a couple areas that look kindof like they could be vents and the larger one feels like it's blowing out cool air but very lightly. The other one which is not by the other on doesn't seem to be doing anything? I was thinking along those lines but I thought I was crazy because I have an easier time working on it when it's been sitting for a good deal of time.

I tried repairing. How do I reformat?

What do you think?