Laptop Issues

[gmanych]

I have an old laptop that I was going to install Linux Ubuntu on and use a a server. I unintalled Windows Xp and installed Linux. With failure on linux I uninstalled it and put windows back on.

I booted into windows fine when I first installed it, but it had to restart because it automaticly installed the chipset driver and when it rebooted it would say...

Broadcom searching for DHCP or something then it found nothing and then it said "Operating System Not Found"

I have tried to reinstall windows but it freezes everytime when I try to install it. Also when it starts the harddrive seeks and doesnt stop.

Thanks for your help, this is really annoying and i want my laptop back

P.S: Its a Acer Extensa 2300LC (Slow)

 

[Ste]

Well the DHCP error would be your wireless card searching for a network.

But what do you mean, it then said operating system not found..
Did it blue screen and say that, did it restart and say that on a black Screen?

My guess is that you might have formated over a section of the HD that was proprietary to that specific brand of labtop. I know its a long shot, but maybe there was a partition on the HD that was required for the labtop. Similar to how some Prebuilts have a backup partition preinstalled by the manufacturer.

Other than that, It could be bad Memory... (Using memtest86 to test)
Or your Harddrive is dieing. The Ultimate boot disk has some diagnostic utilities. You can google both memtest and UBD.
It was working fine before your formated and installed linux right?

 

[gmanych]

Yes, I did screw around with the partitions as well so im not sure. How do I fix this?

 

[Ste]

So I Assume you missed the part where I told you to Download Memtest86 and the Ultimate Boot disk and run them. Run Memtest for 4-6 hours to determine if its bad memory. (Its a good possibility that its not, but lets be sure)

Burn the Ultimate boot disk .iso to a disk using nero or dvd Decrypter. Boot off of it and use one or a couple of the many HD diagnostic tools it has to determine if your HD is on its last leg.

Or you could contact the Manufacture and ask for a restore/format disk for that model.

 

[gmanych]

I just loaded another windows xp setup and it said I have no hard disks... WTF it is installed. I do have a harddisk..... WTF