computer problem

lumberjim · 02-25-2010, 11:22 PM

jinx's vaio is effed up. it was going round and round trying to reboot, but failing. I ran the ultimate boot cd, and got it up, but there does not appear to be a C drive.

help!

BigV · 02-25-2010, 11:25 PM

does it show up in the bios setup screen?

being able to boot from cd is promising, but if you have no c drive, you definintely have a problem.

were there any symptoms leading up to the failure?

is it under warranty?

What is on the c drive that you really really want to keep? pics/docs/music/ etc. programs are replaceable, more or less, your data... less.

tw · 02-25-2010, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lumberjim

jinx's vaio is effed up. it was going round and round trying to reboot, but failing. I ran the ultimate boot cd, and got it up, but there does not appear to be a C drive.

Only better computer provide the hardware diagnostics on the hard drive, on a CD, and on their web site ... for free.

I you can boot the machine from a CD, then the diagnostics will load and test all hardware ... without the complications of Windows.

All manufacturers have these diagnostics. Your problem is exactly why better manufacturers provide these diagnostics. If not provided, then use another machine to burn a bootable CD (or USB stick) with the diagnostic from the disk drive manufacturer. Idea is to learn what is wrong long before trying to fix anything ... so that data is not lost and so that the problem is not made exponentially more complex.

Also available are other boot functions enabled by pressing various keys as the machine boots. Sometimes F2, F5, F8 or Del key provides a list of booting options. One possible option is verbose - to list each step the BIOS goes through to load Windows.

I have never run a Vaio so I do not know which keys enable which booting functions. Could be defective hardware. Could be a trashed boot file. Confirm the hardware is good (use diagnostics) before executing repair software such as Fixboot.

lumberjim · 02-26-2010, 08:43 AM

I did get it to boot using the Ultimate Boot Disc. But, when I click my computer, it only shows a B drive(952MB) and the disc..... It's like it can't see the C drive....

I assume the diagnostics are on a partition of that like they are on my HP. If I can't see the hard drive, how can I run those self diagnostics?

jinx · 02-26-2010, 10:02 AM

This makes me sad.
I don't even know what diagnostics are. Like defrag and checkdisk, or something that will help?

Pete Zicato · 02-26-2010, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lumberjim

I assume the diagnostics are on a partition of that like they are on my HP. If I can't see the hard drive, how can I run those self diagnostics?

First you need to do what BigV recommended. If the bios can't see the drive, the diagnostics are not going to see the drive either.

Reboot the computer. Go into hardware setup (by pressing some key as it boots). Look around in the hardware setup for the hard drive info. If it sees the C drive, that's good. If it doesn't, you have serious problems - likely hardware issue with the drive.

zippyt · 02-26-2010, 10:01 AM

Jim , Recently I did a BUTT Load of updates from windows on Carols laptop ,
After it got done rebooting for the 11'dth time there was NO Dvd/Cd drive ,
I reloaded the drivers , nope , de installed the drivers , re installed them , nope ,
I thought Oh no you didnt !!!!! so a grabbed an External Dvd/cd drive I have for work , "I Know this works !!!!" thinking that the internal drive its self May have just Fell the fuck down , guess what the external drive didnt work eather,
Looking in the admin/tools/puter mangmt /device mngr
it showed that the drives were there but Neather worked , error 39 (?) and error 19
I googled this and found that there was a registry problem , some thing about Hi filters, and Low filters or sume such ,
I sorted thru the sites that wanted to charge for to fix this , and Finaly came to a concensis from posts on help forums that I needed to go into the reg edditer and eddit the settings , I googled the settings for these parts of the reg , again came to a concensis for the Equipment type, brand, Model etc,,, What My reg settings needed to be and Lo and behold it WORKED !!!!!!!

So My suggestion IS go to admin/tools/puter mangmt /device mngr
See if the drive is Present , and what error codes you have and go from there ,
OR Get a Ball bat and Let yer INNER Viking OUT !!!!!

zippyt · 02-26-2010, 10:06 AM

I just re read your Last post , B drive ??? WTF !!
Most laptops have a C and D( for the back up Partition ) and E drive Now days
If you have a card reader it shows F G H , etc , for the different card slots ,
Flash drives and external HDs show After that , I J K L , etc
So this B drive has me Perplexed !!??

lumberjim · 02-26-2010, 10:07 AM

i don't see anything when it tries to boot. it just says starting windows...then that little green bar thing going back and forth....forever

edit: jinx says the last thing that happened was that the battery died and when she plugged it back in ....no boot.

jinx · 02-26-2010, 10:09 AM

says;
(B: ) RAMDisk
folders - PrintSpool
UBCD4 Win User Settings
(X: ) UBCD4 Windows

Pete Zicato · 02-26-2010, 10:13 AM

After you restart, you don't see a text screen before the windows startup screen?

Pete Zicato · 02-26-2010, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinx

says;
(B: ) RAMDisk
folders - PrintSpool
UBCD4 Win User Settings
(X: ) UBCD4 Windows

Have you always had a ram drive? How about the x: drive?

Undertoad · 02-26-2010, 10:15 AM

Something that says hit DEL to setup? Or F2?

lumberjim · 02-26-2010, 10:18 AM

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

that is what gives me B drive, zipp..

and...no no text at all when trying to reboot

Pete Zicato · 02-26-2010, 10:26 AM

A couple of web sites say that the Vaio bios key is either F1, F2, or F3 depending on the model. Try rebooting and pressing one of those keys as it reboots. You should get into the bios setup screen.

02-25-2010, 11:22 PM	#1
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	computer problem jinx's vaio is effed up. it was going round and round trying to reboot, but failing. I ran the ultimate boot cd, and got it up, but there does not appear to be a C drive. help! __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

02-25-2010, 11:25 PM	#2
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	does it show up in the bios setup screen? being able to boot from cd is promising, but if you have no c drive, you definintely have a problem. were there any symptoms leading up to the failure? is it under warranty? What is on the c drive that you really really want to keep? pics/docs/music/ etc. programs are replaceable, more or less, your data... less. __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

02-26-2010, 08:43 AM	#4
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	I did get it to boot using the Ultimate Boot Disc. But, when I click my computer, it only shows a B drive(952MB) and the disc..... It's like it can't see the C drive.... I assume the diagnostics are on a partition of that like they are on my HP. If I can't see the hard drive, how can I run those self diagnostics? __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

02-26-2010, 10:02 AM	#5
jinx Come on, cat. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: general vicinity of Philadelphia area Posts: 7,013	This makes me sad. I don't even know what diagnostics are. Like defrag and checkdisk, or something that will help? __________________ Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good.

02-26-2010, 10:01 AM	#7
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	Jim , Recently I did a BUTT Load of updates from windows on Carols laptop , After it got done rebooting for the 11'dth time there was NO Dvd/Cd drive , I reloaded the drivers , nope , de installed the drivers , re installed them , nope , I thought Oh no you didnt !!!!! so a grabbed an External Dvd/cd drive I have for work , "I Know this works !!!!" thinking that the internal drive its self May have just Fell the fuck down , guess what the external drive didnt work eather, Looking in the admin/tools/puter mangmt /device mngr it showed that the drives were there but Neather worked , error 39 (?) and error 19 I googled this and found that there was a registry problem , some thing about Hi filters, and Low filters or sume such , I sorted thru the sites that wanted to charge for to fix this , and Finaly came to a concensis from posts on help forums that I needed to go into the reg edditer and eddit the settings , I googled the settings for these parts of the reg , again came to a concensis for the Equipment type, brand, Model etc,,, What My reg settings needed to be and Lo and behold it WORKED !!!!!!! So My suggestion IS go to admin/tools/puter mangmt /device mngr See if the drive is Present , and what error codes you have and go from there , OR Get a Ball bat and Let yer INNER Viking OUT !!!!! __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

02-26-2010, 10:06 AM	#8
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	I just re read your Last post , B drive ??? WTF !! Most laptops have a C and D( for the back up Partition ) and E drive Now days If you have a card reader it shows F G H , etc , for the different card slots , Flash drives and external HDs show After that , I J K L , etc So this B drive has me Perplexed !!?? __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

02-26-2010, 10:07 AM	#9
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	i don't see anything when it tries to boot. it just says starting windows...then that little green bar thing going back and forth....forever edit: jinx says the last thing that happened was that the battery died and when she plugged it back in ....no boot. __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan Last edited by lumberjim; 02-26-2010 at 10:16 AM.

02-26-2010, 10:09 AM	#10
jinx Come on, cat. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: general vicinity of Philadelphia area Posts: 7,013	says; (B: ) RAMDisk folders - PrintSpool UBCD4 Win User Settings (X: ) UBCD4 Windows __________________ Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good.

02-26-2010, 10:13 AM	#11
Pete Zicato Turns out my CRS is a symptom of TMB. Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Chicago suburbs Posts: 2,916	After you restart, you don't see a text screen before the windows startup screen? __________________ Talk nerdy to me.

02-26-2010, 10:15 AM	#13
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Something that says hit DEL to setup? Or F2?

02-26-2010, 10:18 AM	#14
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ that is what gives me B drive, zipp.. and...no no text at all when trying to reboot __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

02-26-2010, 10:26 AM	#15
Pete Zicato Turns out my CRS is a symptom of TMB. Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Chicago suburbs Posts: 2,916	A couple of web sites say that the Vaio bios key is either F1, F2, or F3 depending on the model. Try rebooting and pressing one of those keys as it reboots. You should get into the bios setup screen. __________________ Talk nerdy to me.

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