Tom's Hardware > Forum > Laptops & Notebooks > General Laptops & Notebooks > Can't start Windows, very strange problem

Can't start Windows, very strange problem

Forum Laptops & Notebooks : General Laptops & Notebooks - Can't start Windows, very strange problem

Tom's Hardware: Over 1.4 million members in 6 different countries available to answer all your high-tech questions. Sign up now! Its free!
Word :    Username :           
 

Hey guys, I'm working on a Toshiba Satellite A100 with a very strange problem. It seems like as soon as the computer tries to load the Windows kernel it crashes the laptop. The laptop gets through POST fine but as soon as it tries to load Windows it just sits there, no HD activity, can't turn caps lock on/off or restart via CTRL ALT DEL, it's completely frozen. I'm able to get an F8 in there to try safeboot etc but as soon as I hit enter for any of the other options same thing happens.

I popped in a Windows install CD to try to repair the Windows installation, it gets through the first 3 minutes of "loading files" fine but as soon as it tries to display the initial options with the "starting Windows" status it freezes. I booted off a UBDC and tried to boot into FreeDos and same thing happens. The HD is fine, I've swapped it out into another laptop and Windows starts up perfectly. Also, when I boot off the Windows install CD with a different HD in it does the same thing.

I booted off an Ubuntu CD and it works perfectly, I even managed to hook up the HD externally to my other laptop, shrink the Windows partition, then install Ubuntu onto the drive and it worked perfectly. It's so weird, it's like as soon as it tries to boot Windows it locks up. I've never seen this and am thoroughly confused.

Any ideas????

Sponsored Links
Register or log in to remove.

Use the UBCD to test your memory. Other than that, I'd just save your data and reinstall windows.

Reply to frozenlead

Already checked memory, cpu and any other test I could run, everything seems fine. I'm TRYING to re-install Windows, that's the problem. I'm trying to format the whole drive and re-install but it crashes during re-install too.


Message edited by davemac on 01-25-2009 at 08:59:43 PM
Reply to davemac

Use a different windows CD and another disk drive, if you can.

Reply to frozenlead

I tried a different Windows disk, same thing. I don't think it's the drive itself because I was able to install Ubuntu and it always crashes at the same point when it tries to launch the Windows kernel.

Reply to davemac

Reseat the memory, format the disk, and start from scratch. If it still fails, start removing hardware until you find the freeze goes away.

Reply to frozenlead
Tom's Hardware > Forum > Laptops & Notebooks > General Laptops & Notebooks > Can't start Windows, very strange problem
Go to:

There are 1092 identified and unidentified users. To see the list of identified users, Click here.

Please mind

You are about to answer a thread that has been inactive for more than 6 months.
If you still wish to proceed, please ensure that your posting is original and does not duplicate or overlap any prior responses to this thread.

Add a reply Cancel
Sponsored links
  • Ask the community now
  • Publish
Ad
They won a badge
Join us in greeting them