Startup Problem

[Danthemans2]

Ok, This is an HP Pavilion Slimline s3300f, has a 320gb hd (1yr old), 3gb ram. I was told it's on it's 3rd HD the first 2 crapped.

Problem-
When it is turned on it shows the HP logo and options like ESC, F9, F11, etc. But won't load any farther then that. This happened after they just shut it down one night and never worked again. I can't press any options at that screen, it's basically froze, Unless I start pressing it right when i turn the computer one and it will say for ex. above it "loading boot menu". It has never has passed that and gotten onto the POST screen.

Things I have tried-
Unplugging various hardware like HD, DVD-ROM, took out the ram and tested one at a time in both slots, took out battery for 20m, reset CMOS from jumper on Mobo. Nothing I do is working.
If anyone has an idea I would be more then happy to hear it. :D
Thanks in advance.
If you need more info, I left a link to the HP website on this model, or just ask.

 

[richc46]

Can you go into safe mode at boot. Hit f8 during boot repeatedly?

 

[Danthemans2]

Nope, As your supposed to press f8 after the BIOS POST screen and before the Windows Logo, I don't get that far. Just the first HP screen.

 

[richc46]

If you try to boot, do you hear any beeps. If yes describe. Long short, one, two, three, 3 long one short etc.

 

[Danthemans2]

No beeps, And hard to say if it ever did because he said it was always on, and never payed attention to it before.

 

[Danthemans2]

Does anyone have any ideas? lol

 

[richc46]

Hi

Did not forget about you, but I have something now.

Windows Vista Recovery Disc Download — The NeoSmart Files

 

[Danthemans2]

I would like to try that, actually I'm even up for just installing Windows 7 over this HD, but I cannot get far enough to boot from a cd, or anything, I just get that first HP window and I sit there for ages.

 

[richc46]

Read the last page of this Thread. I will work. As you can see, from the thread, I am not overly familiar with the procedure.

http://www.vistax64.com/general-discussion/274722-reboot-problem.html

 

[Danthemans2]

It won't work, I can't get that far.
I attached a picture of the screen.
The first one is the screen that will not load past.
The second one is what happens when I press F10 to enter setup or something, it just sits there, still no loading.

 

[Danthemans2]

So I'm trying not to give up on this, I keep wanting to say this is the HD but when I unplugged it, it still did the same thing, and wouldn't let me do anything. So if anyone has any ideas I would LOVE to hear them.
Because I'm just staring at this blue screen thinking of ideas it's just putting me to sleep. :sleep:

 

[Ashvin Busviah]

Remove and replug your hard drive.. try to play with the ram as well!!

 

[Katokato]

Check the harddrive jumpers, make sure they are at the cableselect, or set to primary, even if its set to cable select and it doesnt work, and you cant get into the CMOS setup, set the harddrive to primary. If its not getting past POST then it is a hardware problem.

-Can you get into CMOS setup?

 

[Ashvin Busviah]

also check the settings on your bios.. whether your harddrive is set to IDE or SATA depending on what is it.. the actual issue is that the computer is not recognising a hard drive to boot to..

 

[Danthemans2]

I have played with the ram and hd cables. I cannot get into cmos setup, the farthest it will attempt to load is the second picture I uploaded.

 

[Katokato]

Put the harddrive on another computer, and see if the harddrive will work on another computer, if it does, then it is not a harddrive problem, maybe the BIOS doesnt recognize. Also make sure that the harddrive is set to primary/master or cable select (but since u cant go into CMOS setup then doing cable select wont work cuz u cant choose from the CMOS cuz u cant access the CMOS setup.)