Problem with computer

Noreen · Apr 19, 2009, 11:02:50

My laptop failed to start this morning, didn't know what to do when confronted with the choices and with the clock clicking down. Twice tried to get it to start normally but still came to the message saying that it had failed to start so eventually chose to go back to last known good configuration (or something to that effect). It did a check disk and then started normally. What could I have have done for this to happen?

greenfedora · Apr 19, 2009, 11:32:00

Quote from: Noreen on Apr 19, 2009, 11:02:50
My laptop failed to start this morning, didn't know what to do when confronted with the choices and with the clock clicking down. Twice tried to get it to start normally but still came to the message saying that it had failed to start so eventually chose to go back to last known good configuration (or something to that effect). It did a check disk and then started normally. What could I have have done for this to happen?

How bizarre.

My laptop failed to start this morning too. It failed with an 0x000000F4 and blue screened. On reboot it went into the 'Fix Startup' routine. That failed the first time and prompted me to do a system restore. After that it rebooted again and went back into the 'Fix Startup' routine. After about 5 minutes of sitting in that it booted okay.

The only significant thing I can think of is that Vista recently took 8 new system updates, although it booted okay yesterday, which was the first day after the updates.

However, yesterday when it booted it 'finished' the updates - presumably the bits it couldn't do on shutdown the day before - so today may have been the first day it booted with completely finished updates (if you see what I mean).

Or somesuch. That's just my working theory for now.

bobleslie · Apr 19, 2009, 11:45:19

What's encouraging is that neither of you have had to re-install or lose files.

Makes a change from a few years ago.

Sebby · Apr 19, 2009, 11:57:26

Very strange. Were any updates installed yesterday?

Noreen · Apr 19, 2009, 12:06:41

I think that the last thing that I installed was the latest version of SpywareBlaster but my computer has restarted since then. I just hope that it doesn't happen again, I hate it when I have to make a choice with the clock clicking down and I just don't know what to do.

greenfedora · Apr 19, 2009, 12:23:23

Quote from: Noreen on Apr 19, 2009, 12:06:41
I think that the last thing that I installed was the latest version of SpywareBlaster but my computer has restarted since then. I just hope that it doesn't happen again, I hate it when I have to make a choice with the clock clicking down and I just don't know what to do.

If you move the cursor to another option (but don't press enter) it should stop the clock ticking down to give you more time to think.

It reminds me of the pressure I'm under at supermarkets when they're checking out my goods at an alarmingly fast rate and I can't get the damn plastic bags open.

Rik · Apr 19, 2009, 12:36:22

I had problems the morning after the last round of updates (Thursday in my case), but it did start albeit with some apps complaining. A re-boot cured it and things have been fine since. I wonder if one of the patches affected load timings during the boot sequence?

Simon · Apr 19, 2009, 13:24:37

Quote from: greenfedora on Apr 19, 2009, 12:23:23It reminds me of the pressure I'm under at supermarkets when they're checking out my goods at an alarmingly fast rate and I can't get the damn plastic bags open.

I remember that well, Gordon, which is one of the reasons I have mine delivered now.

As for Noreen's issue, am I right in thinking that some updates don't 'take' until a full shutdown and restart, not just a reboot?

Noreen · Apr 19, 2009, 13:38:29

Anyway, I've just done full virus and spyware scans just in case and nothing was found.

Simon · Apr 19, 2009, 13:43:11

It was probably just a badly, or incompletely installed update, Noreen.

zappaDPJ · Apr 19, 2009, 14:17:29

My daughter has just presented me with her laptop which has been stuck on a 'Logging off...' screen since last night. I had to remove the battery pack to reset it.

I'd guess that there has been a dodgy Vista update issued because Windows Update is reporting a huge number of new updates for yesterday.

'Last known good configuration' is usual the best way to go if that is presented as an option on these occasions.

Gary · Apr 19, 2009, 14:31:38

My laptop took a really long time to start this morning which worried me, normally its lightning fast, all seems ok though

Rik · Apr 19, 2009, 15:09:54

Quote from: Noreen on Apr 19, 2009, 13:38:29
Anyway, I've just done full virus and spyware scans just in case and nothing was found.

I just wonder whether the update you had problems with before has a hand in this?

zappaDPJ · Apr 19, 2009, 16:27:15

It's also noticeable that everyone was on a laptop. Was everyone also running Vista?

Rik · Apr 19, 2009, 16:34:15

My issue was with an XP desktop, Zappa, but I've previously had a problem with XP not taking SP3 on an Acer laptop.

Glenn · Apr 19, 2009, 17:26:33

It may have been something as simole as the OS didn't close properly when it was turned off last.

Noreen · Apr 20, 2009, 10:38:09

Well, I definitely came unstuck yesterday! Seeing Simon's post about shutdowns and restarts I decided to do a proper shutdown and see what happened. The problem came back again, I eventually reached the desktop and decided that I'd do a quick save of my emails but then found that I couldn't open anything. Went to Control Panel to do a System Restore and it took ages to come up with the message that there weren't any Restore Points! Decided to shut the machine down and found that I couldn't, nothing happened, when I eventually in desperation turned off the power it just ran on the battery. So I had to remove the battery to turn the laptop off. I tried to start the machine again but nothing happened.

I decided that the best thing to do was to restore an Acronis TI full backup which was made a fortnight before on April 5, I'd been away a week of that time so thought that I wouldn't lose much. Two more disasters then struck which were my own silly fault, I connected my external hard drive to the laptop and somehow got my foot entangled in the hard drive's power cable and it went crashing to the floor but luckily was still running OK, I then started to do the Acronis Restore and left the computer to get on with it. I came later to see a blank screen and the hard drive stopped, I forgotten to turn the mains power to the laptop on and the battery had run down.

So started again and this time it was successful.

Last night I installed the latest MS Security Updates and the new version of SpywareBlaster with no apparent problems, I decided to leave the Java update until this morning. I tried to install it from the link that appeared on my desktop but Windows wouldn't install it as it was "suspicious" being unsigned or something. So I went to the Sun website and installed it with no problems from there and no protests from Windows. I remembered that I had previously installed that update from the desktop link with no problems and wondered if that was the source of the problem. I've done complete virus and spyware scans which found nothing.

Thank goodness for Acronis TI.

Simon · Apr 20, 2009, 10:58:04

Glad you got it sorted eventually, Noreen. Aren't computers great!

Noreen · Apr 20, 2009, 11:00:54

Quote from: Simon on Apr 20, 2009, 10:58:04
Glad you got it sorted eventually, Noreen. Aren't computers great!

They certainly are, Simon.

However I wish I knew what caused the problem so that I could avoid it in future.

sobranie · Apr 20, 2009, 11:03:02

See my probs here

http://www.idnetters.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=8934.1300

I'm moving house very soon and have decided not to install the latest updates pro tem as I will need my 'puters urgently for the next week or so for contacting various bodies.
Suffice to say I am pig sick of duff updates by MS fouling up my machine(s).

Rik · Apr 20, 2009, 11:18:02

I'm glad you got there, Noreen, it sounds like you had a few sweaty palm moments there.

Simon · Apr 20, 2009, 11:18:55

I very rarely have trouble with updates, on XP or Vista, but I do regularly power down both machines, in fact, they are only powered on when in use. I wonder if that makes a difference?

Rik · Apr 20, 2009, 11:20:34

Same here, Simon, but something upset one machine last week after the updates. I suspect it comes down to the complexity of hardware, and therefore drivers, in a Windows box. Patches are, effectively, beta versions.

Simon · Apr 20, 2009, 11:41:15

I didn't think you ever powered down your machines, Rik. That's why people's kettles take so long to boil in MK!

Rik · Apr 20, 2009, 11:57:24

I even run the Sammy of battery most of the time.