Topic: compaq armada 1750 startup problems

[b4rry]

Hi every1 i really need someones help, i have got a compaq armada 1750 laptop from a office my mum works for and they have deleted every file etc on it. When you turn the laptop on the only thing that happens is COMPAQ comes up on the screen and the processer fan spins that is it, i have a bit of knowledge but would appreciate some valuable help from some 1.

[joudi]

1 - they have deleted every file etc on it.

2 - When you turn the laptop on the only thing that happens is COMPAQ comes up on the screen

Hi B4rry and  

1 - Do you want to say that they've deleted the OS "Windows" too?

2 - Does the screen "COMPAQ" Come and stay still or it comes for a very short while and goes away after that?

Have you tried to format the HDD and make a new "Windows" install?

That may solve the problem.

[b4rry]

Thank u for your reply joudi.
As far as i no who ever deleted these machines done a very good job on them.
I think they have deleted windows / bios etc files.
The compaq logo displays for about 15 seconds then goes away and nothing else happens.
I can't even format the hard-drive cause i can't get anywhere to do this.
What i think i need are the intial files to load the system to get to the boot sequence, if these files are even available.
If you or any1 else can help me i would be very grateful indeed
regards

[Sandra]

Compaq laptops often enter the BIOS setup by using F2.
Can you access the bios at all?
What happens if you use a 98 boot disk floppy ?
Does it then boot into DOS ?

[b4rry]

No i cannot enter bios at all, if i insert a boot disk nothing happens, if i had the the files do get the thing going i will be able to do everything from then on hopefully.

[joudi]

Have you tried to see if it can have an access to ?Safe Mode? by pressing ?F8? just when you first see the ?boot sequence?? Probably it?ll not work if windows files are removed, but maybe worthy to try.

I can't even format the hard-drive cause i can't get anywhere to do this.

If you like to format correctly your HDD I suggest that you use the ?Partition Magic?. Maybe you can get that from someone around you. It?s usually copied on two floppies. If your laptop is not too old, maybe it?ll support being formatted into NTFS format to be prepared to install Windows XP on it. That?s the best option.

If not, do you have ?Windows XP? on a separated CD?

Some of ?Windows XP? on CD are bootable. It?ll start and install the system as soon as you insert it in the drive. It even gives you the option of formatting your HDD and making a new ?Windows? installation.


As for, what you say:

No i cannot enter bios at all

I?m not really in enough knowledge for that. I know that in some computers you can get there by pressing the ?Escape? button just at the boot sequence, while you need to press ?F1? for another PC, and ?F2? for also another as Sandra is telling. Have you tried all these possibilities on yours?