Topic: Sharp Laptop PC-GP10-CM

[dj92]

Hi,
I'm the newbie and need someones help if you can please guys.

I have just aquired an old Sharp laptop PC-GP10-CM and I need to get it ready for a child for xmas.
When I switch it on it gives me a loud beep noise that sometimes changes to a beep-beep .
I can get into BIOS at times and other times it will not let me.
It has no battery but powers up OK and the screen is clear and bright.When I got it it did not have a HDD installed and I have inserted one that I had which has XP installed on it but it will not boot from it.

Will I have to wipe the Hdd and install and the try to load XP from disc?

Any ideas/help will be very welcome at this point.

Dj

[Simon]

Hi Dj, and

Yes, I don't think you can just insert a hard drive with an OS previously installed on it, as none of the other hardware will match.  You will need to format the hard drive, and reinstall Windows on it, assuming you have a Windows CD, and the laptop has a CD ROM drive.

Come back to us if you need further help, but let us know how you get on in any case.  

[Delgado]

Hi Dj,

I cant help you with your problem, but would like to say 

If you get as much help and friendship as I have got here you will love it.

[dj92]

Thanks for the welcome guys.
I am awaiting delivery of a 2.5 HHD caddy then I can transfer files from it and format. I will then put back in the offending Sharp and see what happens.
I will keep you posted.
Again many thanks for the welcome.

[Simon]

[dj92]

I got my caddy, saved what I wanted, fomatted it and installed it back in the Laptop.
I still keep getting  the beep sound at times, at other times I can get to BIOS but it will not boot from the disc as I tell it. When I put a disc in to put XP on it will not start. It sounds like the CD is starting and then it stutters and stops and starts and stops and will not load.
Any ideas what next please?

[Simon]

Going by the sounds you described, I can only guess at a bad CD or a faulty drive.  

[Rik]

It might be worth running memtest.

[dj92]

Thanks guys,

I know the hard drive is OK as it was running in my Thinkpad that just stopped working suddenly. Bought this to get some video in the bedroom while I stripped the Thinkpad to check the fuses, as all else seems OK, just haven't had the time lately. I suppose it could be the CD drive that is naff as the OS disc has been used several times and worked OK. I also downloaded a torrent, or two, with bootable XP on them and they will not run.


If I knew what a memtest was I would try it Rik.
HELP!

[Simon]

http://www.memtest.org/ 

Just a thought, but you said the ThinkPad just stopped working.  How do you know it wasn't a problem with the hard drive you're now trying to install?  

[dj92]

As soon as I posted my previous reply I had the same thought. When I put the drive into the external caddy it loaded and I could read everything on it so I guessed it was OK.
What do you think Simon?

[Simon]

Not an expert, mate, but it seems a bit of a coincidence.  I guess there might be a bad sector on the drive which allows you to read some parts if it, but won't write to other parts, but from the noises you said the CD drive is making, it also sounds like it could be that.  Sorry not to be more definite.   What make is the hard drive?  If you go to the manufacturers website, most of them have downloadable diagnostics you can run on the drive.  That might help, at least for elimination purposes. 

[dj92]

Thanks Simon, I will try that tomorrow.