Archive for the ‘Laptop Repair’ Category

Had a customer today with the update of death for Vista. I searched thousands of articles about this without finding a suitable solution, I thought I’d put this in my blog.

Computer boots up and freezes, upon running start up repair I get:

!!0xc01a001d!! 37398/94614 (\Registry\Machine\Components\deriveddat…)

and the computer locks up.

Computer won’t boot, even in safe mode.

My research shows that the error is due to a log file jamming up. This is caused by something in the update process not going right.

I think it’s funny that if windows can’t complain to the log, it can’t continue to fix any problems.

So, to fix this problem here were my steps:

I booted a linux cd (Click to download Knoppix or Click to download Ubuntu)

The c: drive had 2 partitions /dev/hda1 an/dev/hda2

1.  I right clicked, mounted the hda2 partion on the desktop.
2. Right clicked the hda2 changed it to write mode (If you generate an error saying windows did not shutdown cleanly: sudo ntfsfix /dev/hda2 then repeat steps 1 and 2.)
3. I double clicked on the hda2 icon (or open nautulus /mnt/hda2)
4. browse to the WINDOWS folder.
5. Right click and rename the SoftwareDistribution folder (or alternatively copy it somewhere and delete it)
6. Browse to the system32 folder
7. Right click and rename catroot2 to catroot2.old
8. Click the start gear and click logoff, shutdown
9. Pull the Knoppix cd-rom from the drive.
10. Boot from the hard disk and select startup repair.

This should get you to the point where windows Vista will run a repair and complete and reboot.

I would recommend you backup  your data to an external hard disk and then reformat the computer and setup from scratch as we are not certain what went wrong and don’t want to have to do this again in the future.

Question:

I just ghosted my vista laptop 120 Gigabyte hard disk over to a brand new 640 Gigabyte SATA drive and the laptop just reboots and never shows the vista boot screeen?

Answer:

If you boot the vista boot disk up and fix the boot with advanced options, I it will repair the boot sector and allow Vista to load. Alternatively, you can boot the windows XP cd to command prompt only and run fixboot.

Running fixboot from a windows XP cd will also wipe any boot virus out, if you ever get one that erases your boot sector, or just infects it.

Dell Inspiron Power Jack

If your dell laptop will not charge without wiggling the cord around, Here’s how to do the fix yourself:

Dell 5150/1100 series Slideshow

Other dell inspiron laptops are similar to the Instructions above

Parts: Dell Inspiron power jack Fix Kit & Instructions NR

Generic instructions:

1. Remove power and battery
2. Remove power on button strip
3. Remove Keyboard
4. Remove LCD Cable from video card
5. Remove Wireless minicoax cables from the wireless card
6. Remove the screen from the laptop body
7. Flip the laptop
8. Remove screws from the panels and remove cards and ram
9. Remove case screws and keep track of them.
10. Remove cd-rom and hard disk
11. flip laptop and remove any other screws holding the case together.
12. pop the shell apart, remove the bays that interfere with the removal of the motherboard
13. remove the VGA standoffs
14. remove the video card and processor fans
15. remove the motherboard from the case.
16. Prep and use desolder wick to remove old component and clean up the thru holes.
17. put the new component into the board ( be certain you put it on the correct side of the board)
18. Flip the board and solder the component in, be sure to flow solder evenly on each leg.
19. allow all to cool and reassemble by reversing the steps above to rebuild the laptop.
20. Plug the unit into the wall and see if it will charge the battery/start the computer without the battery in.

Enjoy the repaired computer.

Many of you have dell laptops, and many of you are starting to have wobbly screens. I’ve replaced a number of hinges on other laptops, however with most laptops the hinge itself is fine. The problem actually stems from the fact that the hinge is steel, the screws are steel, however the mount with the threaded holes is aluminum. So, as you open and close the lid, you wobble the screws and stress the aluminum and the screws get loose. Eventually, the hinge doesn’t turn but the plastic does and pop, you’ve got a damaged “Hinge” where the plastic gets loose and the screen won’t stay in place..

I assembled an online picture presentation with all the information you need to perform the repair.

Generic Hinge Repair Dell

Total cost of repair all sourced at my local ACE Hardware store:

4 4×40  screws ($0.11 each) = $0.44

4×40 Tap and appropriate drill bit=$6.54 including tax.

Total cost for repair $6.98