Windows or laptop problem ?

[p3t3r]

i have same opinion. that it is designed to be faulty after so many years. if it is a fault you can not live with, or if it gets worse, then possibly if you install 'Ubuntu' on your laptop it will work fine.

 

i had problem with different versions of windows on my old laptop, a friend suggested ubuntu, the old laptop is now great, it even runs a lot faster that a new laptop running windows 8 with higher specs

 

ubuntu could bring your laptop back to life again. it is not so difficult to use and learn, - especially as I can do it!

[tobyjugg2]

or just reinstall windows. Windows does get bloated with crap as time goes by - installed by the user (unknowingly often) and often comes preinstalled with loads of bloatware

 

Ubuntu installs (yes I use it) doesn't get all the same crap installed on it as windows installs do. If it did, it would be the same.

 

Have have an ubuntu server and a stripped down xp server doing similar tasks and there is little to choose between them except the ubuntu will run longer without a simple reboot vs the xp is easier to manage but benefits from being rebooted every few weeks as apposed to every few months..

 

But then again the xp has quite a bit more installed on it above the base stuff required LOL.

[Ford]

have you tried autoruns, in admin mode?

untick things that are not needed re logon/run. see if that helps re unwanted software. at yr own risk, dont untick essentials.

[unclebulgaria67]

have you tried autoruns, in admin mode?

untick things that are not needed re logon/run. see if that helps re unwanted software. at yr own risk, dont untick essentials.

 

Not tried that. So many options that might work ! I thought I was reasonably ok with technology, but I find it very cofusing these days. Even the YouTube vids by so called experts, only suggest things that might work. I suspect that an ASUS engineer would have some sort of diagnostic device that would find the problem, but I am not going to spend money on repairing a 4 year old laptop.

 

Thanks for you help. I have produced a recovery CD and will use that if needed to see if it offers a repair of the faults. I will see if that works first. Then there is the option of using the ASUS partition on restart using F9, which apparently will restore the laptop to its factory condition.

 

This issue appears to be pretty bad with ASUS according to online reports, but other laptop makes also have some issues. I think it depends on how well Windows works with the manufacturers updates. With ASUS, they provide live updates, as does Microsoft. At some point my laptop has become confused.

[Ford]

have a look at autoruns, just to see what it shows being loaded on logon/run. it doesnt do anything unless something is unticked

[renegadeimp]

Just look at msconfig. Does the same thing.

[Ford]

or use autoruns

 

ps also, in mine, msconfig startup doesnt show all the same as whats shown in autoruns.

[Ford]

... I have produced a recovery CD and will use that if needed to see if it offers a repair of the faults. I will see if that works first. Then there is the option of using the ASUS partition on restart using F9, which apparently will restore the laptop to its factory condition.

 

This issue appears to be pretty bad with ASUS according to online reports, but other laptop makes also have some issues. I think it depends on how well Windows works with the manufacturers updates. With ASUS, they provide live updates, as does Microsoft. At some point my laptop has become confused.

 

 

see how that goes then.

 

it prob has become 'confused', after doing all those updates at once. as has been posted, sometimes their updates cause probs that need a prior update or service pack. or a post fix.

 

otherwise, maybe looking at a hardware prob.

[tobyjugg2]

[/url]unclebulgaria67

Just be careful with that standard windows install as you can easily overwrite the ASUS recovery partition in doing a standard install permanently losing it.

[unclebulgaria67]

I have just managed a restart without any problem, so may be fixed (crossed fingers)

 

I don't know what fixed the problem ( if it is fixed) I ran the free fixes offered by PC healthboost. I also tuned off the ASUS live update before I did the restart. The ASUS live update also deals with downloaded changes, but there were none pending. I just wonder whether the windows update restart, does not like the ASUS update being open. When the restart was starting to close progams it had some issue with ASUS live update, so I had to cancel and close it manually.

 

A bit weird !

 

PS. I also checked the windows updates to see what was actually important. Out of 14 files recommended, I decided to only download 1 security update which was said to be very important. Perhaps windows does not like having to deal with too many updates on restart.

[Conniff]

[/url]unclebulgaria67

Just be careful with that standard windows install as you can easily overwrite the ASUS recovery partition in doing a standard install permanently losing it.

 

 

I trust you have made recovery discs so are not reliant on the recovery partition remaining executable or the hard drive itself becoming unusable ?

 

 

Recovery discs should always be the very first thing done on any computer.

[unclebulgaria67]

I trust you have made recovery discs so are not reliant on the recovery partition remaining executable or the hard drive itself becoming unusable ?

 

 

Recovery discs should always be the very first thing done on any computer.

 

Yes I have. I also have a repair disc.

 

I find modern computers very complicated and possibly not as reliable. I can remember earlier PC's being slow, but reliable. Earlier versions of Windows were more stable.

 

I suppose that given the amount of software changes people make, you can get conflicts, which affect the operation of the laptop.

 

Another odd issue was Microsoft and a trial version of their latest Office, which appear to want to dominate. Took over previous paid versions and every time you wanted to open a document to edit, it would not let you. It kept saying you needed to pay the upgrade to a full version of the new office. In the end I have to uninstall the new office and then do a repair on the old version to get it all working again.

 

People keep telling me to change from Microsoft software, as Linux is more reliable.

[Ford]

linux etc cld be worth a try. cld do a dual boot, or linux cd, see how you get on with it.

if you have the same prob with linux, then maybe a hardware issue.

[unclebulgaria67]

Laptop appears broken now. Think it was a hardware problem that has eventually gone. Something to do with the graphics on the motherboard and it being powered up. Will try to fix myself before I throw it away.

[Conniff]

It might just require 'reballing' of the graphics chip, there are companies who can do that for you, google and have a read

[tobyjugg2]

If you look in 'event viewer' for the red items it may give you an idea what was happening.

 

Resoldering the graphics chips, quite common with a number of nvidea graphics chips, can be relatively expensive given that new laptops half in price every 2 godzillabits of nanoparsecs, and second hand laptops sometimes seem to half in price with every keypress :/

[unclebulgaria67]

I think the graphics chip went. Apparently there are some tricks that can be tried and if it is dead, then I might give it a go. One of them is to take out the motherboard and apply aluminium tape to the underside of the chip. Something to do with curing bad solder connection.

 

But I also have a problem with the power jack anyway, so would have to take apart to install a new jack. Problem with laptops is that it can be easy to damage other parts while trying a repair.

 

I am using an I-pad and managing OK with that, so I am not in a hurry to get a new laptop. I just find I pads less good for some things.

[p3t3r]

one trick you could try is to bake the board in the oven. there are videos and instructions out there for this. this method could also make it 100% beyond repair.

[tobyjugg2]

one trick you could try is to bake the board in the oven. there are videos and instructions out there for this. this method could also make it 100% beyond repair.

 

LOL

Please don't do that, if it does anything it will be destructive.

 

The graphics chips need to be desoldered and resoldered with a proper rig, which applies heat very locally to the chip.

 

No idea what the aluminum tape is suppressed to do other than short everything out. :/ Some chips do have an aluminium foil and heat sink compound between the chip and heatsink to make a better connection. (Its better with decent heatsink compound and no foil, but the foil is easier on manufacturing assembly)

 

The power jacks are often a simple fix, and many are on a cable which plugs into the mainboards. Even if not a plug in, a competent electronics solderer should find little to challenge them.

[p3t3r]

lol i should have added to try it as a last resort. ive never tried it myself, just found that info when searching for something else. oven cooking micro chips!

[tobyjugg2]

Yes I have. I also have a repair disc.

 

That will be why your key press on starup recovery does not work unclebulgaria67.

Creating the discs always (to my knowledge) removes the recovery image from the machine as required by MS so as not to have two copies,.

Silly I know as you can, and should then copy the created disc in case of damage.

[unclebulgaria67]

That will be why your key press on starup recovery does not work unclebulgaria67.

Creating the discs always (to my knowledge) removes the recovery image from the machine as required by MS so as not to have two copies,.

Silly I know as you can, and should then copy the created disc in case of damage.

 

I have almost given up on the laptop, because the cost of repair compared to just buying a cheap new laptop, does not make it worth it.

 

So what I may do is just to take it apart and use it as a training tool for me to work out how laptops work.

 

I am not going to pay anyone to do a repair ! I have a repair shop 2 mins away, but with labour and parts it would at least half the cost of a new laptop.

 

It is 4 years old, so I guess that is the life expectancy.

[mikeymack2002]

I had this same issue with a friends PC (desktop) I sorted this out by using some of the following tools in safe mode

 

 

Get these free programs

 

 

Junk ware removal tool (JRT) http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/search/?keyword=jrt

ADW cleaner http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/

 

 

If you run JRT in safe mode save log file to desktop it may list some issues (spyware malware and so on) same with ADW use JRT 1st ADW 2nd use a friends pc to get the latest graphics driver save to usb, change the resolution to the lowest setting 800x600 reboot. reload graphics driver, you may have set the driver to a too higher setting?

 

 

Read the following post to see if you can make an image file burn to DVD or store on external HD then back up all of your user files as well save the DVD see here http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/4241/how-to-create-a-system-image-in-windows-7/ then save all your user files to dvd/memory stick for a backup

 

 

If you can post both of the log files it will help to see what is going on in the back ground

 

 

Get a program called Belarc install save and print the report this gives you all of your programs installed and serial numbers, plus it will show you what update issues there are, these will be in RED btw

 

 

Copy both reports to word save as PDF and post if you want? Belarc don't do this but post "known Issues"

[mikeymack2002]

Also you can use the remote assistance tab to get help from a trusted friend http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/help-computer-problem-windows-remote-assistance#1TC=windows-7

 

 

Finally if you start to get some results you can also use wise registry cleaner WRC see here

http://www.wisecleaner.com/wise-registry-cleaner.html

 

 

Once I had cleaned the entire system I was able to get the PC back from the dead and it now works like new, all of the above may work but if the graphics card is on its way out you may need a replacement laptop. Or as a final option run chkdsk (check disk) see here how to, https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2641432

[tobyjugg2]

As you have created the repair/install discs

The windows install generally makes a backup of your current install in a folder.

You can select repair from the install as a first try, which will attempt to repair any broken files on the install.