Dead Vista

[dansullivan9026]

 I have a Gateway Laptop (model MT 6641)  with a Gateway installed Vista home premium 32-bit operating system.   When I try to start up I am told to repair a problem.   When I hit enter, eventually I end up with a black screen and a cursor.

When I try to Start up in Safe mode, it won't start but a message flashes on the screen saying in part "Unmountable_boot_volume"  I can't read the rest of it because it goes by too quickly.


When I try to start up in safe mode with command -prompt, it freezes on the "loading windows files" page.

Nor will it start with "Last known good configuration."   Same result as safe mode.

When I try to start it using the repair tool, all I get is the microsoft green scroll bar and then the black screen.


When I try to boot with the operating system disc  I get the 'windows is loading files' bar and when that completes I get the microsoft  green scroll bar and a black screen.

I have reset the BIOS to default.

Gateway and Microsoft point the finger at each other.  Does anyone have any idea how to fix this?

Would the problem be fixed if I installed a new hard drive?  Or could it be the motherboard?

I don't want to throw good money after bad.    Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks,   Dan

[Broni]

"Unmountable_boot_volume" error usually means bad hard drive.
Test the drive: http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287

[patio]

Has this laptop suffered a fall recently ? ?

[dansullivan9026]

No, it hasn't fallen. 

[dansullivan9026]

Gateway gave me the link to a utility to test the hard drive.  But I can't use it since the notebook won't boot up.   What are the odds that a new hard drive will fix the problem?

[Broni]

Gateway gave me the link to a utility to test the hard drive

It should create bootable CD. It'll run even with bad hard drive (if that's the case).

[dansullivan9026]

"Unmountable_boot_volume" error usually means bad hard drive.
Test the drive: http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287

Thanks for the help so far.   If I replace the hard drive, will that fix the problem?   

Also, if I replace the hard drive will I be able to use the Windows Home Vista CD to reinstall a new operating system?    Will I need other drivers?

I am at a novice at this.   Thanks for the help.

[Broni]

Note the word "usually".
Your best bet is to test hard drive to see, if it's really dead.
If it's not, we can try some other steps to solve your problems, before we go for a new drive.

As for reinstallation, most likely, you have two options:
- use Gateway recovery partition, or recovery DVDs to restore the computer to its original state (in this case all drivers will be in place, along with all Gateway pre-installed crap)
- use Vista DVD to perform clean install (in this case, all Gateway pre-installed crap won't be there, but you MAY need some drivers)
In both cases, all your data will be gone.

[dansullivan9026]

Note the word "usually".
Your best bet is to test hard drive to see, if it's really dead.
If it's not, we can try some other steps to solve your problems, before we go for a new drive.

As for reinstallation, most likely, you have two options:
- use Gateway recovery partition, or recovery DVDs to restore the computer to its original state (in this case all drivers will be in place, along with all Gateway pre-installed crap)
- use Vista DVD to perform clean install (in this case, all Gateway pre-installed crap won't be there, but you MAY need some drivers)
In both cases, all your data will be gone.

Thanks again, Broni.  I found a shop where they will diagnose and give me an estimate on repairs for no charge.   Thanks for all the help.

[Broni]

Post the prices, because I assure you, you can do a lot of things by yourself.

[dansullivan9026]

OK.   As soon as I get the estimate I will get back with you.

Thanks.

[Broni]

Cool

[dansullivan9026]

I got lucky.   Though the PC wouldn't boot up when the tech first looked at it, after he took out the hard drive and ran tests on it -finding nothing wrong with it -  he put it back in the notebook and the computer booted up!!!   He said something might have been loose inside .   Anyway, no charge!   And my notebook seems fine again.    Thanks for all your help.  You're a prince of man.

[Broni]

Thanks for posting back, and I must admit, I totally forgot, we're dealing with laptop here, and thus I forgot about very simple thing....exactly what your technician did.

[patio]

Which gives me a sudden flashback to Reply #2 in this thread...