"Bill Leary" wrote in message
...
"R. H. Breener Jr." wrote in message
...
It still takes 2 or 3 tries before the PC will boot. Googling online I
found this is a common problem but found no solution. What can
I try next?
I want to see if we can get you into the setup screens and tell the
machine to restore BIOS settings. But without a working keyboard, this is
difficult. The way to do it without a keyboard isn't that complicated,
but depending on how the machine has been customized, it could totally
disable it. And comparing what you've said about the machine and what
I've found out about it's factory setup, it's definitely been customized.
So, let's not go there just yet.
Note that this is not Windows restore we're talking about. You've done
that already. This is much lower level than that.
Open the following page, which has the technical data for your computer.
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...roduct=3715498
Then scroll down until you get to the section titled "I/O PORTS" and the
subsection "BACK I/O PORTS". The port marked 1 is the PS/2 mouse
connector and the one marked 14 is PS/2 keyboard connector. From the data
a but further on it appears the machine came with a PS/2 keyboard and
mouse. Please verify, did your original keyboard and mouse plug into these
connectors?
I honestly can't remember since the original KB and mouse are along since
worn out and gone. The mouse and KB being use now have USB cables on them
and have for over a year, maybe longer.
The four connectors marked with 12 are USB ports. There are also two more
of these on the front of the machine. Do you new mouse and keyboard plug
into any of these connectors?
The mouse is connected to the port on the monitor. The monitor came with 2
USB ports. IT's been connected there for a long time.
And while we're collecting information, is there anything else plugged
into any of those USB ports? Front or rear?
The Seagate backup external drive in also plugged into the monitor's 2nd USB
port and has been.
Is there anything plugged into the IEEE 1394a connector, marked 4?
I don't see anything back there that looks like #4.
Also observe the VGA connector, marked 3 on the picture. From what you've
said about video related errors, I’m pretty sure your monitor is not
plugged in here, but please just let us know for sure.
Yes - that is where it is plugged in. Since getting an update for the N
Vidia, I'm not getting that error anymore.
Again, from what you've said, I expect you monitor is plugged into a card
in a PCI slot, immediately to the right of the connectors marked 8, 9 and
10 on the picture.
Nope. The end of the monitor cord would not fit there. It will only fit
where it's plugged in now.
So, the questions a
1. Did your original keyboard and mouse plug into the PS/2 connectors 1 &
14 ?
I can't remember since they've been gone for a long time.
2. Do your current keyboard and mouse plug into the USB connectors marked
12 (or the similar ports on the front) ?
The mouse is plugged into the USB on the side of the monitor. The KB in
plugged into a USB port on the back. The back of my PC doesn't look like
that photograph. It's been this way for a long time.
3. Is there anything else plugged into any of the USB connectors marked 12
(or the similar ports on the front) ?
No.
4. Is anything plugged into the IEEE 1394a connector marked 4 ?
There is nothing I can see that resembles that.
5. Is your monitor plugged into the VGA connector marked 3 ?
Yes.
6. Is your monitor plugged into the PCI x16 slot, immediately to the right
of the audio (8, 9 & 10) connectors ?
It's in the one marked #3. It wouldn't fit anywhere else.
Looking forward to hearing back from you.
Oh, you say that you found that this is a common problem. Please give me
the URL of one or two of those pages you found.
- Bill
That was last week so I can't recall the exact websites. I Googled "Vista
can't load OS" and went from there. Just trying to find the exact same
problem was a b*tch. I never did in fact. One problem I've run into is
most advice is either too technical, not my exact problem or for a version I
don't have, nor do I have the MS disk for this PC. All I have is the set of
three made when I bought the PC. They no longer supply the MS OS disk as in
the past.