Compaq tc - Popular Questions, Answers, Tips & Manuals - Page 7

Hello,
You can do it by a external CD drive also...

Thank You For using FIXYA!!

Hello,
The password on boot is a security feature devised to thwart thefts of laptop computers. It would not be much of a deterrent if just anybody can circumvent the measure.
For a Toshiba laptop there is not much you can do except take it to a Toshiba Certified Service Center to have the password erased. I suspect It is the same for an HP laptop. If you take it to an HP service center, be ready to show proof of ownership.

Hope it helps.

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i will help you to solve this, but i need that your product is an desktop or laptop also about it's configuration of motherboard details..

Looking at the screen, in the screen hinge near where the HP logo is, on top, there's a round button. It's actually the top of the pen. Push it in, release, and the pen will pop out.

If you can install Windows Vista and only XP not work for sure this is the solution :
SATA operation mode is AHCI
To change this :
Open BIOS
Look for SATA Operation Mode or somethin equivalent and change-it to IDE or Compatibility Mode.

If its a desktop it should be fine with two 1 gb sticks. Check to see how much ram is being shared for video. You can see that in the bios setting. Not sure how much can be shared but it may read differently depending how much system ram is being shared for onboard memory.

Ok, Rob, did you buy the memory from Compaq/HP? Or is it a 3rd party set (ie. Viking, PNY, etc.)? Sometimes, Compaq/HP computers are VERY picky about the specifications of the memory that the mother boards will use. 

If you bought them from a 3rd party vendor, I would recommend taking them back and exchanging them for another brand or even just another set of sticks, but, before we go that route, let's try something else. 

Install a 1gb stick and the 512Mb stick and then go into the BIOS and see how much ram is being registered there. If it reads all 1.5Gb of ram, then we know it is something else, if not, then we have somewhere else to look. 

Assuming the BIOS registered the full amount of ram, try removing the 512Mb stick and then boot the computer, enter the BIOS and see if it is reading the 1gb stick properly. Assuming it did register the 1gb properly, swap the 2 1gb sticks out and repeat. If it did NOT register the lone 1gb stick, try moving the 1 gb stick to the other socket, and checking the BIOS again. If that works, then swap the 1gb sticks out, repeat the BIOS check.
Assuming that after you swap out the 2 sticks and they both work as lone sticks, go back into the BIOS and look for an advanced page or an option to turn on a "Diagnostic Mode" or "Memory Test", and run the memory test on each stick- one sitck at a time, to see if there is a minor/major memory addressing issue, with either stick. 

If they both pass individually, then, try reinstalling them both together and check to see if you can reach the BIOS with them both in place. If not try putting the 512 in the 0 or first memory slot and the 1gb in the second slot, then repeat the memory test, swap the 1gb sticks again, and repeat the memory test on the second stick- (the thinking here is that if it is not the memory sticks themselves, perhaps it is the motherboard or one of the sockets for the ram that is bad).

If you can reach the BIOS with both 1gb sticks in place, but, not actually boot to the operating system, then it is possibly a timing issue- this SHOULD BE AUTOMATICALLY configured, but, if you are an overclocker or a "performance wonk" you may have changed a relevant setting in the bios that controls the speed at which the memory and the processor interact. Or it could be a problem with windows hardware monitor not accepting the changes to the amount of memory in the machine. To test this possibility try going into "safe mode" at boot up, after the BIOS screen/Compaq logo has come and gone.

If you can boot into safe mode and not into regular mode, it is a problem with something in windows. Sometimes, just booting into safe mode alone will fix it, sometimes, it is necessary to run the restore DVD on the computer to fix the problem windows is having/ or alternatively reinstall windows without running the restore DVD, using this method will usually fix windows, with out deleting all of your data. You might have to reinstall a few programs afterward, but, your pictures, mp3s, document files, etc. will still be on the drive. Running the restore DVD almost always deletes your data, so USE THAT SOLUTION AS A VERY LAST RESORT, ONLY AFTER YOU HAVE TRIED EVERY other option I have given you. 

Good luck, and hope this helps. 

the best way you'll need a USB CD ROM Drive so you can boot from USB with the windows CD in the drive and install from there.

1. Right click on Mycomputer, select properties
2. Select hardware
3. Select Device manager
4. double click on the sound,volume and controller
5. if any yellow color pointed is displayed on any option then right click on the option and uninstall it
6. then select Action from the menu bar on the top and select scan for hardware changes

**** after doing this.. you can check the follwoing steps for trouble free ******

7. double click system device
8. if any yellow color pointed is displayed on any option then right click on the option and uninstall it
9. then select Action from the menu bar on the top and select scan for hardware changes
10. then it will start scanning your new hardware and ask for the installation drivers

There's no need to reset your BIOS, only you do is to set in your BIOS Setup to boot priority like for example First Boot Priority is your CD/DVD Rom Drive, if you got some Bootable System Disc then the Second Boot Priority is your Hard Disk Drive. Good luck!

The problem is with the lcd screen. Hp has used the cheapest lid switches available in the market.
Therefore it offers a two yr extended warranty to all its customers. refer to the hp website or call its helpline

You can always check your keyboard settings using the On screen keyboard function.
Start menu-All programs-Accessories-Accessibility

well i do have every vista version out in the markit and i can most likely install ultimate vista it has and does it all. you can contact me via email so we kan further deal with ur issue. [email protected]

In my mind it's just a couple things. The mouse or the port. Hopefully you haven't removed(or plugged in) the mouse plug when the laptop was turned on. [Only a USB can be plugged/unplugged when the computer is on.]
Try getting a new mouse. If that doesn't work you may have to have it taken in and have it looked at. Good luck.

Maybe the OS is corrupted, try to reinstall the OS

I do jack replacements. It requieres soldering and completely dissasembling the laptop. Do not attempt unless you know what you are doing and have the proper tools and work setup. If you still want to do it yourself (at your own risk of course) you basicaly need to take the laptop apart, remove the brokem jack (de-solder) and put in the new one. Use maximum of 15Watt soldering iron. You can get all the tools you need at a local radio shack or electronics store. Good Luck.

You need to press the Function button, then the num lock button. The function button may be labeled FN or F in a different color, the same color as the num lock button.

If that doesn't work, go to start, all programs, accessories, accesibility, on screen keyboard....it will display a regular keyboard on your screen, then click on the num lock key on that keyboard.

you can try calibrating the pen that would probably help

Check to make sure it isn't an SDHC card. Most older card readers aren't able to read the formatting of the newer cards. You may need to buy a new card reader with SDHC support.

if you cant afford to get it repaired, then check the processor, hdd, ram slots to ensure that they are all in their fixed possitions,

the problem may be that a module of ram has come loose or your processor has, if they haven't then get yourself a digital multimeter and learn about computer electronics,, although buying a new computer maybe the quickest option.....