The strangest problem ever (i have reported it earlier here: https://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/thread-2092106.php)
Basically, my computer won't restart but i can shut it down/ start without any problem.
Here's some technical data: it's a barebone notebook made by Compal, it's called DFY30. I bought it without HDD and without processor, and i installed a HDD and a P4 2.4 processor from an old barebone that i had to ditch for some other hardware problem, not related to the HDD. i started it WITHOUt reinstalling windows and once it gained all the drivers for the new devices it was working fine, except it would not restart. When i would click on restart it would shut down and then give me a HARD DISK ERROR (more on that below).
Following common sense (and some advice from you fellows) i have reformated the harddisk and reinstalled everything from scratch. Now (as before) i am running XPSP2 fully updated. I have even repartiioned the HDD (which is a 40G one) to one 10G partition for the system and another one for data. But it still won't restart. Again: when i" restart"it crashes on the DISK ERROR. but when i shut it down and then start it again it works flawlessly. and it's not randiom, it always does the same.
Here is the full error, for whatever it's worth (maybe somebody can translate it for me):
HARD DISK ERROR!!
L2 Cache: 512 installed
Intel UNDI PXE - 2.0 (build 082)
copyright 1997 - 2000 intel corp
SiS 900 PXE BOOT ROM v1.09. Hook int 18
CLIENT MAC ADDR - 00 02 3F07E5A9
PXE-E51: NO DHCP or DHCP offers were received
PXE-M0F: EXITING INTEL PXE ROM
After showing this error it goes to a prompt where i have to pick boot volume. if i pick HDD it goes back to the same window. But if i turn the power off and start again it works just fine.
The other strange thing is the BIOS, which allows me to change virtually nothing except the boot order. Teh BIOS seems to be branded "INSYDE SOFTWARE SCU" and it gives me some info on the hardware configuration (without allowing me to change anything such as activate/ descativate ports, which is something i was trying to do recently).
Now, with the risk of embarrassing myself i will expose my two theories on this:
1. The BIOS somehow won't work well with the hardware/ HDD, in which case i would like to flash the bios. But it seems this is a rather obscure system, so where could i find the updated firmware (compal DFY30 is the system, not sure i have the S/N of the Motherboard, but i do have another long number from teh BIOS which says: "UUID - 3634383730613335643700023F07E5A9), in another place when the error appears, this string figures with GUID instead of UUID. Also, the BIOS seems to be version 1.10.
2. The HDD shuts down too slow, and by the time the computer attempts to boot at restart, it is is not yet shut down (whether that phisically possible or not i couldn't know).
Anyway, i am giving you all this info in the hope that one of you may understand something out of all this gibbersih and can elighten me. While i can work on my noteboohk like this (i simply never use "restart"), it is intriguing and frustrating and i would very much like to solve this problem.
Oh yea: HDD is probably ok as it was working mint when i took it off the old one. i also managed to format it /u and reinstall XP on it without any problem. I have never tried to put another HDD on this computer thiough
any help appreciated. Thanks,
s
Basically, my computer won't restart but i can shut it down/ start without any problem.
Here's some technical data: it's a barebone notebook made by Compal, it's called DFY30. I bought it without HDD and without processor, and i installed a HDD and a P4 2.4 processor from an old barebone that i had to ditch for some other hardware problem, not related to the HDD. i started it WITHOUt reinstalling windows and once it gained all the drivers for the new devices it was working fine, except it would not restart. When i would click on restart it would shut down and then give me a HARD DISK ERROR (more on that below).
Following common sense (and some advice from you fellows) i have reformated the harddisk and reinstalled everything from scratch. Now (as before) i am running XPSP2 fully updated. I have even repartiioned the HDD (which is a 40G one) to one 10G partition for the system and another one for data. But it still won't restart. Again: when i" restart"it crashes on the DISK ERROR. but when i shut it down and then start it again it works flawlessly. and it's not randiom, it always does the same.
Here is the full error, for whatever it's worth (maybe somebody can translate it for me):
HARD DISK ERROR!!
L2 Cache: 512 installed
Intel UNDI PXE - 2.0 (build 082)
copyright 1997 - 2000 intel corp
SiS 900 PXE BOOT ROM v1.09. Hook int 18
CLIENT MAC ADDR - 00 02 3F07E5A9
PXE-E51: NO DHCP or DHCP offers were received
PXE-M0F: EXITING INTEL PXE ROM
After showing this error it goes to a prompt where i have to pick boot volume. if i pick HDD it goes back to the same window. But if i turn the power off and start again it works just fine.
The other strange thing is the BIOS, which allows me to change virtually nothing except the boot order. Teh BIOS seems to be branded "INSYDE SOFTWARE SCU" and it gives me some info on the hardware configuration (without allowing me to change anything such as activate/ descativate ports, which is something i was trying to do recently).
Now, with the risk of embarrassing myself i will expose my two theories on this:
1. The BIOS somehow won't work well with the hardware/ HDD, in which case i would like to flash the bios. But it seems this is a rather obscure system, so where could i find the updated firmware (compal DFY30 is the system, not sure i have the S/N of the Motherboard, but i do have another long number from teh BIOS which says: "UUID - 3634383730613335643700023F07E5A9), in another place when the error appears, this string figures with GUID instead of UUID. Also, the BIOS seems to be version 1.10.
2. The HDD shuts down too slow, and by the time the computer attempts to boot at restart, it is is not yet shut down (whether that phisically possible or not i couldn't know).
Anyway, i am giving you all this info in the hope that one of you may understand something out of all this gibbersih and can elighten me. While i can work on my noteboohk like this (i simply never use "restart"), it is intriguing and frustrating and i would very much like to solve this problem.
Oh yea: HDD is probably ok as it was working mint when i took it off the old one. i also managed to format it /u and reinstall XP on it without any problem. I have never tried to put another HDD on this computer thiough
any help appreciated. Thanks,
s
Last edited:
