HP Pavillion p631

[fjpor]

Cannot get beyond blue HP screen with 4 options on it.  Then get different error message each time I try to log on.  F( says no drives visable - all checked but no problems.  DVD drive replaced about a year ago - will not open and cannot boot from recovery disks.  Ready to use this for target practice.

Any Ideas?  It is ONLY 2 years old.

[Danjen]

What are some of the error messages you see?

[fjpor]

Some of messages are as follows:

1. Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media.  Select boot device & press any key

2. Has encoutered a problem communicating with a device connected to your PC.  This could be caused by     unplugging/removing storage device or faulty hardware ie hard drive/cd rom that is failing.

3.The file direcoty c:\win\inf is corrupt & unreadable.  Please run Chkdsk util.  (HOW!!!!)0=???)

4. Wins Idle.search protocol/host.exe app error Ins at 0x00000006DF1F293 ref mem@0X000000006D1F293.

   Request data not placed into memory because of an I/O error status.of0x0000000e

etc., etc., etc.

Have pulled all hookups off and will stip it of all usable parts then use it to target practive, I suppose      

[fjpor]

Cannot get into bios - cannot get into start menu - can only get black screens with error messages and blue HP screen with the 4 oprions F10=startup, F9=system recovery ( or is it diagnostics), F11 = whichever one that doesn't fit the F9 and ESC= boot menu.  When, and I do mean when/if you can get to the startup nothing helps.  Have tried resetting boot up choices.

Also, cannot get DVD drive to open except on occasion IF you immediately hit the open button when you restart PC.  Have tried using recovery disks - only get the error messages.  Guess mother board and/or hard drive are gone and I am not willing to pay the geeks out there to tell me that I need to junk this and buy a REAL pc.  Or better yet, byo -= build your own.  At least then you would not have all of the proprietary junk HP et al put on their pcs.

[wb2001]

fjpor,

It always help if you state the complete model #.  Your missing the last number and letter. 

The product line p631xx is circa Nov2009-Jan2010. All but the 6310t used the M2N78-LA boards, which had problems detecting the hard drive and/or DVD drive.

[fjpor]

p6310f

[Danjen]

The first group seem to indicate that your hard drive is bad or not connected properly.  The fact that you can not get into the bios may indicate that you have a bad piece of memory as well.  This is my general proceedure for checking desktops:

It could be the power supply, shorted device of any kind attached (bad printer, flash drive, keyboard, mouse, network connection), memory problem, video card fan not spinning and the video card could have overheated, bad capacitors (rounded or leaking a brown or dark substance). The first thing you should do is make sure it is not under warrantee.  If it is, contact HP.  If it isn't, remove the cover and inspect the board for bad capacitors, fans not turning, disconnect all non essential items like the hard drive, DVD, floppy if you have one, all external devices (yes the monitor) and turn on the computer. Does it appear to stay on? If yes, shut it down by holding in the power button for 5 or more seconds or flipping the power switch on the power supply or pulling the plug. Connect the monitor and then one item at a time leaving the hard drive with your important data as the last item. If it didn't stay on. Try to use only one piece of memory and try each memory slot, try the next piece etc. If that doesn't work, the best guess is the power supply (if you have an ohm meter - test the power supply first).

[fjpor]

Have done most all of that and the PC does come on and stay on with nothing attached. Have finally decided to junk it and take each part out to check separately - keeping that which is good and what is bad - gone. Am hoping that hard drive is good so that I can recover info on it which I did not back up. Fortunately all pics, docs, et were just sent to a flash drive shortly before so at least did save them. Oh well, gave it the best try and will do no more. My son works on PCs (unfortunately he lives out of town) but will add good parts to his supply and he will build up one from many. LOL! thanks for all of your assistance.

[wb2001]

More than likely a moot issue, but F10 is for entering the BIOS.

[fjpor]

Tried F10 - could never get into BIOS or anything else on PC.  Anyhow, appreciate assistance.  Unfortunately solution not shown but accept both solution and kudos.