Freeze on windows start - Pavilion dv6 windows 7

[Tonybeach]

After performing what I think was a successful factory reset, I was updating windows 7 and whilst installing all of them, I stupidly tried to install another program. It crashed and was black screen.
I have tried several factory resets and minimised image recovery but they are not successful.
Now on startup, it freezes on windows startup screen.
Help please

[DavidPK]

Hi,

Shut down the notebook.  Tap away at the esc key as you start the notebook to enter the Start-up Menu.  Select the Bios option ( usually f10 ) and under the Advanced or Diagnostic tab you should find the facility to run tests on both the Hard Drive and Memory.  Post back with the details of any error messages.

Can you post back with the full Model No. and Product No. of your dv6 series notebook - see Here for a guide on locating this information.

Regards,

DP-K

[Tonybeach]

Product number A9M77PA#UUF

Hard disc and memory test passed.

On start up it is now crashing to blue screen
Stop:0x00000116 (0xfffa800c8c0010, oxfffff88004047b78, 0xoooooooooooooooo, 0 x0000000000000002)
Atikmpag.sys -address above

[Tonybeach]

Model dv6-6c19tx

When starting in safe mode, message is restoration not complete
Rebooting then opens the recovery manager
Ran system recovery
On restart it freezes on starting windows screen

[DavidPK]

Hi,

The stop code you mention does indicate there may be a problem with the ATI video chip.

Can you let me know the following.

1.  Does your notebook have swichable graphics - ie Intel/AMD?

2   Reset the bios defaults as follows.

Shut down the notebook.  Tap away at the esc key as soon as you start the notebook to enter the Start-up Menu, then select f10 to enter the Bios Menu.  Press f5 to load the defaults ( this is sometimes f9, but the menu at the bottom will show the correct key ), use the arrow keys to select 'Yes' and hit enter.  Press f10 to save the setting and again use the arrow keys to select 'Yes' and hit enter.

Any change in the start-up behaviour?

Regards,

DP-K

[Tonybeach]

I wasn't aware of switchable graphics.
The BIOS setting is Dynamic.

I reset all BIOS settings.
Same as before - safe mode goes to recovery manager and normal windows startup freezes on startup windows screen

[DavidPK]

Hi,

It does look like you have switchable graphics.  An embedded Intel chip and a discrete ATI chip - drivers for both chips are supplied by just the AMD software installer.

Let me know the following.

1.  Change the graphics mode from Dynamic to Fixed ( this forces the machine to use only the ATI video chip ), save the setting as you exit the bios menu and let me know what happens.  Change it back to Dynamic after testing.

2.  When you reinstalled the operating system, did you use the Recovery Partition on the Hard Drive or a set of Recovery Discs?  If you used the HDD method, do you have a set of Recovery Discs?

Regards,

DP-K

[Tonybeach]

Reset to fixed
Started in safe mode. It starts process of Set up computer for first use. During this there is a very quick screen of lines which can't read but I think it includes saying cannot find file.. (It was doing the same before)
It then opens recovery manager.

Starting in normal mode produced a black screen.

I switched back to dynamic graphics and the startup issues are the same.

I had tried before to use recovery discs but was not successful. It produced a small box which said could not create file.

[DavidPK]

Hi,

It is looking more like there's a hardware problem with the ATI graphics chip, but there is another option you may want to try - be aware that using this method may result in you being unable to boot from the Recovery Partition again, so you may want to first order a replacement set of Recovery Discs from HP, using the link Here.

Before trying the following, make sure you can still read the 25 Character Product Activation key on your Windows COA label ( 5 blocks of 5 alpha/numeric sets ).

An example of a COA Label can be seen Here.

You can create a Windows 7 installation disc yourself using another PC - just download the correct Disc Image ( this must be the same version that originally came with your notebook ) from the link below and use an application such as ImgBurn to burn the ISO correctly to a blank DVD - a guide on using ImgBurn to write an ISO to a disc is Here.  These Images are clean and from a well-respected source, however there are only limited versions available.

Windows-7 sp1-iso-official-32-bit-and-64-bit

Use the disc to perform the installation.  When you get to the installation options, choose Custom (Advanced).  In the following screen, highlight the existing C partition, click on Drive options (advanced) and then select Delete.  Repeat this for the System partiton.

Now highlight the 'Unallocated Space' entry and click Next to install Windows.

Enter the Windows activation key found on the COA Label when requested and when the installation has completed, use the 'Phone Method' detailed in the link below to activate the OS - this method supported by Microsoft and is popular with people who just want a clean installation of Windows 7 without the additional software load normally bundled with OEM installations.

http://www.kodyaz.com/articles/how-to-activate-windows-7-by-phone.aspx

If the installation completes, but you still have the same problem, then it's almost certainly a hardware issue with the ATI chip which may well mean replacing the System Board.

Best regards,

DP-K

[LeetCoder]

Hello, I peform the Primary hard drive test and Memory test and both are okay.

Still it do hangs while working??  Any suggestion??