Computer Help Needed...

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RustyRatRod

RustyRatRod

I was born on a Monday. Not last Monday.
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I have an older sony Vaio PC. Probably about 10 years old. It has windows XP. I just now got it up and running after probably about 5 years of dormance. All has been working fine.

Today, I turned it on and when the sign in screen comes up to enter my password, everything looks like double or even triple vision. When I try to sign in my password, the screen goes black and then comes back up in a few minutes. Same thing when I try to sign in again. It was online a while back but now I could not get it to connect. I hopw it is something simple as this has my desktop dyno program in it and a lot of saved info in that program. When I first turn it on, all of the writing on the boot up screen looks fine and also the big windows logo screen looks good. It's just the password sign in screen that's boogered up and I cannot get past it. I've restarted several times to no avail. Any ideas? Thanks.
 
Hard to say, could be a hardware problem, or a corrupt video driver. Does it have a connector for an external monitor? You can try that. Normally there is a key / combo/ function to disable the onboard monitor

Another is corrupt vid. driver. Sorry I "forget my Windoz" but in the boost process you can normally hit F8 before the "splash screen" at it will prompt you to boot into safe mode

Here

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...ll/proddocs/en-us/boot_failsafe.mspx?mfr=true

You can fiddle around and choose not to load drivers. If you can get a fair looking screen, even though not sized correctly, it's probably a bad driver.

I've never dealt with Sony support, but most of these companies have a self -help support page where you can download drivers for your machine.

Another thing you can try (by using a second machine) is to download one of the hundreds of Linux distributions (I use Linux Mint) and burn what is called a "live CD/ DVD" The default for Mint is that type. This will generate a disc from which you can start the machine from a cold start, and it will actually load and operate the Linux system from the disc. This is a sometimes useful tool, as it's completely unrelated to Windoz. If the machine hardware is healthy, this disc should be able to detect and load enough "proper" drivers that you can actually get onto the www right from the disc, and of course present a proper video display

Linux Mint:

The top one is as good as any. 32 bit should run whether the computer is 32 or 64

http://www.linuxmint.com/release.php?id=18

The difference in Cinnamon, Mate, and KDE are the desktop styles
 
hit the f8...should allow you to go into safe mode...


or download the mint 15....lol
 
If things REALLY go to 'ell and you just need to save data off the hard drive, (and I know you are broke) either buy or try'n find someone with one of these:

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Adapter-Converter-Optical-External/dp/B002OV1VJW"]Amazon.com: SATA/PATA/IDE Drive to USB 2.0 Adapter Converter Cable for 2.5 / 3.5 Inch Hard Drive / 5 inch Optical Drive with External AC Power Adapter: Computers & Accessories[/ame]

Handy as can be. The fit older IDE drives, and the newer SATA drives. You hook the old hard drive to the device, hook the USB to a "good" computer, and you can browse and find files on the old drive.

If you have a desktop with a similar drive connection, (IE both machines are SATA, or maybe has options for BOTH IDE or SATA) you can actually dig into your desktop, and hook your laptop drive directly to the second 'puter
 
Thanks yall. I dont know what happened.....but when I went back in the dining room the screen said windows has recovered from a serious error blah blah and everything is fine now.
 
Oh yeah,. I just understood every word of that.......NOT. lol

67Dart273 said:
Hard to say, could be a hardware problem, or a corrupt video driver. Does it have a connector for an external monitor? You can try that. Normally there is a key / combo/ function to disable the onboard monitor

Another is corrupt vid. driver. Sorry I "forget my Windoz" but in the boost process you can normally hit F8 before the "splash screen" at it will prompt you to boot into safe mode

Here

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...ll/proddocs/en-us/boot_failsafe.mspx?mfr=true

You can fiddle around and choose not to load drivers. If you can get a fair looking screen, even though not sized correctly, it's probably a bad driver.

I've never dealt with Sony support, but most of these companies have a self -help support page where you can download drivers for your machine.

Another thing you can try (by using a second machine) is to download one of the hundreds of Linux distributions (I use Linux Mint) and burn what is called a "live CD/ DVD" The default for Mint is that type. This will generate a disc from which you can start the machine from a cold start, and it will actually load and operate the Linux system from the disc. This is a sometimes useful tool, as it's completely unrelated to Windoz. If the machine hardware is healthy, this disc should be able to detect and load enough "proper" drivers that you can actually get onto the www right from the disc, and of course present a proper video display

Linux Mint:

The top one is as good as any. 32 bit should run whether the computer is 32 or 64

http://www.linuxmint.com/release.php?id=18

The difference in Cinnamon, Mate, and KDE are the desktop styles
Click to expand...
 
Rob, Del is right on the video being the problem.
Any time a screen is scrambled it's the video hardware itself.
Video software can mess with your screen but double images is a hardware failure, and it's pretty common on those.
What happens is the solder joints come loose on the motherboard and disrupt the images.
After this happens, sometimes they make the connection and sometimes they dont make connection at all.
There is a trick using a heat gun to re melt the solder joints so they make contact but it's pretty involved and risky. (I personally wouldn't try it unless the machine was completely unusable already and it was REALLY important so that it might be worth it)

What Del was talking about when he said what he did about another screen is that a lot of older laptops have a connector on the side or back of the machinr that a desktop style monitor will connect to.
Then to activate the outside video you would press the Fn key and the key that has the little blue screen (the 4 key I think) so you would be pressing Fn and then 4 while holding the Fn key down.
Problem is that if it's the connections I was mentioning it won't help, as the other screen will also have the same problem.

That cable Del mentioned is a nice tool for recovering data from a hard drive (I have one) and it is very handy, but in your case I would recommend you try and come up with a USB stick and copy your important files to it.
Otherwise most laptops have at least a CD burner in them and you can burn the files to CDR disks by right clicking them and "Send To" your CDR drive.
Windows will start telling you that you have files waiting to be written and lead you right through it.
Iv'e seen lots of laptops die from that exact problem.
Let me know if you need help with it, or better explanations.

BTW, Windows freaks if it looses connection for the video output and that is where the "Serious Error" thing came from.
 
The desktop dyno is the most important thing on there. I now have it on this laptop, so I am gonna try to copy all my info on this one. Thanks yall.
 
Mint may not work real good on a 10 year old PC or laptop. Maybe Puppy Linux, it requires a lot less horsepower to work. Desktop Dyno 2000 is in a link I posted (guess MRL's HP thread) , free download with a few profiles in it already..as long as you are a Ford or Chevy clone.
 
You can get any other make to come very close as long as you use head flow numbers. I've been playing with that program since 1999 when it came out.
 
pishta said:
Mint may not work real good on a 10 year old PC or laptop. Maybe Puppy Linux, it requires a lot less horsepower to work. Desktop Dyno 2000 is in a link I posted (guess MRL's HP thread) , free download with a few profiles in it already..as long as you are a Ford or Chevy clone.
Click to expand...

Actually Linux is pretty good at "self adjusting" I've got it on a couple of older laptops, one is dual boot XP/ Linux Mint. I use the XP for my Holley EFI program, and only have Linux on it for the occasional times I want to download files.

The cool thing about dual boot Linux/ Winhozed is that the Linux system, which is might - as - well - be immune to viruses, can "see" the Windows partition. So you can get online, download files, and save them in the Windoze partition.

Hell, the Windows install on that thing will never see the internet!! I don't have, or need, any virus protection of any kind.
 
67Dart273 said:
Actually Linux is pretty good at "self adjusting" I've got it on a couple of older laptops, one is dual boot XP/ Linux Mint. I use the XP for my Holley EFI program, and only have Linux on it for the occasional times I want to download files.

The cool thing about dual boot Linux/ Winhozed is that the Linux system, which is might - as - well - be immune to viruses, can "see" the Windows partition. So you can get online, download files, and save them in the Windoze partition.

Hell, the Windows install on that thing will never see the internet!! I don't have, or need, any virus protection of any kind.
Click to expand...

I make my living off Windows and it's sketchy unstable mess, so hush. :D

Seriously though, Linux is just stable as can be and I like it quite a bit.
We recommend it for the persistant **** surfer customers so they don't get infected every day. :D
 
RustyRatRod said:
Thanks yall. I dont know what happened.....but when I went back in the dining room the screen said windows has recovered from a serious error blah blah and everything is fine now.
Click to expand...

next time before you fire up the computer..make sure you have your pants on....

there is about half dozen computers in this house...only one has windoze...and it is a dual boot too...rest has linux of some sort..GF and her son have a different Distro..I use Mint..cause it is simple...

and yes..no virus....

I am in the process of upgrading from mint 14 to 15...computer used to be my other hobby...got 3 or 4 in the garage to play with...still got my old Packard Bell P166 Mintower...bought new back in 1995.....cost $2150.....dam...
 
Before we get too far afield and give Rob some "ideas," probly should put Linux in perspective.

I only suggested this specifically in order to boot up the problem machine and see if Linux display looked better than Windoz, using it as a troubleshooting aid.

But before we get Rob all would up about Linux (er not) some comments

1--If you want to play with Linux, it's good to do so on your old, "unwanted" machine, from which you've removed all data you 'need' to save, so that if you screw something up..............

2--On any machine you are thinking of setting up dual boot, you MUST be sure you have the reinstallation media for your currently installed version of windows and all software --something that many don't have in this day and age

To further explain, my own current machine, this Azus which I bought new. Very first thing I did upon attaining the machine was to open it up and write down the model of the hard drive, then I ordered two more exactly like it. I also ordered the factory "recovery" disks which is all I could get --which are supposed to automatically install all factory software as if the thing just came out of the box.

So I took one new hard drive, used the factory disks and "made" a replica of the original drive --tucked away for safety.

Then I used partitioning software to shrink the Winhozed partition, creating a nice big unused area of the drive.

Then last, installed Mint, which pretty much automatically sets itself up, and configures the dual--boot menu for Linux and Windows.

Linux ain't for everyone. NONE of your Winhozed software will work, and I still use it sometimes. I have one high res photo scanner that just won't work in Linux. Linux does not like Canon scanners, either. As I said earlier, I have one old laptop which I use for my Holley EFI program. This must run in Windows, not Linux.

The GOOD part of Linux, is that for most everyday stuff, it's pretty painless. There's LOTS of free software you can download. I use GIMP for my photos, which can also run in Windows, and Acrobat reader has a version for Linux. Linux comes with one or the other popular free office programs, so I don't freekin need to spend a huge amount on Windows Office. I use the Mozilla / Firefox browser, which many already use in Windows.

And you can just about forget about viruses. I've been to some pretty dark corners of the www, LOL, and have yet to get seriously stung.
 
actually alot of the Linux version will do a live boot...you put the cd in the cd drive..and it will boot..and you can run linux off the cd..or dvd...

you turn the computer off....linux is gone...never on your hard drive..
 
70aarcuda said:
actually alot of the Linux version will do a live boot...you put the cd in the cd drive..and it will boot..and you can run linux off the cd..or dvd...

you turn the computer off....linux is gone...never on your hard drive..
Click to expand...

The only problem is that almost no one knows how to burn an image. :D

Damn good advice on the backup drives and image copies Del.
Still, almost no one knows how to do any of that either.
 
70aarcuda said:
actually alot of the Linux version will do a live boot...you put the cd in the cd drive..and it will boot..and you can run linux off the cd..or dvd...

you turn the computer off....linux is gone...never on your hard drive..
Click to expand...

I intended to convey that. And forgot that you can also put them on a USB "stick" and run off of that. Very handy "sometimes" 'Course you do need a machine that can boot from USB, and I've got some junk around here that won't, LOL
 
Oh yeah, all of this is really stickin. <rolls eyes>
 
It occurs that a USB drive might be another avenue to your solution. Post your computer model no so we can look up the specs. If you can get it rigged to an external monitor (depending on the trouble) you could use a flash drive among other avenues to retrieve your data. Even if you aren't able to fix this machine, you'll have that much.
 
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