Bootup Takes Two Tries

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  1. Posts : 230
    10
       #131

    Nice catch Greg! Can't +1 your rep until I spread some some around.

    As for the CMOS - the most important thing that I've learned when fixing PC's is to never say "never"
    While (IMO) it's not likely that the CMOS battery is causing these problems, stranger things have happened in my career!
    I've had systems where the CMOS battery was dead when I opened the box, and other systems where the battery was still working after 7 years or more.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 29,078
    Windows 10 21H1 Build 19043.1023
    Thread Starter
       #132

    gregrocker said:
    I'm surprised it's still booting because it will soon stop if it hasn't already. It could well be what is causing your double boot. The way to correct it non-destructively is in Option One of Convert a Dynamic Disk to a Basic Disk
    I'm sorry for the confusion, Greg, but that particular post was to illustrate that the g Series laptop still has PC_Tools after upgrading to Windows 8, although the dv7-1245dx does not.

    Bill warned me that I would confuse folks, and I guess he was right.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 29,078
    Windows 10 21H1 Build 19043.1023
    Thread Starter
       #133

    I have been in and out of the HP site so many times I should know exactly how to get around in it, but nope, I don't.

    I've been trying to find the exact maintenance and service manual for this laptop, but so far, I've only found a very close match. Try as I might, even if I click on the proper link, I almost invariably get the wrong thing.

    I'm up for a beta on my Android tablet and wanted to get as much info as I could on it, so I once again ventured into that documentation snake pit. Much to my surprise, I found the User Manual, the Maintenance and Service Manual and various and sundry other documents I thought might be useful.

    I cannot believe how disorganized the laptop side of things is while the tablet side is a shoo-in to get what I need.

    Since Bill (slartybart) and I have both been looking for documentation on this laptop and both of us pretty much failed miserably, I thought it would be of interest. Why? I dunno, but I found the differences between one department and the other to be wild.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 3,502
    Win_8.1-Pro, Win_10.1607-Pro, Mint_17.3
       #134

    Take the "close match" for now - the only reason I looked for it was to show the CMOS/RTC battery replacement. If you were doing more extensive service (screen or Mobo, then the exact manual would be needed). Since you can pull the battery, you can match the number on it to a replacement part.

    There's a standard battery that most machines use, Saltgrass or DavidE mentioned it. It's an uncommon machine that uses a different CMOS battery. Any shop/store can brand match the battery given the number.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 281
       #135

    Would the problem be the CMOS battery if it is keeping correct time and date? Does it have the ability to cause double boots?
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 29,078
    Windows 10 21H1 Build 19043.1023
    Thread Starter
       #136

    Slartybart said:
    Take the "close match" for now - the only reason I looked for it was to show the CMOS/RTC battery replacement. If you were doing more extensive service (screen or Mobo, then the exact manual would be needed). Since you can pull the battery, you can match the number on it to a replacement part.

    There's a standard battery that most machines use, Saltgrass or DavidE mentioned it. It's an uncommon machine that uses a different CMOS battery. Any shop/store can brand match the battery given the number.
    So far I'm batting zero, Bill. Since we're going to a friend's house mid-week, we'll be close to Fry's and I'll try there to see if they have one. I'm too big a coward to tear into a working battery with the possibility of ruining it. I can remember exactly what a regular CMOS battery looks like and for the life of me, I cannot picture how those leads would go onto one. Maybe there's some kind of "harness", I don't know. Also, if memory serves, this RTC is just a tad bit smaller than a regular CMOS, which wouldn't fit into the slot on the board.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 29,078
    Windows 10 21H1 Build 19043.1023
    Thread Starter
       #137

    gregrocker said:
    Would the problem be the CMOS battery if it is keeping correct time and date? Does it have the ability to cause double boots?
    I don't know, Greg, I just don't know. And, since this battery is pretty cheap, and if I can get it at Fry's, I'll do what Bill asks. It may not work, but it certainly can't hurt to try.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 28,672
    Mint 21.3
       #138

    gregrocker said:
    would the problem be the cmos battery if it is keeping correct time and date? Does it have the ability to cause double boots?
    nope.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 3,502
    Win_8.1-Pro, Win_10.1607-Pro, Mint_17.3
       #139

    The consensus is that a new battery will not solve the issue. This is probably true, but this is an electronic device and a flaky battery MIGHT cause issues. What a new battery does is remove one possible cause from the equation. You've done just about everything else

    There is one thing you haven't tried: a clean install.

    So here's a suggestion that will remove that from the equation. You have that new drive that you tried (or succeeded) to install Windows 7. I suggest that you install a fresh Windows 8.1 on that drive.

    Download the Windows 8.1 ISO by following OPTION ONE in:
    Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 ISO - Download or Create

    Burn the ISO to a DVD using the Media Creation Tool. You can also navigate to the download location and right click on the ISO, then select Burn disc image, you don't need any other media creation software to make a bootable DVD from the ISO.

    I strongly recommend using a DVD (I've tested that process).

    Save your wireless driver to a flash drive, you can download the driver from HP
    this is only req'd if you can't connect to the Internet using Ethernet. A hard wired connection is preferred - it's quicker and there should be base drivers installed.

    Remove/disconnect all external devices except the Mouse, KB, and Monitor

    Have ONLY the new drive in the machine

    Boot from the Windows 8.1 DVD you just made

    Install Windows 8.1 - enter the product key you already have when prompted

    Connect to the Internet and run Windows Update manually to get WHQL drivers for every device Windows knows about. Check the Optional updates for drivers and select all of the ones offered.

    When Windows Updates doesn't offer any more updates, check Device Manager for any warnings or errors.
    Try to update the driver from inside Device Manager - if no new driver is found, post a screen shot of Device Manager showing the trouble devices. The HP page for your machine (dv7-1245dx) is probably out-of-date - I can search HP for the latest and greatest (not always easy). The most problematic on my machine are the AMD chipset (bus, USB 3.0, and something else) and the wireless (half card BT and 802.11). I'm pretty sure though that Win8.1 gets most of the drivers (even the fingerprint reader which was another problematic driver to find).

    Use this tutorial as a guide:

    Pay close attention to step 7 and step 8 - this will give you the best disk schema. The yellow Tip box under Step 8 describes Drive Options (Advanced). Since this is a new HDD, you want the entire drive UNALLOCATED as shown in the image under Step 8.
    Tip   Tip
    Drive options (advanced)
    .....
    .....
    If you have more than one partition for a disk # (hard drive) listed and want to get rid of all of them to make that disk # one single partition drive again, then select a partition with that disk # and click on the Delete option for each partition with the same disk # until there is only one "unallocated space" with that disk # left as in the screenshot below.
    .....
    If you have any questions - ask first. It's easier to answer a question than start over

    Bill
    .
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 29,078
    Windows 10 21H1 Build 19043.1023
    Thread Starter
       #140

    Slartybart said:
    The consensus is that a new battery will not solve the issue. This is probably true, but this is an electronic device and a flaky battery MIGHT cause issues. What a new battery does is remove one possible cause from the equation. You've done just about everything else
    And that's the reason I'll continue to look for the battery; if for nothing else but to totally eliminate it.

    Slartybart said:
    There is one thing you haven't tried: a clean install.
    Oh, yes, I did! When Windows 7 wouldn't install on the new drive, I tried Windows 8 and it installed correctly. I left that drive in the laptop, and completed all the updates up to and including Windows 8.1.1 and beyond . . . so that's been done. Sorry I didn't think to tell y'all.

    In fact, I have burned the 32 bit and 64 bit ISOs to DVD and have them in my files. I use Burn CDCC from Terabyte Unlimited.com and have ever since I discovered it. I've never gotten a bad burn, which is why I was so surprised when Windows 7 wouldn't install on the new drive.

    Slartybart said:
    When Windows Updates doesn't offer any more updates, check Device Manager for any warnings or errors.

    Try to update the driver from inside Device Manager - if no new driver is found, post a screen shot of Device Manager showing the trouble devices. The HP page for your machine (dv7-1245dx) is probably out-of-date - I can search HP for the latest and greatest (not always easy). The most problematic on my machine are the AMD chipset (bus, USB 3.0, and something else) and the wireless (half card BT and 802.11). I'm pretty sure though that Win8.1 gets most of the drivers (even the fingerprint reader which was another problematic driver to find).
    Device Manager shows no problems that I can see.

    Bootup Takes Two Tries-device-manager.png

    Slartybart said:

    If you have any questions - ask first. It's easier to answer a question than start over

    Bill
    .
      My Computer


 

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