Dead/dying laptop

zbook · 26 Oct 2018

Can you install the HP windows diagnostics in a similar fashion as HD Sentinel?
Was it done with safe mode with networking?
What HP diagnostics were found in the BIOS? (tests/version)

When available please post the chkdsk results.

On a working computer create a bootable Windows 10 iso:
Download Windows 10

If you are able to boot normally then you can perform an in place upgrade repair:
Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade | Windows 10 Tutorials

If you have any important files on the computer they can be backed up to another drive using Kyhi boot rescue:
Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - Windows 10 Forums
The HP windows diagnostics may also be able to be downloaded and ran using Kyhi boot rescue.

If you are unable to run scannow and there is possible operating system corruption another option is reset with save files (applications and drivers will need to be reinstalled)
Reset Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

If files are backed up then a clean install is often the best option:
Clean Install Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

dalchina · 26 Oct 2018

How to make Windows Installer work in Safe Mode
This should let you install things in Safe Mode

? Why would you assume the specs aren't for this computer?
Model: dv7-6199us
Part#: QD977UA#ABA
Disk: Crucial BX100 250GB SSD

Esp. with a SSD it sounded as if it could be a newer machine than the one you are having problems with, and I would have guessed you might have been suffering HDD-related problems.

Further, it's an ancillary machine, and people with multiple PCs often have specs up for their main PC, and are then discussing a different one.

Put another way, I've been caught out by this before.

zbook · 26 Oct 2018

This is the HP website for drivers and BIOS: HP Pavilion dv7-6199us Entertainment Notebook PC - Driver Downloads | HPÂ® Customer Support

The HP supported drivers ended with Windows 7.

For the website there is a "My Computer" section.
Several computers can be added.
Please update the specs in this section.
Viewers can then click on the "My Computer" section to see the specs:

System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums | Windows 10 Tutorials
In the left corner below in your post you find 'My System Specs'.
After clicking it you can find a link a little below that says 'Update your System Spec', click on this link to get to the page where you can fill in your system specs.
System Info - See Your System Specs - Windows 7 Help Forums

Include PSU. cooler, case, peripherals and anything attached to the computer by wired or wireless (mouse, keyboard, headset, printer, xbox, USB wireless network card, etc.)

garyfritz · 29 Oct 2018

Sorry, I totally missed these posts on this page. FWIW I've given up on the old laptop and already ordered a new one. But I'll give your recommendations a try to see if I can get the ol' girl running again for background work.

dalchina said:

How to make Windows Installer work in Safe Mode
This should let you install things in Safe Mode

Thanks, I'll give that a try.

Esp. with a SSD it sounded as if it could be a newer machine than the one you are having problems with,

Nope, I just hot-rodded it. :) I replaced the HDD with an SSD (best thing I EVER did for it), doubled the RAM from 8 to 16, upgraded from Win7 to Win10, replaced the basically-nonfunctional wifi with a mini-USB dongle, etc. I got a lot more years out of it by upgrading it bit by bit.

garyfritz · 29 Oct 2018

zbook said:

Can you install the HP windows diagnostics in a similar fashion as HD Sentinel?

No, Sentinel was a direct-executing utility, no install needed.

What HP diagnostics were found in the BIOS? (tests/version)

I don't remember, and I can't look while I'm responding here. :) There was a memory test, a disk test, and a couple of others.

When available please post the chkdsk results.

Code:

C:\Users\Gary>chkdsk c:The type of the file system is NTFS.
The volume is in use by another process. 
Chkdsk might report errors when no corruption is present.
WARNING!  /F parameter not specified.
Running CHKDSK in read-only mode.

Stage 1: Examining basic file system structure ...
Attribute record (80, "") from file record segment 69494 is corrupt.760576 file records processed.                           File verification completed.19141 large file records processed.
Errors found.  CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode.

So I did a CHKDSK /f and scheduled it to run at reboot. Took a few tries but it finally completed. I rebooted to Safe Mode and ran CHKDSK C: again. Stage1 and 2 went OK, but Stage 3 ran into problems:

Code:

Stage 3: Examining security descriptors ...
Security descriptor verification completed.  
  64768 data files processed.
CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...  
  734264 USN bytes processed.
Usn Journal verification completed.
The master file table's (MFT) BITMAP attribute is incorrect.
The Volume Bitmap is incorrect.Windows has checked the file system and found problems.
Please run chkdsk /scan to find the problems and queue them for repair.

Buuuttt... you can't run /scan in Safe Mode.

zbook · 29 Oct 2018

When available please post the results of the HP BIOS UEFI diagnostics.
The testing is designed to abort if a problem is found and post and error code.
The BIOS can be reopened to view the BIOS log file (Power on and repetitively click F2)

On a working computer if you had not already created a Windows 10 iso please create one with Windows 10 version 1803:

Download Windows 10

Find a flash drive that you can format ( > or = 8 GB).

Insert the bootable Windows 10 iso version 1803 into any USB port.

Power on the computer and repetitively click the F 9 key and boot to the external USB HD.

It may take 5 - 10 minutes for the iso to load while viewing the Microsoft Windows icon.

Select language, time, currency, and keyboard, or click next

In the left lower corner click repair your computer (do not click install)

Click troubleshoot.

Click command prompt >
type: bcdedit | find "osdevice"
(View the partition drive letter.)
type: chkdsk /r /v K:
(Change the drive letter K: to the partition drive letter seen in the prior step)
(in case the command does not run then type only chkdsk /r /v)
(reboot as necessary)
(report this drive letter into the thread.)
(This step may take many hours and typically displays ETA.)

garyfritz · 29 Oct 2018

I don't have a wipe-able flash drive handy. (And I was just at Best Buy, sigh) I'll let you know when I get one & try it.

margrave55 · 30 Oct 2018

You said this is a seven-year-old laptop and that it's due for replacement. (Definitely!)

Well, in the time spent trying to fix it you might simply have replaced it.
Pull the drive from the old laptop to recover its files onto the new one.

garyfritz · 30 Oct 2018

New laptop is already on its way. I'm just the type that doesn't like to throw something away if I can fix it.

Clintlgm · 30 Oct 2018

garyfritz said:

Sorry, I totally missed these posts on this page. FWIW I've given up on the old laptop and already ordered a new one. But I'll give your recommendations a try to see if I can get the ol' girl running again for background work.

Thanks, I'll give that a try.

Nope, I just hot-rodded it. :) I replaced the HDD with an SSD (best thing I EVER did for it), doubled the RAM from 8 to 16, upgraded from Win7 to Win10, replaced the basically-nonfunctional wifi with a mini-USB dongle, etc. I got a lot more years out of it by upgrading it bit by bit.

Sounds to me like you did everything right with the one exception of upgrading from 7 to 10 since support stopped with 7 you should have continue using 7 for whatever life this computer had. Y would have far less aggravation than trying to make it work on 10, Of course, if you really enjoy trying different drivers and spending a lot of time playing around with it and have good Images to restore when things go south carry on. Otherwise, I would put it back on Windows 7 SP1 64 bit UEFI/GPT install and end the battle.