Computer Geniuses?

[Werks 4 da Man]

Hey, my dogs like the vacuum commercial.

Laptop. Should have read closer. DOH!!!!!

You can go th HP's website and check for a good driver, but that shouldn't help, but it might do the trick.

Fred

 

[top hopper]

Can you simply restore your computer to a prior date?

 

[squisher]

Ok I've been playing with the sreenshot thingy but haven't quite got the hang of that yet . Now having learned last night from Fred and following Angus's(welcome to the Treehouse and thanks alot) instructions, I've been able to locate uninstall and re-install the CD drive and it says "new hardware installed ready to use" or something close to that BUT! there is still no CD drive listed under 'my computer' just the documents and the hardrive . I can open the device manager and the drive is right there and says it's A OK but no action from it. Again when I put a disc in it whirr's right up but does not actually do anything on the computer? This exact thing happened in the past and as I said a friend of a friend fixed it but I never had a clue(obviously ) of how he did it.

Thanks everyone for their help. Fred I didn't mean nothing by my anger smilie(after re-reading the thread) it was 100% directed at my computer and my total lack of skills to fix it.

 

[sawinredneck]

Now it gets fun J!!!!

You will need the model and serial numbers off the 'puter, then go to HP's web site. Look for help and suport then the drivers section. You will have to find you're 'puters model listed, then break it down by serial number, then there should be an "update drivers" or "search fo drivers" section. You can then download the driver for the CD rom. When given the option in the pop up window, click "run". That should install it automaticly.
It's no fun, but not that hard once you find where to go on the website
I had to do this a few times on the old home PC, it's not as bad as it sounds.

 

[sawinredneck]

Easier than that!!!!


http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/support.html

 

[squisher]

Heh thanks Andy, I've just added that link to my favorites. I'll have to save that for later or tomorrow as I'm heading out for wings and brews momentarily!

 

[Newfie]

Kinda like a dog watching television?

YUP!! I can't seem to turn away. If you catch me tilting my head to the side in wonderment, smack me.

 

[squisher]

I've been all over that link Andy. I can very quickly now uninstall and re-install the cd drive and when I open the device manager it's sitting right there but it still is not recognized by the computer. In 'my computer' no cd drive . Any last bits of advice anyone before it heads out for fixing?

 

[treesandsurf]

Squisher, I'm jumping in a little late here. One suggestion, have you tried re-installing the Operating System (Windows XP)? There should be an option when re-installing to retain all of your programs and files, it basically installs the operating system over itself, updating drivers....

jp

 

[treesandsurf]

Okay, just read your first post. I would give re-installing one more try before taking it in and dropping a pile of cash to get it fixed. Sometimes trying things several times seems to work out with troubleshooting these things. Good luck!

jp

 

[Frans]

Any last bits of advice anyone before it heads out for fixing?

Hey Squish! Is the hard drive plugged in?

I remember when growing up, my mom called the washing machine repair man because the washer would not turn on.


It was unplugged.

Still tease my mom to this day about that

 

[sawinredneck]

Sorry J, I am out of ideas now????????????????
That should source you're drivers for you!!!!

 

[squisher]

Does anyone know how to change the location of a drive? For example my non-working CD/DVD drive has the location listed as 0(0) and I could swear back when it used to work it was drive E(E)? Have I lost my mind here?

 

[Paul B]

usually windows will allocate that automatically. if you add new stuff it will add it in. if its where you dont like it then go to control panel and add/remove hardware; remove the drive. then turn the comp off, unplug the drive (internally) and fire it up. then turn it off again, plug the drive back in (IDE cable and power supply) and fire it up, might solve the prob but then again, might put you up Shte creek! thats the fun of PC's!!

 

[Koa Man]

HP Pavilion laptop pos barely over a year old, would never re-buy it.

HP laptops are POS. I also had one less than a year old that had no video and would not boot up. I emailed HP and they had me send it to them for repair under warranty. My manufacturer's 1 year warranty expired on 11/17/2007. They received it on 11/09/2007 and I got it back on 11/26/2007. On 12/09/2007 it craps out again, exact same problem. No video display and won't boot up. I email HP that less than 2 weeks after I get the computer back from repair, the same problem reoccurs, which leads me to believe that the repair under warranty was not done right. HP tells me a case manager will call me in 3-6 business days. I have not received a call yet, despite 2 follow up emails. I do receive email response that basically tell me they are limited in what they can do since my laptop is now out of warranty. I have a 3 year old Toshiba laptop that my wife leaves on 24/7 and uses it like a desktop machine. No problems so far.

I will never buy any HP product again. As soon as I use up the ink cartridges I have for my HP printer, I am throwing it away and buying another brand, most likely a Canon, so I don't have to buy HP cartridges.

 

[gf beranek]

Hey, Justin, don't fret. I lost my CD drive the same way. You can get it back by going into the registry editor and making some tweeks. Just follow the directions in the link below. It has to do with manually deleting entries in the registry.

I don't know how it works, but it does.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060/en-us

 

[sotc]

my hp pavillion is used like a desck top. ive had it a year and a half and no problems. you guys need to buy the 3 year warrenty, gauranteed to last longer

 

[Al Smith]

I will never buy any HP product again.

I am of the same opinion myself.I had an HP 945 camera I ponied up over 500 bucks for.I dropped the danged thing and ruined the lense.When I called to find out about repairs all some smart alec female from India could do was try and sell me another one at a big discount,big f-- deal.Because I already had some stuff for the camera , I found another on e-bay for cheap and works just dandy.

Myself and HP are at the end of our working relationship,a divorce is eminent.

 

[Paul B]

printer wise I go for Epson, I go to to a local wholesaler for ink, 4 bucks for a black and 5 bucks for the combo color cartridge
HP enforces their patents differently which means you pay full bang for their refills.
Had an HP Pavilion desktop a few years ago, the only CPU I actually have taken a 12 guage and a 7mil rifle to.

 

[Al Smith]

Had an HP Pavilion desktop a few years ago, the only CPU I actually have taken a 12 guage and a 7mil rifle to.

That is what the one 'puter is we don't use any more.733,pretty big when is new but a bit outdated now.The danged thing uses intergrated boards so updating is not possible,tiny little case also.I improved it by addition of a larger fan but it still is what it is.

 

[Paul B]

the non upgradeable stuff is what got me. I stick to the homebuilt machines now vs the proprietary schitt.

 

[squisher]

Thanks Gerry I'll try that link later on when I get back home. I hate that computer and have considered taking it back to the future shop and ramming it down the throat of the salesman, but I'm sure that would just be replacing one problem with another one.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I stick to the homebuilt machines now vs the proprietary schitt.

I just had mine built, $400, and it rocks!

 

[Paul B]

exactly.

Squish if you need a new computer or parts thereof try www.a-power.com they do online sales as well as they have two retail outlets down here. One is on Hastings at Willingdon in Burnaby, like 5 minutes from my place. I have bought and built three computer systems from them over the last four or five years, so far so good.

 

[squisher]

I fixed it and learned a bit along the way. I tried the instructions in your link Gerry but it didn't work for me so I started searching more help functions until I learned how to change the drive location from (0) to (E). I did it through the 'computer management' shortcut which isn't really that short to get to. It let's you rename your drives and I imagine other things too but I didn't bother to look around to much. From what I gather my drive location had somehow defaulted to a number '0' which windows doesn't recognize, windows recognizes drives with locations marked by letters 'A', 'B', 'C'.

Regardless it's all working fine again for now