Laptop noise and not booting up

[Horseygirl]

I have a hp laptop, my brother borrowed it and now it doesn't work. When you switch it on, it makes a stupid noise and won't boot up. Any ideas??? (I'm getting really annoyed having to browse the web using only my I-phone lol)

[PaulHooligan]

Could you define noise.

Has he left a cd in the drive and it has moved or become loose. That will sound bloody awful.
Any pre boot "beeps"?

[BoxCleva]

Just had one in with similar symptoms. Start with the cheapest and easiest stuff first.

As Paul says check the DVD drive has no disc in it, then whip the battery out and leave it a couple of hours. Reconnect the power supply (not the battery) and try and boot up.

Report back

[PaulHooligan]

Any chance of opening the underside and removing the CMOS battery ? when you remove the main battery.
Normally I would say the HDD is snafu

[BoxCleva]

Firstly, CMOS batt's are rarely easily accessible from an access panel, and I wouldn't recommend someone pulling the CMOS batt without proper earthing first.

[PaulHooligan]

Firstly, CMOS batt's are rarely easily accessible from an access panel, and I wouldn't recommend someone pulling the CMOS batt without proper earthing first.

Hold the radiator as you do it Im not that switched on with Lappys they tend to be one of two things working or not working! But just suggesting the obvious fault finding strategy.

[BoxCleva]

Know what you are saying Paul.

Until we know the how comfortable the OP is with pulling electrical components apart, it might be better to start with the simple stuff first, then we can progress if that doesn't work.

[Horseygirl]

The noise is hard to describe, it's like a cross between an old atari computer game and a warning siren. There's no disk in the drive and I've tried letting the battery completely die, I've just plugged it back in and switched on and it's now saying "no bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key"

[BoxCleva]

Ok, that is now telling you that it can't find the operating system. This can be for a couple of reasons.

1. Hard drive is dead
2. USB device plugged in
3. Hard drive data corrupt

[PaulHooligan]

Thats describes a complete HDD failure. You could attempt to reinstall the operating system BUT I wouldnt hold up much hope Can you get into the boot screen and attempt to get into bios to re arrange your boot priority devices?

[Horseygirl]

Tried that, it won't let me in. Sounds like the hard drive then, ok plan B. Anyone selling a hard drive for a hp G7000 lol?

[BoxCleva]

Doesnt have to be specific to that model.

www.ebuyer.com

[PaulHooligan]

Tried that, it won't let me in. Sounds like the hard drive then, ok plan B. Anyone selling a hard drive for a hp G7000 lol?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Digital-Scorpio-500GB-Internal/dp/B001JSSDGU

[Horseygirl]

Cheers, will keep that link, can't afford it this week as buying the V6 (and haven't sold the rover yet lol). So will have to wait till next week.
Thanks for your help everyone, I knew u were gonna say it was the hard drive, oh well there wasn't much on there that I wanted and all my pictures I didn't delete off my phones, so still have them.

[AskDean]

if you havent managed to sort it out by the time of bobbies spanner day on the 25th and you have got a new harddrive then bring it along and ill slap my lappy bag in the truck and should be able get your back up and running including fitting hard drive and operating system, if needed it is worth undoing the srews on the bottom where the harddrive is and just remove the securing screw for the harddrive and lift it out and then slide it back in. it is worth a try and if you have acess to another laptop that you swap the drive out of if it starts then you know itis the drve there are cheap enough if not then it might be something more serious.

if you can hit del on load or f2 or f10 to get into the bios you should be able to find the boot order ths should show the harddrive if t is working or not show it if it isnt if you get my drift. when you first turn it on check the hdd light that normally flashes if it flashes once ofr a split second then nothing stands a good chance the drive is shot if it flashes a couple of tmes then shows no boot message it means your drive is ok just your operating system is out to lunch.

i know some hp you can test the harddrive from the bios saves buing one if it is somthing a little simpler.

there are enough teckies on here i am sure you will get it up and running soon enough.

[Retro Pedro]

Not saying this is your answer, but might be something simple to try.
I had a similar problem with my tower puter - message I had was couldn't find HHD or something like that - turns out mine was just the connector to the hard drive had come slightly loose - pushed it back on and happy days.
Must admit, don't recall getting funny noises, just that the computer wouldn't boot up.

[AskDean]

this was the point retro pedro good example thanks i was making about checking the hrd rive was attached right if the other person gave it a knock it might have moved it simply check if the hhd light doesnt flash then take it out and put it back i again to check the connections.

[mikovitch]

Yep, Definitely the Hard Drive. However, When you get it out DON'T BIN IT!!

I bought a nice little gizmo from Maplins that turns hard drives into essentially a big usb stick. Most of the time it works on dead hard drives as well, just long enough to retrieve all the data you would normally have lost. I have saved many a friends pc with it

[huggy]

Tried that, it won't let me in. Sounds like the hard drive then, ok plan B. Anyone selling a hard drive for a hp G7000 lol?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Digital-Scorpio-500GB-Internal/dp/B001JSSDGU

that drive looks like a sata to me,the older hp g7000 is an ide drive but changed to sata on later models, best whip the old drive out first to make sure its the right one.

[PaulHooligan]

It is a sata drive but ide havent been used for quite a while now so was gambling a bit on the age of the machine. The post was only meant as an indication of type and price other online retailers sell them cheaper BUT Amazon seem to have a better returns procedure.

Ebuyer is another good online retailer have used them myself quite often and have had no problems. I would however, stay away from overclockers.co.uk at least Dick Turpin had the decency to wear a mask unlike those robbing b********.