Laptop turns off and on multiple times on start up

[JaydenJ]

Each time i start my laptop after it as been shut down it turns itself off and back on multiple times during start up (8 or 9) until windows is loaded. It as only recently started doing this. I have not added any new hard/software.
I am not very technical so if there is any help out there please explain what i need to do in a simple step by step way that this dummy will understand.Once windows is loaded it runs fine with no further problems
Thanks all

 

[darkbreeze]

There is either a problem with a hardware device, a device driver, the windows boot record partition or the bios configuration.

I'd start with going into the BIOS and selecting default or optimal settings, save settings and reboot.

After doing the BIOS reset, I'd check to see if there is a more recent BIOS version available. What is the FULL model number of your laptop as indicated on the case in the battery compartment or the back of the unit?

 

[JaydenJ]

There is either a problem with a hardware device, a device driver, the windows boot record partition or the bios configuration.

I'd start with going into the BIOS and selecting default or optimal settings, save settings and reboot.

After doing the BIOS reset, I'd check to see if there is a more recent BIOS version available. What is the FULL model number of your laptop as indicated on the case in the battery compartment or the back of the unit?

 

[JaydenJ]

Hmm getting all teccy right from the start huh?

It's an old laptop
Toshiba Satellite L300-13A
Model Number PSLB0E-02H00SE]

Thanks for your help!

 

[darkbreeze]

If your avatar picture is of you, heck, I'll just make the trip over to fix it myself. Heh. Just kidding.

So, anyway, what windows version are you running? Looks like it came with Windows Vista, but it could have a different version installed since then.


I'd probably suggest that you start by going into Start menu- Control panel - Device manager, and see if there are any devices remarked and standing out with a symbol (Question mark or exclamation point) next to them. If there are, and you have internet access on that unit, right click on the device that's remarked and select update drivers and in the next window, update automatically. See if that helps.

If there are no remarked devices, try doing a windows repair which for Vista requires having the installation disk (Do you have installation media or no?)

If you have a different OS than Vista there are other options.

 

[JaydenJ]

If your avatar picture is of you, heck, I'll just make the trip over to fix it myself. Heh. Just kidding.

So, anyway, what windows version are you running? Looks like it came with Windows Vista, but it could have a different version installed since then.


I'd probably suggest that you start by going into Start menu- Control panel - Device manager, and see if there are any devices remarked and standing out with a symbol (Question mark or exclamation point) next to them. If there are, and you have internet access on that unit, right click on the device that's remarked and select update drivers and in the next window, update automatically. See if that helps.

If there are no remarked devices, try doing a windows repair which for Vista requires having the installation disk (Do you have installation media or no?)

If you have a different OS than Vista there are other options.

 

[JaydenJ]

Hi, yes the pic is mine so come on over and fix it, it will be so much quicker lol
Here is the deal, i bought it 2nd hand so idk the history, It was vista but now windows 7, i know this because wen i turn it on both vista and windows 7 are the options.
I dont have the disk, and i know that the winows 7 install isnt legit, but it was running fine for months and only recently started being all tempramental on start up, it is worse each time and where before it would stay on about 30 secs before turning off it is now turning off and on 4 or 5 times before i even see a screen, so i knpw its only matter of time before he wont fire up at all if i dont figure it out.
I also know its something that i must have done because like i said it was running ok, and i am not sure exactly when it started doing it because i didnt think anything about it but i noticed that i have lost a lot of my pic folders, the folders were still there but some of them were empty when i looked and i know i did not delete them.
I have a recuva program but it finds thousands of files and i have no clue what i am looking for or if i do find missing files and recover them what to next lol.
I can't think of any more info to give you to help figure it out, there are no remarks in devices, i checked, and windows repair doesn't repair it either
PS sorry for my slow responses, i dont get online online much, i just access my email from my phone so i may be slow replying but i will check here as often as i can
Thanks again for taking the time to help me

 

[darkbreeze]

It definitely sounds like a driver issue or OS corruption, possibly due to the dual boot. There is, unfortunately, nothing I can do to help with the Windows 7 OS since it's not legit, however I may be able to help with getting Vista working again. Have you tried booting to Vista to see if you have the same issues?

 

[JaydenJ]

It definitely sounds like a driver issue or OS corruption, possibly due to the dual boot. There is, unfortunately, nothing I can do to help with the Windows 7 OS since it's not legit, however I may be able to help with getting Vista working again. Have you tried booting to Vista to see if you have the same issues?

 

[JaydenJ]

well it is turning off and on multiple times even before it gets to that screen for me to choose which system to use
This morning it was about 35 mins before it finally loaded lol,
i reckon its terminal and i should just get my bro's dodgy friend to wipe it and reload windows until i have saved enough for a new one but i do appreciate your help and i am sure i will be back with more problems or even just to say hello

 

[darkbreeze]

Sounds good. I imagine it's hardware related, rather than the actual OS installation, since it does it prior to even selecting the OS to load, but it could be related to having multiple partitions for different OS's though. Wipe and install might not be a bad idea. Make sure to have them do a CLEAN install, deleting all the previous partitions including the boot record and installing only a single OS version this time. That might well resolve the issue.

 

[JaydenJ]

Sounds good. I imagine it's hardware related, rather than the actual OS installation, since it does it prior to even selecting the OS to load, but it could be related to having multiple partitions for different OS's though. Wipe and install might not be a bad idea. Make sure to have them do a CLEAN install, deleting all the previous partitions including the boot record and installing only a single OS version this time. That might well resolve the issue.

 

[JaydenJ]

Thank you darkbreeze, i will. I am going to invest in a new one and hope this holds out until then.
I hope you have a great evening and thank you. I am pleased i found this site to come for helpand i am sure i will be back

 

[darkbreeze]

Take care Jayden and if you ever need help, just PM me with the thread link. Good luck.