losing operating system

G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Was wondering if some one could help with this problem. I bought a used
laptop on ebay (Maybe first mistake) It is a gateway 9150. Problem is, this
laptop will not retain an operating system. Can load windows, will work, but
when turned off and rebooted, comes up no operating system. Installed
different hard drive, same problem. Was guaranteed for a few weeks so sent
it back. All they did was install a different hard drive and send it back.
So I have the same problem. Sometimes will work if remove hard drive and
kind of put it back in slot with a little force, but usually not. Today I'm
getting this error--- "required dll file not found
c:\windows\system\shlwapi.dll not found--- error loading explorer exe. You
must reinstall windows. All this and windows was just installed yesterday.
Any info appreciated. Going to have more in shipping charges back to company
than i paid for the laptop to begin with. Am demanding my money back, don't
know if I'll get it or not. Was just wanting to know if anything else i can
try before getting nasty with them again. Thanks
 

Andrew

Distinguished
Mar 31, 2004
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18,930
Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Clancy <jgf59@yahoo.com> wrote:
: Was wondering if some one could help with this problem. I bought a used
: laptop on ebay (Maybe first mistake) It is a gateway 9150. Problem is, this
: laptop will not retain an operating system. Can load windows, will work, but
: when turned off and rebooted, comes up no operating system. Installed
: different hard drive, same problem. Was guaranteed for a few weeks so sent
: it back. All they did was install a different hard drive and send it back.
: So I have the same problem. Sometimes will work if remove hard drive and
: kind of put it back in slot with a little force, but usually not. Today I'm
: getting this error--- "required dll file not found
: c:\windows\system\shlwapi.dll not found--- error loading explorer exe. You
: must reinstall windows. All this and windows was just installed yesterday.
: Any info appreciated. Going to have more in shipping charges back to company
: than i paid for the laptop to begin with. Am demanding my money back, don't
: know if I'll get it or not. Was just wanting to know if anything else i can
: try before getting nasty with them again. Thanks

Sounds like a faulty hard drive controller, which would be a faulty
motherboard, probably. Could even be a bad connector.

Andrew
--
----> Portland, Oregon, USA <----
*******************************************************************
----> http://www.bizave.com <---- Photo Albums and Portland Info
----> To Email me remove "MYSHOES" from email address
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G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Andrew wrote:

> Clancy <jgf59@yahoo.com> wrote:
> : Was wondering if some one could help with this problem. I bought a used
> : laptop on ebay (Maybe first mistake) It is a gateway 9150. Problem is,
> : this laptop will not retain an operating system. Can load windows, will
> : work, but when turned off and rebooted, comes up no operating system.
> : Installed different hard drive, same problem. Was guaranteed for a few
> : weeks so sent it back. All they did was install a different hard drive
> : and send it back. So I have the same problem. Sometimes will work if
> : remove hard drive and kind of put it back in slot with a little force,
> : but usually not. Today I'm getting this error--- "required dll file not
> : found c:\windows\system\shlwapi.dll not found--- error loading explorer
> : exe. You must reinstall windows. All this and windows was just installed
> : yesterday. Any info appreciated. Going to have more in shipping charges
> : back to company than i paid for the laptop to begin with. Am demanding
> : my money back, don't know if I'll get it or not. Was just wanting to
> : know if anything else i can try before getting nasty with them again.
> : Thanks
>
> Sounds like a faulty hard drive controller, which would be a faulty
> motherboard, probably. Could even be a bad connector.

Or something in the power supply--while the battery may be fine, laptops
have to derive several voltages from it and that circuitry could be sick.

If reseating the drive helps though a bad connector or one that has been
partially broken off the board is the way to bet. Might be worthwhile
examining the connector under a bright light with a magnifier to see if
there is anything obvious showing like some crud that keeps the drive from
seating properly.

> Andrew
> --
> ----> Portland, Oregon, USA <----
> *******************************************************************
> ----> http://www.bizave.com <---- Photo Albums and Portland Info
> ----> To Email me remove "MYSHOES" from email address
> *******************************************************************

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)