Help from the computer savvy people: I can't format my laptop
By VotreAmie
@VotreAmie (3028)
United States
July 18, 2007 10:05pm CST
Hi all. Few weeks ago I had a problem with my laptop. I would work on it and sometimes it just shuts off for no apparent reason. Today I decided to format it, so I put the recovery CD and I turned off the computer. I chose to put back the system as it was when we purchased it and it said to not take the CD off until I am told to remove it. But after some time, the computer shut off again. I turned it back on and now all I have is a sentence on the top of the screen: "Missing Operating System". I can't go any further. The CD is there but it seems that it doesn't recognize it. I tried another operating system that came with my other computer, but I get the same message. It acts like there is no operating system in the CD.
Do you have any idea how I can resolve this problem? Thank you for your time and your help.
6 responses
@free2all (72)
• Singapore
19 Jul 07
VotreAmie,
Try this:
Remove the CD. Restart your system.
When you see a intro screen, press F12 a few times.
A page with some options will appear.
The options should be some thing like:
1. Start windows normally(or some thing like that, can't remember)
2. Run windows in safe mode
3. Run windows with CD drive
There maybe more options, but I can't remember, sorry.
Anyway, try it and let me know what are the options you have there.
Will try my best to help from there.
1 person likes this
@VotreAmie (3028)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Hi free2all, thank you so much for your answers. You are always here to help when I have computer problems. I really appreciate it.
I can't do that anymore because I started regovering the system to the state it was when I bought it. It started recovering but then the laptop shut off by itself. I try to do that many times with the recovery dvd in the computer but it always shuts off after two or three minutes... I wish I did the safe mode option and try cleaning the system with an anti-virus... But now it's too late and I can't reformat it because the laptop shuts off by itself for no reason. Thanks for your time free2all!
@free2all (72)
• Singapore
20 Jul 07
If the system shuts off by itself, there are other possible reasons other than virus.
It maybe due to the power supply faulty.
Or the fan faulty.
Cause it's designed to shut down itself if the processor is too hot to prevent further damages on the processor.
You may need to sent to a repair shop to check it out.
@SnipedYou (37)
• United States
20 Jul 07
You may need to boot from the disk to do this at the very start where the laptop is booting up go to the boot menu (F12 on my computer) then choose boot from disk. If you can't do that then you may want to save all your important files somewhere on something external (flash drive or disk) and reinstall windows or any other OS like Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn which you can download and burn the ISO to a disk.
1 person likes this
@VotreAmie (3028)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Hi SnipedYou.. I already tried to format the the hard drive so all the data is gone... The problem that I am having is that the formating process doesn't get done because the laptop shuts off after two or three minutes. It turns off all by itself. That's why I can not install windows again... I don't know why it shuts off by itself.
Thanks for your answer SnipedYou and take care!
@yanstill (1490)
• China
19 Jul 07
i didnt meet this problem before.
do you boot your system from CD-ROM or from hard disk?i have to boot from CD-ROM when i am going to install the system.
but i'm not sure what your problem is,i suggest you ask someone who is familiar with this to solve it.
hope you fix your computer soon.good luck.
1 person likes this
@VotreAmie (3028)
• United States
19 Jul 07
I used both a CD and a DVD to reboot but it's not working anymore. The DVD contains the recovery and applications/drivers instructions and windows XP that I have on a cd... Thank you for your answer yanstill.
@Ronimas (699)
• India
19 Jul 07
Once I had such problem such as shutting off automatically with no reason. I also tried to format the system but failed with same screen shot. As I remember, the computer technician cleaned the memory card and did something with BIOS to fix the problem. Votreamie, I can not help you much. Yes, I know a Mylot member with user name kingri. He is a computer technician and with his tips I solved my modem problem. I think he must have solution for your problem. I hope for his quick response to this discussion. Thanks.
1 person likes this
@VotreAmie (3028)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Hi Ronimas, thank you for this answer! I wil ltry to contact kingri. I know him on mylot. The last time he logged into mylot is 4 days ago. But I will send him a message and go see his blog to see if I can find a solution... Oh! I think I will try to contact him on his site! Thanks again Ronimas! Fortunately I have two other computers that I use so I can be online. But the laptop is also practical for when I go to the library... Okay I hope kingri will answer. Thanks!
@pointyblue (222)
• Denmark
19 Jul 07
I tried the same thing, my recovery DVD was broken! It managed to format the harddisk leaving me with a completely useless computer, though...
In stead of buying a new Windows I decided to install Ubuntu linux. It's running perfectly and is actually a little faster than my earlier Windows XP system.
It's free and very user friendly (windows and all), perhaps you should try it if all else fails.
@VotreAmie (3028)
• United States
20 Jul 07
I'm sorry for what happened to your computer pointyblue. But you seem to be happier with Linux. Well I prefer windows because I find it harder to work with linux.
My recovery dvd is not broken but the work can not be done completely as the laptop shuts off before the recovery ends.
thanks for you reply pointyblue and take care!
