Compaq Laptop Cannot Locate Operating System

My compaq laptop gives me a message that it cannot locate the operating system. I thought I would try to see if the forum could help me trouble shoot rather than taking it to my technician.

If I start it in safe mode, there are two choices: CHOICE OF F1 BOOT OR F10 COMPUTER SET UP. I went to computer set up -
F10 AND SCREEN SAYS PHOENIX BIOS SETUP UTILITY.

I navigated to TO BOOT AND MOVED ATAPI CD ROM DRIVE ON TOP SAVED AND EXIT SETUP- CONFIRMATION SAVE CONFIGURATION CHANGES AND EXIT NOW? YES.

I then inserted my Compaq red quick restore cd
STARTED AND GOT SCREEN THAT SAYS WELCOME TO COMPAQ QUICK RESTORE. ETC.
QUICK RESTORE DESTROYS ALL DATA ETC.
PRESS ENTER TO CONTINUE
I PRESSED ENTER

Then a notice on the black part of the screen appeared NO FIXED DISKS PRESENT -this was on top of screen outside of green window regarding quick restore notice

and simultaneously a window opened- ABOUT TO PARTION HARD DISK- PRESS ENTER, WHICH I DID.

PARTIONING COMPLETE

THEN BLACK SCREEN STARTING WINDOWS 98

AND THEN BACK TO GREEN SCREEN AND WELCOME TO COMPAQ QUICK RESTORE AND LOOPED AGAIN.

On the setup utility, under BOOT, I moved both the cd rom drive to the top and then the hard drive to the top and tried both times with the quick restore. Both times the notice flashed on the black part of the screen appeared NO FIXED DISKS PRESENT.

I have used the quick restore before but the computer does not seem to open the menu that the quick restore cd is supposed to display.

I notice that the date and time are correct in the setup utility so this makes me hope that maybe all is not lost.

I am open to suggestions but I must take it slow since I have never fiddled with any of these settings before.

Thanks

Bettina

WINDOWS 98 OPERATING SYSTEM
COMPAQ PRESARIO 1675

 

Hi Bettina,

You will need to download and run this to make a bootable floppy disk to start the Presario:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...&os=20&product=95222&cc=us&softwareitem=33979

You will probably need someone with you that has worked with harddrives before, to interpret the information (although you could try it yourself and only make changes if you are certain of the consequenses). The data on your harddrive may or may not be able to be saved, depending on what has gone wrong (expect the worst)...and it may be that the drive has failed completely

Matt
PS If you do decide to take it to the technican, take the floppy with you and tell them it is the "Presario harddrive utility ". It will save them the time (and you the $s) looking it up and creating it (unless they are Presario techs of course, in which case it should be in their tool kit).

 

Thanks Matt- I will make my floppy and give it a try. I am not concerned about losing the data. Since I do not have anyone to help me, I may get back to you for help on the prompts. It will take me a week to make the floppy since my new laptops do not have A drives.

Bettina

 

Bettina,

New technology?...what happens if the harddrive goes wrong?...bootable CDs of course...mmmmmm
...you cannot download and make utilities easily on CDs.
Suppose you know...Catch 22!
Wait...no worries
Matt