XP Pro sp3, HP Compaq nc8230
Background: Had not been used for awhile, when I tried to start it I got nothing but a black screen. Would occasionally flicker during attempted startup, maybe one time out of 10 would get the first screen, then would go dark.
Did some research, someplace I read to try the f10 on startup. The first time I tried that it worked, everything worked normally, did on every startup after that. Figured problem was solved.
Current situation: The HD was only 60g and I needed a larger HD so bought a new 160g.
Didn't want to have to reload XP and lose all my XP settings, and lose my Firefox setup and add ons and bookmarks.
EDIT: Come to think of it, I bought the laptop used and I don't believe I've even got the XP disc, so can't reload it without buying another one if I can't save and transfer this XP from the original HD to the new HD.
Bought a USB enclosure, took the existing HD out of the laptop, installed it into the USB enclosure, and copied everything onto my desktop, not into the C drive but on another drive. Made sure everything copied, incl Windows. Note that the Windows on the laptop HD was not in use while it was being copied to the desktop.
Then put the new laptop HD into the USB enclosure, formatted it, then copied everything that I had copied from the original laptop HD into my desktop into the new laptop HD in the USB enclosure. Again made sure everything copied. Checked to make sure it would open on the desktop, everything appeared to open normally (of course did not start that Windows as the one on the desktop was running).
I thought that should work as everything from the original laptop HD is now on the new laptop HD exactly as it was on the original HD, incl Windows.
PUt the new HD into the laptop. The HD indicator light on the laptop indicates the HD runs when I start the laptop, but again I'm getting nothing but a black screen. The HD access indicator LED stays lit for maybe 20 seconds then shuts off (don't recall if that's normal or not). I don't know if it's something to do with copying Windows onto the new HD, or if it's the same black screen problem I had before.
EDIT: Just to try it, I reinstalled the original HD to which I did nothing other than copying the files from it. Same thing, HD access LED stays lit the same amount of time then goes off, nothing at all on the screen. Made sure the little button pops up when I open the lid, tried respositioning the display in a variety of ways in case there's a break in the display cable but nothing. I guess next step is to open it up and see if there's anything obvious such as a break in the display cable or bad/loose connector or something. I have found good used displays and cables, but hate to just start throwing parts at it without knowing. Per the manual, it could also be a board problem.
Only possibility I can think of is this: When I formatted the new laptop HD while it was in the USB enclosure & hooked into my desktop, I had to give it a drive letter other than C. (gave it F) (That may be the drive itself, or just the USB enclosure.) Is that maybe why the drive won't run in the laptop?
I've found a complete service manual for the laptop online so I could go back into it and check the display connections which I'll probly do. Other than a bad connection, why would it have worked before and not now? I'm hoping the display itself isn't bad now. Or maybe it's not the display and is something resulting from the HD switch?
I don't suppose there's any way to test the display itself? I'll try to test the cable for continuity to see if there's maybe a break.
Thanks for any suggestions!!
Background: Had not been used for awhile, when I tried to start it I got nothing but a black screen. Would occasionally flicker during attempted startup, maybe one time out of 10 would get the first screen, then would go dark.
Did some research, someplace I read to try the f10 on startup. The first time I tried that it worked, everything worked normally, did on every startup after that. Figured problem was solved.
Current situation: The HD was only 60g and I needed a larger HD so bought a new 160g.
Didn't want to have to reload XP and lose all my XP settings, and lose my Firefox setup and add ons and bookmarks.
EDIT: Come to think of it, I bought the laptop used and I don't believe I've even got the XP disc, so can't reload it without buying another one if I can't save and transfer this XP from the original HD to the new HD.
Bought a USB enclosure, took the existing HD out of the laptop, installed it into the USB enclosure, and copied everything onto my desktop, not into the C drive but on another drive. Made sure everything copied, incl Windows. Note that the Windows on the laptop HD was not in use while it was being copied to the desktop.
Then put the new laptop HD into the USB enclosure, formatted it, then copied everything that I had copied from the original laptop HD into my desktop into the new laptop HD in the USB enclosure. Again made sure everything copied. Checked to make sure it would open on the desktop, everything appeared to open normally (of course did not start that Windows as the one on the desktop was running).
I thought that should work as everything from the original laptop HD is now on the new laptop HD exactly as it was on the original HD, incl Windows.
PUt the new HD into the laptop. The HD indicator light on the laptop indicates the HD runs when I start the laptop, but again I'm getting nothing but a black screen. The HD access indicator LED stays lit for maybe 20 seconds then shuts off (don't recall if that's normal or not). I don't know if it's something to do with copying Windows onto the new HD, or if it's the same black screen problem I had before.
EDIT: Just to try it, I reinstalled the original HD to which I did nothing other than copying the files from it. Same thing, HD access LED stays lit the same amount of time then goes off, nothing at all on the screen. Made sure the little button pops up when I open the lid, tried respositioning the display in a variety of ways in case there's a break in the display cable but nothing. I guess next step is to open it up and see if there's anything obvious such as a break in the display cable or bad/loose connector or something. I have found good used displays and cables, but hate to just start throwing parts at it without knowing. Per the manual, it could also be a board problem.
Only possibility I can think of is this: When I formatted the new laptop HD while it was in the USB enclosure & hooked into my desktop, I had to give it a drive letter other than C. (gave it F) (That may be the drive itself, or just the USB enclosure.) Is that maybe why the drive won't run in the laptop?
I've found a complete service manual for the laptop online so I could go back into it and check the display connections which I'll probly do. Other than a bad connection, why would it have worked before and not now? I'm hoping the display itself isn't bad now. Or maybe it's not the display and is something resulting from the HD switch?
I don't suppose there's any way to test the display itself? I'll try to test the cable for continuity to see if there's maybe a break.
Thanks for any suggestions!!