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Laptop won't start by Hybrid on 09-06-2009 at 12:59 PM

Hey guys, I'll spare you all the details by getti g straight to the point. My Acer laptop OS has been destroyed. It doesn't detect an OS at all. I don't even has a system restore disc for it, so I don't know what to do. All it does is let me access my f2 menu when starting it. After that it takes me to a black prompt screen where I can't type. How can I restore my laptop or at the very least clear out the hdd?


RE: Laptop won't start by toddy on 09-06-2009 at 05:39 PM

buy/download operating system and try repair or do a clean install


RE: Laptop won't start by Hybrid on 09-06-2009 at 06:20 PM

I have a copy of leopard... But it won't install because it's demanding more than 4gbs of memory and my laptop doesn't have that much space at the moment because I filled it with so much crap... I know it's really bad :( . Thanks for the suggestion

edit:
I know the answer already, but would a backup of my desktop work?


RE: Laptop won't start by Menthix on 09-06-2009 at 07:11 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Hybrid
I know the answer already, but would a backup of my desktop work?
Technically speaking it might work, but you'll have all sorts of issues if it does boot. I wouldn't even try since the drivers will not match the hardware and you'll run into BSOD crashes all the time.

Can you enter the BIOS? If so, does it detect your harddisk when you're in the BIOS?
RE: Laptop won't start by Hybrid on 09-06-2009 at 07:40 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Menthix
quote:
Originally posted by Hybrid
I know the answer already, but would a backup of my desktop work?
Technically speaking it might work, but you'll have all sorts of issues if it does boot. I wouldn't even try since the drivers will not match the hardware and you'll run into BSOD crashes all the time.

Can you enter the BIOS? If so, does it detect your harddisk when you're in the BIOS?
It shows up and detects the harddisk
RE: Laptop won't start by Hybrid on 09-06-2009 at 08:02 PM

Actually guys I got leopard to install but after it finished installing all I get is an apple with a circle and a slash ( like do not smoke signs ) anyone familiar with apple enough to explain? Thank you guys


RE: Laptop won't start by Menthix on 09-06-2009 at 08:03 PM

You can doublecheck the boot order (which should be one of the settings in your BIOS too) and make sure the harddisk is the first device your laptop attempts to boot from.

If your laptop didn't come with restore CDs there is often a special restore partition on the harddisk which you can use to restore. When you turn it on, see if it says something like "Press FX for recovery", or check the manual for recovering options.

If that doesn't work you could either call Acer and ask if they provider restore CDs. But if they do you usually pay a fee for them these days. Or you could do as Todd suggested:

quote:
Originally posted by todd toddington
buy/download operating system and try repair or do a clean install

EDIT:
quote:
Originally posted by Hybrid
I got leopard to install but after it finished installing all I get is an apple with a circle and a slash ( like do not smoke signs ) anyone familiar with apple enough to explain?
I'm not familiar with Apple OS at all, but you are installing Apple on a laptop it was not designed for. Apple wants you to run their OS only on their hardware. The Apple OS probably doesn't have the proper drivers to run on your Acer laptop. What OS were you using on this laptop before it stopped working?
RE: Laptop won't start by Hybrid on 09-06-2009 at 10:59 PM

Sorry, long response time. I'm goin to call acer and get a system restore cd. Thanks menthix for your effort