technology My PC won’t let me troubleshoot, it just breaks more.

[Splashee 28,537]

Well if so, the graphics card says "Intel® HD Graphics 400 (Integrated)". What that means is your graphics card is using system RAM. Does anyone know a good way to scan the RAM for errors (without having to download some dangerous thing off internet)?

 

Maybe HP have some tools on their site? Or maybe Windows 10 has something to help you (I don't have Windows 10)?

If you need your computer to just work (not for gaming, but to do simple things like browsing this forum for example, or write word documents, or reading emails), there should be ways to disable hardware acceleration for your graphics card, that might save you from those random crashes.

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

2 hours ago, Splashee said:

Well if so, the graphics card says "Intel® HD Graphics 400 (Integrated)". What that means is your graphics card is using system RAM. Does anyone know a good way to scan the RAM for errors (without having to download some dangerous thing off internet)?

 

Maybe HP have some tools on their site? Or maybe Windows 10 has something to help you (I don't have Windows 10)?

If you need your computer to just work (not for gaming, but to do simple things like browsing this forum for example, or write word documents, or reading emails), there should be ways to disable hardware acceleration for your graphics card, that might save you from those random crashes.

I think general stuff is the main problem right now. I found out that loading games from Steam instead of the desktop helps, so that for the most part is taken care of. What I’m worried about it downloading stuff (whether it’s a whole application or just an update). I’ve tried troubleshooting but of course I can’t get past the loading screens.

[Pentium100 2,057]

8 hours ago, Splashee said:

Does anyone know a good way to scan the RAM for errors (without having to download some dangerous thing off internet)?

Memtest86+ https://www.memtest.org/

There is no way to do it without downloading something

There is also an alternative version

https://www.memtest86.com/

Run it for at least two passes, the longer you run it the more certain is the "no errors" result.

8 hours ago, Splashee said:

If you need your computer to just work (not for gaming, but to do simple things like browsing this forum for example, or write word documents, or reading emails), there should be ways to disable hardware acceleration for your graphics card, that might save you from those random crashes.

Run Windows in safe mode to see if it still crashes or not. If so, open the BIOS setup and see if that crashes or not.

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

1 hour ago, Pentium100 said:

Memtest86+ https://www.memtest.org/

There is no way to do it without downloading something

There is also an alternative version

https://www.memtest86.com/

Run it for at least two passes, the longer you run it the more certain is the "no errors" result.

Run Windows in safe mode to see if it still crashes or not. If so, open the BIOS setup and see if that crashes or not.

What does the Safe Mode do? (I mostly wanna know so I can turn it off later)

[Splashee 28,537]

1 hour ago, ExplosionMare said:

What does the Safe Mode do? (I mostly wanna know so I can turn it off later)

Safe Mode is a one time thing. You boot Windows into Safe mode by pressing some hot key during start up, like F8 or F5 and choose Safe Mode. It runs Windows with the default drivers (the ones that are known to be working).
If you reboot the computer, you will run Windows normally again.

It is a good way to check if you got any hardware drivers that are broken (buggy).

I don't think Safe Mode is a solution, as it turns off the stuff that you normally crash with, like hardware acceleration and Internet access.

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

13 minutes ago, Splashee said:

Safe Mode is a one time thing. You boot Windows into Safe mode by pressing some hot key during start up, like F8 or F5 and choose Safe Mode. It runs Windows with the default drivers (the ones that are known to be working).
If you reboot the computer, you will run Windows normally again.

It is a good way to check if you got any hardware drivers that are broken (buggy).

I don't think Safe Mode is a solution, as it turns off the stuff that you normally crash with, like hardware acceleration and Internet access.

But can I still do a reboot with it on the settings?

[Pentium100 2,057]

1 hour ago, Splashee said:

I don't think Safe Mode is a solution, as it turns off the stuff that you normally crash with, like hardware acceleration and Internet access.

The idea is to see if it crashes even in safe mode. If so, then check by going to BIOS setup and staying there. If the computer crashes even then, it's a hardware problem and there is not much point in playing with drivers etc.

If it works OK in safe mode, then reinstalling drivers may help.

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

@Pentium100 @Splashee I’ll try the safe mode later and see if it works

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

I haven’t done any troubleshooting yet but the computer seems to fix itself now, is that good?

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

Um guys spamming F1 broke the computer!! It says the RPC server is unavailable how do I fix that? 

[Splashee 28,537]

Yea, the RPC server can be enabled again in the services (it's a little bit complicated to get there).

 

However, why did you spam F1, lol? Even F1 shouldn't have triggered an error message like that.

 

Now I really would like to access your laptop, and see what is going on!

Edited October 5, 2019 by Splashee

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

Sorry I panicked, that part is fixed (also someone here told me to do it 🤷🏻‍♀️)

1 minute ago, Splashee said:

Yea, the RPC server can be enabled again in the services (it's a little bit complicated to get there).

 

However, why did you spam F1, lol? Even F1 shouldn't have triggered an error message like that.

 

Now I really would like to access your laptop, and see what is going on!

Not sure I feel safe giving access but I can tell you that some applications don’t even load on this thing and most crash and data keeps piling every time I delete it.

Update: Running memtest didn’t work cause the file didn’t download properly (or it only allowed a partial download, I’m not sure)

[Splashee 28,537]

5 minutes ago, ExplosionMare said:

Sorry I panicked, that part is fixed (also someone here told me to do it 🤷🏻‍♀️)

Okay, here is a suggestion. Just because someone says something, don't do it.... Unless it is me

 

The F1 key is usually, almost always used to access "help". That means, whatever program is running, pressing F1, there might be a delay and then you get a help page of some sort.

 

What you want to do is try the "Safe Mode". Pressing F8 just before you see the loading screen for Windows, and you will get a menu, where you can select "Safe Mode". Try "Safe Mode with Network" if you need access to the internet. If you can run for hours without the problem showing up, that will indicate there is a hardware problem or a hardware driver problem.

It is all about narrowing down of your problem, you have to find where and why a certain problems occur. And what was responsible for it. If you can trigger the same problem more than once, you have most likely found what can be fixed.

 

 

Also, I really would suggest you update your graphics driver to the newest version. Download from HP, and install, reinstall, or just upgrade.

 

And here is the very last thing, there was an issue with a certain SSD drive, that caused blue screens. It took me forever (days of pain) to find why it happened (and what was the cause), but all it needed was to update the driver (to a newer one).

Edited October 5, 2019 by Splashee

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

14 minutes ago, Splashee said:

Okay, here is a suggestion. Just because someone says something, don't do it.... Unless it is me

 

The F1 key is usually, almost always used to access "help". That means, whatever program is running, pressing F1, there might be a delay and then you get a help page of some sort.

 

What you want to do is try the "Safe Mode". Pressing F8 just before you see the loading screen for Windows, and you will get a menu, where you can select "Safe Mode". Try "Safe Mode with Network" if you need access to the internet. If you can run for hours without the problem showing up, that will indicate there is a hardware problem or a hardware driver problem.

It is all about narrowing down of your problem, you have to find where and why a certain problems occur. And what was responsible for it. If you can trigger the same problem more than once, you have most likely found what can be fixed.

 

 

Also, I really would suggest you update your graphics driver to the newest version. Download from HP, and install, reinstall, or just upgrade.

 

And here is the very last thing, there was an issue with a certain SSD drive, that caused blue screens. It took me forever (days of pain) to find why it happened (and what was the cause), but all it needed was to update the driver (to a newer one).

I’m not sure I can update the driver (one is I don’t know how, the other is I’m not sure that’s physically possible or not for me)

[Splashee 28,537]

@ExplosionMare Does your laptop charge the batteries correctly? Can you start the laptop without any power cord plugged in?

If it does, then that is a good thing!

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

43 minutes ago, Splashee said:

@ExplosionMare Does your laptop charge the batteries correctly? Can you start the laptop without any power cord plugged in?

If it does, then that is a good thing!

Yeah it works without a plug (it’s the opposite sometimes it stops working while being charged !)

41 minutes ago, Bas said:

For drivers you can try 'snappy driver installer' to guess them automatically, but it is a bit tricky to use. Maybe  should take a look tomorrow by discord or the like?

I don’t have a Discord

[Splashee 28,537]

Just now, ExplosionMare said:

Yeah it works without a plug (it’s the opposite sometimes it stops working while being charged !)

 

Well, that seems somewhat strange. I am just going to guess that you might have had a lightning strike while the cord was plugged in. And that something inside might have been destroyed, causing all kinds of weird stuff happening at random.

I don't know if any of our ideas can fix your problems. I still recommend using the laptop in "Safe Mode" as long as you can. If it crashes in "Safe Mode" , then the laptop is definitely damaged.

 

My computer is also damaged by a lightning strike. I can't use my built in LAN (that's the network, to access other computers and the internet). I thought I was clever by buying a PCI card with network, and it did work for a while. All of a sudden however, it just dropped dead also! And now my keyboard sometimes randomly lights the num lock LED light when I turn off the computer (being lit all the time until I power the PC on again).

That is an example of what happens when electronics are destroyed by lightning strikes. You have to at least consider your laptop to be damaged, even if it runs most of the time.

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

1 hour ago, Splashee said:

Well, that seems somewhat strange. I am just going to guess that you might have had a lightning strike while the cord was plugged in. And that something inside might have been destroyed, causing all kinds of weird stuff happening at random.

I don't know if any of our ideas can fix your problems. I still recommend using the laptop in "Safe Mode" as long as you can. If it crashes in "Safe Mode" , then the laptop is definitely damaged.

 

My computer is also damaged by a lightning strike. I can't use my built in LAN (that's the network, to access other computers and the internet). I thought I was clever by buying a PCI card with network, and it did work for a while. All of a sudden however, it just dropped dead also! And now my keyboard sometimes randomly lights the num lock LED light when I turn off the computer (being lit all the time until I power the PC on again).

That is an example of what happens when electronics are destroyed by lightning strikes. You have to at least consider your laptop to be damaged, even if it runs most of the time.

It’s not a lightening thing, it’s a consistent problem. Usually little buzzing noises then it freezes. This happens when I use the laptop while it’s low battery. 

As for Safe Mode, I’ll try it tomorrow but you’ll have to tell me where that is because I forgot (I’ve seen it but I’m not sure where I saw it).

[Pentium100 2,057]

1 hour ago, ExplosionMare said:

Usually little buzzing noises then it freezes. This happens when I use the laptop while it’s low battery. 

That seems like the internal voltage regulators are failing. Could be bad capacitors, you may need to bring the laptop to a repair shop.

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

2 hours ago, Bas said:

Maybe the performance is turning into a power-saving mode, but it is not enough to work properly anymore. You could check in the BIOS about that.

How would I get into the BIOS though? I’ve never heard of it before.

[The Historian 515]

Accessing the BIOS/UEFI depends on the motherboard manufacturer and what software they use for it. Usually when you boot it up, it will say something like 'Press [x] to access setup" or something akin to that. [x] will be whatever key is listed. Can be F1, F2 or Delete, which are the most common. F8 was Windows Safe Mode so the chances of that being the key are pretty slim.