Hi All,
I have a Compaq Presario V3137AU with default 80GB sata HDD.
unfortunately the hdd crashed,I asked HP for a new one and hey say they don't have any HDD less then 320 GB.
So I bought A WD 320 GB hdd and installed Win XP SP2.I had a lot of difficulties installing WINxp AND LOTS OF bsods.
The windows boots up and randomly I get BSOD maily related to HDD.
HP tells me that this HDD is too large for the laptop and this is the main problem.
have tried both fat32 and ntfs formatting with the same result.
Is anyone aware of a solution for such cases please?Any suggestions pls.
thanks.

What are the BSODs? Knowing what the BSOD states can be very very helpful...

I don't see how the size of the HDD (even if it is 2 times the size of the replacement part suggested by HP, # 590659-001), except perhaps in battery life, could affect the install unless the drive itself is damaged from the beginning...

how did you install the OS, via IDE mode of the controller or via the F6 prompt during setup?
 

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

Tahk you for caring to write.
0x7b,0xf4 are the main ones.
installed OS using recovery DVDs.Had difficulties installing because even the first time I tried I goe BSOD.have checked RAM and swap them already.Have changed the HDD twice by the vendor and he did not believe it could be defective after second time.
 

When you say, "have checked RAM and swap them already," do you mean you bought new RAM and have that installed or you removed one stick and it still did the BSOD?  I would download Ultimate Boot CD and use Memtest to test the installed RAM(new or not - Ive seen new RAM fail) and then your manufacturer's HDD test off it just to be sure.

How did you verify that the other two HDDs you sent back were bad?

If you load a Linux Live CD, does it behave normally?

"You don't know what you got, till it's gone..
80's hair band Cinderella or ode to data backups???"

Agreed - the old standards:  hard drive and memory tests.  Don't assume any one item is okay, even if new or replaced by the vendor.

You can't get anywhere until the basic components are tested out GOOD.  Let the MEMTEST run until complete.  If you're pressed for time use the Windows Memory Diagnostic, but in this case, I wouldn't try to cut corners.

 

By errors, I'd say the connection from mb to he is not all that secure. I'd take a second look look at the connections, remove the hd, and reseat it, making sure all plugs and cables are snugly in place.

I would also second the live cd route, as that will rule out the hardware (memory, mb, processor, components etc...) if it boots up correctly. Also a drive test just to make sure it has no errors or damaged sectors would be a good idea.


As a side note, when hard drives are too large for a machine, they simply won't be recognized, it's uncommon to get intermittent errors like this because of the he size. If bios can see it and it's full size then it is o.k for the pc.

 

----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Web & Tech
 

Thank all for the comments.
1- What I meant by swapping RAM was that I changed them with working RAMs from other machines.I also used the suspected RAM on another machine and they are ok.I sent the two HDDs back because 2-when I tried to boot from windows cd for the first time I got BSODs ,wrote down the codes and sent to the vendor.They decided to change them.
3-Yes I have installed Ubuntu on the machine and it works fine so I conclude that this is a windows problem?Could ofcourse be wrong.is there any chance to attach  mini dumps if it helps?

Quote:

working RAMs from other machines

If this means that you have NOT run the memory diagnostic test - DO IT before doing anything.  I don't care if it works on another PC.  Test it on the PC in question using MEMTEST86+

You can post your minidump somewhere where we can download it, but not on Tek-tips as far as I know.  I can analyze it if I can get it.

What about a different Windows XP CD - specifically one with SP3 integrated.

I would still test the drive and RAM just to be sure.  The tests only take time and little effort on your part.

You said you installed Ubuntu, not ran as a Live CD.  How long did you play around in it?  Would prolly give it a day or so of use to make sure it doesnt kernel panic at a random time.  

"You don't know what you got, till it's gone..
80's hair band Cinderella or ode to data backups???"

A BIOS update if there is one wouldn't be a bad idea at this point either.

the BSOD errors you described (0x7b and 0xf4) are usually due to driver mismatching or corrupt drivers, where the 0x7b always indicates the HDD (hardware or driver) and the 0xf4 error could be any type of driver or memory/hdd problem...

so, as suggested, test the memory and HDD...

you mentioned a Recovery CD/DVD, as the install media, is this a burned copy or an original CD/DVD? if it is a burned media, it could have been burned to FAST, this can lead to install problems as the setup can not read the data reliable...

can you get a hold of a regular OEM XP CD and install from that?

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

thank u you all.
1-memtest returned no errors.
2- tries reinstalling Windows XP using different media and encountered BSOD again.Toke me 6 tries to instal windows.
3-ran Ubuntu live CD with no problems however trying to the a memory test from Ubuntu cd,the machine shutsdown for some reason.
4- the Bios is the latest available.
5- Not sure if this helps but had a new BSOD with fatal system error message C000021a
6-another BSOD with 0xd1 and 0x7b

I am getting the feeling that you are using the wrong driver, then the BSOD 0xd1, 0x7b and 0xc0000021a would suggest that, where as it could also be that the MS generic drivers that get installed during setup are not correctly identifying the underlying hardware...

on laptops, or OEM machines, I prefer to use a slipstreamed install media, e.g. nLite, this allows me to have the correct drivers in use during installation, instead of having to rely on the MS ones...

btw. MemTest86+ that comes on some of the Ubuntu live CD'S, is flaky and is known to just crash, restart or shut down the PC... ;) had me going for a day and a half...

  

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

I got a hunch on this last night waking up from a dream at 2:00 a.m. - not kidding.  Should have been dreaming of S.I. models.

Try disabling the wireless adapter in the BIOS OR remove the wireless card from the machine if you can't disable it.  You could even disable onboard LAN (ethernet) and sound to cut down on the items that might be causing the problem.

Then load windows, see what happens.  If no blue screens after a few reboots, enable one of those items at a time (with wireless being last).  Make sure you have the latest driver for each device when you enable it.

I saw a Sony Vaio that would blue screen after windows was loaded but everything else checked out.  It was the wireless driver.

Agree with BadBigBen that it's a driver issue, but which one and is it related to the install media???

Thank you for all your comments.The problem remains unsolved.

Time to take it to a professional OR recycle it OR sell it for parts on ebay/c.l.

Any drive tests results? Have you tried the Ultimate Boot CD to run some drive tests on the HD?

Have you tried with a different sata cable if you have access to one?

 

 

----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Web & Tech
 

Tried testing HDD and found no problem with it.Ran memtest86 for 8 hours and found no errors.
trying different SATA cable is no option as this is a laptop but I didi take the hdd out and resitted it .The problem persists and HP support this is due to largr capacity of installed HDD.Somehow I donot believe this to be the case.
thank you

Did you check for a BIOS update?
Did you try my ideas for disabling devices in BIOS before running windows setup?
Did you try a different XP CD?

to add to Gooms questions:

have you attempted to slipstream the drivers, as per my post above?

driver: sp33031.exe aka nVidia Chipset driver...

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareCategory?os=228&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&sw_lang=&product=3279739#N855

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

Yes, please give us clear answers as to A)whether you have tried what we suggested and B) what the outcomes were if you did.

I thought It would be a good idea to share the solution here incase someone is directed to this page by search engines.
Apparently HP Suppor was wrong and the "Your motherboard does not support more than 80G HDD" is BS.
The problem is with the Nvidia chipset drivers.The HP site has failed to keep the drivers updated so has the MS Upate.I used a utility called driver magic*** to find the latest chipset drivers.
I waited for a week until today to be able to confirm the solution has worked.
Thanking you all for your advices.

Quote:

I thought It would be a good idea to share the solution here incase someone is directed to this page by search engines.

Yes, very good of you.

I'm kind of doubting the solution, but see if it works over a period of time.

Quote:

I used a utility called driver magic*** to find the latest chipset drivers

I would caution anyone using random third party solutions to detect/install drivers.  Some are good, some are virus traps.  Just be careful.  The manufacturer of the hardware (nvidia, intel, etc.) and/or the manufacturer of the computer are the best sources.

Noted with Thanks

what you need to do is "tattoo" the hard drive using a utility from HP called HDD-DMI. this is done for motherboards and hard drives.  

Having only heard of / seen that code purple in one instance before, never needing the utility myself in similar circumstances and then looking it up, I don't think that is required or the source of the problem in this situation.

He got a blue screen (BSOD) not code purple.

From this article:
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Hardware/HP-won-t-let-me-use-DMI-utility-for-tattooing-new-components-to/td-p/104380

"HP uses "tattoos" to prevent the OEM license from migrating to other PCs."

"The "tattooing" of the hard drive is an old method that is no longer used in the newer PCs."


Another interesting article:
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Operating-Systems/Windows-7-recovery-discs-fail-for-new-hard-drive/td-p/630717/page/2

 

Ive personally had to do a tattoo of a new motherboard for a HP desktop on a service call last year but it was an 2 year old machine then so it does fit in that timeline.  
I agree and know that the HDD tattooing is a thing of the past but with a replacement motherboard, I believe i could be necessary if the code is seen.

"You don't know what you got, till it's gone..
80's hair band Cinderella or ode to data backups???"

I know we're boring the OP, but I'm really surprised that I think I only saw this case once in all the PCs I've worked on.

I didnt know that the issue was that isolated as I had very limited experience with it as well.  Just figured my area got lucky.  After 8 years of commercial work and 12ish in general, Ive only came across maybe 2 cases.  Hoping others chime in.  Mine wasn't a horror story as some have said.

"You don't know what you got, till it's gone..
80's hair band Cinderella or ode to data backups???"

  Well, I know 10 years or so ago, we were required to tattoo the system board bios on HP computers, otherwise the restore disks would not work. Other than that, I found no reason to do it. Most of their system boards were very low end ASUS boards, you could flash standard ASUS bios, if you didn't want to use the HP recovery disks, and it would work no problem. HD tattoo, I would think would be something like the hdd fw lock on xbox, and xbox360 hard drives, so you couldn't just buy a cheaper hard drive and stick it in the case after you flashed the firmware, at least that's what I did on my xbox, and 360.