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98SE startup problems

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by tntholt

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Hello, I have an HP Pvailion N3295 laptop with 98Se on it. I tried to load the software and drivers for a Netgear wireless card the other day and when the computer restarted, well it doesn't restart. It tries to and then its like someone pulls the plug and it it shuts down. I have tried to boot from the CD but it still shuts down. It does it at verying stages of startup not always at the same point.

Help! I am a novice so the more detail the better.

Thanks in advance.

3 replies

by sgt_shultz

sounds like hardware, maybe. power supply going south or maybe fan stopped and processor overheating. prove it is not hardware by booting from floppy (windows 98se startup floppy if you can get hands on one) or Win98 installation cd. just boot and leave computer running at installation screen or dos prompt. if it boots that far and stays running, it is not hardwarwe *(well, maybe can still be ram but i don't think so from your symptoms) you may have to change BIOS settings on computer so computer will try to boot first from floppy or cd. if you can't get into setup because system is shutting down then you have hardware problem. overheating i bet. open box and vac or blow out dust. look at all the fans. turn on box with cover off and see if fans spin. when you are in bios, see if there is setting for shutdown computer if overheat. you can experiement with that setting but it is for your good that it shuts down when hot. you could also try reseating all cards and ram and processor.

by tntholt

I will try those. The fan spins at startup but stops after that. I will try to reseat everything. Thanks.

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