Member Avatar for gmstechhelp

1. OS-Windows XP Home
2. Slowed, froze, blue screened.
3. Select startup, F8. Nothing worked.
4. Formatted hard drive with wipe (format disk).
5. Tried to install XP Pro.
6. Power shut off at end of loading startup files.
7. Retried several times. Finally, loaded XP Pro.
8. While loading Office, froze, blue-screened.
9. Started over, but this time with original XP Home.
10. Power continues to shut off after loading "checking system and loading startup files".
11. No battery inserted.
12. Direct power.
13. When power goes off, unplug power supply, plug back in to be able to start again.
14. Is something in the startup files triggering the power shut off?
15. Is this a software or hardware problem, or both?

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Dani AI

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Brief expert summary: the repeated shutdowns during the very early boot phase (including when booting from external media) point strongly toward a hardware power-delivery or motherboard problem rather than a startup-file/Windows-only issue. As suggested, booting from a Linux "live" CD/USB is a simple isolation step — it runs an OS entirely from removable media so the hard drive and installed Windows are not involved.

Suggested diagnostic sequence:

  1. Verify the AC adapter output with a multimeter or try a known-good adapter of the same voltage/current rating. An adapter that collapses under load will cause abrupt shutdowns.
  2. Check the DC jack and plug for looseness, heat, or intermittent contact (wiggle the plug while observing LEDs/fan). Loose jacks and broken solder joints are frequent on older laptops.
  3. Perform a minimal-hardware boot: remove the HDD, optical drive, cards and extra RAM; leave one RAM stick and try booting from live media. If it still dies with minimal load, the fault is almost certainly power circuitry or motherboard.
  4. Reseat and swap RAM modules (one stick at a time) and try each RAM slot. Memory faults or bad slots can cause early failures.
  5. Observe fan behavior, POST beeps, status LEDs and any smells or visible damage (bulging/leaking capacitors). Fan not spinning or damaged caps point at thermal or board-level failure.
  6. If live media runs for several minutes without shutting down, investigate the HDD, drive cables and installer sources next.

Model-specific note for the HP/Presario 2100: on many older Presario units the DC-in jack, its solder joints, and nearby power regulation components are common failure points. Visual inspection of the board (with power and battery removed) for bulging caps or burn marks is useful, but board-level repair should be left to a technician if not comfortable with laptop disassembly.

Recommendation: follow the isolation steps above to confirm hardware vs. drive/software. If the machine dies with nothing but AC, CPU and one RAM stick present, professional bench testing (voltage-rail checks, DC jack replacement or motherboard repair) will be needed.

Recommended Answers

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Member Avatar for Xlphos

Did the computer turn off whilst installing XP?
Perhaps there is a problem with the hard drive. Did you reinstall XP because of being unable to boot up?
Can you tell us what the BSOD error is?

There's no need to number each line.

Member Avatar for gmstechhelp

Please refer to info above with the numbers. There was no error shown. The power shut off while trying to load XP Pro and Home. Thanks if you can help!

Member Avatar for Xlphos

their is a difference between loading and installing. What I am asking is does the PC turn off whilst you are installing from CD Or after the installation begins from the hard drive?

Try a linux live CD to see if there is something wrong with your HDD or if it is something else. If you can boot from the CD then it could be something else other than the hard drive. If the CD works and the PC doesn't shut off it could be a fault with the hard drive.

Edited by Xlphos because: n/a
Member Avatar for gmstechhelp

What is a linux live CD? It actually cuts off from the CD. The HD is formatted.

Member Avatar for Xlphos

If it cuts out whilst using the CD then It probably is not just the HDD.

Is this a laptop or desktop?

Number 13. in you original post, Does it refuse to start if you don't unplug it first?

Member Avatar for gmstechhelp

Is there anyone out there who actually has worked on an HP Compaq Presario 2100 with similar problems? I really need to discuss this with them.

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