Old HP won't Boot Every Time

[Jafo]

I have an old 900mhz HP Pavilion that I pulled the floppy to use on my current machine becuase the floppy on my current doesn't work. After I finished using it I put it back in the old HP. I then turned on the old machine and all I get is the HP splash screen and it doesn't boot. The light on the keyboard flashes but no error sounds or normal boots sound happen. I can disconnect the keyboard and mouse and it will eventually boot, but not all the time. It was working perfectly until I pulled the floppy. I've since pulled everything out and checked all connections and it still won't boot properly. On one of the successful boots I reinstalled the mouse driver and restarted and it got stuck on the HP splash screen again.

Stats for the HP:

AMD 900mhz
256mb Ram
MS usb mouse

[Jafah5150]

Oh oh, you woke up the gremlin..lol


Is it possible you might have bumped the heatsink?

If it ever lets you get to the desktop, check hardware properties for any (!).

Long shot but it sometimes works for rigs that I haven't messed around in for a long while: *unplug the power supply from the wall first, press the power button and hold it for 2-3 seconds*, then unplug the 20pin ATX power plug on the motherboard, wait a minute or two and plug it back in.

[pc_guy]

Once you manage to boot, is the floppy drive working? Check that the ribbon cable for the floppy isn't reversed, also, double check all the power connections and try what Jafah5150 said in the last post.

Another thing would be to go into the BIOS and check that the A: drive is set for Floppy drive.

[Jafo]

I'll have to check the bios again when I get home. The floppy cable is kinda dummy proof with only one way to hook-up. I thought the same think until I checked it. I didn't check the heat sink but I'll do that as well.

[Jafo]

Well, I've checked everything and it turns out the mouse is causing the problem. I have an MS usb intillimouse (sp?) which was using a PS/2 adapter, but I used the adapter on my current machine to diagnose the last issue I had. Like an idiot I didn't attach it back to the old mouse, so as you might guess.....the adapter has become MIA (no it's not connected to my current machine ). I have tried disabling PS/2 mouse in the bios and I continue to have the same boot issue. It doesn't boot with the mouse attached, but if I disconnect the mouse it boots right up. After it boots I can attach the mouse and everything work fine until I reboot and the process starts over. Any ideas how to get the usb mouse to work without the PS/2 adapter and have the system boot?

[pc_guy]

Other than going back to using a PS/2 mouse, there is another way that might work, it's a bit ghetto, you have been warned.
Find an old or even broken PS/2 mouse, plug it into the PS/2 port, along with the USB mouse, it shouldn't complain because there is a PS/2 mouse plugged in, you just won't be using it.

I've also seen loopback PS/2 adapters, that might trick the computer into thinking there is a mouse plugged in.

[Cyberlon]

If you would like a PS/2 adapter, I have dozens and will give you one.

[Jafo]

Originally Posted by Cyberlon

If you would like a PS/2 adapter, I have dozens and will give you one.

Hey, that'd be great. I'll pm you my address.

[Cyberlon]

... whew! almost broke the bank for postage, a whole $0.52 lol! It is already on its way.

[Jafo]

Originally Posted by Cyberlon

... whew! almost broke the bank for postage, a whole $0.52 lol! It is already on its way.

Thanks!