Solved: Notebook Turns off during Windows install

[Ticcer]

Notebook Turns off during Windows install

Hi. I have a Samsung NP-X50 notebook.

After a nasty chinese speaking malware attack, I've had to reinstall Windows.

Everything was fine untill I tried. When the XP recovery CD boots, it gets to the "Setup is starting windows" bit (before the format and file copy) then the notebook just turns off.. no beeps, no warning, nothing.

I had it turned off for about 30 mins and tried again a few times. Now it gets to the file copy stage and at anywhere between 6% and 20% copied, then it just turns off.

So far, I've tested the RAM (2 x 512) no issue. Tested the Fujitsu SATA HDD with the Fujitsu HDD Tools.. no issue. Have done a successful full format, no issues. I even FDISK \MBR and formatted again (Just in case of MBR malware. No issues. The 16 MB recovery partition is still intact.

I can run a utility boot disk with no problems. It will run for hours and not turn off. I can also run a mini XP environment for testing with no issues. Indeed, the previous installation of Windows was running just fine save for some annoyances created by the malware... and that was only yesterday.

After it had been off for a few hours, I tried again. This time it went all the way to 99% Windows files copied during the installation process... then simply turned off!

I'm thinking it may be a heat issue.. something getting hot and failing.

I wanted to take the thing apart and give it a good clean (dust etc). Have taken all the screws out, the HDD, the RAM, the keyboard screws, but it will not come apart.

Does anyone have any suggestions... or know how to take one of these things apart without forcing the magnesium casing to crack?

Many thanks.

Ticcer

 

[farad]

hi, to take it apart you will need to remove the screen from the side as well and also you will have to remove te keyboard and underneath it will be some screws. It depends on the actual model, they vary.
Have you tried using a live disk, such as ultimate boot cd or bartpe and see if you can try and run some tests from there they have lots. When you are installing the operating system is the battery fully charges, make sure it is then install it. It might sound stupid have you tried another cd to see if you get same problem, also access the bios by pressing del or f10 depending on what is shown during boot, and click set defaults and exit saving changes.

 

[Ticcer]

Thanks farad. I got the keyboard out... and found 2 other screwes that released part of the chassis. Now I'm completely flummoxed as to how to remove the screen. There is simply no other screws that I can see... nor behind any of the little rubber cusions around the screen or the chassis and something else is definately impeading the chassis from being removed other than the monitor... on the CPU side of the notebook.

I'll keep looking.

Edit. I've tried 3 different XP disks. All do the same thing. Tried several live discs and all run fine, although the memory test went OK, it turned off after the 9th pass. BIOS settings are all OK, the same as when I got it.

 

[Ticcer]

Ok. Sussed it. There is a couple of tiny keyholes visible when the battery is out, ya stick a screwdriver in and turn so two bits of case pop off either side of the screen releaving another 4 screws. Got the top part chassis free from the bottom part... only some cables remain defiant towards my quest to separate the two halves.

 

[Ticcer]

Solved: Managed to give the motherboard and fan area a good clean. Windows installed fine and the fan does not spin up like it used to. It's running a lot cooler now.

Thanks

Ticcer

 

[farad]

wow, great to hear the good news, i just cleaned my dekstop pc after long time, a good cleaning is always good. Though grounding your self is also important
Thanks for your reply also, see you have learned something new so have I!

good luck with everything