Removed RAM, Replaced RAM, notebook no longer starts properly

guyladouche · #1 (**permalink**) 01-30-2007, 03:09 AM

Okay, so I finally have a quandry that perhaps you all could help me with. I have a Gateway MX6425 notebook with 1GB RAM (2x512), AMD Turion 64, Windows XP Pro SP2.

I took my RAM out of my notebook so I could troubleshoot the RAM in my sister's notebook (both notebooks take the same type of DDR ram, same speed, same voltage). So I replaced one of my 512 pieces of ram with a 1GB piece I bought her for Christmas (the suspect RAM), and my notebook started up just fine, and showed 1.5GB RAM. So then I removed the 512 mb piece and kept in the 1GB piece, and the notebook would not start up. Everything reads fine in the bios--all hardware shows up like normal. But after the computer POSTs, a "Resuming Windows..." text appears in white against a black screen--like when the computer normally resumes from Hibernation--except the white tiles that indicate the progress of the resume do not show up--just the text. Nothing happens no matter how long I leave it sitting (up to one hour). I removed all the RAM, and replaced it with only my original RAM. Same thing happens.

Okay, so I decided to start in safe mode. Hit F8 after the POST, still get the "Resuming Windows..." text on the black screen. Nothing happens. No boot options like normal in safe mode. Nothing at all.

Okay, so I decided to reinstall windows over my current installation so I wouldn't lose all of my data. No big deal, right? Nope, after the Windows Installation CD preloads all of the files it requires upon restart, when the computer restarts, I get the same "Resuming Windows..." text that I've gotten before--no windows setup screen. No options. Safe mode still does not work.

Okay, so I have no idea what to do now aside from reformatting my HD and doing a clean install. It's not a big deal, I backup all of my data regularly--I'd only lose my outlook express folders, which sucks, but I'll be fine. I'm just curious if anyone has encountered this, or has any advice so I can avoid a reformat/clean install? Anything would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

guyladouche · #2 (**permalink**) 01-31-2007, 07:22 AM

Well, nevermind I guess. I dumped all of my stuff on my HD onto my desktop so I didn't lose any data, and decided to do a clean install. I have no idea why a clean install worked whereas the other methods weren't working. If only it were easy to just clear the CMOS on a notebook, I think that would have fixed the problem.

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