Laptop not working

BusyLizzy

Hi all,
My son has come back from uni with his laptop. When you power up it says 'Windows has encountered a problem communicating with a device connected to your computer.'


Any ideas as to what the problem might be?


Thanks in advance.

grumpycrab

1. Has he (or somebody else) taken the hard disk out? Could have become unplugged (doubtful). Make of laptop?
Any mechanical noise (except fan) when switched on?

or try
2. Reset the laptop (no data loss):-

1. Power off your laptop.
2. Disconnect mains adapter (if it's connected).
3. Take out the battery.
4. Press and hold power button for 20secs
5. Release power button.
6. Put in back the battery and reconnect mains.
7. Power on.

3. Next option - windows repair (Windows 7 assumed)
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/what-are-system-recovery-options#what-are-system-recovery-options=windows-7
Or, for windows 8
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-8/windows-startup-settings-safe-mode
(section To get to Windows Start-up Settings in the Windows Recovery Environment)

Fightsback

Probably a failing hard drive.

BusyLizzy

Thanks for your replies.


I have tried your first suggestions of taking out battery etc., but it didn't have any effect.


With your second suggestion, the system recovery options box doesn't appear. The laptop had the hard drive replaced a month ago, initially it was working. Now it beeps every ten seconds or so when you power up. Now my son is home from uni, the repair shop we used is 100 miles away so I'm wondering if there is anything we can do ourselves?

enfield_freddy

"encountered a problem communicating with a device connected to your computer."


check for a jammed in sd card , if a card slot is fitted


I had this problem when reloading an old laptop some time ago , windows just hung on reloading

Le_Kirk

The beeps sound like a POST (power on self test). If you can tell us the exact sequence of bleeps and the make of laptop someone will be able to inform you what the bleeps mean. You also state that "Windows has encountered ...." So do we assume that sometimes the bleeps stop and Windows O/S attempts to start. Do you see the "Starting Windows" on the screen or does the error message come up first? Following on from the SD card that might be stuck in its slot, is there a CD/DVD drive with a disc in there?