Old laptop screen haphazard sometimes, now some services won’t start
August 5th, 2016
Is there a forum I should join re this, or some kind soul here know how to troubleshoot?
Crash dump files turned on, but no dump files. No events I can c about the time of haphazard screen. So I thought hardware issue. Passed HDD & RAM tests, a free Video Stress test. Kaspersky can’t find a virus.
Problem only happened once when booting from several diagnostic CDs, from a dozen boots. Those minimal graphics of course. 1 test took 2 days & screen held up! Boots in safe mode the few times I tired that. If doesn’t boot eg a little past logon, it often does boot next boot. Now began not starting some services like Security Centre, Volume Shadow Copy, Audio service, & recording Events.
Lots of errors in event viewer eg Video Shadow Copy error 8194, helppane.exe faulted err 1000, COM+EvSys error 4609, when that was recording a few weeks ago. NTbtlog shows kbdhid.sys never starts (keyboard, I would have thought important), ditto NDProxy.sys & srv.sys is loaded but not loaded next line, sometimes cdfs.sys doesn’t load or is last to load. SFC/scannow in Vista said successfully repaired files (but the problem remains). Diagnostic startup option in msconfig works, but lots of things not working then of course. No exclamation mark on any device in Device Manager when it boots into Windows normal mode.
I haven’t tried disabling half services or autostart programs, as I thought it’s a hardware issue, but now I have no idea.
Any ideas?
Relative asked me to look at Toshiba laptop
Oh boy.
with Vista,
Oh boy!
about 8 yrs old
Oh boy!!!
Format and put XP to it. Or Lubuntu or maybe Win8. Screen problem could be inverter/bulb related, could be bad ribbon placement (ribbon = the screen cable), could be gpu, better leave it as is, just put a different operating system to it.
Edit: Keyboard problem I suspect it’s OS related, but if you encounter problems after installing a new OS find a cheap replacement off ebay and replace it.
Difficult where it belongs to a relative, but as said your best bet is reinstalling OS (but not Vista), but grab all drivers first and keep them safe unless you are going to Win8.1 which should sort that out pretty much ( a few updates may be req’d)
If all else fails, and you have a video fault, you could try baking the video card, if it has a separate one..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li2YTxcGI9Q
Otherwise Google your make and model of laptop for more faults..
I highly recommend you to do a full batch of benchmark and reading monitoring information(like S.M.A.R.T.) to check if everything is alright.
I highly recommend you to do a full batch of benchmark and reading monitoring information(like S.M.A.R.T.) to check if everything is alright.
Please elaborate, as I’d have to do this 1st b4 wipe HDD? Or image HDD 1st? I’m no expert. I’ve tried Micro-Scope v14, not knowing details of how it works, took days so I ended up cancelling. I selected all tests, 4 runs. Keyboard test is simply press a key & Micro-scope shows what pressed. All keys worked, except Shift & Ctrl flash. Also tried a couple of Hiren’s programs, incl few HDD surface tests, all passed. What app/s do u suggest? Wipe HDD & install XP doesn’t sound too much work if probably software issue not hardware. Toshiba probably have drivers on their website, & I have SP3 & other XP updates on DVD. I presume I could use a Driver Update program once basic drivers & OS working. I think RAM & CPU speed probably too small for Win 8.1.
I’ve also seen a few programs online, promising to fix dll problems eg kbdhid.sys. Don’t wish to use without someone with knowledge recommendation. I tend to agree kbdhid.sys is software not hardware problem.
Screen problem could be inverter/bulb related, could be bad ribbon placement (ribbon = the screen cable), could be gpu Its a laptop with graphics built in mobo. Passed “Video Stress Test”. How to fix “Bad ribbon placement”? Just pull apart enough to disconnect screen ribbon cable from mobo & reconnect? Or needs new ribbon/screen? R there apps to test these without need to disassemble 1st?Google your make and model of laptop for more faults. I presume u mean if others with same model have had the same screen problem & solved the problem. I guess it’s worth a try.The bottom line is the laptop is worth little, near end of its life. But being for a relative, I don’t want to give up without knowing what hardware is causing the problem, or if software, installing XP sounds reasonable. Or would it b quicker to image the HDD then install XP & if that works, update XP & drivers?
Thanks everyone for your ideas.
Most of the things you describe look like OS problems, Vista is notorious for this. About the screen, yes it might work if you try to just plug it again, testing it is a little more difficult. If you put an external monitor to the laptop and it does it there too, it’s probably graphics, not much you can do. Don’t create a system image, it’s pointless, just find an external storage, backup his/hers important files(pics docs etc), do a clean format and install XP and his/hers programs + files again. I use faronics system profiler to remember the programs installed, there are others too.
www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Info/Faronics-System-Profiler.shtmlIt is vital that you will get either the Ethernet drivers or the wireless drivers of the laptop first, everything else you can grab later. Get the drivers from Toshiba.
Personally, I’d recommend Lubuntu/Xubuntu instead, it’s still supported and it will save you the hassle of searching for drivers as it installs everything automatically and user gets a software center with various programs to choose from ( kinda like the play store for android).
Thanks Jack_Torrance.
I haven’t yet tried external monitor (without laptop screen on I guess) to check its internal graphics. Will try to get time soon. The screen went well yesterday, I found that lots of services not starting were simply set to disabled (by msconfig when I tried diagnostic boot few days ago, & it Vista didn’t reset services?). So I backed up photos etc on the sick laptop, then used Win XP CD to format & install XP. Got to few minutes from finish & froze. Had been on for hours. Text on screen was shadowed a bit to left & right of itself, & traces of colour in wrong places eg Win logo & install progress bar. Had to use power button to turn off.
So I guess that proves internal graphics hardware problem. I haven’t seen anything online about bad ribbon placement for this model laptop, so might it b worth a try to pull keyboard out & c if display ribbon in properly? Online shows a number of blank screen problems & video errors with this model, said to have issues with heat. Another said probably Ball Grid Array, that the soldering of all the balls can have bad connections after years of heat & use. Said could try heat gun, but don’t warp mobo. Quick eBay search shows manufacturer refurbished mobos about $45, up to $70 new mobo. Laptop was made 7.5 yrs ago, 2 GB RAM, 1.8 Ghz CPU.
I’ll put some options to my relative tomorrow eg buy hdd enclosure, sell RAM, screen with case etc if ne1 wants these, or buy mobo & I’ll put more time in for free.
Any more thought please, & thank u very much for taking the time to help.
Further to above, installed XP on 2nd go, no specific graphics adapter drivers yet, & it freezes with text shadowed either side of itself. Ditto when external monitor only. So obviously graphics issue, on motherboard. Owner will sell for parts.
Thanks everyone for your help, especially Jack Torrance for the format & install XP idea – that quickly determined it’s a hardware issue.