Question HP Pavilion dv4 notebook PC trying to run an installation disc because boot manager missing

[MasterVon]

All right I really appreciate if you buddy can help me I have a HP Pavilion notebook PC that was stuck it's a start up because the boot manager was missing I didn't have any of the installation disks the current operating system was Vista I was given a Windows XP installation disc when I try to run it I get the error that Windows has shutdown to prevent damage to my computer I've included a picture what do I do from here I can't load the computer because the boot manager is missing is there any other way to get past this also it's worth noting i did try the other system recovery options they were listed in the startup with the exception of network because I don't have a network to connect it to there wasn't any backup or anything in the computer that I was able to fine really appreciate the help guys

 

[VirtualLarry]

IIRC, that's the STOP error, "ERROR_INACCESSABLE_DISK". That's because XP's install CDs (you ARE using a SP3/3a disc, right?), don't natively support AHCI disk controllers. See if the laptop's BIOS will allow you to set the disk controller mode to "IDE" or "legacy". If it can't, then you'll have to download the XP AHCI drivers (probably Intel), onto a a REAL FLOPPY DISK, and use a USB Floppy Drive, and press F6 during XP's setup, to install the drivers at the appropriate point, such that setup can proceed. Or obtain "slipstreamed" media with the XP AHCI drivers already in place in the install image file. (See if you can download an HP XP install CD, that is HP-laptop-specific.)

Is there some reason, that you're trying to use an OLDER OS, rather than NEWER? I would, for a hoot, use the "Microsoft Media Creation Tool", to make a bootable USB stick (you'll need to get one), with a (32-bit, maybe?) version of Windows 10, and try booting and installing Windows 10 from USB.

 

[MasterVon]

IIRC, that's the STOP error, "ERROR_INACCESSABLE_DISK". That's because XP's install CDs (you ARE using a SP3/3a disc, right?), don't natively support AHCI disk controllers. See if the laptop's BIOS will allow you to set the disk controller mode to "IDE" or "legacy". If it can't, then you'll have to download the XP AHCI drivers (probably Intel), onto a a REAL FLOPPY DISK, and use a USB Floppy Drive, and press F6 during XP's setup, to install the drivers at the appropriate point, such that setup can proceed. Or obtain "slipstreamed" media with the XP AHCI drivers already in place in the install image file. (See if you can download an HP XP install CD, that is HP-laptop-specific.)

Is there some reason, that you're trying to use an OLDER OS, rather than NEWER? I would, for a hoot, use the "Microsoft Media Creation Tool", to make a bootable USB stick (you'll need to get one), with a (32-bit, maybe?) version of Windows 10, and try booting and installing Windows 10 from USB.

 

[MasterVon]

hey man thanks for taking the time to help me with my little problem if you got a little more time maybe you could walk me through in layman's terms exactly what I need to do to get this computer operational.... I was given the XP disk from a guy I did some work for who is a video tech for PBS and I guess it was something they still had sitting around he also gave me the key code he told me I have to put in I don't see anywhere in startup menu I can change any of the configurations that you mentioned if I understood you correctly I can get a later version disc in the computer should become operational as far as the window 10 how do I tell if the hardware on this computer would still work anyway thanks for your help and any additional information man,,, I think maybe I should also point out did I do still primarily use a flip phone don't really know nothing about computers but if I could get Windows 10 on here for her I'm sure that would be more appropriate then XP but worst case scenario I just wanted to give it to her running

 

[VirtualLarry]

Honestly, for a system of that vintage, I think that trying to shoe-horn some variant of Windows on there (XP, 10, something in the middle like Vista or 7), is a losing proposition.

Go to www.linuxmint.com , download Linux Mint 19.1 Cinnamon (try 64-bit first) ISO file. Download that on a Windows machine with a DVD-RW drive. Then download ImgBurn from www.imgburn.com , scroll down to the newest version update down below, click on the (proper) Download link, then select the LAST mirror, imgburn.com , and then when installing, make sure that you DO NOT install the "CompanionWare" - don't just blindly click "Next", you need to uncheck stuff. Or download and install "Unchecky" before you do ImgBurn.

Once you get a proper ImgBurn install (it's free), and have your Linux Mint ISO file, click on "Write Image to Disc", put in a blank DVD-R or DVD+R, navigate to and double-click on the ISO file, and it should burn the ISO file (as an image! not just a file!) to the disc.

Then take that disc, once burned and verified, and pop it into the laptop, and boot off of it, and see if Linux Mint 19.1 will boot, first-off. It may load slowly, and make some grinding noises with the disc drive.

Once you get to the desktop, try opening Firefox, browse the internet a bit, see if the Wifi works on the laptop, try it out. Then you can double-click the "Install Linux Mint" disc icon on the desktop, to start the installer, and follow the prompts to install it, if it works on that hardware.

Best of luck!

I know that might sound complicated, at first, but trust me, it's actually, far far easier, than trying to get Windows on there, except possible for using a USB Windows 10 installer.

Edit: Take note that you should probably visit imgburn.com with an AdBlocker enabled, there are a lot of fake "Download!" / "Download Now!" links on that page, that don't download ImgBurn. You MUST scroll down a little ways, to the newest version update, and download from that regular link on the page. And beware of the CompanionWare with the .exe installer too.