Repeated MBR issue

[Big Jim]

Laptop is a quad-core Sandybridge HP Pavillion.
in the last year it has had
500GB SSD + 1TB HDD Upgrade
Soutbridge repair (External repair)

because of the above the customer is obviously invested in this laptop and doesn't want to get rid.

it has come back in 3 times now with the same issue, no boot device found
twice I was able to use the Macrium reflect boot disk to "repair windows boot issues", once I had to restore it using an image.

I have ran memtest on it and although it completed with no errors it took a long time.
running for around 36 hours, it completed 6 passes total, it didn't freeze once just took ages.

Lastly it is running 1909, because when we updated past that the wifi stops working

Customer hasn't complained, but I feel bad for them because it keeps happening.



What am I missing ?

 

[carmen617]

If it were my client I would tell them that there is something fundamentally damaged about the Windows installation and recommend backing it up with Fabs and doing a clean install of the latest version of Windows 10. If the WiFi still doesn't work with a clean install of 20H2, replace the card.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Just keep takin the fools money. 8-10 year old laptop. The amount being spent is more than the value of the machine.

 

[lcoughey]

I assume that it is booting off the SSD. There is a chance that it could be failing.

 

[Big Jim]

I assume that it is booting off the SSD. There is a chance that it could be failing.

We installed it brand new for them in the last year, its a 500GB Crucial MX500.

As for the windows installation, in our notes it had a clean installation of W10 this time last year, since then it has had all of the above work carried out.
RE: Wifi card issue at the time 20H2 wasn't out but 2004 stopped the wifi card working (which works perfectly fine in 1909) so I guess its just an age/driver thing, I only mentioned it to give as full a picture as possible.

 

[Mick]

Just an outside punt, but - have you checked that this disk is fully and properly seated? It would only need to be a gnat's cock out to throw this error from time to time.

 

[Markverhyden]

Soutbridge repair (External repair)

I've never been a big believer in 3rd party board level repairs. Things like fuses are pretty simple to do. But anything involving logic chips is a completely different matter. Southbridge includes SATA functions, so my vote goes with that.

From a wikipedia article at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southbridge_(computing)#/media/File:Motherboard_diagram.svg

 

[nlinecomputers]

I've never been a big believer in 3rd party board level repairs. Things like fuses are pretty simple to do. But anything involving logic chips is a completely different matter. Southbridge includes SATA functions, so my vote goes with that.

This. Hp made some really crap laptops back then. The fact that it needed a reflow or other repairs is not surprising. Call it dead and move on.

 

[lcoughey]

We installed it brand new for them in the last year, its a 500GB Crucial MX500.

I'm not sure how this is relevant, unless the issue you describe pre-existed the installation of the SSD.

 

[glennd]

We're all friends here.

says who?

 

[nlinecomputers]

Bite me

 

[NviGate Systems]

I just Googled for images based on the laptop description, and yes, these were the WORST laptops EVER. Well, among the ones that shouldn't be.

I had a client that had constant issues with hers. This when it was still only about 2-3 years old. It constantly came back for Wifi issues, in fact I had to write a custom script to re enable wireless when it failed because it was getting unfair she constantly had to come in for us to run some commands. Plus, it randomly would do the MBR thing like yours. I remember the plastics on these ones as I've done repairs on them.

If memory serves on these laptops there is a chip that gets really hot and is basically shoved against plastic housing with one of those thick silicon heat pads. You get a feel for which machines are going to be trouble.

Tell your client that if you keep servicing this machine it's going to eat more and more money. Why not plug the leak and get a decent replacement? That things has got to be old by now anyways, I'm pretty sure it shipped with 7 or 8 and Windows 10 hasn't been kind to it either.

 

[HFultzjr]

Dear customer,
I'm sorry, but there is nothing I can do to keep your laptop functioning without it continuing to need constant repairing. You have already spent X amount of dollars and in your best interest I suggest you cut your loses and get a replacement, I can get you a good BUSINESS CLASS REFURBISHED laptop for X dollars. Explain the differences and convince them it is in their best interest.

 

[Big Jim]

You're hiding something.

It's a dv6 or dv7, isn't it? Widely and justifiably known as the most poorly designed and unreliable laptops ever made?

Go on, you can tell us. We're all friends here.

its one of those 2 yes.

I feel bad for them now, having piled so much money in to it over the last year.
We ran Prime 95 on it for about 45mins earlier today
no errors but it got to 95oC so had to stop it.

 

[Porthos]

its one of those 2 yes.

When someone has one of those I go straight to replace it. Those models and the older DV6000 and DV9000 were lemons out of the box. So bad HP caught a class action lawsuit and was replacing boards for free.