Laptop mystery?

Boomyal

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 16, 2003
Messages
12,072
Mrs. B's Dell laptop just up and quit. She rebooted after running a malware scan and it just came up to a black screen with a little horizontal dash in the upper left hand corner. It would seem to start normal, bringing up the Dell logo with a little scrolling bar, then just go to the blank screen.

I thought perhaps the hard drive died. A friend put in a hard drive diagnostic CD and it showed no problems. He then stuck in a Linux disc and it booted right up, even connecting tot he internet. This all seems to show that the hard drive and motherboard are ok.

Not sure what to try next. Any ideas?
 

Huron Angler

Admiral
Joined
Apr 7, 2009
Messages
6,025
Re: Laptop mystery?

That's weird, our Dell laptop did the same thing last week.:eek:

Good news for you is(hopefully) ours started working again after some real technical work done by my girlfriend.

I will have to ask her what she did, pretty sure she turned it off and then back on again and it worked fine the next day.:D

Bottom line is that we didn't pay anyone to fix it, and it works now.

Hope it's a glitch and you get her running again.
 

DianneB

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Feb 8, 2010
Messages
303
Re: Laptop mystery?

There is a small software program that is run when you first turn on a computer called the bootstrap or kernal. It's job is to initialize the computer and then start the DOS (disk operating system, like Windows). It sounds like your computer isn't finding the operating system. You should have a CD that came with the machine with the OS on it. If you put that in the CD drive when you power up, it should start.

In any case, it is an easy fix and shouldn't cost you much more than $50.
 

Boomyal

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 16, 2003
Messages
12,072
Re: Laptop mystery?

There is a small software program that is run when you first turn on a computer called the bootstrap or kernal. It's job is to initialize the computer and then start the DOS (disk operating system, like Windows). It sounds like your computer isn't finding the operating system. You should have a CD that came with the machine with the OS on it. If you put that in the CD drive when you power up, it should start.

.......


I have the original OS disc that came with the computer. I thought about using it but hesitated for fear that I would overwrite the existing OS. I didn't want to do that except as a last resort.

If I do it and it starts up using the cd based 'bootstrap', how do I get that over to the hard drive.
 

korygrandy

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 14, 2010
Messages
698
Re: Laptop mystery?

If it's Windows XP CD you should be able to boot from it and repair or reinstall your OS.

If linux is booting at least you know it's not a hardware malfunction. Software is free to fix...hardware is usually not.
 

Boomyal

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 16, 2003
Messages
12,072
Re: Laptop mystery?

If it's Windows XP CD you should be able to boot from it and repair or reinstall your OS.

If linux is booting at least you know it's not a hardware malfunction. Software is free to fix...hardware is usually not.

At this point, Repair-Yes, re-install_No. I hope it gives you the choice when you run the OS CD. I do not want to re-install yet because there is data I need to get off of it. I suppose I could do it using Linux but I would rather wait to see if there is something I can fix with the current version of the OS.
 

dolluper

Captain
Joined
Jul 19, 2004
Messages
3,900
Re: Laptop mystery?

How do the fans work....I went through headaches with dells most were heat related...odd cause was bad ram.....through a big fan by it and see if it boots....ifin it does get SPEEDFAN and download free.....most run get on any Linux because of the great fan control Linux has
 

sasto

Captain
Joined
Jun 1, 2010
Messages
3,918
Re: Laptop mystery?

Try shutting down....remove the battery for a minute...I'm really streaching here but it may solve a problem.
 

BuzzStPoint

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
May 27, 2009
Messages
1,003
Re: Laptop mystery?

Sounds like a boot sector problem to me...

I read XP?
Usually will happen after an infection.

Boot with your XP CD

Choose the Repair console. (not the repair windows)
A black command prompt will show.
It will ask you for a windows installation. They will be listed usually it 1
Password if needed but usually none.

At the command prompt. you will type 2 commands

fixboot
fixmbr

Once those commands are done. Type exit or simply reboot the machine. Take out the cd and it should boot up for you.
 

j_martin

Admiral
Joined
Sep 22, 2006
Messages
7,474
Re: Laptop mystery?

If that doesn't work, boot it off the install disk into the repair console and copy the 5 hives in the system volume directory that are about a week old over the present 5 hives of the registry.

There's a write up telling how to do it on Mickeysofts site. They use their repair environment.

If the disk is good, diagnostics run, then the MBR will be OK. The above commands won't hurt a healthy disk UNLESSS it's running on an intel raid system. Some Lenovo computers do that even though there's only one disk in it.

The hive replacement is safe if it's done right.

hope it helps
john
 

BuzzStPoint

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
May 27, 2009
Messages
1,003
Re: Laptop mystery?

Do you type those commands individually or chained together?

iIndividually.

Each command will take about 10 seconds each.. Maybe less
What some malware have been doing, it attaching themselves to the boot sector of the drive. this will allow them to run no matter what. When you remove the program. The computer (Not windows) trys to boot the infection and you can the infamous black screen with the blinking cursor.

Replacing the "hive" and or manually doing a system restore may get you back, but you will have to dig further into what is infecting the system because you put the infection back on the computer. There's no telling when this infection started.

He didn't state it's a raid, but I'm doubting it.. 2 reasons, 1: He probably would have stated a raid system, then we would be looking at rebuilding the raid lines. 2: Who buys their wife (probably a normal computer user) a raid system.. Also I dont think they make laptops raid.. I could be wrong about that.
 

j_martin

Admiral
Joined
Sep 22, 2006
Messages
7,474
Re: Laptop mystery?

The reason I mentioned raid is that I see more and more big box systems (Lenovo, Compuke, etc.) that have an Intel chipset with raid built in and use the raid controler, even for only one disk. If you boot up a pre-install environment you can't see the hard drive unless you "F6" the driver in. The chipset messes with the MBR, and makes things a bit trickier.

Running command line MBR repairs might make the hard drive disappear. I'd be cautious.

Usually when I get into a situation like that, I pull the hard drive and throw it into my forensic system and run it up on R-drive to see what the heck is actually there.

I've found that if I can get the system to see a usb floppy, I can boot up a Kaspersky rescue disk, which is built over BartPE preinstall environment. The disk scanner in that system is top shelf, and will usually fix a busted hard drive. Then the virus scan will find them all, including stealth crap. I keep the log, and then boot the system up into safe mode and examine the registry for links to the viruses found by Kaspersky. Running a secondary search on data found in those links usually finds the stealth restore link to be deleted. If the system won't boot into safe mode, I use the command line of the PE environment to restore the hives from a previous save.

hope it helps
John
 

dolluper

Captain
Joined
Jul 19, 2004
Messages
3,900
Re: Laptop mystery?

Or xp install disc and UBCD4WIN....build what you want
 

Boomyal

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 16, 2003
Messages
12,072
Re: Laptop mystery?

A lot of what you all say is greek, but I will try inserting the OS Disc and see if it lites up and gives me the repair option.
 

dolluper

Captain
Joined
Jul 19, 2004
Messages
3,900
Re: Laptop mystery?

Depending on what you have already done...like use an install disc or used the recovery consuel and fixed mbr...this article will not apply...oh yea your computer had to come from the factory with XP.....Control+F11 del state recovery....I quit using dells so I had to dig it up....SO STOP EVERYTHING and read first link below
http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/fixes.htm
 

BuzzStPoint

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
May 27, 2009
Messages
1,003
Re: Laptop mystery?

The fixboot and fixmbr will not hurt anything unless he has raid drives in the laptop which is seriously doubt.
The cost of buying a laptop with a raid system would be expensive.. Generally the only laptops that have raid are server communication laptops or Gaming rigs. You're taling about 3-4 thousand dollars for the laptop.

If this was just one of the standard dell laptops, then you'll have the standard hard drives.
In this case, using the repair console is super easy and fast. The laptop could be up and running in a few minutes.


Lets jump back a little bit.

Whats the laptop make, model number and serial number. I'll look it up and we'll confirm if you need..

It's entirely up to you on which way to fix the computer. But from what you explained fixing the boot area of the drive is simplest and fastest..
If you need more specific help, we can help you here. http://www.computervitals.com
 

dolluper

Captain
Joined
Jul 19, 2004
Messages
3,900
Re: Laptop mystery?

might have to explore my old Dell only xp install disc and see if it has the dsr file on it
 

Boomyal

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 16, 2003
Messages
12,072
Re: Laptop mystery?

Lets jump back a little bit.

Whats the laptop make, model number and serial number. I'll look it up and we'll confirm if you need..

I haven't done anything since it went black on re-boot, except for running a harddrive diagnostic CD and once successfully booting with a linux CD.

The computer had recently had a malware infection that was cleared up once portable anti malware scans were able to run. There was no indication that it was a MBR infection, but who knows for sure. The computer had been working normally since that time and I was just having the Mrs run anti spyware scans as a matter of course. There was no indication of an infection at the time the scan was run.

I have not tried the OS disc that came with the computer.

It is a Dell Inspiron 600m/celeron, seriel number (I think) CN-0Y8643-48603-5CK-1649 REV A03
 

BuzzStPoint

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
May 27, 2009
Messages
1,003
Re: Laptop mystery?

Ok, In this 600M you do not have a raid system.
So now it should be easier.

Boot the laptop and start pressing CTRL & F11

Do you have a Dell system restore that boots up? If you do, then we'll want to boot with the OS disk.
 
Top