Laptop mystery?

[Boomyal]

Re: Laptop mystery?

.....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.

What will the CTR/F11 bring up?...and what if it does not come up?

Also I have been stating that I had the Dell/XP installation disc. That is incorrect. I was mixing it up in my mind with my little spare Dell Dimension PC that I inherited from my dear departed FIL.

I believe that the laptop OS restore is on a partition that is accessed by an F key function. I just do not remember which one and if that would suffice in place of a disc for this excercise.

 

[BuzzStPoint]

Re: Laptop mystery?

Dells that didn't come with install disks have a "hidden" DSR (Dell System Restore) partition.

Control key + the F11 will boot this partition. You have to push them at the same time, before it tries to boot the harddrive. Basically push the power button and start tapping them.
Unless...
You see a quick flash at power up that tells you a different Key. But most were the control and F11

You will see a list of options.

Now if you have this DSR partition, then the Fix boot isn't a good option as it will remove this from the boot sequence.. Now it's not that hard to put that line back in.

IF/when you run the restore, see if you can just do a repair to the startup and/or OS. You dont wan't a reinstall as it will wipe your drive and you'll lose every thing.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Laptop mystery?

Hey Boom read from the link I posted in post # 16 ...you will find out more ....if you restore with control+F11 you will have a fresh computer like from the factory...so plan on hours of updating and reinstalling programs

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Laptop mystery?

Hey Boom read from the link I posted in post # 16 ...you will find out more ....if you restore with control+F11 you will have a fresh computer like from the factory...so plan on hours of updating and reinstalling programs

Got you on that but it may be a moot point. CTL/F11 does not work nor does F8. I'm thinking this thing must be DOA. It just bothers me that I was able to boot linux and see all the files. Maybe that was a fluke as the second time I tried to boot it, it seemed to stall out.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Laptop mystery?

If you want to get your files off, take the drive out an attach one of these and plug it into another computer.

http://www.buy.com/prod/usb-2-0-to-...le/q/sellerid/23962916/loc/101/213271805.html

 

[dolluper]

Re: Laptop mystery?

When you say stall is that when it starts to boot or in the pros....or after it boots....if after it boots it's either the heat issue or ram....you can tell because the mouse and or keyboard stops working......the lineux disc may stop loading because of this also....the only work around I've done is place a big fan pointing at it....and when it loads I install a fan program to force the fans to run like speedfan.....I still have an old P3 dell is the only way it will run is with the fan on all the time or it freezes up ...the mouse + keyboard By the way the linux live cd works off RAM....if you want your files take one of those live cd's like knoppix and use the detructions I posted in BoB's Vista post

 

[j_martin]

Re: Laptop mystery?

If you want to get your files off, take the drive out an attach one of these and plug it into another computer.

http://www.buy.com/prod/usb-2-0-to-...le/q/sellerid/23962916/loc/101/213271805.html

Just be sure that AV is up to date and running well on the computer that you use. Plug the usb in hot the first time so the AV jumps on it right away.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Laptop mystery?

Just be sure that AV is up to date and running well on the computer that you use. Plug the usb in hot the first time so the AV jumps on it right away.

Good point.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Laptop mystery?

If you want to get your files off, take the drive out an attach one of these and plug it into another computer.

http://www.buy.com/prod/usb-2-0-to-...le/q/sellerid/23962916/loc/101/213271805.html

Yep! Already have one of those. I just took the HDD out of the Dell 600m, hooked it up to the device, then to my PC and am now doing an AntiSpyWare scan on it.

From what I can see (or tell) the HDD is acting just fine. That get's us back to the boot problem either being other hardware in the laptop, or software.

 

[BuzzStPoint]

Re: Laptop mystery?

Ok,

So if Cntrl + F11 doesn't do anything..

Get a XP boot disk. Doesn't matter where it's from.
Boot to recovery console.
Choose Windows Install

Fixboot
FixMBR

Repair those entires and you should be able to boot with no problems.
If there is suppose to be a DSR its not working.
Not an issue, once the system is up and running you can repair that to get the DSR to work again.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Laptop mystery?

Ok,

So if Cntrl + F11 doesn't do anything..

Get a XP boot disk. Doesn't matter where it's from.
Boot to recovery console.
Choose Windows Install

Fixboot
FixMBR

Repair those entires and you should be able to boot with no problems.
If there is suppose to be a DSR its not working.
Not an issue, once the system is up and running you can repair that to get the DSR to work again.

By boot disk, do you mean a new OS disc?(I have an unused one or could get the reinstall disc from Dell)

If not, can I make a boot disc on another machine?

If a new OS disc is what you mean, does it give me the option to install or choose the Recovery Console?

Won't choosing install just wipe out what is alread on the HDD? (which I will do if necessary)

Where and when would I have the option to enter the FixBoot and FixMBR?

Sorry for all the questions.

 

[BuzzStPoint]

Re: Laptop mystery?

With the dell Disk I dont know if you'll have the options.

If you have the new OS disk, use that.
Boot, you'll have some options and choose the repair console.
Once you're at the C:> you'll type the two commands.

Or Click here:
http://www.thecomputerparamedic.com/files/rc.iso

Download this and burn the ISO file to a cd-r
If you dont have a program to burn the ISO, you can download IMGburn. It's free. Install then right click on the ISO and burn.
Boot with that.. It's only the repair console.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Laptop mystery?

When the linux live cd didn't boot the second time me thinks you have some flacky RAM....how much ram is in that thing anyways 512??....take one stick out and try to boot windows

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Laptop mystery?

When the linux live cd didn't boot the second time me thinks you have some flacky RAM....how much ram is in that thing anyways 512??....take one stick out and try to boot windows

It had 1 gb (2x512) in it. I just took them out and stuck them in my Son in Law's ram deficient Compaq laptop. They both registered on boot and made his old Compaq light up like a rocket ship.

I then stuck his 2 x 256's in the Dell but haven't tried to boot it yet as I still have the HDD out of it.

I have been real busy these last few days and have not had time to work on the project. My next step will be to try booting it with the different, albeit, lesser ram then try to boot it with a OS reload disk.

I will get back to it and report. I am appreciating all the suggestions.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Laptop mystery?

......If motherboard ~~~~~are working fine enough .........

This remains to be seen. The ram and harddrive are good and I think I will test the motherboard by default when I try Buzz Points suggestions.

I still have to get some data off the harddrive before I start. My preference would be to repair as opposed to reload but one I save the data I could do a full install if necessary.

If I load the XP installation disc, to get to the recovery console and nothing happens, I guess I will have to assume that the motherboard is toast??

 

[BuzzStPoint]

Re: Laptop mystery?

Were you able to load up a Linux or knoppix live cd?

If you were, then the hard drive will be probably be good. Motherboards are iffy. They can cause all sorts of issues.

If you want to test the memory,
Download this:
http://www.memtest86.com/memtest86-3.5.iso.zip
extract and burn the ISO..

Boot with that and it will immediately start testing the memory modules. Let it run several passes. Usually a few hours. When I run a memtest I set it up before bed and just let it run all night long. Take a peek in the morning. It will probably have inspected the modules 3-4 times. If there are errors you'll see it.

Here's what I would do:
Run the XP boot cd (Or the repair console cd I posted) and run the 2 commands. If you are back into the system after doing those two commands, then I would continue to clean the system.

If not, boot with memtest cd and run the memory tester.
Most times when a faulty memory happens, you can have a beep when you turn on the computer. Do you hear a beep code?

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Laptop mystery?

....Were you able to load up a Linux or knoppix live cd?.........

Linux live loaded one time then several days later it stalled on boot. In the mean time, I removed the harddrive and hooked it my harddrive reader, on my PC, and it seems to work just fine. Shortly after I removed the RAM and put it in another laptop and it worked just fine.

I will soon try all your recommendations but I have been waylaid by monthend work issues plus I am trying to get my wifes new Win 7 laptop to see the printer that is connected to my XP PC.

Got my hands full at this moment. Too many fires to put out, if you will.