Dell Laptop help! Won't boot.

[TR Custom Parts]

Dell Latitude 610 with XP professional on it. Has all my PL logs on it and of course didn't have them backed up.

Was working normally when I shut it down the other night. No new programs installed, has AVG antivirus and didn't go on any "questionable" sites.:biggrin:

I get the Dell screen, then goes to a blank screen with a blinking command prompt in the upper left corner of the screen then it goes blank. Not BLACk but just a light navy color. Have already tried safe mode, etc, etc with the same results. Redid the boot sequence so it boots from the CD and running all the tests and so far nothing coming up. Passed all the video tests, still running all the others. Any clues? Really don't feel like reinstalling XP unless that is my last resort.

Just backed up my business computer but never got around to the laptop. Oh well!

 

[watz]

If you boot to the CD can you get to c:\?

Give this a try too?

1.Restart your computer and press [F8] during the initial startup.
2.When you see the Windows Advanced Options Menu, select the Safe Mode with a Command Prompt option.
3.Select the Windows XP operating system.
4.Log on to your computer with an administrator account or with an account that has administrator credentials.
5.Type the following command at a command prompt:
C:\windows\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

 

[TR Custom Parts]

Going to mess with it some more tonite. Once I am done with all the tests, will try doing what you said. Previously could not get it to boot using safe mode. Almost was acting like when you try to bring it out of hibernation/standby and have that delay of the screen coming back up. Not a jet black or blue screen of death. All video tests came back as no problems.

 

[nonova0074]

Waiting to see what happens, Same thing happened to me. I think I got it from the other buick site.

 

[TR Custom Parts]

hmmm, now that you mention that I was on there for the first time in a long while on Monday looking at what a ghost town it is. Don't think that really had anything to do with this though.

 

[nonova0074]

YEah I go on the magna section, but when my wife turned off my computer it was fine but the next day nothing. I always get redirected when I go on that site.

 

[Warped]

Spotmau

If one of the other gurus can't solve your problem you might want to try Spotmau software if the hard drive is not totally dead. The hard drive on my daughter's hard drive developed a bad spot and Vista wouldn't load past a certain spot. I was able to the laptop to load the OS on the Spotmau cd and then copy all the data off to an external hard drive. The Spotmau software has other utilities that may fix your PC as well.

 

[TR Custom Parts]

Well, typing this on the affected laptop! Don't really know what the freak I did but got things going again. Ended up booting from the XP CD and ended up reinstalling windows but somehow I know have two versions of the operating system now! When now booting up I have two choices of operating systems! When I select the 2nd one on the list I am back to what I used to have! The first one looks like a new installation.

Now how the hell do I get rid of the "new" installation and keep my original? Probably not going to mess with things until I back up my files.

Did run a scan with AVG and got a Trojan Horse virus! Infected 4 files including Internet Explorer so using Google Chrome right now.

 

[groumoutis]

Kind of odd! My laptop just chit the bed on me too, so I finally bit the bullet and bought a MacBook Pro and am lovin it! PC's can kiss my @$$. After going through 3 and having the same problem with all of them (all different brands) I gave up on all of them. The Mac is easy to use and I don't have to worry about the virus' as much. I figured if they can make a great phone on the first try then they can make a great computer after all these years as well.

 

[BobbyBuick]

thats odd my thinkpad is doing the same thing as of wednesday morning boots and is working in the backround but the screen is very dark looks like it isnt on .when it starts you get the ibm screen but then goes dark .i thought the lcd lamp went out

 

[TR Custom Parts]

This all happened a YEAR ago, everything has been working fine ever since. But thanks for replying.