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Dimension E520 Windows 7 will not boot
Hi I'm running Windows 7 Ultimate on a Dell Dimension E520, this has run without trouble since install. The machine is fully patched and with up to date Avira and Immunet and a full scan with Malwarebytes last Sunday came back totally clean.
However on Tuesday a blue error screen came up and before the machine powered down I saw a message about USB.sys but did not have enough time to read it !!
When I power up the machine the keyboard lights initially work but as soon as the PC gets past POST and I try to use the keyboard to boot the machine or boot from the install DVD the keyboard fails.
I have a MIDI music keyboard pluged in, the lights on this do not indicate failure, but moving my qwerty keyboard to use a usb socket that works with that also fails..
Have tried a seperate, known to be working Keyboard with the same results
The machine was working properly before the blue error screen appeared including the keyboard, ie it is enabled in the BIOS.
Have been trying to get it into Safe Mode but it permanently cycles "launching Start Up Repair" without actually entering it.
Trying to boot from the OS install disk won't work because the keyboard stops working by the time it's needed.
1 BIOS is set to boot from DVD first and HD second
2 Start Up Repair just cycles but does not actually start
3 The keyboard only stoppped working after the USB.sys error message
4 F8 only gives a choice of Start Up Repair or Boot from HD
5 This is not a BIOS set up issue
6 The keyboard light comes on when the power is put on but fails after POST
Anyone have any ideas ? This is driving me insane.
TIA
Arferguinness
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August 3rd, 2010 09:00
Thanks for the reply !
I have already disconnected all un essential USB devices leaving just the Mouse and Keyboard connected with no joy.
Cannot see the MIDI keyboard as a source of the issue - it has worked fine since install 7 months ago.
There appear to be no pin issues on any USB ports, and the machine was running fine untill the error message appeared while I was writing an email, it was on the reboot after the error message that the boot problem started.
F12 is not an option as the machine originally had Vista Home Premium and I've replaced that OS with a retail copy of Windows 7 Ultimate.
As explained earlier I can't do a repair with that as it requires keyboard interaction to get to the repair option !!
Any other ideas ?
TIA
fireberd
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August 3rd, 2010 09:00
Disconnect the "music" keyboard and any other USB devices and hubs except the regular mouse and keyboard. When you power on the PC, press F12 and then run a complete diagnostic and see if anything turns up (this assumes you still have the Dell diagnostic partition). Look closely at all of the USB ports for any bent or shorted pins as this was a reported problem on a Dimension E510 that would not boot.
A long shot, the MIDI keyboard or controller could have caused the initial problem. I have a Roland PCR500 MIDI keyboard but it has an updated Win 7 64 bit driver.
fireberd
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August 3rd, 2010 11:00
Installing a new OS will corrupt the Dell recovery partition, but it should not affect the Diagnostic partition. Did you try it?
Do you get any beeps or any diagnostic error code (lights) on the front panel?
Arferguinness
3 Posts
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August 3rd, 2010 11:00
I deleted the Dell Recovery Partition as I was changing OS and reformated the disk creating 1 partition.
I dont get any beeps and am unaware where to locate "diagnostic error code (lights) on the front panel"
Any other thoughts ?