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June 1st, 2015 00:00
Help with old Optiplex 740
Hello
A couple of years ago I got the afore mentioned PC when the school I worked at upgraded. It has been a good home PC, Facebook browser. I like it cause it runs XP. But today it would get to the windows log in screen let you enter your password but wouldn't boot. Now it won't even boot to window. I get a msg saying that the config/system32 file is corrupt and to enter the boot disk. I got no disk with the pc what are my options?
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DELL-Hemalatha
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June 1st, 2015 21:00
Hi,
With regards to the error, it looks like the windows is corrupted.
Please try loading into safemode. If it loads, then do a system restore to a previous date when it was working fine.
Let us know how it goes.
Regards
jhina808
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June 3rd, 2015 13:00
is it still F8? cause when i press it to get there it doesnt
speedstep
11 Legend
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47K Posts
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June 3rd, 2015 14:00
XP restore would be symantec Ghost CTRL F11
The Dell-specific Ctrl+F11 process is supposed to completely automate the restoration process, returning the hard disk to the state it was in when Dell shipped the computer. However, overwriting the MBR by using a boot manager, using the commands "fixmbr" or "fdisk /mbr", installing from a Windows installation CD, and assorted other tasks a user might do will inadvertantly break Ctrl+F11, rendering the system unable to boot the DSR partition.
That recovery method however was NEVER on any Optiplex but rather Dimension models only.
DELL-Hemalatha
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June 4th, 2015 22:00
Hi, Yes to bring up the advanced boot menu, its F8.
Please shut down the system, remove the power cable, now hold the power button for 15 sec. Now plug back the cable and try again. If it still doenst load then run the diagnostics by tapping on f12 and select diagnostics.
Regards
speedstep
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June 5th, 2015 06:00
Given the age of the unit the drive is physically bad and no amount of soft fixes will resolve this.
You need your OS install disk, Drivers, and a new hard drive.
jhina808
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June 8th, 2015 16:00
Okay sorry its taken a while to update but trying to answer this forum from my phone is a pain in the ***.
Okay so I tried F11 and Ctrl+F11 no dice, same with F8. I got fed up and looked around the case and found the Windows product key......its for Windows Vista. What I think happened is that the School's IT guy wiped the entire HDD then installed a fresh copy of XP. When he did so I am guess that took out the Dell Recovery partition also. It looks like my best bet is probably to get a new HDD or maybe a SSD adn a fresh copy of Windows and use this HDD as a slave drive so I can still access my files on it?
thoughts anyone?
Philip_Yip
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June 9th, 2015 00:00
It likely came with Windows Vista Business with downgrade rights to Windows XP Professional. It doesn't matter both OS are obsolete.
The best thing you can do now is get a new SSD and install Windows 10 Insider build 10130:
http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/download-microsoft-windows-and-office/download-microsoft-windows/download-windows-10-technical-preview-iso/
Microsoft's representative Gabriel Aul has stated there will be no cutoff from Windows Insiders from reaching Windows 10 RTM. This means you should use it as a stepping stone to get to Windows 10 RTM.
Note if you insist on installing Windows XP you will have to look for a Dell XP Professional SP2 or SP3 Reinstallation CD on eBay and Windows XP may not work with the SSD.