No Boot up

Hi rszanti,

Thank you for writing to Dell Community Forum.

Please try to run the on-board Dell diagnostics and capture any error code or message you might receive.

Please private message us the service tag of the system along with your email id.

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After several attempts (push button to turn on, push and hold for 5 seconds to turn off) the computer finally did boot up into Windows. I restarted and ran the diagnostic, it took several hours but resulted in no problems found.

Since then I've got the computer to load Windows "Essential 2012", downloaded and installed Norton 360 and downloaded and installed Windows 10 (many hours again). During the installs I kept getting a display "Blink" and then the message "Display driver stopped responding and has recovered (Nvidia Windows Kernal Mode Driver Version 358.91)". I am using a Dell 2001FP as my monitor.

Also during the installs I got a "DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION" but system continued to work. I've since loaded "Steam" but while running Steam got the same  "DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION" and the system shut down. I rebooted and tried to use the internet to look up  "DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION"  but suddenly the system rebooted while I was on the web, again got the error and it shut down.

Incidentally the only items connected to the machine are the monitor,  mouse and keyboard.

After several tries, again I got the system boot up to where the initial Windows screen displayed, then disappeared and although the power button was lit, there was no HD activity showing. I rebooted and got -

Preparing Auto Repair.

Diagonosing Your PC

Auto Repair - Your PC did not start correctly

I chose  “Advanced repair” then

----

Selected - Troubleshoot

Selected - Advanced Options

Selected - Startup repair

----

Got message “Checking HD”, “Attempting repair”, “Please wait”, and then without any further messages, Windows came up.

I tried to log into Steam but Norton popped up with message that it had found error 3039,65559 and program must be removed and reinstalled. So I removed Norton. While doing this I received several of the display “Blinks” with the previous message about Display driver stopped.

I did a restart to complete the Norton removal.

Windows automatically came back up. I started Google’s Chrome Browser and while using it I continued to get the display “Blinks” and the Display driver message. When I attempted to power down the system froze and I got the message the system had a problem ("DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION" ) and  would try to repair itself. It ran for a few moments and then Windows came backup. I signed back in and then powered down..... enough for now.

Sorry for the wordy report, hopefully something here can help with a solution.

Richard

The Saga continues :

7/14/16 - Tried to bootup. Never got to the Dell logo, instead computer showed intermittent HD activity for about 5 minutes but with a blank screen. Then the HD activity stopped. I finally rebooted it, got the Dell logo, the Windows icon with spinning dots, then nothing ......

Powered down, restarted again, hit F12 and ran Diagnostics. Again all components passed.

Rebooted and got message -

Getting Windows Ready

100% Complete

Don’t turn off computer

And then Windows came up and I logged in. Found and copied SrtTrail.txt to a memory stick. The only listing not showing a pass was this -

“Unspecified changes to system configuration might have caused the problem.

Repair action:

Result: Failed. Error code =  0x32

Time taken = 1281 ms

Repair action: System Restore

Result: Failed. Error code =  0x1f

Time taken = 307204 ms

Repair action: System files integrity check and repair

Result: Failed. Error code =  0x490

Time taken = 584156 ms”

While working on obtaining the SrtTrail copy, a popup window suddenly displayed -

“GeForce Nvidia Driver is available for download. Click to install”

But I wasn’t quick enough and popup disappeared.

I clicked on the Windows Media Player in the tray and the popup dialog box asked if I would like to set Windows Media Player  up and I O.K.’d it - it ran for a short time then the computer froze and a moment latter it automatically rebooted.

I clicked on “Notifications” icon in the tray to see if showed the Nvidia message. There were no notifications.

I clicked on the “Nvidia Settings” icon and in the dialog box checked for updates - none available. It did show the driver version was 358.81, the latest. It also showed that a “Game Ready” driver 368.81 is available but not loaded (????).

I have googled extensively looking for a solution. I’ve read “change the power mode settings”, “change the display settings”, “install the proper driver”, “blow the dust off the graphics card” (I would if I could figure out how to open the case) and from a hardware expert “All of these messages indicate a HD failure. Nothing but replacing the card will fix it”. But I have yet to hear a solution from this forum. Is there help or should I simply return the computer for replacement under warranty ?

7/16/16

Discovered I have a message from Support (did not notice the link at bottom of screen till now) - indicating I should go to support.microsoft.com for a “Hotfix”. Followed the link where it asked for acknowledgment that I absolved Microsoft from any liability (Hotfix is specifically for computers running Windows “8 RTM    Platform - X64)” . I accepted. Reply was that I would get a return email that would provide a link to the Hotfix.

While waiting I got a DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION and computer shut down and then automatically rebooted. As I continued to wait the computer shut down leaving only the power light on. I powered down, restarted and at Windows icon system froze - blank screen with only the power light on. Restarted and same problem, freeze at Windows icon and then nothing. Powered off and began wait for return email.

Two hours later, no return email from MS.  Redid the request for the Hotfix  and shut down.

7/17/16

Still no email from MS.

7/17, 11am, PM note sent to support asking for further help.

Made three attempts to power up computer but each time it failed to finish loading Windows.  Ran F12 diagnostics again - no problems reported. But then machine failed to boot up. After three more attempts it still would not boot direct up into Windows.

7/18 - Still waiting for a response from both MS and Dell support.

7/20 - tried to start system three times but it froze before Windows could finish loading. So I hit F12 during boot and ran diagnostics. It completed without error. It automatically rebooted when Disagnostics was closed and got all the way up to Windows fully  loaded. But when I clicked on Google, the system froze.

7/22 - Power on - "Recovery" screen pops up ...... "Looks like Windows didn't load correctly" with several choices - I hit "Restart my PC".

System rebooted, the Dell logo came up and then the Windows icon, then blank ..... then nothing.

I powered down, restarted. The Dell logo came up and then the Windows icon with the spinning dots, and the screen went blank. There was some HD activity for a moment and then ..... nothing. I turned it off.

7/29 - received media, waiting for install instructions from Dell support

8/5 - told to proceed on my own. Windows 8.1 installed successfully. Reported this to support. Asked for instructions on installing Windows 10.

8/11 - Support responded with "have I installed drivers yet ?". I ask support "what drivers ?"

8/13 - no answer, why do responses take so long ?

7/25 - no response so called Dell Support. After buying a service contract they agreed to send recovery media for Windows 8.1.