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START UP PROBLEMS
My computer an Inspiron 531 is not starting up correctly or when it does its very slow loading - it makes a clicking noise and a light on the tower control panel has started to flash - the light is cylinder shaped and below the power on button . Can any one advise what is the problem?The computer is about 2 years old.
Mary G
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September 8th, 2009 14:00
Clicking usually means your hard drive is failing. Run the Dell Diagnostics extended hard drive test. The light you describe is the hard drive activity light.
simshi
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September 8th, 2009 14:00
Hiya Mary Is 100% correct ... you hard drive Will Fail immenently.. i suggest you save what data you can before this catastrophic event otherwise you will lose all precious data.
i have experienced this many a time with many computers i have worked on..
the diagnostics programs for the hdd may only temorarily fix the problem.. but i have never found this to be the case..
they always fail.... either the next day or very soon after that
you are better off replacing the hard drive alltogether.. rather than waitng for it to go completely
butr please bare in mind that if there is a recovery partition on the drive ther is not way you can copy this... and any future Operating System installs will have to be done from a fresh.. all ways using the lisence key that came on your dell..
hopw this has helped a little ..
all the best
matt