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PPenguin

11 Posts

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December 2nd, 2007 19:00

Dell Inspiron - 8600 - Bootup Problem

Hello. I'm having some problems with my bootup, as the title suggests. Let me explain what is happening.
 
This morning, I woke up, and went on my laptop. It worked fine, and I finished what homework I had, browsed my regular forums, then I left, turning it off. When I returned, all was normal, but I cannot turn on my laptop.
 
When I turn it on. All's normal. Window's XP Logo appears. After a few seconds, it starts making a noise. After the logo dissapears, and the noise stops, I get the blue screen of death, for a fraction of a second. It then restarts itself, and continuously repeats, and repeats.
 
I would rather not have to reformat again, which is why I'm posting here, for some suggestions, on what I should do. Also, how to do it, would be appreciated.
 
So. I'm running Windows XP, Home edition. I can't really tell you much more off the top of my head, though I can grab any info that could be of use.
 
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
*A quick edit. Yes, I have used the search button, and looked for similar issues. Though, not finding any, perhaps I missed one? Also, Safe Mode does not work, either. It similarily just crashes, and restarts.*


Message Edited by PPenguin on 12-02-2007 03:43 PM

Message Edited by PPenguin on 12-02-2007 03:47 PM

PPenguin

11 Posts

December 2nd, 2007 19:00

I'm starting to run the diag right now. I'll post if anything is..Wrong?

ejn63

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87.5K Posts

December 2nd, 2007 19:00

First suspect would be a failing hard drive. Press F12 at powerup, load the Dell diagnostic partition, and run an extended hard drive test.

PPenguin

11 Posts

December 2nd, 2007 20:00

Yes.

ejn63

1 Rookie

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87.5K Posts

December 2nd, 2007 20:00

Go back and run the extended diagnostic. Did it show a DST error?

ejn63

1 Rookie

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87.5K Posts

December 2nd, 2007 20:00

Did you put the Dell Drivers and Utilities CD in the drive before trying to boot from it?

PPenguin

11 Posts

December 2nd, 2007 20:00

It did not show a DST error.
 
For the extended Diagnostic, I cannot find it. After pressing F12, I'm given these options.
 
Internal HDD
CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive
Cardbus NIC
Onboard NIC
Diagnostics
 
After choosing Diagnostics, or CD/DVD, it runs itself automatically, with no options. Where might I find extended diagnostic, first off?

PPenguin

11 Posts

December 2nd, 2007 20:00

Well, sorry for being not too great at this, but that option isn't there. I'll try to explain.
 
We'll start at F12. I press F12, and choose CD/DVD/CD-RW. It then continues to the Windows XP screen, in which I cannot do the Diagnostic button. Is there a required button to push at the Windows XP logo, where I can start up the diagnostic?
 
Thanks for the help that you've done so far.

PPenguin

11 Posts

December 2nd, 2007 20:00

Okay. I did the diagnostic, or, perhaps most of it. I ran through it, then after the DST Short Status Test, it told me to enter my Drivers and Utilities CD, boot off it, because it cannot find the Diagnostic Utility Partition. So, I did so, and booted it off the CD. It ran the diagnostic again, and repeated the same message.
 
Everything has passed, until it stopped. So, what shall I do?

ejn63

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87.5K Posts

December 2nd, 2007 20:00

Assuming the disc isn't visibly damaged, has the CD drive been working properly?

Somehow you need to run a surface test of the drive. The other option is to determine the manufacturer of the drive (the BIOS screen - F2 at boot - will tell you) and if it's anything but a Toshiba, download the test utility from the drive's manufacturer.

ejn63

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87.5K Posts

December 2nd, 2007 20:00

Select the 32-bit diagnostics from the boot screen using the CD (it sounds like you've deleted the on-drive ones). Then choose the hard drive test - it will take up to a couple of hours to complete.

ejn63

1 Rookie

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87.5K Posts

December 2nd, 2007 21:00

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins8500/en/8600cr/sm/hdd.htm#1123687

ejn63

1 Rookie

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87.5K Posts

December 2nd, 2007 21:00

Try going into the BIOS, setting the CD drive to the first boot device (ahead of the hard drive), inserting the disc, and shutting down. THen power up and see if it'll boot to the CD.

ejn63

1 Rookie

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87.5K Posts

December 2nd, 2007 21:00

Remove the hard drive completely. Will the system then boot from the CD?

PPenguin

11 Posts

December 2nd, 2007 21:00

Okay. I changed the order to --
 
CD/DVD/CD-RW
Internal HDD
Diskette Drive
Onboard NIC
 
I did as you said, and restarted with the cd in. It did not boot the cd, and continued to it's normal way.

PPenguin

11 Posts

December 2nd, 2007 21:00

Well. After unscrewing them, I'm uncertain of which one is the hard drive.. I don't know which one to take out. =/
 
And..Yeah.

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