If you haven't extended your warranty to 3 years, the Dell Techies will not assist you or refer you to some payline. Therefore, better use the "advanced search" option on this forum and search for "xp clean install", which will provide you with many answers (most of them probably pointing to Denny Denhams reinstall instructions or directly to the Windows Supersite). If you follow these instructions, you should have no problems to do a clean install (which includes formatting the hard drive).
Otherwise, I would agree with Steve that this is worth trying before investing in a new MB.
Reinstalling Windows without first formatting the hard drive and erasing everything on it will often not fix anything. Microsoft calls this process an "in-place upgrade" and can often cause more your system to have more problems than before. Others call this type of reinstallation a "dirty install" since it really does not clean anything from your system. It just tries to paint over the problem. Your issue seems to be software related, so starting with a truly clean installation of Windows will very likely correct the problems that you are having. The Dell Techies can assist you with this operation if you are not familiar with doing a clean install.
If your system was purchased prior to July 2004, you have lifetime free tech support. Systems purchased more recently have free tech support only during the warranty period.
Sorry for not specified that: I formated the harddisk correctly and installed Windows "clean". The problem depends not on that. In addition my guarantee expired.
If your problem is caused by failing hardware, then it should happen even if you boot to something other than Windows. Try booting to a CD or to a floppy disk. Does the system restart if you boot to the CD? to the floppy?
Lemmi
238 Posts
0
August 1st, 2005 20:00
If you haven't extended your warranty to 3 years, the Dell Techies will not assist you or refer you to some payline. Therefore, better use the "advanced search" option on this forum and search for "xp clean install", which will provide you with many answers (most of them probably pointing to Denny Denhams reinstall instructions or directly to the Windows Supersite). If you follow these instructions, you should have no problems to do a clean install (which includes formatting the hard drive).
Otherwise, I would agree with Steve that this is worth trying before investing in a new MB.
Lemmi
BigBrother
2 Intern
•
4.8K Posts
0
August 1st, 2005 20:00
vocation,
Reinstalling Windows without first formatting the hard drive and erasing everything on it will often not fix anything. Microsoft calls this process an "in-place upgrade" and can often cause more your system to have more problems than before. Others call this type of reinstallation a "dirty install" since it really does not clean anything from your system. It just tries to paint over the problem. Your issue seems to be software related, so starting with a truly clean installation of Windows will very likely correct the problems that you are having. The Dell Techies can assist you with this operation if you are not familiar with doing a clean install.
Steve
BigBrother
2 Intern
•
4.8K Posts
0
August 1st, 2005 21:00
vocation,
If your system was purchased prior to July 2004, you have lifetime free tech support. Systems purchased more recently have free tech support only during the warranty period.
Steve
vocation
2 Posts
0
August 2nd, 2005 07:00
BigBrother
2 Intern
•
4.8K Posts
0
August 2nd, 2005 12:00
vocation,
If your problem is caused by failing hardware, then it should happen even if you boot to something other than Windows. Try booting to a CD or to a floppy disk. Does the system restart if you boot to the CD? to the floppy?
Steve