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2 Posts
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62960
August 11th, 2012 19:00
function key F8 does not function correctly on startup
I am trying to do a factory image recovery by hitting the F8 key during startup but when I press it nothing happens. I have massive registry damage and need to restore my compute to factory shipment. Even the restore files are corrupted. Anyone know why my F8 key would not activate?
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faizalenu
193 Posts
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August 11th, 2012 20:00
0) When you say "nothing happens" do you mean: It boots to windows? It shuts off? You get a black screen, blinking cursor? Blinking Amber Power light? Help us help you. do you see the Dell Splash Screen?
1) You probably know this, but I will tell you anyway just to cover all bases: Repeated tap the F8 on power -- there is a limited window and you miss it, it will try to boot to windows.
2) If F8 doesn't work, try Fn-Power -- this should go right to diagnostic boot. If you have a faulty hard drive/controller, this could cause this.
Could be a number of things. Could be that the system doesn't recognize the hard drive or other POST items.
frankkahn
2 Posts
0
August 12th, 2012 11:00
When I say nothing happens, I mean that the computer does not respond to pressing F8. It acts like I did nothing, just continues with the normal boot-up into Windows. I have tried rapidly pressing it while the Dell splash screen is on and nothing. I tried holding the F8 key down the whole time and the only thing that happened was that the splash screen stayed until I released the key. This indicates that the computer sensed that the key was pressed but did not activate the boot-up options like safe mode and recovery. I have found another incorrect response to function keys while booting. I have a Dell N4010 laptop and pressing the F2 key on boot up should let me go to the system bios setup. When I press F2 on boot-up the only two options I get are 1. Start Windows normally and 2. Run Start-up Repair. Although I am more expert in software, development and usage, I seem to remember that these function key actions are flashed into the system BIOS ROM. I have done all hardware diagnostics including bad sector and file error tests. Nothing is reported as being a problem. My system recovery partition is present and free of defects. Is there a way to manually access the recovery partition files and do a system recovery from there?
I appreciate any help or suggestions for this problem.
MicroTest
3 Apprentice
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934 Posts
0
August 12th, 2012 14:00
> pressing "F2" should take you to the BIOS screen even if no hard drive is connected to the mainboard !
> just in case the internal keyboard is broken try using a USB keyboard
> If you have previously overwritten the MBR (Dell uses its own MBR) you have lost access to the recovery partition.
However there are solutions on the web (just google) to get manually access to the recovery partition - but honestly:
if you received your laptop with a Windows CD ,install from scratch......