Can't repair XP; tried everything!

Question

My Dell 4600 has been down for 5 days. I think I've just about tried everything.

Each time I get the fatal error message ad the system locks up to the point

where I can't even turn it off. I have to unplug it to get it to reboot

Tried to boot to Safe Mode PC locks up

Tried to boot to Last Known Good Configuration PC locks up

Booting from the XP SP2 disk I got to the Recovery console and ran the following:

Chkdsk \p\r Chkdsk found one or more errors

FixMBR

FixBoot

Exit PC boots up and locks up with error message

Booting from the XP SP2 disk I tried to do a repair installation

Enter

F8 to agree with license

R to repair windows

Message came up and said Setup made some repairs to the disk and to

type F3 to restart PC boots up and locks up with error message

Finally I ran the diagnostics on the disk:. I repeated this several times and

the error codes come up the same with the same block locations

Confidence Test failed for Error Code: 0FF0:1344

Block 228486

Verify test failed for Error Code: 0FF0:1A44

Block 228486

Am I doomed to do format my disk and do a complete clean install?

Mary G · Answer

No, you need a new hard drive. 'Failed blocks' means your hard drive has failed.

Light99 · Answer

Are you saying that the drive has physically failed?

rollainm · Answer

Yes. If you're still under warranty, contact Dell and tell them you need a new hard drive. They will probably want to run you through a long list of things to check to verify this, so make sure you have available all the steps you've already taken. Request any brand hard drive other than Maxtor.   If you're no longer under warranty you'll need to purchase one. I suggest buying from Newegg or ZipZoomFly. Be sure to shop around. Message Edited by rollainm on 08-31-2005 08:40 PM

Light99 · Answer

Thanks for your reply and suggestions.   Yes, my computer is under warranty.  I've already emailed tech support. I don't mind jumping through some hoops, but if I have to pay for postage to send my pc to Dell, I might as well buy the hard drive and install it myself.

rollainm · Answer

You won't ever have to pay for shipping. They will always ship the part and a technician. Or, if the decide to replace your system, they will ship out the new one with an airbill for you to send back the old system in the same packaging.

Light99 · Answer

You're right. In fact, Dell had me run a diagnostic test by tying in CTRL ALT D

and it failed. So they are sending out a technician to replace the hard disk.

Unfotunately, I have a Maxtor disk and they will only replace it with another Maxtor.

Also, they won't reinstall XP or any drivers.

I think this is a flaw in their warranty, because even though I feel confident to

install the software, not everyone would. They also won't attempt to extract any

files from the damaged disk. This is probably understandable, but that's why we need

competition.

rollainm · Answer

If you are firm (polite, but firm) they will send you a drive other than Maxtor. Let them know that you know for a fact that Dell has done this for countless other customers.

rickmktg · Answer

@Light99 wrote:

Unfotunately, I have a Maxtor disk and they will only replace it with another Maxtor.

They will replace it with whatever they have in stock. The phone support has no idea what the service organization has on the shelf. It may or may not be a Maxtor.

Also, they won't reinstall XP or any drivers.

I think this is a flaw in their warranty, because even though I feel confident to

install the software, not everyone would. They also won't attempt to extract any

files from the damaged disk. This is probably understandable, but that's why we need

competition.

This is nothing new. Dell has never reinstalled the OS or tried to extract files from the old disk.

Light99 · Answer

Just because something has never been done a certain way, it doesn't make it right.

Dell sold me a defective disk and they should provide me with a disk that has the same software on it when I pruchased it the first time.

In its infancy, Direct TV would install the satellite dish , but not install the cables to the TV without charging. But with competition, they now do it as part of the service routinely.

Well, as a consumer I can always buy from someone else.

Light99 · Answer

So Dell will come out to my house on Thursday, 6 days after agreeing that my disk needs to be replaced.  Ouch!

Windows General

Can't repair XP; tried everything!

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