Windows 7 Problem

Question

Hi Guys

My friend has a Dell Inspiron N4010 laptop.Its configuration is i3 processor,2gb ram,320gb hdd and no video card.He only use it to access the internet.The softwares installed are like chrome,media player,MS-Office,KAV etc.Windows Home Basic was pre-installed in it when he brought it 2 years back.Last year he got Windows 7 Ultimate installed in it from Dell's service centre.It was working fine but since the past week it became very very slow.Few hours ago when we opened chrome,it took like 5-10 minutes in the processing and still it didnt open,then we opened the task manager but it showed not responding.Anyways we turned off the laptop from the power button and when we restarted it using start windows normally,a black screen came.We waited for few minutes then selected start windows in cmd mode.It was loading the system 32 files but it stopped at some driver file and then we again restarted it,this time it itself started in startup repairs option.It took another 5-10 minutes and then it said if we wanted to restore it to some earlier point we clicked ok,but we waited for more than 1 hour it was still repairing so we turned it off.When we restart the laptop below the Dell Inspiron starting screen there are options of setup and boot and both of them works just fine

When we select boot option a boot menu opens up,which has these options

+Hard Drive
CD/DVD/CD-RW Devices
Removable Devices
Network
Diagnostics

If we run Diagnostics,it completes 100% and then says

Error Code 0146
Msg:Error Code 2000-0146
Msg:Hard Drive 0-self test log contains previous error(s) the given error code and message can be used by technical support to diagnose the problem
Do you want to continue testing?

Then we select No

If F8 is pressed to open the advanced boot setup it shows this screen

Windows7/Vista/Server (Pointer)
Windows7/Vista/Server
Windows7/Vista/Server (Debug - Default mode)
Windows7/Vista/Server (Debug - Legacy mode)
Windows7/Vista/Server (No SLIC - Pointer)
Windows7/Vista/Server (No SLIC)
Windows NT/2000/XP
Loader Help

Use up/down keys to highlight an entry.Press ENTER or 'b' to boot.Press 'c' for a command-line.

F8 was pressed just as the Dell logo disappears as mentioned in some of the threads but it shows up the same page

How to rectify it?Formatting is not an option since there are some important files on the desktop.Is it true that Dell India provides Windows CD/DVD with the laptops when we purchase them?

Thanx

Philip_Yip · Accepted Answer

The SSD is the faster than the conventional WD, Samsung hard drive and will offer superior performance but will have less storage capacity. Comparing two crucial drivers the v4 and the m4, one drive is faster than the other but in both cases the system will limit the speed of the m4 drive so it runs the same speed as the v4 drive so there is no advantage in m4 over v4 in your model.

With regards to the double install that was assuming you had the upgrade product key only. In which case it would work with a downloadable Windows 7 .iso which can be used to make an installation USB. You would need the Windows 7 Ultimate full/upgrade product key however which I assume you don't have.

Dell will only provide the reinstallation DVD for the OS the system shipped with, therefore they will send out with the original Operating System i.e. Windows 7 Home Premium and not Windows 7 Ultimate.

You can try reseating the hard drive but in my experience the error 2000-0146 simply means the drive needs to be replaced. If the drive is reseated and works again it probably would only do so for a very short time before failing.

Philip_Yip · Answer

Error 0146, the hard drive is dead and must be replaced. To attempt data recovery see here (page 405, the middle of the page):

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/f/3524/t/19480753.aspx

You will need to replace the hard drive, probably best to go for a SSD from Crucial 128 GB or superior for best performance. See here:

http://www.crucial.com/upgrade/Dell-memory/Inspiron+Laptops%2fNotebooks/Inspiron+14R+(N4010)-upgrades.html

The system is SATA 2 and so will run at 3 GB/s so there is no advantage of the m4 (6 GB/s) over the v4 (3 GB/s) as both will run at 3 GB/s on this model

And here to fit:

<ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>

To request a Reinstallation DVD see here:

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/f/4677/t/19476992.aspx

This will be the original OS that the Dell was shipped with however. If you took it to a service centre they should have gave you a license and a product key. Use the retail .iso with this product key (you might need to do a double reinstall as it might not activate without an old version of Windows on the hard drive). See here for reinstallation instructions:

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/f/3524/t/19480753.aspx

theflash1932 · Answer

Just a note about SSD's ... since the N4010 holds only a single hard drive, getting an SSD can significantly cut the disk space you have available.  If you need/want more space for music, videos, etc., then SSD's may not give you the space you need (at least not for a reasonable price - a 600GB SSD costs as much as your N4010, while a 750GB HDD can be as little as $80) ... however, if you don't anticipate ever needing more than 128-256GB, then yes, an SSD will offer you a much better experience, although somewhat spendier than an HDD.

becool773 · Answer

Thanx for replying.Will keep that in mind

becool773 · Answer

By the way i read this on other forums

Remove and reinstall the Hard Drive for the error codes:

1000-0141

2000-0141

1000-0142

2000-0142

1000-0143

2000-0143

1000-0144

2000-0144

1000-0145

2000-0145

1000-0146

2000-0146

2000-0151

Please see the Service manual for instructions on how to remove and replace the Hard Drive. Be sure to remove and reinstall the cables for the hard drive if you are on a Desktop Computer.

After reinstalling the hard drive re-run the diagnostics if you receive the same error code

Contact Us.

RE Run the Drive Self Test (DST) from the Utility Partition also

known as the 32 bit diagnostics to determine if the previous error has been corrected.

If the DST from the Utility Partition does not indicate a failure of the drive,

we consider the error to have been corrected and the drive does not need to be replaced.

1000-0146

2000-0146

Does that mean that there's no need of replacing?

becool773 · Answer

Thanx for reply.ingHow is that the HDD is down?I mean he didnt install any malicious software and the laptop never fell down or anything.

How about Seagate or Western Digital?Are they better than Crucial?

I am sorry but i lost you here....The system is SATA 2 and so will run at 3 GB/s so there is no advantage of the m4 (6 GB/s) over the v4 (3 GB/s) as both will run at 3 GB/s on this model

And here to fit:

<ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>

I still have doubts regarding this.Windows 7 Home Basic was preinstalled in the laptop,is it true that a Windows DVD should have been provided with it or do we need to request it later on?Do they provide an original Windows DVD?Below this laptop there is the product key for Windows Home Basic so i guess no need of taking it to the customer care for the product key

Lost you again here....you might need to do a double reinstall as it might not activate without an old version of Windows on the hard drive....

becool773 · Answer

Thanx for replying.Is it true that Dell provides Windows DVD with every laptop they sell worldwide?And do they come in the same packaging/box as shown on the MS website?

theflash1932 · Answer

No.  Dell (and nearly every other PC manufacturer) no longer includes Windows DVD's with their systems (unless specified during the order - usually a few dollars to add it).  It can be requested from Dell ... the exact method and options depend on your location.  It comes in a paper sleeve with a Dell paper label - it is NOT holographic Microsoft media, and is 'OEM', not boxed/Retail packaging/media.  OEM means that it belongs to the hardware with which it ships - cannot be transferred to another system and dies when the system dies.

Philip_Yip · Answer

Thanx for replying.Is it true that Dell provides Windows DVD with every laptop they sell worldwide?And do they come in the same packaging/box as shown on the MS website?

Not anymore unfortunately... In the UK for some strange reason they stopped shipping Windows DVDs with all their Home Systems by default. For a while they had it as an option. Then for a while after they left the option there but didn't let anyone select it. Now the option is removed entirely. If you want a reinstallation DVD you have to wait for the new system to be shipped and then phone Dell Technical Support to request the DVD. Not a very efficient process and I have expressed my discontent about that particular policy i.e. some OEM media reduction policy which is meant to make things greener but I am against entirely especially since in many cases they ship a resource DVD without a Windows DVD. The resource DVD is in general useless without the WIndows DVD and completely not needed as all the drivers can be downloaded.

Instead of an Operating System DVD, Dell now have the "Dell DataSafe program" which is meant to restore the system to factory settings via an internal partition and enable you to create media to restore to factory settings. Dell DataSafe and the Dell Factory Settings are meant to be easier for users but in my opinion/experience this is far, far, far less reliable and often yields much lower performance than a clean installation with the Windows DVD. Also many users do not create the media until it is too late or the media they create is defective especially if they make DVDs. Another fault is any small changes in partitions or a manual install renders the factory restore partition completely defunct so if you haven't created media and done this Dell DataSafe is broken. In addition the Reinstallation DVD can be used for a startup repair while the media created by Dell DataSafe cannot. Finally the DataSafe/factory settings do not allow for a clean install and there is a lot of junk on them e.g. McAfee, Bing bar.

The reinstallation DVD isn't glossy and doesn't have a full box like the retail version does. It should look like this (should just be 1 Windows DVD and maybe 1 Resource/Drivers/Diagnostics DVD - which looks the same but has a different label). The colours of the DVDs may vary:

Unfortunately as you aren't in the US so can't fill in the media request form as it only applies to US customers. You will need to phone technical support for your region, the customer numbers are here. I have made a poll requesting Dell make an online form for every region and if you like you may add your vote to it here. One other reason I am requesting the online form is because the results when requesting a reinstallation DVD by phone support seem to be rather inconsistent, I don't why. Some users for instance are charged £50 ($80) which is pretty bad compared to the £25 ($40) price of a Windows 8 upgrade license with downloadable media. Others are refused the media and others are sent it for free. This is a great deal of inconsistency with regards to requesting Reinstallation DVDs in the UK and Europe and probably elsewhere outside the US. Those in the US seem to get the DVD far easier and usually for free.

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