<>Always include PC model and version of Windows in your posts. And please use a smaller font. ;)

 

Could be signs of a failing hard drive. So back up your files on external media ASAP.

 

Then reboot and press F12 before Windows starts to load. Go to Utilities partition and run extended hard drive tests. Copy down any error messages.

 

If you don't get any errors in hardware test, reboot boot from XP CD and press R at first screen to enter Recovery Console. At c: prompt, type in:

 

chkdsk c: /p /r

press Enter

(go take a long nap)

 

When it's done, remove XP CD and reboot normally.

 

Ron

Ron, thanks for your reply. 

 

I went through the extended tests and came up with two error codes that, to me, have nothing to do with my original problem.  They are as follows:

 

     Error Code 0F00.2871

     Optical drive BIST..Flash ROM test failed

 

     Error Code 1B63:171B

     Users response indicated a failure

 

The first one shown above was from a test of the CD drive.  I have never had a mis-operation of this drive as far as I know.

 

The second one shown was from a test of the microphone.  Nothing was recorded during the test or during the subsequent re-tests.  However, after the tests had completed, I successfully recorded my voice loud and clear using the same microphone that failed the hardware test.  If it means anything, I do not have a Dell provided microphone, nor speakers for that matter.  The microphone is a "Plantronics"  headset by Radioshack.

 

I do not know what version of XP I have unless it is the "build V1259.0" indicated on the extended hardware tests.

 

I presume that my next step is to procede with step two of your suggestions.  BTW, I backed up everything important to my stand alone hard drive last week.

 

I am curious what the error codes I listed above might mean, and if you would now suggest I procede with your step two.

 

Thanks in advance!!!

Looks like your optical drive may have failed. Check that the IDE cable is still firmly connected both to the motherboard and to the drive.

 

If that doesn't help, you might try unplugging it and seeing if the boot error goes away. If it does, replace the optical drive. If it doesn't,  run chkdsk on the hard drive from the Recovery Console. I'm assuming you have a functional optical drive so you can boot from your Windows CD in order to run Recovery Console.

 

Ron 

 

 

If my optical drive has failed, or has a loose IDE cable, would it still perform correctly?

 

I can play and record DVD movies, store and recover stills, play and record music, etc.

 

How would this failure present itself, and what would it have to do with my original problem?

 

Allen

Dunno!  Perhaps you got the optical drive failure message because there was no disk in the drive during the tests ? ?

 

<><>Since the other problem is occurring randomly, it sounds like there are intermitent problems reading the hard drive so be sure your files are all backed up on external media. Run chkdsk and see what happens.

 

Ron 

Larry_R

I'm kinda reaching here, because I've never heard of an error that says "Flash ROM failure" just because there's no disk in the optical drive. I think it's more typical for the error to say "read error" when there's no disk...

 

And if you have any other suggestions to fix the original problem, I'm sure the OP will be happy to have them.

 

Ron 

 

 

If there is no disk in the optical drive you will indeed get failure messages (can't read media) during the Dell diagnostics.  I believe you will also get an error about not being able to write to the media, even with a disk in (unless you want to "use" a blank CD for the diags).

Bah ... thats what I get for skimming over a message on a Monday morning instead of reading it properly.  I give a completely reasonable and correct answer that doesn't really help at all.  Sorry about that. :|

 

If the diagnostics for the optical drive are giving a Flash ROM error then either the read/write cache or the firmware on the drive is probably bad/failing.  I can't think of anything else that would cause that particular error for that hardware.  Unfortunately, this means the drive will most likely need to be replaced.

When the testing started to evaluate the optical drive it stopped and asked me to place a disk into the drive that contained data.  Maybe it actually asked for a disk that contained no data. 

 

My optometrist tells me that my optical drive is messed up too :smileyhappy:

 

Either way, I have booted up about 15 times since we started this thread and each time was normal.

 

If it goes amiss again I will proceed with your step 2.

 

Thanks for your help!

Well, if it aint broke ... :D

Thanks for your input.

 

For some strange reason everything is working as good as new, at least for now.

 

 

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@DELL-Larry R wrote:
Well, if it aint broke ... :D

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...don't break it! :D

 

Ron