My backup laptop does not boot up!

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dunlopj

dunlopj

Mac Daddy DJ
Aug 14, 2008
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Belair MD
Cr*p! I was going to add new music to my backup laptop which I had just used last week.

So I turn it on and the only thing I see is the Dell logo opening the BIOS and after two seconds it goes to a blank (not blue) screen with nothing but a single blinking dip like the old DOS days.

I've turned if off and on a number of times with the same result and there are no odd sounds.

The short 2 second start up screen would not allow me to do an F8 safe mode start up, but did show an F12 menu option that gave me a Dell diagnostic program.

I ran all the reports under "does not boot to OS" and all came back as normal.

I'm lost. Any ideas as to what's going on?

I'm dropping it off to a local repair shop tomorrow.
 
Sounds like something happened to the boot sector of the hard drive.
 
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Have you called Dell? It may be something they can solve for you without you having to take it in for repair!
 
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Jim,

When you start it up, hold down that F8 key, it should bring you into the BIOS -- don't just try and click it, hold it down.

If all else fails, open it up and reseat the RAM chips, they may have gotten dusty, and lost some contacts. Use a compressor to blow it all out.
 
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steve149 said:
Sounds like something happened to the boot sector of the hard drive.
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That or the hard drive is DOA.

If you have a Windows 7 repair disk. Run bootrec /fixboot from the command prompt. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392

Unless you were doing something specific I don't see the boot sector getting messed up though.
 
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ahoustondj said:
Have you called Dell? It may be something they can solve for you without you having to take it in for repair!
Click to expand...

This machine is over four years old running XP.

Before I last shut it off, I did a refrag using the one that comes with MS.

I'll try the battery and F8 ideas and do a air blow out as well.

Thanks for the responses.
 
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I've had the battery problem on one of my Dells too.

I had two batteries in it, and one was dead. Everybody kept telling me the HDD was shot -- but for S&G, I removed both battery packs, and ran straight off the AC/DC power, and it booted right up.

So, you might want to give that a try as well.
 
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Thanks for asking...

It wasn't the battery. My tech finally had to reinstall the OS and returned it last night.

I'm going to have a look at it tonight...reinstall RockIt and the tunes and see how it goes.
 
Well, I loaded up the music and RockIt and all seems well.

I just wish I knew what the problem was. I was told it was a bad boot sector.

So I guess reinstalling the o/s solves that.
 
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Could be as simple as drive heads in the wrong place at the wrong time .. or experiencing a momentary lapse / malfunction, etc.
 
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dunlopj said:
Any idea what might cause this? And where's Rick?
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He was stacking bricks today, and getting ready to rebuild the back porch :)

Care to come and help -- my knees aren't quite as young as they used to be...
 
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lol no comment!
 
SoftJock Rick said:
He was stacking bricks today, and getting ready to rebuild the back porch :)

Care to come and help -- my knees aren't quite as young as they used to be...
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Sorry, but chemo gave me real bad neuropathy in my legs now up above my knees AND I have ostio-arthritis in my knees. So steady walking for me is a constantly aware thinking process.

But hey trust me I feel your pain.
 
dunlopj said:
Sorry, but chemo gave me real bad neuropathy in my legs now up above my knees AND I have ostio-arthritis in my knees. So steady walking for me is a constantly aware thinking process.

But hey trust me I feel your pain.
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Trust me, it's painful for me as well -- and I've done the chemo thing for the skin cancer -- topical stuff.

That's why they make moonshine and beer -- so you can pass out, and forget it for a while. And always put bourbon in your coffee -- that seems to help.

Still doesn't stop me from stacking bricks out back -- just a little bit slower :)
 
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