[cfwakefield]

Today my Dell Inspiron 510m started failing. MS Paint would not load, neither would Google Chrome. I then turned it off. Now when I try to turn it on, it shows the Windows Symbol with blue loading bar under it, but then does not show the blue screen with the login options - just a black screen with a mouse pointer that can be moved all around the screen. From here there is nothing I can do. No keyboard shortcuts work and nothing can be clicked. The only thing that works is holding down the power button to turn it off.

I have tried entering Windows through all the F8 button shortcuts (safe mode, diagnostic mode, last known good settings etc).

The laptop has always been kept in good order, virus and spyware free, and has not been showing any signs of failure before this, other than Microsoft Excel failing to start last week.

I do not have the original Microsoft installation CD, if that is useful, as I have seen that idea floated around some of the other messageboards (which were frankly useless).

Is this a terminal problem or is there something that can be done? Would be good if there's an easy cheap fix. Cheers for anything you can do.

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Hi cfwakefield...welcome to Geeks To Go...
If you do not have a windows xp disk, download the following file: rc.iso....from here..then run chkdsk /r
from the rc.iso cd...be sure the bios is set to boot from the cd drive first...

go here and get burncdcc ..a small FAST no frills iso burning program...

NOTE...do not put a blank cd in until burncdcc opens the tray for you
1. Start BurnCDCC by clicking on BurnCDCC.exe
2. Browse to the ISO file you want to burn on cd/dvd ....in this case its rc.iso
3. Select the ISO file
4. click on Start

make sure in the bios the cd drive is the first boot device....put the cd in the cd drive..boot your computer....when you get to the screen that gives you the option to install or repair ...select r...then when you get to the prompt...type in chkdsk /r..press enter

NOTE THE SINGLE SPACE BEFORE THE /
While chkdsk is running you will see a light blue window with a dark blue band at the top and bottom. or a black dos box depending on on which cd you use... a Chkdsk will display the specific stage it is checking as well as the percentage of completion of the stage....
there are 5 stages...it may appear to hang at a certain % for a hour or more...it even will sometimes go back over a area...this is normal...
DO NOT SHUT DOWN THE COMPUTER OR YOU CAN HAVE SERIOUS PROBLEMS...it can take a long time depending on how large the drive is...
You cannot do anything else on your computer while chkdsk is running. When chkdsk is finished, it will automatically reboot your computer....


then Go to Start...Run and type: eventvwr.msc press enter
When Event Viewer opens, click on Applications... then scroll down to Winlogon and double-click on it. This is the log created after running Checkdisk...copy and paste the log back here

[happyrock]

Hi cfwakefield...welcome to Geeks To Go...
If you do not have a windows xp disk, download the following file: rc.iso....from here..then run chkdsk /r
from the rc.iso cd...be sure the bios is set to boot from the cd drive first...

go here and get burncdcc ..a small FAST no frills iso burning program...

NOTE...do not put a blank cd in until burncdcc opens the tray for you
1. Start BurnCDCC by clicking on BurnCDCC.exe
2. Browse to the ISO file you want to burn on cd/dvd ....in this case its rc.iso
3. Select the ISO file
4. click on Start

make sure in the bios the cd drive is the first boot device....put the cd in the cd drive..boot your computer....when you get to the screen that gives you the option to install or repair ...select r...then when you get to the prompt...type in chkdsk /r..press enter

NOTE THE SINGLE SPACE BEFORE THE /
While chkdsk is running you will see a light blue window with a dark blue band at the top and bottom. or a black dos box depending on on which cd you use... a Chkdsk will display the specific stage it is checking as well as the percentage of completion of the stage....
there are 5 stages...it may appear to hang at a certain % for a hour or more...it even will sometimes go back over a area...this is normal...
DO NOT SHUT DOWN THE COMPUTER OR YOU CAN HAVE SERIOUS PROBLEMS...it can take a long time depending on how large the drive is...
You cannot do anything else on your computer while chkdsk is running. When chkdsk is finished, it will automatically reboot your computer....


then Go to Start...Run and type: eventvwr.msc press enter
When Event Viewer opens, click on Applications... then scroll down to Winlogon and double-click on it. This is the log created after running Checkdisk...copy and paste the log back here

[cfwakefield]

On my limited ability and knowledge, I managed to do all of this. The chkdsk was a black dos box that took ages.

However, when chkdsk finished and it rebooted, it loaded to the same plain black screen after the Windows XP logo with the mouse pointer - no actions at all working, so couldn't run anything.

The only thing I noticed is that it did not automatically reboot after chkdsk, but came up with another 'C: WINDOWS' prompt type thing, which I had to then enter EXIT into to finish and reboot. Thoughts now?

Cheers for your help by the way dude,
Charlie

[happyrock]

On my limited ability and knowledge, I managed to do all of this

great ...we are going to expand your knowledge...

Bad computer memory is one of the three main reasons for random system failures.. the other two are heat (usually caused by fans or heatsinks being blocked with dust) or power issues...

first...lets make sure its not your memory going bad...get memtest + here....
the lowdown is here..
get the 2nd one down and burn the ISO file to a cd and then boot it from the cd drive...

if you don't have a burning program that will burn .ISO files go here and get burncdcc ..a small FAST no frills iso
burning program...

NOTE...do not put a blank cd in until burncdcc opens the tray for you
1. Start by clicking on BurnCDCC.exe
2. Browse to the ISO file you want to burn on cd/dvd ....in this case its memtest86.iso
3. Select the ISO file
4. click on Start

make sure in the bios the cd drive is the first boot device....put the cd in the cd drive..boot your computer....
let memtest run for at least 3 hours...if it starts showing any errors during that time then you will have
to replace the RAM...no errors after 3 hours just press Esc to end the tests and we will try some other
tests..

[cfwakefield]

OK - Memtest has been running for 3hours. I'll leave it going until the next reply just in case, but so far, no errors.

Further thoughts?

[happyrock]

you can stop memtest...press the esc key...
Go to Start...Run and type: eventvwr.msc press enter
I asked you back a couple of posts for the chkdsk log ...
Go to Start...Run and type in eventvwr.msc press enter
When Event Viewer opens, click on Applications... then scroll down to Winlogon and double-click on it. This is the log created after running Checkdisk...copy and paste the log back here

[cfwakefield]

I saw that, but I cannot get to a start menu. It still won't load the password screen - just the black screen with the pointer

Is there a different way to get to a run box and get the log?

[The Skeptic]

Try to restore the system to a date before the problem started. This should be done through recovery console.

* At the prompt Type: CD \
* Press Enter
* Type: cd system~1\_resto~1
* Press Enter
* Type: dir
* Press Enter

After you press Enter you will see a list of folders (like rp1, rp2) If the list of restore points has more than one page then press the Enter key untill you reach the end of the list

* Type: cd rp {number of the second to last folder in the list). Example: cd rp9, if rp9 is the second to the last restore point where the last restore point no. is 10
* Press Enter
* Type: cd snapshot
* Press Enter
* Type: copy _registry_machine_system c:\windows\system32\config\system
* Press Enter
* Type: copy _registry_machine_software c:\windows\system32\config\software
* Press Enter
* Type: Exit
* Press Enter

Your PC will reboot.

If you get an access denied error when doing the above, then do the following at the recovery console:
* Type: CD \
* Press Enter
* Type: cd windows\system32\config
* Press Enter
* Type: ren system system.bak
* Press Enter
* Type: Exit
* Press Enter

Your PC should reboot

[happyrock]

boot from the rc.iso cd again...


Type in bootcfg /scan and press Enter

if it says total identified window installs: 1

Type in bootcfg /rebuild and press Enter...

It will identify your XP installation...type Y once you see this prompt.

You will be prompted to enter the load identifier...type in Microsoft XP Home Edition or Microsoft XP Professional depending on whichever version you have...press enter

You will be prompted to enter the load options...type in /fastdetect and press Enter

Type in exit and press Enter

remove the cd and Reboot

[cfwakefield]

Happyrock - I did your bit first, but again it just loaded to the same black screen, but I did get the option of picking between Microsoft XP home edition and Microsoft Windows XP Home edition. Both went through to the same lack screen though.

So I then tried Skeptics thing. I had to do that second part first though, as I was getting access denied messages.

Now however I get the choice between Microsoft XP home edition and Microsoft Windows XP Home edition and no matter which I pick, I get the following message -

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows Setup using the original Setup CD-ROM

I'm fearing I've balls it up slightly? After that message screen all i can do it hit any key and it reboots back to the same problem.

Cheers for your ongoing help, and sorry for the reply delay, am now home from University so can focus on fixing it.

[The Skeptic]

Please enter this site and perform all the commands in the order shown in the text (one was already advised by happyrock but please repeat it).

[cfwakefield]

Everything on that site done, but upon rebooting it still loads to the screen described in the last post after picking any of the 3 windows options it gives.
I get an ominous feeling...

[happyrock]

you will have to repair xp...lowdown is here

[cfwakefield]

Another problem - joy.

After pressing enter to set up XP, all I get is a screen saying that the EULA cannot be found, so the process cannot be continued.

[Hello71]

That means either your RAM is faulty, or the disk is faulty (scratched, dirty, etc.)