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dell optiplex gx280 won't load windows

Started by dlt111658 , Sep 06 2010 05:31 PM

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#1
dlt111658

Posted 06 September 2010 - 05:31 PM

New Member

Member
5 posts

I had to install a fresh copy of windows xp essentials on a pc with a bad cd drive, it would not copy all the files, so I put my cd\dvd drive in and completed the installation, I downloaded all the drivers I needed, installed antivirus, malwarebytes,ccleaner and everything was fine. I took my cd\dvd drive back out and replaced with a working cd drive. When I restarted pc all I get is a blinking cursor. Windows will not load. I then put my cd\dvd drive back in, but still windows will not load.I even tried to reinstall windows again, but after it said press any key to boot cd nothing happens but the blinking cursor.

dell optiplex gx280
bios ver. a08
pentium 4 2.80 mhz
512 mb memory
40 gb sata hard drive
Please Help!!!!
Also Thankz

#2
SRX660

Posted 08 September 2010 - 03:04 AM

motto - Just get-er-done

Technician
4,345 posts

Take the hard drive out and install it in another computer to see if you can see the drive in windows explorer. If you cannot the drive has died.

If you can see the drive(and the files on it) you have a bad MBR and need to fix that.

How To Repair the Master Boot Record In Windows XP
1. Enter Windows XP Recovery Console.
2. When you reach the command prompt (detailed in Step 6 in the link above), type the following and then press Enter.

fixmbr

3. The fixmbr utility will write a master boot record to the hard drive that you're currently using to boot into Windows XP. This will repair any corruption or damage that the master boot record may have.
4. Take out the Windows XP CD, type exit and then press Enter to restart your PC.

Assuming that a corrupt master boot record was your only issue, Windows XP should now start normally.

SRX660