[Macboatmaster]

Put the CD back in, boot back to that.
Go back to Recovery Console and follow this procedure PLEASE be careful that you follow it exactly.
Note the space between cd and the rest of the command. Ditto for copy.

When you get to the recovery console prompt:

* Type cd \ and press "Enter".
* Type cd system~1\_resto~1 and press "Enter".
* Type dir and 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 until you reach the end of the list

* Type cd rp {number of the second to last folder in the list} and press "Enter". (Example: Type cd rp9 if rp10 is the last restore point.)
* Type cd snapshot and press "Enter".
* Type copy _registry_machine_system c:\windows\system32\config\system and press "Enter".
* Type copy _registry_machine_software c:\windows\system32\config\software and press "Enter".
* Type exit and 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 \ and press "Enter".
* Type cd windows\system32\config and press "Enter".
* Type ren system system.bak and press "Enter".
* Type exit and press "Enter".

Your PC will reboot, go back into the Recovery Console and start from the beginning.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 16 December 2010 - 11:41 AM.

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cant do anything at the moment keyboard is back to locking up every time i get to the prompt

press any key to boot from cd

[shotgun425]

cant do anything at the moment keyboard is back to locking up every time i get to the prompt

press any key to boot from cd

[shotgun425]

now the keyboard has un-frozen but still not operting the boot when i press a key the computer just bleeps at me

Edited by shotgun425, 16 December 2010 - 12:08 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

Then at the moment I am sorry, but all I can suggest is:
1. Try another keyboard
2. Try that keyboard on another computer
3. If that keyboard works on another computer and in view of its state on that computer, then you have I think another fault, which may be evidenced by the fact that after reseating ram etc you say it worked. I would think it is something on a reboot, that is effecting the keyboard.
However as it is USB it may well be a USB hub problem in Windows,however as the mouse is usb as well, I might have expected that to be effected. If it is this, dealing with this without being able to get into Windows is not easy and I am not certain it can be done.
I will come back to you, when I have had a look at various databases.

A copy and paste - from Dell forums
Trying to get to the bottom of this. I deal with alot of the Dell Optiplex 320, 745 and 755's on a daily basis and have noticed on alot of these machines the USB just stops working. You get no response from the keyboard and mouse. Also whiteboards stop responding.

Now most of the time you can get them to work. I found just unplugging the device and plugging it back in DIDNT work. I have to switch the ports. eg if mouse is in USB port 1 and keyboard is in USB port 2 if I plug the mouse into port 2 and the keyboard into port 1 it works. For a while but the problem always comes back.

With the whiteboards I have to power off the board, switch the port and power the board back on. Have also noticed this starting to happen the the Dell D531 and D630 laptops.

This seems to be completely random so I am trying here to see if anyone has seen the same problems. I am quite good with computers and I am DCSE but still can't figure out why this would be happening.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 16 December 2010 - 12:33 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

I have found the technical manual for your computer see page 39 pls and check your bios settings
http://www.dell.com/...5_techspecs.pdf

[shotgun425]

i understand, i have tried re-seating everything again but to no avail, keyboard not locking up now as i can turn num and caps lock on and off the only other comp i have is a notebook so can't swop anything around, just a small point but when the prompt press any key to boot from cd comes up it is followed by 5 dots i.e .....
these seem very slow to come up one after another did not notice this yesterday.

i thank you for your help and i will report back if anything changes, im thinking i need a good stiff drink now or else it will be the 6lb sledge hammer and 10 seconds of wanton destruction. followed by the purchase of a new computer.

[Macboatmaster]

That is standard, the press any key to boot from CD is followed by the series of dots, and then if you do not press a key, it selects the next boot device.
I suggest if you do NOT have it you save that technical manual it is not available on the normal dell site.

Are you aware of anything that you did to get the keyboard working.

You should now be able to get back into Recovery console and the commands I have given you are the same as doing a system restore in Windows.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 16 December 2010 - 01:04 PM.

[shotgun425]

yes all bios settings looked correct the only differance was sata 2 and sata 3 these were both off when factory default settings say they should be on, turned them on but said slots were empty and it made no differance what so ever so i have changed them back

[Macboatmaster]

Please see this
http://support.dell....e.htm#wp1302445

Scroll down the page to diagnostic lights - do you have them and if so what do they show on boot.

[shotgun425]

right i am back in and am now going to try those commands you gave me after the chkdsk had run

[shotgun425]

have not run any commands yet, the lights flash all over the place when booting up but when in the black screen with flashing cursor there are no lights on, that document says possible pre bios failure has occured but it does say lights are not lit after the computer successfully boots to the operating system, which it is not doing if that makes sense

Edited by shotgun425, 16 December 2010 - 01:33 PM.

[shotgun425]

im in the bleue windows set up screen should if anything what should i be doing next???

[Macboatmaster]

Sorry about the delay just had evening meal.
I am not quite certain which you are in now.
If you can get back to that Recovery Console and wish to try those restore points -then go with that.

If not a repair install, BUT it may well not run as to repair XP with the CD requires the same CD as the installation ie XP Prof SP3 to SP3, so if you know that the CD is NOT the same try the recovery console restore instructions.

Pls be aware that I think you may have a hardware error or defect - memory, motherboard, power supply.
However lets see if we can run the Recovery Console again.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 16 December 2010 - 02:35 PM.

[shotgun425]

Put the CD back in, boot back to that.
Go back to Recovery Console and follow this procedure PLEASE be careful that you follow it exactly.
Note the space between cd and the rest of the command. Ditto for copy.

When you get to the recovery console prompt:

* Type cd \ and press "Enter".
* Type cd system~1\_resto~1 and press "Enter".
* Type dir and 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 until you reach the end of the list

* Type cd rp {number of the second to last folder in the list} and press "Enter". (Example: Type cd rp9 if rp10 is the last restore point.)
* Type cd snapshot and press "Enter".
* Type copy _registry_machine_system c:\windows\system32\config\system and press "Enter".
* Type copy _registry_machine_software c:\windows\system32\config\software and press "Enter".
* Type exit and 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 \ and press "Enter".
* Type cd windows\system32\config and press "Enter".
* Type ren system system.bak and press "Enter".
* Type exit and press "Enter".

Your PC will reboot, go back into the Recovery Console and start from the beginning.

just to make sure this is what you want me to do is that correct??????

[Macboatmaster]

Yes that is the best course of action now as the chkdsk did not apparently solve it.

Please however be aware as per my post 43 - last paragraph.
Just so that if it does not work - you do not resort to sledgehammer technique.