[criptonite]

Hi, trying to fix a friends desktop (Dell Dimension 3100 with windows XP).

Initially, XP wasn't booting saying that the hard disk may be full. However, after a safe mode boot and then back to a normal Windows boot it progressed on to a CHKDSK saying the hard disk was dirty. After three operations it rebooted and Windows XP Loaded. Unfortunately the USB mouse and keyboard won't respond.

When in BIOS mode or Dell Diagnostics the mouse and keyboard work. Its an optical mouse and the light comes on as soon as the PC is switched on. The minute Windows boots, the light goes out, power obviously cut off.

I've checked that USB mouse is enabled in system BIOS, it is. I've tried to reload BIOS system defaults, no effect. I cant log on remotely because I don't have any remote control software on the desktop and since mouse and keyboard aren't working, cant install them now.

An XP re-install is a last option, my friends wife has made it quite clear how angry she will be if she loses her games!!!!

Can anyone suggest anything?

Best regards

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Initially, XP wasn't booting saying that the hard disk may be full. However, after a safe mode boot and then back to a normal Windows boot it progressed on to a CHKDSK saying the hard disk was dirty. After three operations it rebooted and Windows XP Loaded. Unfortunately the USB mouse and keyboard won't respond.

So what was the state of the hard rrive, both by free space and by its health state.

It could well be of course that the only real answer, if the HDD is failing is a new drive.

If it was me I would check the state of the HDD both with Dell diagnostics and a hard drive utility. If you know the make of the drive I would use the manufacturers program.
http://www.tacktech....ay.cfm?ttid=287

As you do not have PS2 connections I would suggest you try
1. Disconnecting all usb devices except the keyboard. See if it will then boot to Safe Mode and recognise the keyboard.
If so I would go from there on Device Manager, uninstall and allow windows to reinstall all USB drivers.

It is really no use me making further suggestions until you see where you go from there.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 27 April 2011 - 03:31 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

Initially, XP wasn't booting saying that the hard disk may be full. However, after a safe mode boot and then back to a normal Windows boot it progressed on to a CHKDSK saying the hard disk was dirty. After three operations it rebooted and Windows XP Loaded. Unfortunately the USB mouse and keyboard won't respond.

So what was the state of the hard rrive, both by free space and by its health state.

It could well be of course that the only real answer, if the HDD is failing is a new drive.

If it was me I would check the state of the HDD both with Dell diagnostics and a hard drive utility. If you know the make of the drive I would use the manufacturers program.
http://www.tacktech....ay.cfm?ttid=287

As you do not have PS2 connections I would suggest you try
1. Disconnecting all usb devices except the keyboard. See if it will then boot to Safe Mode and recognise the keyboard.
If so I would go from there on Device Manager, uninstall and allow windows to reinstall all USB drivers.

It is really no use me making further suggestions until you see where you go from there.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 27 April 2011 - 03:31 PM.

[criptonite]

Hi, I've run all the dell hard disk diagnostics and it reports no problems. I did try not connecting the usb mouse and booting with just the keyboard but the keyboard still won't work even in safe mode. As I said earlier, if I watch the optical light of the mouse, the minute windows starts the optical light turns off (safe mode or not).

I've taken the hard drive out of the Dell and have connected it to my laptop via a usb to sata adapter so that I can access the hard drive. I'm hoping that its possible to uninstall the usb mouse and keyboard drivers that way. Do you know?

Many thanks for your help

[Macboatmaster]

Have you tried connecting the device when at the desktop. - with the drive back in the Dell of course.
Sometimes that works and the device is recognised.
So boot the computer with the keyboard connected.
Then connect the nouse when windows has loaded to the desktop.

So what was the state of the hard drive, both by free space and by its health state.

This is important - what was the free space state of the hard drive.
You will be able to see that whilst the drive is connected to the adaptor.

Whilst you have the drive connected I would take the precaution of backing up any important data.

[criptonite]

Hi, I had tried plugging in the mouse when at the desktop but it still didn't work.

The hard disk is 71.4G with 7.17G of free space.

Looking forward to any ideas you may have but its starting to look like a complete OS re-install is the only option.

Many thanks

[Macboatmaster]

Have you tried ALL usb ports.
A number of people have found that ONE will work.

If this is a no go I suggest you try this

DEPENDANT of course on you having a restore point when the keyboard and mouse were working. You should be OK with the keyboard on the recovery console.

Then you need to try a System Restore using the Recovery Console

If you have Windows XP CD...

1. Boot from the CD.
2. When the text-based part of Setup begins, follow the prompts. Select the repair or recover option by pressing R:



3. You'll find yourself at this screen:



4. Once you are at the Recovery Console you will be given at least one choice of Windows installations. Normally the choice you want is the number 1 choice. Click the number 1 key at the "top" of the keyboard and click enter.

NOTE: at this point your numbers to the right of your keyboard are turned off. If you insist on using these keys for your numbers remember to hit the Numbers Lock key before clicking a number over there or your computer will automatically reboot and you will have to wait through the previous steps to get back to the console.

5. You will be given a message asking for the administrator password. Unless someone or something has messed with your computer there is no password so you just click the Enter key.

6. This will bring you to a prompt that says:

C:\WINDOWS>

7. Type:

cd \

Press Enter

Note: between "cd" and "" there should be a "blank space" otherwise the command won't work

8. The prompt should now say:

C:\>

9. Type:

cd system~1\_resto~1

Press Enter.

Note: If it gives an error "Access Denied" while accessing the folder, follow the method below

Type: cd \

Press Enter

Type: cd windows\system32\config

Press Enter

Type: ren system system.bak

Press Enter

(note the spaces between ren and system, and then between system and system.bak)

Type: exit

Press Enter

now the computer should restart, then follow steps 1-6

10. Type:

dir

Press Enter

NOTE: When you hit enter it will list all the restore points folders like "rp1", "rp2" we have to see the last restore point to copy the file from a recent backup. If the restore points have more than one page then you have keep on hitting the key to view the last restore point folder.

NOTE: It is a good rule of thumb to choose the files from the restore point folder which the second to the last one.

11. Type:

cd rp{with the second to the last restore point number }

Press Enter

Example: cd rp9. if rp10 is the last restore point

12. Type:

cd snapshot

Press Enter.

NOTICE: Now the command prompt will look like this:

c:\system~1\resto~1\rp9\snapshot

Note : restore point 9 assumed for clarity of the content.


13. Type:

copy _registry_machine_system c:\windows\system32\config\system

Press Enter

14. Type:

Exit

Press Enter.

Final note : If the above procedure won't solve the problem, repeat all steps, but in step 13 type:

copy _registry_machine_software c:\windows\system32\config\software

Alternatively, select different restore point.



If you don't have Windows CD...

Download Windows Recovery Console: http://www.thecomput...om/files/rc.iso
Download, and install free Imgburn: http://www.imgburn.c...hp?act=download
Using Imgburn, burn rc.iso to a CD.
Boot to the CD...let it finish loading.
When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the Recovery Console.

Follow steps 3 - 14.

Thanks to Broni for the instructions and acknowledgement to rshaffer61

Edited by Macboatmaster, 28 April 2011 - 03:50 PM.

[H_M_G]

Hi all, I'm new here and amazed to find such a detailed answer to my exact same problem!!

- wow macboatmaster, Broni & rshaffer61 - what amazing instructions!!

I followed them all except, for some reason, it wouldn't let me get past point 10; instead of listing restore points, it listed times and dates of 100's of items, none of which referenced an rp number.
It did say this; 'restore 0'

Any advice?

If not I'm unsure how to proceed next... I may set up a second partition in C drive....?

Many thanks in advance
H_M_G