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Black screen, blinking cursor


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#1
Valyndiir

Valyndiir

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This is an old HP 4100 workstation with an old IDE 80gb hd that seems to work since I got XP installed on it without a problem.

Never had any problems but sat for about 6 years in its original box after being replaced with a newer model. I have use for this old box now but when I try to boot off a harddrive I get the "black screen blinking cursor" just after the screen with the boot and setup options, no beeps. I installed XP through the DVD drive, so I'm assuming it is okay. There is also a CD drive I installed that never had any problems, but I have yet to pull its plugs and see if it did actually go faulty. Ram should be okay, I've used 8 different sticks, but I suppose there is the possibility that they all went bad. Tried booting without ram, got the proper beeping, so I assume the board is fine. Tried fixboot and fixmbr even though it is a new installation. Could the partition on the drive be wonky? Maybe I should try lowering the partition to 40gb and see if that helps. I also installed a new battery on the board since I was getting a bad date and time error. Has an old graphics card that produces an image so I assume it is okay. I may try pulling the PCI ethernet board but I am feeling like the old P4 core is shot. I have done a lot of searching for answers and I am running into dead ends. Please help!
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#2
Ztruker

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So you get the Black screen, blinking cursor on the first boot after completing the XP install?
Did you do a full format of the drive during the install or a quick format. If quick, try it again but do a full format.
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#3
Valyndiir

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I did not reformat at all, I will do that tonight. Many thanks!!

Edited by Valyndiir, 24 July 2012 - 07:45 PM.

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#4
Valyndiir

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Well that worked, but when I got windows up and running I rebooted. Then it went into an infinite loop of loading to the windows logo screen and failing to load the desktop. So I reformatted AGAIN and it said it could not properly copy mqutil.dll I believe it was so I changed from the DVD drive to the CD drive and reformatted and then it said it could not properly copy magnify.exe. What the... IS WINDOWS PROBLEM? GOOD GRIEF :P
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#5
Ztruker

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Three possibilities that I can think of.

1. CD is defective. Is this a purchased XP Install CD?
2. Defective hard drive. Run the manufacturers diagnostic for the drive and see what it finds:

Check the hard drive with the manufacturer's diagnostic tools.
Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.
Bootable Hard Drive Diagnostics

3. Memory (RAM) problems. To test, reove 1/2 of it and see if the install will complete. If not, swap with the other half and try again.
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