[phillpower2]

Is there a local computer store who can test the card for you, many will do it for free.

I asked earlier what type of keyboard you were using and you post the mouse details instead, post the keyboard details for us PS2 or USB.

To access the BIOS;
•Press F2 when the Dell logo appears. Press every few seconds until the message Entering Setup appears.

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Sorry, the keyboard is OEM Dell with PS2 plug.

I can't go into the bios while booting, I do not get anything on the screen.

[bhruss]

Sorry, the keyboard is OEM Dell with PS2 plug.

I can't go into the bios while booting, I do not get anything on the screen.

[phillpower2]

If you can try another keyboard, if you use a USB type ensure that it is plugged into USB port 1 as shown in the attachment below.

If the keyboard is not working it has the potential to prevent the computer from booting + you will not be able to access the BIOS.

[bhruss]

I don't have a usb keyboard, but I swapped this Dell keyboard onto the Gen5, same thing (no lights). I tried it without the keyboard at all, lights 1, 2, 3 were light "Another failure has occurred." according to the Dell manual.

[phillpower2]

Thanks for the update which would appear to rule out a bad keyboard as the cause of the failed POST.

All that can be done now is have the video card tested and/or wait for the new video cable to arrive I`m afraid.

[bhruss]

Well, I got the new cable, installed and nothing. Took the computer and laid it on it's side, looked at all the parts inside, checked for dirt, shorts, broken parts, nothing. Set it back up with new cable, nothing.

Left it for 24 hours while I was deciding if I wanted to spend anymore time or money. Decided to give it one more shot, so I hooked the monitor back up with the old cable and ..........

It partially boots to the Windows XP screen and then I get a "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt

"\Windows\system32\Config\system" with a black screen telling me to enter the recovery console with a windows disk. I got out an XP home windows disk and selected "r" for repair. Now how do I go from there to try and repair the Config file?

At this point I am blaming that stupid "driver update" software for the whole crash. I had no problems until I tried that thing. And it is a windows recommended program.

Bob

Edited by bhruss, 27 November 2012 - 11:44 AM.

[phillpower2]

Good to see you have made some progress

For help with the repair install please refer to the tutorial provided courtesy of admin http://www.geekstogo...air-windows-xp/

[bhruss]

I can't do the blue screen repair, it takes me to a black screen in the recovery console, command prompt. I don't know how to go from there.

Also, this system has RAID, and I do not have th drivers. I would like to get rid of the raid option and just use single hard drive with the extra hard drives for storage, and to [bleep] with the raid. It obviously doesn't work too well, I should be able to recover from the second drive in the array. I might be able to if I knew how.

[phillpower2]

Also, this system has RAID, and I do not have th drivers. I would like to get rid of the raid option and just use single hard drive with the extra hard drives for storage, and to [bleep] with the raid. It obviously doesn't work too well, I should be able to recover from the second drive in the array. I might be able to if I knew how.

I wish we had known this sooner

As the first drive is backed up to the second drive you could try removing the first HDD in case it is mechanically bad and replace it with the second HDD and see if it boots.

Alternative suggestion seeing as you have an XP disk is to use Puppy Linux to retrieve any data on the drive/s that you wish to keep and then do a full NTFS format of both HDDs and then do a fresh install of XP, is the XP disk the full retail type and do you have the product key for it.

[bhruss]

I tried both hard drives individually, and it says they are degraded but bootable. However, it says that the hard drive array is "hard drive 1 Sata, Raid 1 etc. Hard drive 2 -no drive. Hard drive 3 Sata, Raid 2, etc", Hard drive 4 750 GB, non raid". But the hard drives are mounted so # 1 is on the #1 wire lead, # 2 is on the # 2 wire lead, and # 3 is on the # 3 wire lead, I have no hard drive 4.

And it will not boot to either drive. I get the same error.

I do not have a full version of XP, just the OEM cd that dell provides. And it is not for Media Center, it is for XP Home.

I think I will buy one, perhaps you have a recommendation? XP Home, Pro, Media Center??? I do not want any version of windows that I can not operate in 32 bit, my business software only runs in 32 bit and I can not replace it. The invoicing software and inventory system I have cost 2K when I bought it, 64 bit version is over 5K now. I have tried windows 7 and it was a flop.

I think I will buy a couple more 750 gb hard drives and re-install a new version of windows.

I guess I better call this a scratch and start over. Look forward to your recommendations.

[phillpower2]

Thanks for the update bhruss, sorry it is not better news though.

Your options regarding the OS are limited I`m afraid as support for XP SP3 ends on April 8, 2014 and so if you were to purchase an XP disk now it would need upgrading again in just over 16 months time http://www.microsoft...dofsupport.aspx one suggestion that I can make is that if at all possible borrow an XP disk that is the same version as what is presently on your boot drive, install it to your new boot drive, activate and update it via Microsoft and then check if your computer is compatible with Windows 8 http://windows.micro...-US/windows/buy which I find is a very good/fast OS.

Just a thought but have you considered Ubuntu http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop,

For new HDDs I suggest that you purchase one or two (whichever you think that you will need) 1TB storage capacity as what I can find and would suggest the 750GB HDDs are more expensive, 1TB http://us.ncix.com/p...te&promoid=1030 and 750GB http://www.amazon.co.../?tag=pcpapi-20

[bhruss]

I have tried the 1TB drives before and had problems with windows xp being able to run it. That is why I usually pay the extra $ 14 or so for a 750. I even tried the windows software to make xp recognize the bigger drives, and that was a failure as well. Could be just me, but every time I try to do something that everybody else does, it always fails. Baught a 300 GB hard drive for my sons old Dell when he was in college. Supposedly you could just transfer everything from the old drive to the new one. That didn't work very well, I had to install the new drive, then format it, then add the OS, then all his software and files again, after I pulled them from the old drive with my system and put them on cd's.

I swear I am cursed with computers............

XP is ok for this computer I am working on because it will not be hooked to the internet. It is just going to run the business software and nothing else when I am done with it.

Should I splurge on a SSD for it?

[phillpower2]

I understand the choice of 750GB HDD

If the computer is capable of connecting to the internet you could use Easeus for backing up data from the HDD, the Home version is the best option, please see http://www.todo-back...up-software.htm once done simply disconnect from the internet again.

SSDs are great for speeding up your boot times but the larger capacity drives are rather expensive, 120 to 128GB are ideal for the OS and other regularly used programs http://www.amazon.co.../?tag=pcpapi-20