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Dell Windows 10 - No bootable devices?

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Best Answer Sugartooth , 21 December 2019 - 05:03 PM

Hi Phill, I'm purchasing a new laptop instead of continuing on. Thank you, and to the others, for all their assistance during this time.   I also sent you a PM.Anna Go to the full post »


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#31
Sugartooth

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Hi phillpower2,

 

I restarted my laptop and the Memory Usage is now at 53%. I checked the Task Manager and at the top of the list is Del.D3.WinSvc at 85.4MB.

 

 

Can you post the full model name or number of the Dell notebook

 

It is Dell Inspiron I5555-0012BLK.

 

 

Please avoid shutting the computer down in such a way....

 

Okay. :blush:

 

See you tomorrow! :yes:


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#32
phillpower2

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Hello Sugartooth,

 

The highest user of memory is the Dell support assistant and at 85.4MB that is not high as it is checking out and storing the reported info from the tests carried out on the hardware.

 

The link here shows how to access and remove the RAM and below is the rather long winded methodology of correctly testing both sticks one at a time;

 

How to physically test your RAM.

 

The following checks require the computer case to be opened so take the following safety precautions 1st, disconnect the power cord from the wall socket  and take anti static precautions before touching anything inside, you can do this by touching a bare metalpart of the case or PSU or if a notebook by touching a household radiator or associated copper feed pipe.

 

Have a pencil and notepad to hand.

Remove each stick of RAM and blow out the memory slots.

Insert the first stick of RAM in memory slot one, reconnect the power and in the case of a desktop computer the video to screen cable.

Power up the computer and see how it goes.

Make a note of the results.

Repeat the procedure until the first stick of RAM has been tested in each memory slot and the results written down.

Remove the first stick of RAM and put it to one side on top of a piece of paper with the number one on it for identification purposes.

Repeat the procedure with all RAM until each stick has been tested in all slots, the results written down and the sticks identified numerically.

Now the really long winded part;

 

If no individual stick of memory or slot on the MB has an obvious problem all of the above needs to be repeated but this time by running Memtest 86 for each stick of RAM and in each slot on the MB, for some reason that many of us cannot explain one stick of RAM will work in one slot in a MB but not in another slot on the same MB.

 

Please do the above testing all in your own time.


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#33
Sugartooth

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Hi phillpower2,

 

I tested both sticks of RAM in each of the 2 memory slots and was able to access the internet on all 4 counts, but it was as slow as molasses. I downloaded Memtest 86 to a flash drive and then plugged it into my laptop. I don't know how to proceed now.

 

I tried to follow the instructions here:  https://www.memtest8...m/technical.htm

 

Usage

Booting MemTest86

MemTest86 supports booting from UEFI systems, which is supported by most newer systems.

To start MemTest86 insert the USB flash drive into the appropriate drive and restart your computer. Note: The UEFI BIOS must be configured to boot from the device that MemTest86 is installed on. Most systems have an optional boot menu that is enabled be pressing a key at startup (often ESC, F9, F11 or F12) similar to the following:

uefi_boot.jpg

If available use the boot menu to select the correct drive. You may see duplicate UEFI options. If so, you can select either one. Please consult your motherboard documentation for details.

 

This is what my laptop shows:

20190821_170254.jpg

 

I selected USB Storage Device, Onboard NIC (IPV6) and Onboard NIC (IPV4). All three options, I received the message: Selected boot device failed. Press any key to reboot the system.

 

What do I do now?

 

 

 


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#34
phillpower2

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Legacy option should be USB Storage Device first in the list.

 

Just a fyi, unless your computer has previously been set up so that it can be accessed by a network you should not have any NIC device/s selected as a boot device in either of the BIOS options, this the reason why you got the Selected boot device failed. Press any key to reboot the system. for two of the three options you had selected.


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#35
Sugartooth

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Hi phillpower2,

 

 

Legacy option should be USB Storage Device first in the list.

 

I don't understand your statement. Are you saying that USB Storage Device should be listed above Hard Drive? If so, how do I move it?

 

Also, my laptop has gotten progressively worse. I haven't been able to go pass the Lock Screen today.


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#36
phillpower2

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Hello Sugartooth,

 

The USB device needs to above the HDD as when the computer restarts it will boot using the software on the USB device itself and not from the computers HDD.

 

The bottom screenshot in your reply #33 tells you how to change the boot preferences, see beneath the line at the bottom, use the arrow keys to move the pointer info.


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#37
Sugartooth

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Hi phillpower2,

 

I'm not able to change the boot preferences. When I selected Change Boot Mode Setting, this is what I got:

20190825_133726_resized.jpg

 

When I tried to Escape, this is what happened:
20190825_133550_resized.jpg

I tried Press F5 to run onboard diagnostics. All it told me was Testing completed. One or more errors were detected.

 

We were trying to test the RAM, correct? What if I just purchase 2 new matching RAMS? Would that solve the problem? If so, what brand RAM do I purchase? Or is the laptop not salvageable?


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#38
phillpower2

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Hello Sugartooth,

 

Yes we are trying to test the RAM.

 

Purchasing anything is always a last resort and purchasing a new notebook is not even a consideration tbh.

 

Have you tried putting the USB drive before the HDD in UEFI BIOS and then changing from UEFI to Legacy mode, long shot but we need to try everything.

 

Something else that can make a difference is having the thumbdrive in a USB 3.0 port so can I ask that you make sure that you use one of the USB 2.0 ports and that you do not have any other thumbdrives plugged in while you test, a USB mouse would be ok if you happen to use one.

 

If we cannot get Memtest to run from the thumbdrive we have two options, try running the basic Windows memory test and checking the Memtest software on the thumbdrive.

 

Sorry that you are having problems with troubleshooting this btw  :(


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#39
Sugartooth

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Hi phillpower2,

 

 

Sorry that you are having problems with troubleshooting this btw 

 

I'm tenacious. I finally figured out how to run MemTest86 by watching this video. The results are that both RAM modules passed, not one single error. I did it the way you instructed. Just one RAM at a time and in each slot, so a total of 4 tests.

 

What do we try next?

 
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#40
phillpower2

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Hello Sugartooth,

 

Well done for sticking with it and being able to test the RAM  :thumbsup:  I overlooked mentioning that it should be each stick tested in each slot for a minimum of four or five passes, you can check the RAM again later if needs be for now I would suggest that you do the following and in the order that each are listed.

 

Back up all important data from the HDD to an external source.

 

If not done already, create Windows 10 media using one of the options here.

 

Back up all of your drivers to a small thumbdrive.

 

Restore the motherboards default factory settings in the BIOS "how to" here see if there is any improvement, if there is, post back and let us know, if not go to the next step.

 

Restart the computer in Safe Mode only (No Networking) make a note of how things go with this and then restart the computer in Safe Mode with Networking and test, make a note of how Safe Mode with Networking went, any improvement with either of these two tests post back and let us know, if no improvement do the last check.

 

Test the HDD with Seatools for Windows, you need to run both the long and the short test, if the drive fails either test it suggests that you need to replace the HDD.

 

Please note that testing the HDD must be done last because if it is faulty it could fail with the loss of all data on it.


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#41
Sugartooth

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Hi phillpower2,

 

I have tried restoring the motherboards to the default factory settings on 3 separate occasions. I have watched and tried numerous YouTube videos to reach Safe Mode and have not been successful. I can't reach the Welcome screen which is the screen right before Safe Mode.This is the video I used. Starting at 3:15, you can see what I am referring to. I get the spiraling circle and I have let it sit overnight, about 9 hours.

 

I have tried burning a DVD with the Windows 10 Installation media to reach Safe Mode, but either I accidentally deleted the CD-ROM Drive from BIOS or it was never there, so I can't get the DVD to run. I've tried installing the Windows 10 Installation media to a thumb drive and following this tutorial, but I'm back to a spiraling circle again.

 

Since neither the CD-ROM Drive nor the USB Drive work, it is not possible to run Seatools for Windows.

 

I also tried doing a System Restore, but it ran into a problem too.

 

Is there anything else to try?


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#42
phillpower2

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Hello Sugartooth,

 

You can restart the computer to get to the Advanced start up settings from within Windows, have you tried this, if not, see info here

 

If you check the Speccy report that you post previously you will see that there was no optical drive detected so it is not something that you have done, in case you are not aware, many users have lost the optical drive after a recent Windows 10 update only to find that when they booted up the next day the drive had mysteriously reappeared. 

 

Since neither the CD-ROM Drive nor the USB Drive work, it is not possible to run Seatools for Windows.

 

 

Sorry but not sure why you mention this, you download and run Seatools from within Windows, please re read the information here and just to reiterate please do not test the drive until you have backed up any important data.

 

Are system restore points enabled on the computer, how to check info here

 

We will wait for you to get back to us before suggesting anything else.


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#43
Sugartooth

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Hi phillpower2,
 
In Post #6, it was suggested that I back up important data to an external media, which I did.
 

You can restart the computer to get to the Advanced start up settings from within Windows, have you tried this, if not, see info here

This was how I'd been accessing the Advanced Start Up Settings. The only option that had worked for me was: From a black or blank screen.

It was also the only way that I could get the laptop to run, at all. It no longer boots into Windows. I had gone into Command Prompt and typed in the following: bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal. The command forces the laptop to start in Safe Mode. It said the operation completed successfully, but It didn't work. I had thought to try and use the Windows 10 Installation media to re-install Windows 10, but both times, I got the Blue screen (no messages).

 

I have tried repeatedly to reach Advanced Start Up Settings, but it will no longer show up.

 

Regarding Seatools, I had thought to download it into my thumb drive, because I can't download it into my laptop.

 

I had seen, previously, that there were 3 system restore points. The oldest one was the one that I had created, when I noticed that I didn't have any, right around the time I started this thread. I had tried it and it ran into an error. I can't recall what it said, but it didn't work.

 

I think I have killed my laptop now. :upset:


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#44
Sugartooth

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Hi again,

 

I wanted to mention that when I went to turn my laptop off, the Dell ePSA Pre-boot System Assessment came on. It ran a quick test and said everything was okay ( :no:). Then it asked if I wanted to run a more thorough test and I thought, why not? It should finish after 2 hours. I'll let you know the results.


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#45
Sugartooth

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The test finished, but not helpful.

 

20190901_171605.jpg

20190901_171653.jpg


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