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Hi Everybody,
Yesterday I used the computer and shut it down as usual, no problem. Today I tried to boot up and got a black screen saying, it cannot lost the os. It asked what I want:
safe mode
safe mode with networking
safe mode with command prompt
last known good configuration
start windows normally
I tried them all and it keeps recycling back to the xp logo and back to the black screen. In between these screens a blue screen flashes quickly and I cannot read what it says.I don't know what happened to cause this condition, can anyone help me get past this point so the xp os can load up.
I thank you in advance for your help,
frank
blue screen flashes quickly
Try hitting the PAUSE/BREAK key,
on your keyboard, when the message appears.
That should hold the display so you can
write it down. Then hit ENTER to continue.
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Memory(RAM), test program for downloading:http://www.memtest86.com/
------------------------
For if no Safe-Mode:
How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP
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Thank you Chuck2,
I was about to add how can I freeze the screen so i can read itThank you again, I going to try to freeze and read it
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Hi Chuck2,
It won't stop and with the quick flash, I can't make out the few lines on the screen. I don't know why it does not go back to the last good configuration either. Have you got anymore ideas I could use,
thanks,
frank
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I was not sure if PAUSE/BREAK would work on XP.
It use to work with other previous OSs.Try the RAM memory testing program that I gave the link. Maybe you have bad RAM memory.
Also harddrive manufacturers make harddrive testing programs for downloading.
Could also look around the Dell Support website on how to correct problems.
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Chuck2, Dell has a test pgm, it takes a long time to run, it showing two fails, one in the read area and the other in the verify area. Would this be enough to cause the computer not to load the os. I have 512k on 2 sticks, i assume one is no good.
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Chuck2, the dell website you gave me is a web designer, I went to the dell site and did not see a forum or bulletin board such as you see here or other sites.
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support.dell.com
Possible that the harddrive is not running at its normal speed, freezing up or slowing down.
My computer took 20 min. to boot the other day.
Mechanical devices do have there problems.
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Good call Chuck 2, when I boot up, lately I hear a noise not loud, but enough to think it is a fan or hard drive. After a minute or so the noise goes away. I did not like how dell installs it's hard drive, they install in the vertical position up against the front of the case. No run to cool off. Possibly this is going bad without any warning other then a noise I can't describe. It is not a rumble or squeek, more like a low hum. It worked fine yesterday and today I get the black screen.
Thank you again for your help.
frank
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Hi Chuck 2,
Reversed the memory chips no luck, traced the noise to the cooling fan, the hard drive is quiet and sounds like it's working as it keeps rebooting every 30 seconds. I would like to reload the os but can't get past this recycle phase. The chips I suspect are not the problem, the hd spins on with every reboot, I have never seen this black screen before and can't read the information on the blue screen. I suspect the problem could be solved if I could freeze that screen so I could read it. The pause or break button does nothing. I am sure there must be a way to stop the screen from fading away. Just like the print button, with every new os, they make useless the buttons that worked for us on the old s's.
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I would like to reload the os but can't get past this recycle phase.
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Maybe go into BIOS to change the boot order to boot to CD drive first.
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I will give it a go, in the bios the cdrom is 3rd on line in the boot sequence. I suspect it won't make a difference, but it's worth a try. Glad to be out of that mini tower, it was murder in there. The on/off switch, they spent big money for that plastic beauty, bet they spent 3 cents for it. What a piece of ####. It is wedged slightly over the hd, you move it slightly and it won't work. Well they gotta say a buck.
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The pause key probably doesn't work in xp. It's also to quick a flash to get the timing right. Might make a nice game to play on a crashed comp...
The way to make the blue screen stay is to disable "automatic restart" after a crash. Normally you can do this in safe mode(system properties->advanced->startup and recovery settings), but since that's not possible you can try putting the hdd into another computer and change the setting.
Please respond if you can access another pc to put it in, I will explain how to change the setting.geddi
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