Dell Dimension 3000 Won't boot into XP

Got a system dropped into my lap and it's driving me nutty!

Details.....

Dell Dimension 3000 Desktop
Celeron 2.4GHz
512 MB DDR
80 Gig Hard Drive
CD/ROM
Factory load of Windows XP Home on an NTFS partition

The system powers up and I can run the F12 diagnostics from the hard
drive. The system passes all the built-in Dell diagnostics.

Trying to do a normal boot, the system displays the usual Dell BIOS
splash screen then the screen goes blank and we're all locked up.

If I set the system up to boot from CD first, I can boot with Ultimate
Boot CD and the utilities all seem to run OK. So far, this seems to
indicate mostly functional hardware, including the hard drive since I
can access the Dell utility partition.

If I try to boot with a Windows XP CD the system starts to boot,
displays the "Setup is inspecting you hardware configuration" message.
Then the screen goes black and we're all locked up, just like booting
from the CD.

I have tried using Bart's PE and UBCD4Win (based on Bart's PE but more
utilities). Both CD's boot just fine on my other systems but the Dell
just goes and locks up.

Seems to be some kind of NT thing.

Anyone seen this before? Any quick suggestions before I ask them for the
system restore disk or waste enormous amounts of time on this?

Thanks in advance for your help.

John
--
John P. Dearing
A+, Network+, Server+
To reply: Just drop "YOURPANTS" in my address!

John P. Dearing

Are you able to boot in Safe Mode?
Sounds like the NTLDR might be problem from my own past experience but that
is just a guess.
Good luck with it, if i think of anything else, i will let you know

Joe

Hello, John!
You wrote on Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:17:54 GMT:

JPD> Details.....

JPD> Dell Dimension 3000 Desktop
JPD> Celeron 2.4GHz
JPD> 512 MB DDR
JPD> 80 Gig Hard Drive
JPD> CD/ROM
JPD> Factory load of Windows XP Home on an NTFS partition

JPD> The system powers up and I can run the F12 diagnostics from the hard
JPD> drive. The system passes all the built-in Dell diagnostics.

JPD> Trying to do a normal boot, the system displays the usual Dell BIOS
JPD> splash screen then the screen goes blank and we're all locked up.

JPD> If I set the system up to boot from CD first, I can boot with Ultimate
JPD> Boot CD and the utilities all seem to run OK. So far, this seems to
JPD> indicate mostly functional hardware, including the hard drive since I
JPD> can access the Dell utility partition.

JPD> If I try to boot with a Windows XP CD the system starts to boot,
JPD> displays the "Setup is inspecting you hardware configuration" message.
JPD> Then the screen goes black and we're all locked up, just like booting
JPD> from the CD.

JPD> I have tried using Bart's PE and UBCD4Win (based on Bart's PE but more
JPD> utilities). Both CD's boot just fine on my other systems but the Dell
JPD> just goes and locks up.

JPD> Seems to be some kind of NT thing.

JPD> Anyone seen this before? Any quick suggestions before I ask them for
JPD> the system restore disk or waste enormous amounts of time on this?

JPD> Thanks in advance for your help.

JPD> John

With best regards, Joe. E-mail:

Joe

On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:17:54 GMT, "John P. Dearing"
<> wrote:

>Got a system dropped into my lap and it's driving me nutty!
>
>Details.....
>
>Dell Dimension 3000 Desktop
>Celeron 2.4GHz
>512 MB DDR
>80 Gig Hard Drive
>CD/ROM
>Factory load of Windows XP Home on an NTFS partition
>
>The system powers up and I can run the F12 diagnostics from the hard
>drive. The system passes all the built-in Dell diagnostics.
>
>Trying to do a normal boot, the system displays the usual Dell BIOS
>splash screen then the screen goes blank and we're all locked up.
>
>If I set the system up to boot from CD first, I can boot with Ultimate
>Boot CD and the utilities all seem to run OK. So far, this seems to
>indicate mostly functional hardware, including the hard drive since I
>can access the Dell utility partition.
>
>If I try to boot with a

The Dell Windows XP CD? Is the restore on a separate partition, like
some other proprietary manufacturers like to do?

Tom

> Windows XP CD the system starts to boot,
>displays the "Setup is inspecting you hardware configuration" message.
>Then the screen goes black and we're all locked up, just like booting
>from the CD.
>
>I have tried using Bart's PE and UBCD4Win (based on Bart's PE but more
>utilities). Both CD's boot just fine on my other systems but the Dell
>just goes and locks up.
>
>Seems to be some kind of NT thing.
>
>Anyone seen this before? Any quick suggestions before I ask them for the
>system restore disk or waste enormous amounts of time on this?
>
>Thanks in advance for your help.
>
>John

Tom MacIntyre

Scott Roberts wrote:

> TRY HOLDING DOWN Ctrl+F11 TO GET TO SYSTEM RESTORE

Thanks for the tip.

I hope the system is new enough that the system restore is built into
the system. It was about a year ago that Dell started including this
failsafe system restore on their systems.

This system may or may not have it.

I was hoping for something a little less drastic than a full system
restore to day one...

Thanks again!

John
--
John P. Dearing
A+, Network+, Server+
To reply: Just drop "YOURPANTS" in my address!

John P. Dearing

On Sat, 01 Oct 2005 01:25:53 GMT, "John P. Dearing"
<> wrote:

>Scott Roberts wrote:
>
>> TRY HOLDING DOWN Ctrl+F11 TO GET TO SYSTEM RESTORE
>
>Thanks for the tip.
>
>I hope the system is new enough that the system restore is built into
>the system. It was about a year ago that Dell started including this
>failsafe system restore on their systems.
>
>This system may or may not have it.
>
>I was hoping for something a little less drastic than a full system
>restore to day one...
>
>Thanks again!
>
>John

I don't know about Dell, but HP has 2 levels of restore, one destroys
data, one doesn't.

Tom

Tom MacIntyre

Scott Roberts wrote:

> TRY HOLDING DOWN Ctrl+F11 TO GET TO SYSTEM RESTORE

Wound up doing exactly this and the system came back OK.

Unfortunately, all other data was lost but the user was aware of this
going in.

Ran all appropriate Critical Updates and Security Updates and all seems
fine now. Will be returning the system tomorrow.

Thanks for the tip!!

John
--
John P. Dearing
A+, Network+, Server+
To reply: Just drop "YOURPANTS" in my address!

John P. Dearing