Problem:"We apologize for the inconvenience..."

Hi guys, this is not my first post on MG, but I lost my U/N & P/W and don't have time to mess around. Her'e the dealio. My 'pooter (Dell Inspiraon B110) just took a crap. I got into some bad malware on the web, and then my computer locked up. I restarted, and now all I get is the "We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not...." I tried restarting with all options, but to no avail. It simply goes back into BIOS as if I restarted and ends up right back on teh I'm Sorry Screen. I have Carbonite Backup for my data, so I am not too worried bout that. I just wanna b able to USE my 'pooter. Thank you in advance.

 

Restore to factory settings http://support.dell.com/support/top.../kcs/document?&docid=DSN_353562&isLegacy=true

 

oh, that was cool. I clicked the link from plodr and whup, it flipped to German.

I think B110 is pre-2009, they had a slightly different menu and your link is here http://support.dell.com/support/top...t?c=us&docid=266611&doclang=en&l=en&s=gen&cs=

 

Ok, I tried to follow the instructions, BUT, I saw no Dell logo, so I just kept pressing F8. Up came a blue DOS like screen labeled:
Please select boot device:
-1st Floppy Drive
PM-WDC WD1600AAJB-22WRA0
PS-WDC WD1600AAJB-22WrRA0
3M-WDC WD800JD-00SA1
Arrow up and down to move selection
ENTER to select boot device
ESC to boot using defaults

So, I'm a bit lost at this point.
Thanks,
FF

 

Ok, so i learned this much:

3M-WDC WD800JD-00SA1 is the master and PM-WDC WD1600AAJB-22WRA0 is the slave HD.

If I recall, I added the hard drive when I first got this pooter.

The master is corrupt and gives me the "We apologize" screen. The other will allow me to boot into Windows, but, after logging in (and the Screen settings are all out of whack) A window pops up saying:

Windows Product Activation

This copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft before you can log on. Do you want to activate Windows now?

How should I proceed. And even if I do get in this way, what do I do about restoring programs I had on the other HD?

Thanks,
FF

 

When you select the first one, it won't give you the factory restore option?

You can try this.
Go to the BIOS, change the boot order
Put the slave as the first boot option and take out the others

Can you get to the Dell splash screen with that and then F8. It's going to ask you for the location of the system restore. See if you can select the master drive from that.

 

UR Right, did that but I get teh same screen:"We Apologize...)

 

Ughhhh! I'm sorry, it is a DELL DIMENSION B110, not Inspiron.:confused

 

Your recovery keys are <ctrl> + F11 during startup (Dell screen or before Windows since you can't see a Dell screen). That should bring up a window to start the recovery process.

Warning: You do realize this will take you back to factory defaults so any programs you have added to the computer will be gone. Only the programs that came with the computer will be there.

 

Awaiting further instructions...

 

I would say try the <cntl> + f11 again hitting them immediately and repeatedly as soon as you power on. If you get to the "We apologize" screen then restart and try one more time.

If you still can't get recovery options then we know that that won't work but I just want to make sure it is not a timing thing.

 

Nope-No worky. I tried from the moment of startup, and nothing.

 

I'll think about the options. You don't have any installation CDs if I understand correctly.

This is XP? I wonder if going through recovery console might be worth a try. It usually doesn't work for this boot loop problem but maybe it couldn't hurt if you have a blank CD available.

*******
One question when you boot into the other Windows does the activation window come up immediately? You are not signing in under your name it is just a random login? (I think this is your recovery partition which you shouldn't be able to log into.)

 

Sorry, no cd as Dell uses a partition to store an original copy.

This is XP. I tried booting into the second hard drive that I have, and I am allowed to boot into Windows using my regular login ID, but, after logging in (and the Screen settings are all out of whack) A window pops up saying:

Windows Product Activation

This copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft before you can log on. Do you want to activate Windows now?


I tried the recovery console option, but all my feeble computer skills could muster was to get into a DOS command prompt. Then, I was lost.

 

Try going into recovery console and get to the DOS prompt by letting it search for Windows installations and choosing #1. (Let me know if it sees more than one)

Then try a chkdsk /r command at the prompt. [There is a space between "k" and "/" See if it reports finding any errors.

 

On the :"We apologize for the inconvenience..."page, it gives me the option to "log into Windows safe mode with a command prompt." I am not dure how to get to the recovery console per say. As of right now, i am logged into my Windows safe with a command prompt up.

 

See if you get a response from typing rstrui.exe at the prompt. [that is the command to try to start System Restore from the command prompt] If it starts system restore you may be able to select a date before your problem began.

If it gives you command not found you can try the much longer command:

 

Just to clarify, When I logged into Windows with this c: prompt and then closed the crompt but all I see is a black screen with safe mode in the four corners and a MS header.

 

Should I BE LOGGONG IN AS ADMIN OR MY NAME? (I have two Login IDs on mine.

 

Houston, we have liftoff!:-D

I am in Sys restore. Now what???

 

Ok, I am restoring to Thursday evening. Lets see what happens...

 

I'm very confused as to where you are logging on. If you can log in to safe mode (regular safe mode with a graphical interface) then do that and log in as Administrator. You would attempt to do a system restore. All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>System Restore.

If you are logging in to Safe Mode with a command prompt, I don't think you get a choice but if you do go ahead and try Administrator. Then you would try typing rstrui.exe at the command prompt and hopefully a System Restore Window will open giving you a chance to restore to an earlier date.

Edit: Good! and we wait...

 

Ok, sorry about the confusion. Your understanding is correct. I am in "Safe Mode With A Command Prompt" NOT reg. Safe Mode. I did not log into admin tho, and I did the restore but am back in the same vicious cycle as b4. I will try logging in as Admin next.

 

Try a restore point a few days back from Thursday and see if you get a better result.

 

ok, restored as admin and after System restore completed it's deal, it restarted the pooter. Now, we are right back at the same mess as b4. Wait, NO! I chose regular safe mode to see what happens, and it went into regular safe mode and told me that it successfully restored back to Wed.!:-D


So now I am in Safe Mode. What should I do?

 

I'm not sure what the absolute best thing to do would be.

Just restart and try normal mode. Or do one more restore say to Tues or whatever and see if it automatically restarts in normal mode.

I think just restart and if it doesn't go to normal mode but gives you a choice then select start Windows normally and see what happens.

 

Ok, I restarted and something peculiar happened. It went thru Bios, then Windows Flashed for about 1 second, then it went away and wet to Bios again, and then to that dang screen again. However, it restarted itself from there now, into Bios, and back to the We apologize screen. Is this a hardware issue maybe?

 

well, I was there at one point and tried to restart into normal. Ok, I just tried it and I am in safe mode anyhow.

 

Yes, I am in Safe mode now now awaiting further instructions.

 

Interesting.....I tried the Sys restore, and I get a mssg saying, " System restore is not able to rotect your computer. Please restart your computer, and then run System restore again."

So do they want me just to restart into Safe Mode????

 

trying safe mode....Then do another sys restore, right?

 

Same error mssg as b4. Now what?

 

Assuming I can find one, then what? Do I boot from the cd Rom after pressing Cntrl+F11 when restarting?

At that point, does taht mean that I have lost any programs and settings that I added?

 

Try Start>Run and type in diskmgmt.msc
Then let me know what you see in the graph
Basically do you See two Disks? And how many partitions on each and what their name sizes are. [I'm trying to determine if your having a second Hard drive may be interfering with your running the Dell Recovery Option.]

 

I got an error after disk managemnet tried running for a minute. The "Logical Disk Manager" error reads" The dependency service or group failed to start. OK."

 

kEEP in mind I have 2 HDs. Don't know if that makes a diff.

 

We seem to be stopped at every turn.

This computer didn't come with any CDs? I don't see an option to burn a recovery CD in the manual although I thought that had to be an option.

Give me a few minutes to see what is available from Dell. Sometimes that have information about F11 not working.

In Start>All Programs is there anything that looks like Dell Recovery program?

 

Disk Fragmenter....that's it.

 

A couple of things. F8 works to get me into alternate boot thingy. Perhaps I am wrong and this is not a Dell?????? I dunno, it just seems weird. Theres no Dell logo on it. But I am 99% sure its a dell.

 

Where are you getting the model number from (the case or the sticker on the back?).

It is interesting that Dell B110 only lists one HD bay and you have two HDs. So you would have had to order an extended bay if the specs I am reading are correct.

What I also notice is that you have the same HD listed as Primary Master and as Primary Slave. With the second HD listed as the third boot device.

None of the above would explain a sudden software problem.

***
F8 should work on any computer running Windows ( I believe it is a Windows thing).

***
I'm going to see if I can find anything else to try. [I don't want to lose the ability to work in safe mode by doing something hasty]

I'd like to see if your boot.ini file is standard which it should be but might as well check it out.

 

You got really far while I was gone. I'm glad that you have your data backed up.

What version of XP did you have?

 

Thanks, I am running XP Pro Handygal. There are some really cool cats on this site helping me out! Thanks to all!

Mine reads:


[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

 

Interesting that you have Recovery Console installed but don't see that choice when you startup.

Are you on SP3? Try Start>Run>type in msconfig and then hit OK
Go to the boot.ini tab and click the button for "Check all paths" See if it says they are all OK.

Then go to the Tools tab (if it exists--Might not exist pre-SP3) and try to launch System Restore from the list. So you still get System Restore can't protect your computer?

 

I do have SP3.

I get a strange message when checking all paths:

System Configuration
It appears that the following line in the BOOT.INI file does not refer to a vslid operating system:
"C;\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recov. Console" /cmdcons"
Would u likr to remove it from the BOOT.INI File?

Yes or No.

I tried to do the restore but got the same message:"Sys restore is not able to protect your computer..."

That's where I am at.