Dell Latitude Laptop - Not Booting

Dell Inspiron laptop running Wni7.

Girlfriend was surfing and clicked a bad link. She said she got a ton of popup windows then shut the system down. Now, when you boot you get the initial Dell start screen, but nothing past that. Tried to use F8 and get into safe mode, no good.

I am able to boot to the original Dell CDR for W7 that came with the system. From there I tried a system restore, no good. Tried system repair, no good.

I am at a loss. Help please?

ALso, I did post this same topic in the Malware help section, in case it is an issue with Malware removal. I will delete whichever thread is in the wrong section


Thanks in advance, you guys are always helpful

 

Oh - forgot one thing

When I try to run the system repair from teh DVD, I get this mssg:

Startup Repair could not detect a problem. If you have recently attached a device to this computer, such as a camera or portable music player, remove it and restart. If you continue to see this mssg, contact your system admin or manufacturer for assistance.

 

Hi,

What happened when you tried System Restore any error messages or did it not run at all?

What happens when the Dell screen ends--anything at all on screen?

 

when I tried a system restore, it failed. I did get an error message, but failed to write it down. Unfortunately,t here was only one system restore point saved on her HD. I can try it again and see if I get the message and re-post it here

When Dell splash screen ends, its black - nothingness

 

RE-RAN SYSTEM RESTORE

message: Did not complete successfully - unspecified error (0x8000ffff)

 

Any error when trying safe mode or you couldn't get to the safe mode choices?

Basically, I'm trying to figure out if it is reading your HD. That it showed the restore point and couldn't find errors in startup repair makes it sound like the recovery disc sees your HD and Windows files.

In most cases such as yours I would expect a Win7 logo before the black screen but your not getting that.

Maybe try Command prompt and chkdsk c: /r to check the disk for errors.

 

I am not getting into safe mode. Maybe I am trying to get in wrong? as the Dell spalsh screen is up, and goes away, I am hitting F8 to get in - I thought this was correct.

When I try sys restore, and startup repair, it does seem to be reading the HD. I will try the command prompt thing and post back

 

F8 is the correct keystroke. Sometimes the timing has to be exact. On a Dell there is no problem with hitting F8 repeated during the splash screen and continuing as it ends to make sure you get the correct timing.

If you can come up with the safe mode options try Last Know Good Configuration before any other option.

 

10239999 kb total disk space
6458052 kb in 55 files
20 kb in 49 indexes
0 kb in bad sectors
64735 kb in use by the system
53248 kb occupied by the log file
3717192 kb available on the disk

4096 bytes in each allocation unit
2559999 total allocation units
929298 allocation units available

failed to transfer logged messages to the event log with the status 50

 

I think we did the chkdsk on the wrong drive because it is too small, probably some sort of recovery/utility partition. (The log error is normal running off the disc)

When you first load the disc and it looks for windows installations if it finds a different letter for Windows use that letter in the chkdsk command. ie. chkdsk d: /r

Or you use diskpart at the command prompt to find the letter:
diskpart
The prompt will change to diskpart>
list volume
You want to note the letter with the largest size in GB. Then run the command chkdsk (letter): /r

 

so wait - could it be that the lappy is trying to boot to a partion instead? should I go into the setup and check to see where it is trying to boot from?

 

I don't think it is trying to boot to a different partition because then you would get some type of error or a blinking cursor at the top left. Startup Repair should have checked for that and fixed it. Diskpart and the list volume command will show which partition is set as boot/active.

You can go ahead and look in Setup but if it wasn't finding your HD you would get a message like no boot device or HD not found at the Dell screen.

I would take a minute and try hitting F8 repeatedly during the Dell screen to see if Safe Mode options will come up and if so choose LKGConfiguration.

 

yeah, every time I try the safe mode I hit f8 until the machine start beeping at me. no luck so far. rebooting to DVD right now to see what the diskpart is...

add: It is on E - running chkdsk on E now

 

61439999 KB TOTAL DISK SPACE
40495824 kb in 152522 files
105884 kb in 24987 indexes
0 kb in bad sectors
31441 kb in use by the system
65536 kb in teh log file
20523880 kb available on the disk

4096 bytes in each allocation unit
1535999 total allocation units on the disk
5130970 allocation units on the disk -

failed to transfer log

 

i dont know if it matters - but I was wrong on teh Dell model - this is an inspiron, not a lattitude. sorry about that

 

That all looks fine. So the HD seems to be fine and the file system is good. I'm really not sure what is happening.

Hit F12 during the Dell screen and manually select HD as the boot device just to make sure it is attempting to boot off the HD.

If no change go ahead and try diskpart and the list volume so we can see which partition is active.

 

disk part> List volume

volume 0 --- F --- win_7_homep --- UDF --- DVD-Rom --- 5884MB --- Healthy
Volume 1 ---C---- Recovery -------NTFS ---- Partition --- 9GB -------Healthy
Volume 2 ---E---- OS -------------NTFS ---- partition --- 58GB ------Healthy
Volume 3 ---D --- (no label) ------ NTFS ---- partitionm -- 229 GB ----Healthy
Volume 4 ---G---- (no lable) ---- (no FS) ---- Removable -- 0b -------No Media
Volume 5 (no ltr) (no label) ---- FAT ------ Partition ---- 100mb --- healthy - hidden

 

No mention of boot at the end of one of those under the info heading?

 

nope

 

Let's set one active and see if any change.
We want to set the 100mb one active. It looks like it will be partition 5. Verify that number after you do the list partition part below and substitute the number if necessary in the select partition command.

So in diskpart at the diskpart> prompt:

select disk 0
list partition
select partition 5
active
exit

Edit: The 100mb partition won't be partition 5 but will have a different smaller number 1,2,3 or 4. So you will substitute the correct number in the select partition command.

Reboot and see if you still get blank screen or an error.

 

OK - I did select disk 0
list partition
I get partitions 1,2,3,0,4 - no partition 5

 

disk 0 was the DVD Drive -

 

Im sorry - I didnt follow that

Selct disk 0
list partition
I have partitions 0,1,2,3,4 - no 5

Disk 0 is the DVD drive

 

Start over

list disk (get the number of the HD which will be the 200gb item should be either Disk 0 or Disk 1 probably)
select disk 0 (substitute the number of the HD for the "0", ie. select disk 0 or select disk 1)
list partition ( find the partition number for the 100 mb partition)
select partition 5 (use the number (in place of 5) from the list partition command associated with the 100mb partition)
active (sets it active)
exit

 

still nothing - went back to boot from dvd

went to command prompt, which is now x:\sources> ( never seen that before )

 

What was your command prompt before? I thought booting from DVD always gave that prompt.

Try the diskpart and set the 58gb OS partition active. Reboot without the CD and see if again nothing.

If still no change, start with the DVD and try the automatic repair. It may force you to restart. If no change then start from the DVD again and let it try the automatic repair again. After it tries to repair you should see a Next button hit that to get back to the five recovery choices and try the startup repair from the list.

A combination of the automatic repair and the manual repair should write boot files to the OS drive and we can see if it will boot directly from there.

 

did diskpart - list volume -

the volume with the OS is Volume 2, E drive - OS. Shows 58g healthy

select disk 2.

mssg: the disk you specified is not valid. there is no disk selected

 

The disk # will be the same as last time probably 0. Only the partition number will change.

list disk (get the number of the HD which will be the 200gb item should be either Disk 0 or Disk 1 probably)
select disk 0 (substitute the number of the HD for the "0", ie. select disk 0 or select disk 1)
list partition ( find the partition number for the 58gb partition)
select partition 2 (use the number (in place of 2) from the list partition command associated with the 58gb partition)
active (sets it active)
exit

 

no good. still not booting.

 

Just to be sure the diskpart is set the way I think, go into diskpart and do the list volume command and check that the 58gb volume is set to active under the info column.

Then type exit to quit diskpart. At the X:/Sources> prompt type dir e: and hit <enter> and look to see if a folder Boot is in the list and also a file bootmgr.

 

nope - not set as active (I followed your instruction)
Nothing listed as BOOT

will try again and repost

 

nada

here is exactly what I am doing:

Booting from DVD
Going through the startup repair
getting to command prompt
diskpart
list disk
select disk 0 (it is the 229g disk)
list partition
finding the partition that is 58m
selecting that partition
typing "active"
then exit -

trying to reboot, getting nothing.

 

I'm running diskpart from Windows which is probably why there is a difference.

I think in the version running off CD it would be
select disk 0
select partition 2
detail partition

And in the info provided it will have Active: yes/no

I still think there is something going on that I am not seeing. Are you sure there is no sign of a blinking "underscore" cursor up in the very top left of your screen when you try to boot?

 

Give the model number of the Inspiron. I want to see if the recovery key sequence works. You won't actually do the factory recovery but I want to see if the key combination works. If it doesn't work that might confirm that there is a problem with the MBR and your screen is just not displaying the blinking cursor.

One other thought is if you have an external monitor you could try connecting that and see if you see a blinking cursor after the Dell screen.

Or when you are booting from your DVD do you see a blinking cursor between the time the Dell screen ends and the DVD is recognized and you get the "Hit any key" message. I want to know if that blinking cursor shows on your laptop screen.

 

When I try to boot, I get the Dell spalsh screen, and the options for F12 to boot. If I let it go adn dont hit F12 to get to the DVD, there is a moment of about 1/2 second where there is a cursor in the top left corner. Then the screen goes black and booting stops completely.

 

OK - When I do THAT sequence and detail partition, it does say that it is active in the detail. however, in the description under inof, it is still blank

 

yes - if I F12 to boot to DVD, there is a brief time when there is a blinking cursor in the top left. Then I get the 'any key' message and proceed

 

As long as you see the blinking cursor on the screen before the DVD boots then we know it would display if it were trying to show during normal boot.

Check for these two files just so we know we can leave E: as the Active partition. "Then type exit to quit diskpart. At the X:/Sources> prompt type dir e: and hit <enter> and look to see if a folder Boot is in the list and also a file bootmgr"

I'm out of ideas. Is a factory restore an option or is there a lot of data that you need to backup?

Edit: If dir e: gives you a huge list of files try:
e: (prompt should change to e:\>)
dir

 

negative

on dir e: I have

DELL
RECOVERY
ressys.ini
sources
tools
windows

add: This is my girlfriends computer she uses for work. There is a lot of info on here that would need to be backed up and/or recovered somehow. Also some programs she would hate to lose. But, if that is all that is left then I suppose we are out of avenues

 

BTW on e: dir it also says "Volume in drive E is recovery"

 

Now, I'm confused. I thought E: was the 58gb partition which had your Windows files. It looks like now it saying drive E: is your 9gb Recovery partition.

You have four partitions:
100mb System Reserved
9GB Recovery
58gb OS/Win7
229gb Data/Storage?

Do a directory listing for C: and D: and tell me which has a folder for both WINDOWS and USERS.
dir c:
dir d:

 

Dir C has both

 

How big is C: in the dir information? And does it have bootmgr listed as well?

I PM'd Thisisu in your other thread to take a look at this one. I told him we would set the 100mb partition back to Active. Then I hope his program might give a bit more information to help you. So I just want to get that partition Active again and then I think you should stick with the other thread to see if he has any insights.

 

vol in C is OS
DIR haS
dELL
dRIVERS
iNTEL
PerfLogs
PNTDAata
Program Files
Program Files (x86)
Users
Windows
Winpoint
C: has 20,991,537,152b free

D: has Dell

 

A couple of things. It doesn't look like after setting the 58gb partition active that the startup repair(s) put the boot files on that drive. They should have. Did you run them? Back in post #26 http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showpost.php?p=1705573&postcount=26 It doesn't really matter now, I am just curious.

Go to diskpart and do
select disk 0
select partition 2
detail partition

Does that show the C: partition at 58gb and also say it is active?

Also do the list partition command and give the number of the 100mb partition and we will set that active and then see what Thisisu can find.

 

Partition 2
type 07
hidden no
active no
Letter E
Label Recovery

100M partition is #1

Partition 2 has an asterisk and is primary, only 9gb

I went ahead and set 3 active and rebooted without CD - nothing still

 

I'd say go ahead and set partition 1 (100mb) active.
Then upload a new FRST log to the other thread so we are all on the same page.

It doesn't look like partition 3 has boot files and the standard is to have the 100mb with boot files active so let's go with standard. I'll keep reading the Malware thread and see if I come up with any insights as you work through things with Thisisu.

 

OK - I have set partition 1 (100m) active. Ran startup repair, (no error found). Ran rtst64.exe and got a logfil. will post in other thread

I want to thank you for taking the time and trying to help. Im sure it was frustrating for you. You are greatly appreciated

 

You're welcome!

I'm very interested in what the problem is. Everything looks correct. Chkdsk ran without problems. All the partitions are readable. But it just doesn't seem to be starting Windows even long enough for there to be an error. Very strange.

The malware forum has some tools that may show something I couldn't see. I'm hoping to learn something new.

Good Luck!

 

then we will both learn together. I am usually pretty good at gettnig rid of malware. Of course the first step is preventing it. But every now and then something gets through. She uses avast and keeps the real time monitor on. Usually that stops most of the gremlins. This one got through and its a doozy!

Well, again, I truly appreciate all you have done for me.