WTF!?
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Category: Other Chat
Forum Name: Computer Talk
Forum Description: Help and discussion about your manly PC or girly Mac
URL: https://forum.speakerplans.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=57904
Printed Date: 27 March 2026 at 10:02am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.08 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: WTF!?
Posted By: soundchippy
Subject: WTF!?
Date Posted: 09 October 2011 at 9:18pm
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Earlier this evening I was sitting at my Dell PC doing some CAD work (Windows 7 update running in the background) when all of a sudden the computer forces a restart ... boots to the Windows logo, underneath which lots of text containg the word "**/registry/*" flashes up, gets to the "installing updates" screen then freezes and shuts down. I try to boot the pc again with no joy when on my 10th or so try it boots to a screen saying cmos checksum error and then another screen saying no boot device available (listing my sata drive). It freezes again so I reboot. This time I am faced with the startup repair screen. I set this in motion and it freezes again. Reboot. This time all i get is flashing red and white lines on the screen. Now the PC is refusing to start (It will physically turn on with fans etc but not enter the boot process). Any suggestions? Could Windows update have fooked my machine? |
Replies:
Posted By: soundchippy
Date Posted: 09 October 2011 at 9:24pm
| the having sex thing just booted! i'm loosing my rag. |
Posted By: soundchippy
Date Posted: 09 October 2011 at 9:35pm
| Gone again! |
Posted By: Edd Jordan
Date Posted: 09 October 2011 at 9:56pm
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fan on the cpu dead??? ------------- I do a sideline in ply wood wheels. |
Posted By: soundchippy
Date Posted: 09 October 2011 at 10:05pm
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all fans appear to be working correctly. the machine is less than a year old. the power button flashes about every 2 or 3 seconds when it tries to boot. |
Posted By: slaz
Date Posted: 09 October 2011 at 10:13pm
Sounds rather like the motherboard has fallen over in some way, but could also be memory, PSU ... all sorts. Assuming desktop machine ... you might try :- Switch off completely. Take out the mains IEC from the back, and leave it a few minutes. If it shows signs of life after this, use boot menu (usually F12) and see if there a "Dell diagnostics" option. If so (attempt to) run it .... might give you some clues. Otherwise, unless you're fairly used to solving these kinds of probs, invoke your warranty if applicable, or take it to a competent tech. |
soundchippy wrote:Posted By: soundchippy
Date Posted: 09 October 2011 at 10:27pm
| thanks for the advice. i got half way through the dell datasafe thing this time before it crashed. just going to try a full restore if i can get it to works one more time. |
Posted By: slaz
Date Posted: 09 October 2011 at 11:00pm
If you want to get at your data, best to take the HD out of the machine, hook it up to a USB<->SATA adapter (or similar) and attach to another machine .... Oh yeah - one more possibility - you may just have corrupted BIOS setup data (CMOS data). Switch off completetly, unplug from mains, leave for a minute or two. Ten open up the machine and remove the CMOS battery (usually a 2032 coin cell) .... leave a few minutes, then replace the battery and fire back up again. You may something to the effect of "BIOS defaults used" ..... set the time and date and see how you go. |
Posted By: soundchippy
Date Posted: 10 October 2011 at 12:09am
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thanks for the help. but no luck i'm afraid. on the phone to dell in the morning i think. lucky really as i backed up all my data quite recently. |
Posted By: colinmono
Date Posted: 10 October 2011 at 8:04am
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I've seen bad RAM cause similar issues. If you can get into setup on boot (F2?) worth doing a memory test. |
Posted By: The Builder
Date Posted: 10 October 2011 at 8:53am
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Two different issues. The updates, fine.
The flashing coloured lines are ram of some sort (or make sure your video cable is firmly attached).
RAM could be system or Video.
Make sure all RAM is seated propperly, if you have two sticks, try one at a time.
There are Dell diagnostics onboard to check RAM as said above. ------------- It just is. |
Posted By: soundchippy
Date Posted: 10 October 2011 at 2:06pm
Gave the machine a try today. Booted into Bios, reset defaults (not sure if this did anything tbh), then ran the dell factory restore from the recovery partition. Woking fine now.  Thanks for all the tips. |
Posted By: slaz
Date Posted: 10 October 2011 at 3:47pm
Looks like "Oh yeah - one more possibility - you may just have corrupted BIOS setup data (CMOS data)." was probably a correct diagnosis then :-) |
Posted By: The Builder
Date Posted: 10 October 2011 at 4:29pm
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Or very slightly loose RAM, deffo re-seat it. ------------- It just is. |
Posted By: soundchippy
Date Posted: 10 October 2011 at 4:34pm
| I find it funny that it even booted this morning. pc wasnt even getting to the dell screen last night |
Posted By: slaz
Date Posted: 10 October 2011 at 4:48pm
True ... |
Posted By: TechnoChef
Date Posted: 13 October 2011 at 5:40pm
I second that, some of the dells I see at work have serious build quality issues |