HELP! I Can't Boot!

[spencer]

The facts: I have a Dell Dimensions Tower running Windows
2000 professional. Yesterday, after restarting the
machine, it ran through the "Dell" start up
screen, "scanning options ROMs" the "Starting Windows"
screen, the Windows 2000 starting up screen. The blue
starting bar gets to the end, and then the computer shuts
off, as if it is restarting, and goes through this process
again ... and again ... and it won't boot. I've tried
booting in "safe mode" in the "last good configuration"
mode, etc. but same results.

Does this sound familiar?

Can anyone advise on what is going on, and better yet, how
to cure it?

Thanks!

Spencer

 

[Bill James]

Some basic troubleshooting steps:

1) You don't say, but the first step is to question what might have changed since the last reboot (new hardware or software).

2) Try booting in a very basic configuration by disconnecting all external devices such as printer, network, and any USB devices, including USB mouse or keyboard (replace those with borrowed PS2 Mouse/KB). If it boots that way then add things back until you find the problem device.

3) A repair install of Windows 2000.

4) If you have the skills to go further, and the computer is not still under warrantee, you might want to check out the RAM.

5) If not still under warrantee try removing all add-on cards except the video card and see if it will boot.

--

Bill James
Microsoft Shell/UI

Win9x VBScript Utilities » www.billsway.com/vbspage/
Windows Tweaks & Tips » www.billsway.com/notes_public/

 

[spencer]

Thanks Bill. I will definately try some of these to see
what if it helps, and get back to you.

For what it is worth, the most recent change was that I
tried to download the update from MS, and ran out of hard
drive space. At last check, though, after throwing some
stuff out, there was about half a gig around.

I bought it used, and don't have the OS disks.

By the way, it is WAY out of warranty.

S

-----Original Message-----
Some basic troubleshooting steps:

1) You don't say, but the first step is to question what

might have changed since the last reboot (new hardware or
software).

2) Try booting in a very basic configuration by

disconnecting all external devices such as printer,
network, and any USB devices, including USB mouse or
keyboard (replace those with borrowed PS2 Mouse/KB). If
it boots that way then add things back until you find the
problem device.

3) A repair install of Windows 2000.

4) If you have the skills to go further, and the

computer is not still under warrantee, you might want to
check out the RAM.

5) If not still under warrantee try removing all add-on

cards except the video card and see if it will boot.

 

[spencer]

Bill:

1) You don't say, but the first step is to question what

might have changed since the last reboot (new hardware or
software).

See my previous post.

2) Try booting in a very basic configuration by

disconnecting all external devices such as printer,
network, and any USB devices, including USB mouse or
keyboard (replace those with borrowed PS2 Mouse/KB). If
it boots that way then add things back until you find the
problem device.

Tried it. No help.

3) A repair install of Windows 2000.

Can't. I don't have the discs!

4) If you have the skills to go further, and the

computer is not still under warrantee, you might want to
check out the RAM.

You mean buy more?

5) If not still under warrantee try removing all add-on

cards except the video card and see if it will boot.

I'm not sure there are any? How would I know?

Thanks.

Spencer

 

[Bill James]

The "throwing some stuff out" part may be the problem. If you removed required Windows files then you could get the condition you describe, and with no Setup CD you have no way to fix the problem. Based on this added information I will back off of checking out hardware as a possible solution and say you need to obtain Windows 2000 and run the setup before anything else.

--

Bill James
Microsoft Shell/UI

Win9x VBScript Utilities » www.billsway.com/vbspage/
Windows Tweaks & Tips » www.billsway.com/notes_public/

Thanks Bill. I will definately try some of these to see
what if it helps, and get back to you.

For what it is worth, the most recent change was that I
tried to download the update from MS, and ran out of hard
drive space. At last check, though, after throwing some
stuff out, there was about half a gig around.

I bought it used, and don't have the OS disks.

By the way, it is WAY out of warranty.

S

-----Original Message-----
Some basic troubleshooting steps:

1) You don't say, but the first step is to question what

might have changed since the last reboot (new hardware or
software).

2) Try booting in a very basic configuration by

disconnecting all external devices such as printer,
network, and any USB devices, including USB mouse or
keyboard (replace those with borrowed PS2 Mouse/KB). If
it boots that way then add things back until you find the
problem device.

3) A repair install of Windows 2000.

4) If you have the skills to go further, and the

computer is not still under warrantee, you might want to
check out the RAM.

5) If not still under warrantee try removing all add-on

cards except the video card and see if it will boot.

 

[Spencer]

Hmmmm. Thanks for the advice. Now if I could only find a
copy of windows 2000.....

Best,
Spencer

-----Original Message-----
The "throwing some stuff out" part may be the problem.

If you removed required Windows files then you could get
the condition you describe, and with no Setup CD you have
no way to fix the problem. Based on this added
information I will back off of checking out hardware as a
possible solution and say you need to obtain Windows 2000
and run the setup before anything else.