Windows 7 gets stuck just before start up

[Amy_Jackson_83]

My laptop does not start. I have a Dell PC which has Windows 7 Installed on it. I have a Windows 7 repair disk (which worked previously couple of months back). I have one drive i.e no partition. I am not an expert user. I have followed following steps:
Option 1
1. Switch Power on
2. I get a message “Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. Select
A. Launch start-up repair (recommended) OR
B. Start Windows normally
3. I chose Launch start-up repair
4. I get the message “Windows is loading file”
5. Get the bar “Microsoft corporation”
6. The Windows loads but I get into a screen where I just have a cursor – nothing to click on. It stays like this for hours nothing happens
Option 2
1. Switch Power on
2. Press F12 (Boot Options)
3. Get Boot Menu
4. Select “CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive” – which has the repair disk
5. I get the message “Press any key to boot with CD....”
6. I press a button
7. I get a scrren “Choose anoperating system to start or TAb to select a tool”
A. Windows Setup [EMS Enabled]
i. To specify an advanced option for this choice press F8
B. Windows Memory Diagnostic
8. I press F8
9. I see a message “Windows is Loading files”
10. Now I get several options
A. Safe mode
B. Safe Mode with networking
C. Last Known Good Configuration
11. I select Safe mode, Last Known Good Configuration etc
12. The Windows loads but I get into a screen where I just have a cursor – nothing to click on. It stays like this for hours nothing happens

 

[TrainableMan]

Just to clarify, One drive still contains a partition. You may have 1 drive all in a single partition although from what you said it sounds more likely you also have a hidden recovery partition that just never gets assigned a drive letter.

When you boot to your to Recovery CD at step 10 there should be an option Repair Your Computer, see HERE. That is the option you want, not A B C you have listed.

If you do not have this then I suggest you use a W7 DVD. With another computer you can download and burn one. Then you can use it's Repair option on the Install screen. Links to W7 Home Premium x64 are HERE. And to burn the image, you need software that understands that an image is a collection of multiple files (rather than just burning the single image file to a DVD) ... a good product for this is ImgBurn which can be found in our Freeware DB.

 

[Amy_Jackson_83]

Nothing is happening

So all an update. I ran a diagnostics test. It seems there are some bad sectors on Hard Disk 2000-0146.

Then I got a Windows 7 DVD from Dell. When I run this it gives me two options

1. Install Windows

2. Repair



Under both options nothing happens after hours - so not sure how I can solve this issue?

 

[TrainableMan]

How many bad sectors? Some bad sectors is perfectly normal but 100s/1000s is NOT. Or if the number of bad sectors keeps growing every week that isn't good either. Both of these cases require you replace the hard drive which is a fairly simple process.

The real problem is getting your data off the damaged HD. And then having to reinstall everything on the new drive.

 

[Amy_Jackson_83]

Getting these errors on more detailed test

0f00:1332
Msg Disk: Block 132992 IRQ did not set in time

0F00:0632
Msg Disk: IRQ did not set in time

0F00:0232
Msg Disk: IRQ did not set in time

 

[TrainableMan]

Hard drives are relatively cheap in the USA for a desktop computer, looks like you need one. That looks like a pretty new machine - is it under warranty?

 

[Amy_Jackson_83]

Called Dell today. They said that the Hard Disk and Motherboard could be faulty and they will charge me £350 to replace a hard disk and motherboard including engineers visit (Hard Drive : 640GB Serial ATA (5400RPM)) for Dell XPS 16.



My laptop is just 6 months out of warranty - that seems like a very high price! Views?

 

[TrainableMan]

It's frustrating but even a day out of warranty costs you money. There is no evidence it is the motherboard. I would definitely recommend you try replacing the HD yourself first.

Laptop HDs are a little more pricey because they are smaller 2.5 inch instead of 3.5 but they are actually easier to replace than a desktop. Generally it is a sliding panel or perhaps one screw, on the underside of the computer, and you have access to the HD. You slide it out from the power/SATA plug and slide another back in place, put the lid back on & you're done. You can buy a 1TB HD (1000GB compared to your 650GB now) for about £65 on eBay.co.uk if you are willing to bid. If you are in a hurry there are several listed buy-it-now for £105 and there are several that say Buy it now or make offer so even if you offer £85 they may accept. Stick to better know brands like Seagate, Toshiba, Samsung, Western Digital; me I'm partial to the Samsung Spinpoint because I have 2 of them in the 3.5 desktop version and they are quiet and smooth.

If it is the MOBO then I personally wouldn't want to try and get inside a laptop because unless you know just where all the little tabs are that hold the thing together it's too easy to break something, so I can see a MOBO replacement being pricey and maybe getting that done by a professional but like I said try the HD yourself first and go from there.

 

[Amy_Jackson_83]

So How do I format the hard drive - I think I will give it a go. I have a month old back-up so will lose a month's data - but data recovery charges are very high so no point. But I will have to do it at boot stage some how as none of the repair options / window 7 installation dvds seem to be working.

 

[TrainableMan]

Install the HD then boot up to the recovery DVD and tell it to install. It should format everything for you.

BTW 1TB was just a suggestion, you can probably go higher depending if you need the extra space and how much you are willing to spend.

I looked up some youtube videos on replacing a laptop harddrive, looks like some may have a few extra screws but still quite easy. Maybe watch 2 or 3 to get the idea and then consult your specific laptops manual to find where your hard drive is located.

 

[Amy_Jackson_83]

How do I find out which internal hard drive is compatible with my Dell XPS 1645. The Dell guys are doing my head in - they do not want to tell which hard drive is compatible. All they want to say is we will need a service manager who will charge me £350 for a replacement.

3.5 inch or 2.5 inch?

 

[TrainableMan]

Laptops use 2.5" HDs.

Now that I know the model, I found this ... if you go to Dell HERE you can download the Service Manual. Create a Folder in Documents, example "Dell Service Manual" and then extract all the zipped files from sm_en.zip into that folder. Then run index.htm and choose harddrive. It shows you the 3 screws to remove the harddrive and then the 4 screws for the frame which you then move to the new drive as well as the "interposer" (really just a specialized SATA+Power cable) which you slip off the old drive and onto the new one.

 

[Amy_Jackson_83]

All finally I got a new hard drive (2.5inch 750 GB Scorpio Black Western Digital) and very proud to have installed it myself. Now how do I recover data from my old hard drive to new hard drive. Will this work or I require something else?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-2-0-t...nectors_RL&hash=item35b793f18f#ht_2183wt_1346

 

[TrainableMan]

Did you already use your restore DVDs to reinstall W7 onto the new HD? Getting the computer back to operational should be #1.

I'm afraid when a HD crashes that your chance of getting the data back are at best 50/50 and can be quite costly.

The device you linked to might work if you had a working 2.5" HD but yours isn't working properly. Chances are, that even if you attach the old drive with that adapter, that your computer won't recognize it. You could try it and see but then you will likely need additional software to access the drive looking for lost files. Years ago I used a product from Stellar Phoenix that worked for me. You might try their current program HERE but it runs about $110US. It looks like they still offer a free download which used to allow you to try it and if it could find files then it was worth buying but if not then you weren't out the cash.