Laptop Won't Start Up

[HeyFellas]

Hey guys, I have a major problem. When I start my laptop I get the blue screen with the message "Error c0000218 Unknown Hard Error". This happened after a virus or something caused an automatic restart.

I have a Dell C610 with Windows XP. I've tried last good config but it won't work. I tried system restore but it is switched off and cannot be switched on in safe mode, or so the laptop tells me.

I scanned with MalwareBytes, Stinger, AVG and Spybot but nothing worked, everything seems clean.

I've tried other things like changing setup in msconfig but nothing seems to fix it, I keep getting the same message.

Can anyone help me? I'm stuck without my laptop. I am on a borrowed PC at the moment. And if you give advice, please keep it simple and also let me know if it will delete my saved files, like music and pics and stuff. :helpme: :wave2:

 

[Jagger69]

Can you start in safe mode? If not and your are getting a hard disk error, it's possible your hard drive is shot. Same thing happened to me a few months ago with an old desktop I had.

Can you get to a DOS prompt? If so, call Microsoft and they can run you through some diagnostics to see if you can restore your hard drive with XP. Either way, unless you have a recent backup, your files are lost I'm afraid.

Good luck.

 

[AFA]

It is possible to fix a hard error using software to attempt to copy out the data in a bad sector and then block the bad sector out of the available space table, but I've been out of that for a long while, and can't recommend any software.

 

[HeyFellas]

Yes, I can start in safe mode. This is where I've been trying msconfig options and a few other things, but nothing seems to work.

I'm going to try chkdsk/p in a moment, but I'm not sure where to type it. In "run" or the command prompt screen or somewhere else? Also, in command prompt, how do I restart? I tried yesterday but coudn't work it out and had to pull the plug in the end.

Keep the tips coming guys, anything helps. :thumbsup: :wave2:

 

[Jagger69]

From windows, go the the command prompt and do whatever DOS work you need to do. Once finished, type "exit" on the command line and hit enter. You'll return to windows.

Type all commands, including the chkdsk command, where the cursor is blinking after the "C:" prompt (or whatever drive is your default drive).

 

[Aces&Jacks]

When booting into Safe Mode, choose boot to the recovery console. If you don't have that option, boot your computer using your Windows CD and when you get to the Setup Welcome Screen press R for the recovery console.

Use these 3 commands at the DOS prompt.

1 - chkdsk /r ENTER (be patient, it may take awhile)
2 - chkdsk /p ENTER
3 - fixboot c: ENTER (where C is the boot hard disk)

After all these, type EXIT to restart.

If a corrupt boot device is your problem, this will solve it. If not, then you have some other problem which may be virus related.

 

[bombardier52]

I had a laptop do this a little while ago and the harddrive had actually come partially out of its connection. I pulled it and reset it and it worked again.

 

[enfirno]

That happened to my laptop, and I did tons of stuff to try to get it to work, but eventually I figured out that the hard drive had a bad sector, and was shot. I had to pull the drive and put a new one in, but fortunately a buddy had a spare laying around.

Worse comes to worse, you could try reformatting and reinstalling windows. It's hard to tell if there is a bad sector with software and such, but if you reformat and it still isn't working, then it is most likely a bunk drive. Fortunately, hard drives are really inexpensive.

You can get a lot of space for about $60-$100, depending on how much you really need.
Try Premium Link Upgrade

 

[Violator79]

I had the same thing happen to me. Try changing the boot order. When you start it up, hit F10(i believe) and change the boot order. If that doesn't work, like it was said, your HDD may be shot.

 

[HeyFellas]

I tried chkdsk but it didn't recognise the code, I don't think I have that software on the laptop. I can't format or re-install as I don't have a windows cd, the laptop was bought used.

I may try calling a local engineer to see if he can help, but he's expensive, so I will probably just buy a brand new laptop, totally wipe this one and give it to my friend's *** or someone. Can I do that without a boot disk?

One more thing though. The system restore is turned off, but has a date stored in the calender. Is there any way to turn it on in safe mode? I tried but it said the drivers or software or something were not present. Any help? :wave2:

 

[enfirno]

as long as you have a legit license for windows, you can use any windows cd.

If you have a best buy anywhere near, you could pop in and ask the geek squad to help you. Just be nice and ask some general questions, I'm sure they will take a quick look for you.

If you really have the funds to just buy a new one then that's cool, but it's highly likely that it is simply a hard drive problem and is fixed quite easily. It's extremely simple to swap out a hard drive on most laptops.

Also, if the drive is busted, system restore can't do much to help.

 

[Aces&Jacks]

You don't have any Windows CD? You don't need the one that came with the laptop. You can use an old operating system cd. All of them have the files you need to get the basic commands used to fix your computer. If push comes to shove, you can use a Windows 98 cd just to reformat the hard drive.

Here's a lesson for all you used computer buyers. The first thing you do if you used computer doesn't come with the operating system cd's is to make a boot cd or boot floppies.

 

[HeyFellas]

Ok, I ran CHKDSK and it said there were damaged files. But when I tried CHKDSK/F it said the system could not be locked as the volume was in use by another program. Is there a way to close all files to allow this program to run?

The hard drive seems fine, various programs and files I have downloaded are still there and working properly, it's just the problem with startup, which seems to be registry related.

I also tried defragmenting the disk, but it said it could not run that program until CHKDSK/F had scanned the files. Any ideas?

 

[Jagger69]

All the files should close no matter what when you shut down your computer. Just a guess but there might be something in your boot sequence that is gumming things up. From "start" click "run" and type "msconfig"....click "ok".

You'll see a configuration utility that will show you all of your boot settings. Check the "startup" tab to make sure your resident memory isn't being plundered by some rogue program. Uncheck anything that looks suspicious, choose "apply" and "ok". You can also do a startup in diagnostic mode and see what happens. (You can launch a system restore from there as well).

I feel for you....been there, done that.

 

[jibbijib]

Stop.




Hammertime.

 

[HeyFellas]

All the files should close no matter what when you shut down your computer. Just a guess but there might be something in your boot sequence that is gumming things up. From "start" click "run" and type "msconfig"....click "ok".

You'll see a configuration utility that will show you all of your boot settings. Check the "startup" tab to make sure your resident memory isn't being plundered by some rogue program. Uncheck anything that looks suspicious, choose "apply" and "ok". You can also do a startup in diagnostic mode and see what happens. (You can launch a system restore from there as well).

I feel for you....been there, done that.

I've tried all combinations in msconfig: everything on, everything off and all the options in between, but nothing makes a dfference. I've tried every piece of advice I've been given, but nothing. Even stuff in the registry makes no difference.

I'm going to PC World tomorrow, if they can't fix it I'll have to buy a new one. Maybe once I get going with a new laptop I can figure out how to recover the files from my old one.

 

[HeyFellas]

Ok, PC World couldn't give me any new advice (I only spoke to them, I didn't take it in) so I've got one more question:

If I buy a new laptop with a Windows CD, can I use it somehow to recover the files from my old laptop and maybe get it reset or something? If not I'm looking at £100 to have the technician look at it, and at this point I just want my old files back, all 14 gigs of them. :helpme:

 

[Jagger69]

Not if you don't have a backup copy of them somewhere. That's why you're supposed to back-up your data. Hard lesson to learn that many of us have painfully experienced.

 

[staticx]

Boot with Ubuntu (Linux) Live CD. Get in your hard drive and copy everything into an external hard drive or USB flash/pen drive.

Reinstall XP or try installing Ubuntu if you have liked it

Ubuntu is free, download it from Premium Link Upgrade .
You can try Linux Mint, Mandriva One as well (again, free).

You can PM me if you need help regarding how to recover them.

 

[HeyFellas]

I've got a new laptop now, which has a ***** problem. It's got Vista, and when I right-click and open a new browser window, it shows a very small screen. How can I get it to open full screen every time? A small problem, I know, but still quite annoying. :helpme: :wave2: