black screen with white flashing curser on Windows XP ( Dell GX280)

[BENDAVIES]

Hi

 

PLEASE HELP!!!

 

My old Dell GX 280 wont start up, fires up but then goes to Black Screen with a flashing curser in the top right corner of the screen and thats it. I have tried starting In safe mode by pressing F8 but it wont work.

 

I can get the blue screen up after a re start with options up by pressing either F2 or F12. This is where im lost!!!!! Can i change some settings or determine how i can fix this problem?

 

I would bin this old pc but its got loads of important docs on it that i need for work. eeek

 

(sending this message from my laptop)

[Plastic Nev]

Hi Bendavies and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help.

There could be quite a few reasons for this failure to load or boot up with many things to be tried.

The simplest one is to replace the so called CMOS battery, that is what powers the BIOS, without which it will behave like yours does if that battery is completely dead.

It is located on the motherboard and is around the size of a UK ten pence piece, make sure the replacement goes in the right way up, so check before removing the old one.

 

If that doesn't work, and all you want is to retrieve the data from it, you can remove the hard drive, (providing it is not the hard drive faulty) and using an adapter to USB, connect it to you present computer and copy over all that you need. (same as using a flash or thumb drive)

 

Let us know how you get on and which way you want to go from here.

 

Nev.

[BENDAVIES]

Hi Nev

 

Thanks for that, i'll try the Batt and let you know how i get on! Cheers

[BENDAVIES]

Right changed the CMOS Batt and everything just the same. Still got black screen with white flashing cursor in the top left corner of monitor.

 

Are there any other areas i can check out? When i press F2 on start up i can get the Blue screen up with all the options, anything in there i can play with/check?

 

If all else fails i shall go get the lead to plug hard drive into another pc tomorrow.

 

Thanks for your help!

Ben

[Plastic Nev]

Hi Ben, if you mean the first screen of safe mode, try first selecting "Last known good configuration" see if that will allow boot up, if not try safe mode, if it works in safe mode it is a start, let us know please.

 

Nev.

[BENDAVIES]

Hi Nev

 

No it wont go to safe mode screen - thats the first thing i did by hitting F8 on start up...

[BENDAVIES]

Im pressing F8 as soon as I turn it on but still goes right to the Black Screen

[Plastic Nev]

OK Ben, I suggest the adapter rout now rather than any further messing, at least that way, if you can access the files you need, then do so. If not it proves my suspicion the hard drive may have died.

However we will deal with that if that happens.

First off remove the drive and find out if it is the older IDE type, which I suspect it will be, or the newer SATA, IDE is the broad grey cable, and the drive will have jumper settings for master or slave. If SATA, it will be a smaller cable and no jumpers on the drive.

That is so you know which type of adapter to get.

 

Once all is connected and plugged into your laptop, it should recognise new hardware, and also should show up in My computer or if Vista or W7 Computer. You should also get the options window, if so choose to see the files and folders. Once that opens it should be a simple matter of copy to wherever you want on the laptop.

Let us know how you get on and if any questions need answers.

 

Nev.