HELP cant get past 'windows did not start up correctly'

[devilsofdarkness]

Hi all can someone please tell me if there is a way to sort my daughters laptop...its a dell latitude 640 running windows xp pro...it was shut down correctly last night but now it will not start up

 

All we keep getting is the black screen stating windows did not start successfully, weve tried to start up in last known good configuration, also in safe mode and none of these are working....we are getting a blue screen flash up and disapear quickly so we cant read what it says.....

 

We can access info using f2 and f12 and f8 but dont know where to go from here to try and fix the problem....

 

We dont have the disk as compiter was bought second hand from a computer shop with windows already loaded....

 

Nothing has been downloaded or changed....so anyone got any ideas what we can try to rectify this

 

thanks

 

Debi

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Boot into Safe Mode by tapping F8 on boot up and choose Last Known Good Configuration.

 

Get back to us if this does not prove successful.

[devilsofdarkness]

Have tried that and still get black screen...no change plus it keeps going in a loop..trying to start and then back to black screen

[Guest Wolfeymole]

I just looked at this lappy and I have to say it looks fairly ancient to me Debi, how long have you had it as it could be a defective hard disk drive.

 

Is this the one?

 

http://sernaonubuntu.wdfiles.com/local--files/dell-laptop/c640.jpg

[devilsofdarkness]

well my daughter bought it in april from the computer shop here and so far no probs....is there anything else i can try? oohh and ty in advance for your help :)

 

the pc is still under warranty so would it be better to just take it back and get them to sort it or could it be something i can sort?

[Guest Wolfeymole]

If it's still under some kind of guarantee then yes take it back as Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help's policy is that any advice given under such circumstances could invalidate any warranty supplied.

 

May I ask how much you paid for it?

[devilsofdarkness]

ive just done a diagnostic scan and a box has come up with no diagnostic utility partition found...to run diagnostics insert your dell drivers and utility cd then select ok to restart the system and boot off the cd???? what does that mean cos i go no cd ????

yeah she paid £160 for it out of her bday money

 

and yes its the one in the pic u found

Edited June 30, 2009 by devilsofdarkness

[Guest Wolfeymole]

If she has the laptop pictured in my link in post 4 then you were well and truly ripped off as it's been a long time since I have seen a joystick button (grey button in the middle of the keyboard) on a laptop.

 

It's worth £50 tops and that's on a good day.

 

If this laptop was in a fully working condition I'd advise downloading the Windows Genuine Advantage tool to determine if the copy of Windows on there was actually legal.

 

This guy from the shop should have advised you, even if not supplying any back up disks, to make some.

 

I'll take an estimated guess as to what's happened here and suggest that he has installed a rogue copy of XP and then got the drivers for that laptop from Dell.

 

Did you have Windows Updates turned on at any time?

[devilsofdarkness]

yep windows updates are always on....i did think it a bit expensive but not knowing alot about pcs i stupidly took his word for it.....no he didnt advise to make any back up disks or give me any....so if i take it back then hes only gonna reboot with the same copy really aint he.....ive got no choice as i cant afford another laptop for her ...would i be in my rights to demand the money back as its still under warranty?

 

my other daughter also bought a laptop from the same shop and hers is working fine but would it be worth her downloading the windows gueniune advantage tool to check hers? if sh where can i get her to download it and what happens if it comes back that hers is rogue too?? Surely thats not right for a shop to being that?

Edited June 30, 2009 by devilsofdarkness

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Without actually having it in front of me Debi I can't say what method he's used or will use to rectify this.

 

While it's still under guarantee take it back, say nothing, and see what he has to say first.

[devilsofdarkness]

well ty for all your help...hubby is going to take it back tommorow and see what they say

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Like I say before it sounds like the hard drive is knackered and if he replaces it then make sure you get the Dell XP Operating system disk and the Driver disk off him afterwards.

[danzil]

out of interest,

if you got into safe mode, have you tried a system restore to a date before you got your issues.

if i am missing the point then please ignore me.......but give that a try just out of interest.

regards

danzil....

if you can get into safe mode with command prompt too, try running a chkdsk /f /r

:)