Dell Laptop Will Not Start Up

[schreiber]

I own a Dell Inspiron 1720 and have only had it for a couple of years. Last night my laptop would not start up. It would complete initial start-up, but would then ask me to start normally or through fixing the current problems... Still didn't work. I eventually ran a diagnostic test and returned the error code: 2000-0142 (or PSA+ 2000-0142 according to Dell's website), Drive Self Test Failed. Status Byte = 79. Any suggestions??? And thank you.

[Train]

Remember the brand of hdd that is in it?
Then go to the hdd makers website and get the diagnostic tool and run it against the hdd and see what it says.

If it says it failed then it is Time for a new hdd.

[schreiber]

No I don't remember. Any quick easy way to find out?

[SuperSparks]

Download UBCD and burn it to CD, it has all the disk testing utilities on it plus many more useful tools besides, then just boot with the disc in the drive and select the utility that you want.

Ultimate Boot CD

If you don't know the make of drive, use Seatools, as that will work against any brand.

[schreiber]

The only information I could find about my Hard Drive was: 160 GB, S2, 5.4, 9.5 WD-ML 160 . Could that somehow point me in the direction of what brand I'm looking at?....... And I'm working on that UBCD.

[Broni]

.....[wrong answer]

[Broni]

Oooops forget it. It's Western Digital

[Train]

WD-ML 160 = Western Digital Scorpio hdd with a 160 GB capacity

[schreiber]

Got ya.. I'll take that and run. Hopefully I can get something and get back to you.

[Bobwojo]

I have had a number of Dell laptops with WD 160GB drives suddenly fail to boot. The only solution I found was to use GHOST to clone the drive to another, drive. GHOST fixes the boot problem in the process.