[RESOLVED] Laptop won't boot

I have a Dell Inspiron 1720 with Windows Vista 32 bit, 2008.... It won't boot, won't go to safe mode. I have the Dell Cd, but when I try to do a repair, it says I am trying to install a different OS then the one on my Pc. I only have one Vista laptop 1720, so I know it is the correct re-installation CD...
I have ran every diagnostics I can find for Dell and it has passed everything.. I don't know where to go from here.

I have several things on my laptop that I would like to save, rather than do a clean install...

Another strange thing, when I was using the cd to find some drivers, I seen the drives on my laptop and I had a C:drive, D: Recovery, E: DVD and also a F: drive X, not sure where that came from, never seen it before.

I know its probably too late, but just thought I would check with you Smart Guys and see if you had any suggestions.
I have no ideal what happened, one day it worked fine, next day it wouldn't boot...

Thanks for any help.....
patti686

What exactly happens when you try to boot the laptop? DO you get any error messages? Does anything appear on the screen?

Also, post the exact message you get when you attempt the repair?

Possibly useful link:

http://www.dell.com/support/article/...ell-pc?lang=en

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Originally Posted by jdc2000

What exactly happens when you try to boot the laptop? DO you get any error messages? Does anything appear on the screen?

Also, post the exact message you get when you attempt the repair?

Possibly useful link:

http://www.dell.com/support/article/...ell-pc?lang=en

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This version of system recovery options is not compatible with version of windows you are trying to repair. Try using a recovery disc that is compatible with this version of windows.

Drives showing:
c drive os
d drive recovery
e drive dvd
boot: X don't know what this drive is??

Thanks for help.....

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Originally Posted by patti686

This version of system recovery options is not compatible with version of windows you are trying to repair. Try using a recovery disc that is compatible with this version of windows.

Drives showing:
c drive os
d drive recovery
e drive dvd
boot: X don't know what this drive is??

Thanks for help.....

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Is that the message you get WITH or WITHOUT the cd?

The without cd is what we're needing to know.

We need the original error message, not the error when you're trying to do the repair.

Why are you trying to do the repair first? You should get the DATA off first. You could try booting to a Live Linux disc first. UBCD5 has Parted Magic, which includes a file manager. Otherwise, you could remove the hard drive and put it in a USB enclosure.

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I have ran every diagnostics I can find for Dell and it has passed everything

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Which diags did you run exactly? I would have run the hard drive manufacturer's diags. It's pointless to do a repair if the hard drive is failing.

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This version of system recovery options is not compatible with version of windows you are trying to repair.

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Does the Vista disc match the service pack level of the installed Vista? If not, that might be the problem.

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Originally Posted by Steve R Jones

Is that the message you get WITH or WITHOUT the cd?

The without cd is what we're needing to know.

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This is with CD, only thing I get without CD is a flashing line upper left corner... I get that after the Dell post

I don't get a error message, it just won't boot into windows.... I ran harddrive, memory, almost all of the ones on dell diagnostics. passed

No the CD is sp 1 and mine is sp 3....

I thought I could do a repair and then back my stuff up... How would I use Linux disk? Never used that before...Also what about Ultimate Boot CD 5 guide? Could I get in to back my stuff up with that?

Thanks for replying.... I don't have a USB enclosure, I might try hooking hdd to another computer and see if I can get it that way..

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I might try hooking hdd to another computer and see if I can get it that way..

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You will need to take ownership of the drive is all. After jumping in the hdd.

I have used that trick many times over the years.

You should be able to reinstall Vista, however, you should back up any files on the drive first, just in case. You can attach the drive to another computer to do this. You might consider making an image backup of it in addition to copying any files, in case you later find you need files that you didn't get when copying.

After that, some of the links below might assist with an over-the-top re-install of Vista.

https://www.google.com/search?source....0.8yftydLTG3U

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Originally Posted by Train

You will need to take ownership of the drive is all. After jumping in the hdd.

I have used that trick many times over the years.

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Thank you for the information....I am going to the UBCD5 guide, and see if I can figure it out....

I will let you know how it goes.....

There is no such thing as Vista SP3. It only went up to SP2. In any case, the Vista disc version must match the installed version in order to do a repair.
Otherwise, you can try an over the top install, but then you'd need to reinstall the SP later.

For UBCD5, you would probably need to burn the image to a CD or DVD (instructions are in the guide), since your system may not support booting from a flash drive.
I'd connect a flash drive or external USB hard drive to the computer first, and then boot from UBCD5.
At the boot menu, choose Parted Magic and allow it to boot to a Linux desktop. No installation required. The file manager is similar to Windows. Just copy your data to the flash/external hdd.

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I ran harddrive, memory, almost all of the ones on dell diagnostics. passed

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Personally, I would still run the hard drive manufacturer's diags. I'm not sure how thorough the Dell diags are.

I ran the UBCD, I ran the memory test 3 times, ran the quick HDD test, passed, so then I ran the extended, and it also passed.

I guess I was thinking of xp with SP3...so I guess my Vista is SP2... I may run the HDD diagnostics, if it checks ok, then I will just try hooking it up to my other computer and see if I can save my stuff....
Thanks for all the information, will keep you informed...

Got a problem, I got my hdd hooked up to my windows 7 desktop and it shows as e drive, but it says I don't have access to this drive?
I have done this so many time, and never had this trouble, not be able to see the second drive...

Any suggestions, or do I just give up on losing my stuff and do a clean install??

Thanks again...

Can you see any of the folders on that drive? If yes, you can Take Ownership of them.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...9-41505ad19222

As I mentioned before, you can boot to a Live Linux disc and copy your files that way.

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I'd connect a flash drive or external USB hard drive to the computer first, and then boot from UBCD5.
At the boot menu, choose Parted Magic and allow it to boot to a Linux desktop. No installation required. The file manager is similar to Windows. Just copy your data to the flash/external hdd.

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I am in partedMagic, but I can't see any of my stuff on there... I have file manager, system Profiler,Keyboard layout, Disk health, Monitor Settings, Network Manager, partition editor, there is a mount gtk? Desktop, 6 different ones.....Not sure I am in the right place, could you tell me where I start and where I got to get my stuff off the HDD??
I just got to thinking, did you mean for me to use the Vista or the windows 7 that is working?

Thanks

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did you mean for me to use the Vista or the windows 7 that is working?

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My notes were for BEFORE you removed the Vista drive.

Open the File Manager. It is similar to Windows Explorer. The drives are listed on the left hand side. You'd just open the Vista drive, and then copy the files to another hard drive or flash drive.

Ok I copied the files from OS, but for the life of me I can't find a place to send to my external or save them to hdd, Please tell me how to do that...I have looked at everything with no luck????

Both your internal and external drives should be listed in the left hand menu. They will not have names like C: or D:. It's easiest to just look at the size description of the drive. (Ex. sda1 466G)

Did you plug in your external BEFORE you booted to Parted Magic? I'm not sure that Parted Magic automatically mounts USB drives if you plug them in after boot.

This might help: https://fixit.litten.com/linuxfilecopy.html

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Originally Posted by Midknyte

Both your internal and external drives should be listed in the left hand menu. They will not have names like C: or D:. It's easiest to just look at the size description of the drive. (Ex. sda1 466G)

Did you plug in your external BEFORE you booted to Parted Magic? I'm not sure that Parted Magic automatically mounts USB drives if you plug them in after boot.

This might help: https://fixit.litten.com/linuxfilecopy.html

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Nice link. Thank you!

Well, I can't take credit for that one, but thanks. :cool:

I did a quick write-up and posted it in the UBCD5 Guide (post #6). Let me know if it makes sense.

Does fine for me. Glad you posted it there. Now we all can find it.

Yes I plugged my external before I booted into Parted Magic... I found my files and copied them, but I could not find a place to paste into mo external hdd..... So I decided I will try and clone my files, it is still working, so not sure I got anything... Fingers crossed.. Thanks for the information....

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but I could not find a place to paste into mo external hdd

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What do you mean? Are you sure you selected the right drive?
Did you follow my instructions on the UBCD5 guide post #6? It should be pretty straightforward.

Well it ran out of space so going to have to start all over.... I may have to wait until next week to try again, I am having my family here for Christmas, and I got lots to do....Will check back with you later. I will look at post #6 again and hopefully get it done..

Thanks guys, and Merry Christmas....

Well, you definitely need to make sure your target drive has enough space for the data.

How did you try to "clone" your files? You'd only need to copy your data files. It doesn't make sense to copy all the Windows system files.

Good luck and Happy Holidays :)

I agree, was not smart to clone the drive....going to copy files I need only...

Happy Holidays to you also...

I finally got my files backed up, that was a big relief... From now on I will keep my personal stuff backed up...
Thanks to both of you for all your help, after I found my external hdd, it was simple...

I still don't know what caused it to crash....Only thing I did find on one of the tests I ran, was could be a corrupt or missing NLS file. I reinstalled Vista, working on getting all the drivers loaded....I may go ahead and change to Windows 7......

Thanks Again and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year....