I can't get on my pc, (I keep trying and the same blue screen appears).. In other words, how can I do a BIOS repair install, and will I lose my account on my pc?
Microsoft Windows XP Home eddition, dell system 5000..
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Comments
LeonardoWake up and smell the glaciersEagle River, AlaskaIcrontian
edited October 2005
With Windows XP Professional, there is a "Repair Installation" option. Unfortunately, the "Repair" option is not included in XP Home. Your BIOS is not part of the Windows operating system, but is a stand-alone code on a small microprocessor chip. Not to be 'smart' here with you. Just wanted that we have some common terminology before we begin to diagnose your system's problem.
BSOD (blue screen of death) - OK, that's common terminology (unfortunately). Exactly where in the boot up process does the blue screen appear? Can you remember any of the text that was displayed during the blue screen event?
If you got presented with the BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH with windows then there are many possible causes. Here are the most common causes:
Excess CPU temperature - Solution - Let the system ccol down and make sure all fans are at the optimum or recommended speed and ensure the unit is in an environment that is within the environmental operating temperatures and humidity
Ram Mistimings - Solution - Remove Ram and try some known working Ram (as long as it is above 128mb or whatever XP requires) This is just to ensure your Ram is not the Problem. If you no longer receive the BSOD then you can try reseating the ram in the different order or use alternate Ram
Hardware Conflicts - Solution - Try Minimal hardware one at a time (do not remove anything that is essential) This may involve testing each add in card or drive one at a time to make sure you do not get a BSOD. If there are any IRQ conflicts they should be able to be edited within Bios setup.
Your BIOS is just a pre operating system process that gets all the hardware ready for running your operating system in this case windows Xp. Running Xp repair will only change the operating software. You can try this but most BSOD errors occur with hardware due to Windows' better stability.
if you wanted to try and Update or reload your bios, it is good practice to get a lot of research done into similar or the same systems in forums and articles. If you are afraid that your system may become uneusable then do a soft bios reset. this involves using a jumper across the bios reset pins or biod button. The contact should need to be made for in excess of 3 seconds. WARNING: Do not leave the system plugged in and wear an antistatic bracelet. ALSO do not try any old jumper pins because you will seriously damage the Motherboard.
Good practice for Repairs is to look twice before touching.
Xp home does have a repair install ...... but it wont work because you have a dell.
You can (I've fixed it now).
On the dell load up screen(on faintly) at the top right hand corner, it has "F2: *Somthing I forogt :\*, that acess the BIOS, and under it, "F12: boot menu" witch acess's the way to get the boot menu up, the top 3 collums have some words I forgot, at the bottom it has CD, enter on it and it should acess the windows setup if you have the pc in, from there you can repair install, then this bit got me.. From google's answers it just says "Type chkdsk on the command line", but microsoft's website says "Type 'chkdsk /r", witch in theroy repair's windows.
Problem resolved.. (I found my dell's BIOS the same to my mum's BIOS but she dosen't run dell, but on her's you can boot from disk.) The problem was the dreaded blue screen.
Amazing what a 13 year old can learn.
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LeonardoWake up and smell the glaciersEagle River, AlaskaIcrontian
edited October 2005
Despite the less-than accurate information we gave you, you have succeeded. I am happy for you. Please stick around at Short-Media. Again, glad your problem is fixed.
Well done, i reiterate Leanardo's post, please stick around you may learn new stuff or help others. If you have had problems with power before and always lose files because of it, i would invest in a UPS system. They are quite cheap second hand and they are very useful, i use mine to charge stuff in the boot of the car.
Comments
BSOD (blue screen of death) - OK, that's common terminology (unfortunately). Exactly where in the boot up process does the blue screen appear? Can you remember any of the text that was displayed during the blue screen event?
Excess CPU temperature - Solution - Let the system ccol down and make sure all fans are at the optimum or recommended speed and ensure the unit is in an environment that is within the environmental operating temperatures and humidity
Ram Mistimings - Solution - Remove Ram and try some known working Ram (as long as it is above 128mb or whatever XP requires) This is just to ensure your Ram is not the Problem. If you no longer receive the BSOD then you can try reseating the ram in the different order or use alternate Ram
Hardware Conflicts - Solution - Try Minimal hardware one at a time (do not remove anything that is essential) This may involve testing each add in card or drive one at a time to make sure you do not get a BSOD. If there are any IRQ conflicts they should be able to be edited within Bios setup.
Your BIOS is just a pre operating system process that gets all the hardware ready for running your operating system in this case windows Xp. Running Xp repair will only change the operating software. You can try this but most BSOD errors occur with hardware due to Windows' better stability.
if you wanted to try and Update or reload your bios, it is good practice to get a lot of research done into similar or the same systems in forums and articles. If you are afraid that your system may become uneusable then do a soft bios reset. this involves using a jumper across the bios reset pins or biod button. The contact should need to be made for in excess of 3 seconds. WARNING: Do not leave the system plugged in and wear an antistatic bracelet. ALSO do not try any old jumper pins because you will seriously damage the Motherboard.
Good practice for Repairs is to look twice before touching.
You can (I've fixed it now).
On the dell load up screen(on faintly) at the top right hand corner, it has "F2: *Somthing I forogt :\*, that acess the BIOS, and under it, "F12: boot menu" witch acess's the way to get the boot menu up, the top 3 collums have some words I forgot, at the bottom it has CD, enter on it and it should acess the windows setup if you have the pc in, from there you can repair install, then this bit got me.. From google's answers it just says "Type chkdsk on the command line", but microsoft's website says "Type 'chkdsk /r", witch in theroy repair's windows.
Problem resolved.. (I found my dell's BIOS the same to my mum's BIOS but she dosen't run dell, but on her's you can boot from disk.) The problem was the dreaded blue screen.
Amazing what a 13 year old can learn.
Edit, the actual problem was caused by me restarting pc after installing the lastest java and then the power went down breefly and came back up.