Member Avatar for Jamaican Beauty

I cannot boot up my computer in normal mode when I tried to it loads to a blank black screen.

I cannot boot in any safe mode at all. It does the thing with all the letters trying to boot in safe mood but then he loads to a blank black screen.

When I use the Vista CD to boot from I do a system repair but it doesn't find any thing.

I try to do a chkdsk and it finds no problems. I try to do a chkdsk/f and /r but it says "Windows cannot run disk checking on this volume because it is wirte protected".

I'm try to get my pictures and files off of here before I have to re-install Vista. Before my laptop stopped booting up it wasnt functions properly. I have a Dell XPS M1330 and it's only a year old.

Can someone help me please???

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Dani AI

Generated

JamaicanBeauty reported a black screen in both normal and safe mode, Vista’s repair did not find problems, and a chkdsk attempt failed with “volume is write protected.” Priority one is preserving personal files before any destructive repair or reinstall. Several responders already suggested two safe paths: a bootable live environment to copy files (, ) or removing the drive and attaching it to another PC (). Also note the warranty/repair advice from .

Practical, non‑destructive options (summary): boot any live recovery environment and mount the Windows partition read‑only to copy the entire Users folder to an external USB drive; if boot media won’t run, remove the 2.5" drive and connect it to a working computer via a SATA‑to‑USB adapter or enclosure to copy files. Before opening the laptop, remove power and battery, ground yourself, and be aware that service terms may require contacting Dell first.

If data is secured, investigate the write‑protected error and the boot configuration. From Vista recovery command prompt it is possible to inspect/clear a read‑only disk attribute and then attempt boot repairs. Example sequences (use only after a backup):

diskpart sequence

diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
attributes disk
attributes disk clear readonly
list volume
select volume <n>
assign letter=Z
exit

boot recovery sequence

bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuildbcd

Run hardware diagnostics next (Dell built‑in or manufacturer tools) to check SMART. If diagnostics show physical failure, stop further write attempts and consult a professional recovery service. If the drive is healthy and readonly/boot records are corrected, the system may become recoverable without a reinstall—otherwise reinstall only after confirming all personal data has been backed up.

Recommended Answers

All 17 Replies

Member Avatar for emilystephen

doesn't have a boot function in its menu. So in order to perform the booting Process you can follow the following steps -
Press Windows and R keys at the same time.
Then you need to customize the start menu by making a right click on the toolbar
After that select properties option
Then check the run command and after that click OK.
I hope this process will help you in your need.

Member Avatar for Jamaican Beauty

This doesn't work. When I did it the first time it went to a blank screen with white letters and it listed Windows Vista at the operating system, and then I pressed the windows button again and it went to the options of starting in safe mode or starting normal.

What other options do you have?

Member Avatar for PhilliePhan

I'm try to get my pictures and files off of here before I have to re-install Vista. Before my laptop stopped booting up it wasnt functions properly. I have a Dell XPS M1330 and it's only a year old.

Can someone help me please???

I will not be around over the weekend to talk you through this, but if you are able to create a bootable CD (such as Ubuntu Live CD), you can use that to transfer your pictures and files to an external drive.

Have a look at what we did in this thread:

http://www.daniweb.com/forums/thread259476.html

See if that works for you.

Perhaps one of our other volunteers can talk you through a similar process if you get stuck.

Best Luck :)
PP

Edited by PhilliePhan because: The Usual....
Member Avatar for MoZo1

Try opening task manager with ctrl+alt+del, close all explorer.exe and when there are no more, use the "new task (run)" from the task manager's menu, and type in explorer. Haven't tried this on Vista, but it helped me out a lot of times on XP and 7 after not working updates.
If it's success, don't do anything at the 1st time, but restart computer. Often this removes the run once infinite task automatically, because windows thinks it's finished already when explorer starts up normally, so you don't have to risk regediting.
But these kind of tasks usually put out a window without buttons saying updating personal desktop or whatever...

Edited by MoZo1 because: n/a
Member Avatar for guybo

Sometimes, I repeat, Sometimes you can reinstall the OS without affecting documents such as pictures. However, if in the process you are asked to format the drive forgetaboutit.

Member Avatar for Jamaican Beauty

I will not be around over the weekend to talk you through this, but if you are able to create a bootable CD (such as Ubuntu Live CD), you can use that to transfer your pictures and files to an external drive.

Have a look at what we did in this thread:

http://www.daniweb.com/forums/thread259476.html

See if that works for you.

Perhaps one of our other volunteers can talk you through a similar process if you get stuck.

Best Luck :)
PP

Ok I read the other forum and I don't have a recovery console CD so I'm not for sure how that would work. I only have the Vista CD. I did try to backup the information but it wouldn't backup to a CD or jumpdrive just an external hard drive I think it will save to and at the time I don't have one yet. I don't know what to do.


I also can't access the task manager to do anything the other helpful person is telling me to do. I don't know what else to do. :-(

Member Avatar for caperjack

I also can't access the task manager :-(

why not ,what happens when you try ,CTRL+ALT+DEL

Edited by caperjack because: n/a
Member Avatar for guybo

Can you boot from the Vista CD?

Member Avatar for guybo

Caperjack,
How can he ctrl+alt+del if the machine will not boot?

Member Avatar for caperjack

Caperjack,
How can he ctrl+alt+del if the machine will not boot?

sorry i din't read all the post ,my mistook

Member Avatar for guybo

And you say your machine is a year old Dell? Did you get a disk with the machine to reset to factory settings? If so, and if the purchase was from a legit Dell dealer, try giving Dell help a call and ask them what to do. The drive might be kaput, one or more memory modules might be loose--anything. Before you lose those valuable pictures call Dell and/or take the machine to a reputable shop.

Member Avatar for guybo

Or call a place like Staples and see if they will send someone to you. It will cost, but what value do you place on those pictures and videos?

Member Avatar for JustinNH

No, no, no... Don't call Staples, they'll rape you for money.

First, grab one of these http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812232002, yank the hard drive, and back up your data.

If it's a Dell under a year old, it should be under warranty. Back up your data, then put in a warranty support call.

Member Avatar for khakilang

If data is important to you. Than I would suggest to get hold of a Ubuntu LiveCD. Boot up the CD. Ubuntu will recognise your drive and you can copy all your data to an external drive. Once this is finish you can do whatever you like reformat and install Vista even. But make sure all your data has been back up.

Member Avatar for Maplestory

I Am Not Sure About This I Am Posting But I Thing This May Work.. Firstly , Off Your COmputer And Take Out The Battery.. Press The On Button For 20sec And Let Go.. Put Back Your Battery And On.. I WOuld Like To Ask You A Question : Do You Have Any Ploblems When Booting Up Or Either Errors?? The Computer Said That wirte Protected>??? Maybe You Drop Your COmputer .. This Is The Only Solution I Have So Try And If It Works Have A Nice Day!

Member Avatar for PhilliePhan

If data is important to you. Than I would suggest to get hold of a Ubuntu LiveCD. Boot up the CD. Ubuntu will recognise your drive and you can copy all your data to an external drive. Once this is finish you can do whatever you like reformat and install Vista even. But make sure all your data has been back up.

That is the path I would recommend.

1) Go to the Official Download Page -->

2) Click the big orange button to download the latest version of Ubuntu. (Desktop Edition 10.10 32-Bit)

3) Save the ubuntu-10.10-desktop-i386.iso to where you can find it easily.

4) Download and install Infra Recorder --> http://downloads.sourceforge.net/infrarecorder/ir051.exe?download

5) Insert a blank CD in the drive and select Do nothing or Cancel if an autorun dialog pops up.

6) Open Infra Recorder and click the 'Write Image' button in the main screen.
* Alternatively you can select the 'Actions' menu, then 'Burn image'.

7) Select the ubuntu-10.10-desktop-i386.iso, then click 'Open'.

8) Click 'OK'.

Once that is burned, restart your compy and press F12 at boot to access the Boot Device Menu. Choose boot to CD ROM.
Now you can boot to the Ubuntu live CD and bypass Windows entirely. You can use this to copy all your important data to an external drive.

Cheers :)
PP

Member Avatar for absolute_zero

Maybe there's a problem with either the master boot record on your disk or the boot sector of the partition on which windows is installed.
The best bet would be to do what philliephan said; use a bootable cd containing an os that can mount your hard drive into its filesystem, and from there you can recover your files and pictures that you need onto a removable medium. You then have to reformat your hard disk and reinstall windows.

You can download knopix(os run from live cd) and burn the image(.iso file) to a cdrom using the image burning option in nero or other software that you may be using.

Edited by absolute_zero because: n/a
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