ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted November 25, 2006 Report Share Posted November 25, 2006 PrologueA friend, with an almost brand-new Dell computer (XP-SP2) constantly has problems - strange banners, toolbars, pop-ups, uninstallable software, etc. - despite anti-virus and other anti-malware apps installed.So instead of weekly visits to remove the crap, I decided to take an image backup (Acronis), so that he can just restore the image whenever something happens. A good idea, no?The mess-upInstalled Partition Magic 8 (the original one from PowerQuest), rebooted, then defragmented the C: drive, and resized the C: partition to make room for a backup partition at the top. PM does that during a reboot. It started the operation, and then sometime during the clearing of the empty space an error occurred. Reboot was initiated, and as soon as Windows tried to start: BSOD - 0x00000024.The situationPower off/on will go to the boot menu that offers Safe Mode, Last Known Good Configuration, and Normal Startup. Unfortunately the keyboard does not do anything - it's a USB keyboard. And the default Normal Startup of course immediately terminates with the BSOD.So I went home, got a PS2 keyboard and a Windows install CD. Turning his computer around I found that there is no PS2 connector - only USB ports.Placing the Windows CD into the drive, startup, does nothing, because obviously the boot sequence is not in the right order to start with a CD. Going into BIOS configuration is impossible because the keyboard is dead during startup.What to do?I cannot boot into Safe Mode.I cannot boot into the Recovery Console.I cannot boot into the Windows install disk.I cannot change the boot sequence.What can I do to recover this computer? I am fresh out of ideas...Any good ideas out there?P.S. I need to mention that this computer also doesn't have a floppy drive.P.P.S. It is not that the Windows disk is not bootable (it may not be), but I also tried to boot into the Acronis disk, which I know is bootable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted November 25, 2006 Report Share Posted November 25, 2006 Possible Remedies?Was there no disk(s) supplied with the machine?Contact Dell :) If it's a new machine they should do everything they can to get it going again - even if it's not their fault that the system has gone down, their goodwill and reputation should be such that they help you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seshomaru Samma Posted November 25, 2006 Report Share Posted November 25, 2006 What I would do is physically take out the hard drive from your friend's machine, hook it to my box, fix it and put it back. I did that several times cause I work with really old hardware , broken CD-roms , bad Floppy drives ,etc...Does that help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted November 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2006 Thanks for the replies. I have thought about both suggestions, but each has a problem connected to it.Talking to Dell support is very difficult; they cannot properly speak English or Japanese. (Most of the Dell support people I have spoken to seem to have a Chinese accent).Opening the case and taking out the HD will void the warranty. But I think this is how I am going to proceed (my friend's computer doesn't have the 24/7 support option). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cozofdeath Posted November 26, 2006 Report Share Posted November 26, 2006 Maybe a bootable USB drive? Other than that remove the drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted November 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2006 Bootable USB drive may also not help me, as I cannot change the boot sequence. Anyway, I am off now to go to remove the HD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted November 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2006 UpdateI was unable to open the computer chassis - can you believe that? One screw was so tight that I absolutely couldn't open it. I even went to buy one of these screwdrivers that go over the screw (hexagon shaped), but it didn't fit. [Do these things have a specific name?]My original description was not 100% correct; the USB keyboard & mouse are connected to the screen, which then is connected with a single cable to the computer's back. But when connecting the keyboard & mouse directly, they are recognized during bootup, so I was able to change the boot sequence, and boot into a CD.So far this has not let me fix the problem, nor was I able to boot into Safe Mode (same BSOD). So later today I will go and reinstall Windows from scratch.P.S. re boot sequence on that Dell: very strange! I cannot actually change the sequence; it is fixed. But I can disable any of the devices in the boot sequence, so if I disable the HD, it will boot into the CD. Strange - never seen this before... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted November 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2006 Problem solvedThe computer in question was a present from my friend's company president for his birthday. It was originally set up by the company's IT manager. Since I didn't have the Windows install disk for that machine, I called the IT manager and explained the problem. He laughed and told me to just come and pick up another machine; he has about a dozen exactly same models standing unused in a corner.Which I did; problem solved. The only problem remaining: my friend would not let me to attempt to partition the new machine. So: no backup... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted November 28, 2006 Report Share Posted November 28, 2006 No backup?What about an external drive then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted November 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2006 I have been thinking about that. I will talk with him after he cleaned up the 2,000+ email messages he received during the computer down time...Or external DVD drive? Can Acronis take a backup directly to a DVD drive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted November 28, 2006 Report Share Posted November 28, 2006 Or external DVD drive? Can Acronis take a backup directly to a DVD drive?Yes but, I wouldn't trust my shopping list to be safe on a DVD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted November 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2006 You are probably right (I have never stored anything on DVD so far). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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