No boot, no safe mode, no reinstall? Win 7

A friend phoned saying her laptop wouldn't boot and I've done my fair share of recovery so said I'd have a look. I'm stuck though - as a newish Dell Inspiron I can't get the drive out without basically stripping the machine down to a bare shell, and I can't get it to boot into Windows, or into safe mode.

Booting normally it gets as far as Windows wallpaper, and just hangs there. Rebooting gives me option to launch Startup Repair, Windows gets to Windows background wallpaper and stops. It DOES have a cursor though, although not responding to left or right clicks. Trying safe mode loads drivers, but then hangs. Reboot again, and select Disable Auto Restart, and we get to a BSOD saying Unmountable Boot Volume.

So, in with the Win 7 disc, changed the bios to boot from it, and we get to select Language, and then Repair or Install. Selecting Repair - so I can get to a DOS prompt - but then nothing, I don't get the startup repair window. In frustration, I rebooted and this time selected Install, and then it hangs at 'Setup is starting'.

What's happening here? Irrespective of how badly Windows is corrupted, why can't I run a successful fresh install?

In addition to the suggested Dell Diagnostics Utility - How to Run the, try writing the latest official installer to flash stick from step 5 of Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start to see if it will load correctly. If not try unplugging the DVD drive.

Next try resetting the BIOS to defaults: Clear CMOS - 3 Ways to Clear the CMOS - Reset BIOS.
Set HD first to boot, save changes and exit.

Now try triggering the DVD using the Dell f12 boot menu key. If that fails try the flash stick again, under USB, Removable or HD's.

If all fails, try the other steps in Troubleshooting tutorial. As a last resort use the HD diagnostics CD, Partition Wizard CD or Hiren's Boot disk to wipe the HD to force installer to start itself for reinstall.

You can rescue your files using Hiren's or Paragon Rescue Disk which will both boot themselves.

Saurabh A said:

Hi travellers,

Please run 'On-board Diagnostics' to check 'Hard Drive Functionality'. It may be a 'Drive' failure: http://dell.to/OUGnqT
- Capture error(s), if any.

Hope this helps.

Error Code 0142
Hard Drive 0 - self test unsuccessful. Status 4

Following that error above, I get a screen offering several testing options, the bottom one of which is 'Symptom Tree'. Since it seems the issue appears to be hard drive related, I picked that and ran the tests for 'Cannot Boot the OS'. All well through all tests down to SATA Disk - Confidence Test. The first set of test went okay, and was presented screen which said 'no problems up to now, do you want to continue'. Said yes, and some time later got the message
"Error Code OFOO: 1332
Msg: DISK - Block 113909442: Interrupt Requests (IRQ) did not set in time. Do you want to continue testing?'

Said Yes, test still running now

EDIT: Identical error on block 113909570

Indicates a failing HD which needs to be replaced. Contact Dell technical support if under warranty, or google the PC or HD model number for replacement HD and video for how to reinstall HD.

You can confirm this with the HD maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan or Partition Wizard CD Partition surface test

Saurabh A said:

Hi travellers,

Please run 'On-board Diagnostics' to check 'Hard Drive Functionality'. It may be a 'Drive' failure: http://dell.to/OUGnqT
- Capture error(s), if any.

Hope this helps.

The page your post links to gives the listing of possible error messages and then links to the fix for each one. The link for "Click Here to access our Interactive Search Agent" goes to Redirect to: Interactive Search Agent (VA) to analyze PSA/PSA+ Error Code | Dell and then immediately redirect to a faulty link. I tried correcting the errors in your url but all I ended up with was the 'Search Agent' apologising for not having any answers to my question.

From what your post and gregrockers posts say, it seems likely there is a physical issue with the hard drive. That wouldn't be a problem if the drives were fitted as they *used* to be, with a couple of screws through the underside holding a drive carrier, but I've now found a video showing that I've basically got to strip the machine to bits to get at the drive. I've dug out the original receipt, and its 21 months old. Both Dell and I know that this is comfortably inside the time I should expect a drive to last, and that SOGA allows for me to ask for a replacement. What SOGA doesn't do is recognise the deliberate hurdles a company like Dell intentionally put in the way to try and frustrate customers into giving up - yes, if I was prepared to persist, I could get Dell to give me a new drive, but long bitter experience tells me that would be in about three months and at the cost of a great deal of stress. Its easier to just go out and buy a new drive...