BSOD loop

[Swifty]

Hey there seven community, I will keep this short and sweet,

my mothers computer is a Dell Dimension 9200 I believe I am not sure but its newer than the older style, anyways just a few days ago she got the BSOD with the error 0x24 I believe that is a hard drive issue, so I had my younger brother try to reinstall the operating system it went to load the files then hit the blue screen, he tried booting from safe mode blue screen again, now correct me if I am wrong, the hard drive is finished?

 

[essenbe]

Most Dells have a diagnostic utility. When you turn the machine on, hit the key for the boot menu, F12 I think. In that menu is diagnostics let it run a giagnostic test and you will usually find the problem. If your computer is under warranty, when you call Dell, they will want you to run it anyway. This way you can give them the error code.

If it is a Western Digital drive (which Dell usually uses) you can download their diagnostic program from their website. It's called windig.

 

[Swifty]

Most Dells have a diagnostic utility. When you turn the machine on, hit the key for the boot menu, F12 I think. In that menu is diagnostics let it run a giagnostic test and you will usually find the problem. If your computer is under warranty, when you call Dell, they will want you to run it anyway. This way you can give them the error code.

If it is a Western Digital drive (which Dell usually uses) you can download their diagnostic program from their website. It's called windig.

There is no way of getting on the computer it is stuck on a loop and this computer is the only computer they own, I live 2 provinces away from them, there is no warranty left on this computer, and as soon as anything is loaded from the hard drive such as when the restore disk is being run from the CD drive and then as soon as the hard drive is required to run it blue screens

 

[essenbe]

Even with no HD in it it should post. That's when you go into the boot options-to tell it what to boot from. But, if you believe it is the HD, you can try a new HD. Better to try an extra if they have one. Get into the diagnostics if you can.

Make sure you Have an installation disk before trying this.
You could also try to load the installation disk. The first screen asks for which language, Hold down the shift key and press F10. That will bring up a CMD screen. Type DISKPART the screen will reply by saying diskpart. Type LIST DISK it will show every disk in the computer including the CD. Look at the hard disk it will show the size. see if the size is correct. Each disk it shows will have a number on the left side. Your HD will probably be disk 0. IF it is shown, type SELECT DISK 0 (or the number of your hard drive) It will reply that the disk you told it is the selected disk. Type CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY and press enter. When it says completed, type LIST PARTITION and press enter. There should be only 1 partition. type SELECT PARTITION 1(if it does show 1 partition). When it responds with partition1 is the selected partition, type
FORMAT FS=NTFS QUICK press enter. If it completes, type ACTIVE if it completes this type exit twice. You will be back at the original screen. Then continue the install. If the disk is damaged it will not be able to create the partition or format it. Be aware that the instructions I gave will wipe out the entire disk, there will be nothing left on it, but windows should install if it completes those commands. Just select custom install and it should work. And be sure the disk you select is the proper disk.

 

[essenbe]

Swifty,
When you turn on the computer start tapping F-12 then try booting into diagnostics.
You can find the Operating Manuel Here.

 

[Swifty]

Swifty,
When you turn on the computer start tapping F-12 then try booting into diagnostics.
You can find the Operating Manuel Here.

sorry for the delay,

He ran the diagnostics and got a different Blue screen error it is 0X0000007E

 

[essenbe]

When you start the computer, there are 4 diagnostic lights in the front. which ones are on?

 

[essenbe]

If just #3 is on indicates processor
if 3&4 indicates memory
2&4 is graphics problem
2&3 is floppy or HD failure
2,3&4 is USB failure
1 No memory detected

In the diagnostic test you can configure the test to test certain devices.= custom test tab

 

[Swifty]

He has 1,2 and 3

 

[essenbe]

This is from the Manual

 

[Swifty]

I had already read that, so what are your assumptions in this case?,

 

[essenbe]

Like you, I think the HD. But, it could be other things too. It is always better to identify the problem rather than randomly replacing things, that can be expensive. Been there, done that. If you can run the diagnostics again, but select customized tests and test just 1 item at a time you may be able to identify the problem. I would start with the hard drive. Dell usually does not provide installation disks. If you replace the HD, you are going to have to find a way to reinstall the OS. That can be done if you know someone with the same version of the OS that is on your Dell.

You will also need the drivers disk, or better go to Dell's website and download the drivers you need. They will be more up to date than the ones on the disk.

 

[Swifty]

Well he has already ran diagnostic on the hard drive and it blue screened, and it came with a disk to reinstall the operating system.

 

[essenbe]

Be sure. I have a Dell that came with a disk that says installation disk. It is actually a repair disk. Dell usually has a recovery partition on the HD to reinstall the OS. Just for a try, tell them to start the computer and tap F2 on startup. That may get you into the recovery partition if you have one, but if the disk is gone it really won't help much.

 

[Swifty]

I have already used the disk to reinstall the operating system, but here is the diagnostic results

Drive 0: WDC WD3200K-75PFB0- Pass
Drive 1: SONY DVD-ROM DDU1615S - Diagnostics not supported
Drive 2: No Device
Drive 3: No device
Drive 4: TSSTCORP DVD+/-RW TS-H553A - Diagnostics not supported
Drive 5 No device

 

[essenbe]

According to that it is not the hard drive. Put the disk in. When you get to the 2nd or 3rd screen, select repair my computer. try those options and see what happens. See if this tutorial will help.

 

[essenbe]

If you have a system image try that or perhaps a restore point. Maybe something got downloaded that messed the system up.

 

[Swifty]

I have already said it just says loading files and then it goes right to the blue screen it does not go any further than that it is just a loop and refuses to go anywhere when the hard drive is required to run.

 

[essenbe]

Are you referring to booting the system from HD or booting from the Installation CD. I was talking about running the repair from the CD.

 

[Swifty]

Both do not work either way, the cd will run until it has to access the hard drive then it blue screens.