trouble starting up

[Scanlow]

oh no worries richc46 I'm not upset. I'm a very patient man and i know that you all have other things to do then try to help us technoignorant people with our computer woes, and yes i'm actually being serious, but it is mostly to the other members of this site. the nice thing about a forum is that anyone can post their inputs from their own different angle or thought pattern. no if i seem inpatient or frustrated it is with two things: one my computer for not stating clearly what is wrong, and two for having all this burden of my problem heaped on only your shoulders. i know that there are others here who are just as knowledgeable. i mean there are 351 views and the only people who are on this thread are you and me. something isn't right about that

 

[Scanlow]

i can't hear any beeps. i don't remember ever hearing any.

i just push the power button and then it goes to the alienware BIOS menu and then to a screen that lists the drive and the two harddrives and the option to check configuration then a screen that lists BIOS shadowing and then a blank screen where you can access the advanced startup and then the windows screen shows.

i have a dell alienware laptop that i had bought a month ago

 

[richc46]

Every place we turn its a dead end. The beeps would tell us a lot.

 

[Scanlow]

i didn't hear a beep but when i put my ear to the keyboard i heard a noise that sounded like a fart is that it? if that is it then i only heard one.

 

[richc46]

LOL
Dont think so. Its a clear beep

 

[richc46]

i know that there are others here who are just as knowledgeable. i mean there are 351 views and the only people who are on this thread are you and me. something isn't right about that

To be fair the large majority of those viewing are non members. They cannot post, they come just to learn. There is actually a very small core crew that work in the crash and debug forum

 

[Scanlow]

should every computer produce a beep because none of the computers i have ever used have produced a beep. when i turn on my computer the fans are going and they are sort of loud could that possible mask a beep?

 

[richc46]

Many computer models make no beep if there are no hardware problems.

 

[Scanlow]

so what does that mean? does that mean that either my computer doesn't make a beep when its damaged or it isn't a hardware problem

 

[richc46]

I would not rely on no beep to indicate no problems. If there were beeps that is a better indication of a problem. But to me, the lack of a beep is not as accurate.

 

[Scanlow]

the fact that my computer fell makes it seem like a hardware issue however because it is in RAID 1, that the internal diagnostic programme found nothing wrong, and the fact that the hard drives aren't in the back where it fell makes it less likely. also how efficient is RAID 1 at fixing problems with the hard drive? though i have only used the programme after the RAID software had rebuilt the drive might have something to do with the diagnostic programme stating that there was nothing wrong with it. should i reinstall windows and immediately wrong the diagnostic programme?

also could it be that the internal diagnostic programme is just not finding the error? the diagnostic programme doesn't work probably due to the fact that it is a RAID 1 setup. i checked the WD website and they don't have a RAID 1 diagnostic programme.

 

[richc46]

Anything is possible.
But look at the facts, you dropped the computer and then problems
Code 24 hardware

I can only guess, but raid, diagnotic problems and everything else, I still have to go with hardware.

 

[Scanlow]

so i should get them replaced. then here's the question seeing as how only one showed the error message can i just replace the one or do i have to replace both since they are in RAID?

 

[richc46]

I dont have the answer to that one

 

[richc46]

Troubleshoot PC system slowdowns with a 10-point plan | Microsoft Windows | TechRepublic.com
Does not refer to your problem, but has lot of nice ideas.

 

[Scanlow]

alright so here's an update.

i bought a new Hard Drive same make and model, it got rid of the error message at start-up however it didn't get rid of the BSODs during the installation of windows so i took the new drive out thinking that was the problem so that it would run off the secondary Hard Drive however i still received the BSOD referring to the BIOS.

 

[richc46]

Bottom line on BIOS, if you are not qualifyed to make changes to the BIOS get a professional. I do not have enough experience to give advice in that area.
Most here agree, it should be left to a professional

 

[Scanlow]

so would a computer repair shop work or does this mean i have to send it back to dell?

 

[richc46]

Dell, reapair shop; it depends on who works on it
If you have any sort of warranty do not let anyone other than Dell touch it or warrantywould be void
If no warranty, its up to you. Go to where you feel most comfortable. Speak to some kids they know who is good.