Will Not Boot - Bad Pool Header

[Golden]

Hi,

Yes, you can proceed directly to Step 8 and perform the clean install. Do you know how to format the hard drive during installation? If not, see steps 6,7 and 8 here:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

Did you download the wireless driver necessary to get WIFI internet access? If not, download it using the computer you are using now -- in fact you can download all the product drivers you need now -- and save it to a USB drive for plugging into his laptop and installing later on, once Windows has installed and updated.

Steps you should do now:

1. Install Windows from bootable USB
2. Install wireless driver
3. Run Windows Update

 

[bnailchi]

Attempting Clean Reinstall of Windows 7
December 24, 2013

I put the prepared bootable USB drive in the laptop. If I select F2 (Setup) when I power on the laptop and go to Boot and then USB Storage Device, nothing happens.

If I select F12 (Boot Options) when I power on the laptop, and then select USB Storage Device, I get caught in that same old error loop that attempts to Launch Startup Repair but it ends up unable to do so after a few minutes in the process – “Windows cannot repair this computer automatically”. The loop is:

· Starting Windows
· Very quick flash of BSOD (not long enough to read any text)
· Dell logo
· Windows Error Recovery
· Launch Startup Repair
· “Windows cannot repair this computer automatically”

Is this an indication that a new hard drive is needed?


Thanks for your help and happy holidays!

BJ

 

[bigmck]

It is beginning to sound like a bad HD. I think I would try one more thing before giving up. If you have a blank DVD, I would try burning the Windows 7 ISO to a DVD and see if you can boot with it. Just go to the same site and burn the DVD and try the install. You might have a bad USB drive. Just a shot. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/548-burn-disc-image-iso-img-file.html

 

[bnailchi]

Hi BigMcK,

Great suggestion! I burned the files to a DVD instead of using the USB drive and I was able to start working through the clean install process.

I got to Step 9 of the clean reinstall instructions and when it was almost finished, I got this message:

The installation was cancelled
Any changes that were made to your computer during the installation process will not be saved.
Set-up cannot continue due to a corrupted installation file. Contact the vendor of your Windows installation disc or your system administrator for assistance.

Does this mean that I may need to reburn a new DVD from the start or is it indicating something else?

Thanks for your help.

BJ

 

[bigmck]

Looks like we made a little progress. Trying burning another DVD and see what happens. Burn it at no more than a 4X speed.

 

[bnailchi]

Hi BigMcK,

Even better progress! I burned another DVD and was able to do the clean reinstall of Windows 7. As far as I can tell, all went well.

I tried connecting to the Internet using the Ethernet cable, but it doesn't work. What do I need to make an Internet connection, even if by ethernet cable at first? Do I need to download a specific driver by USB or...?

I have the product support page for Dell Inspiron 5520 (file:///C:/Users/Bar/Desktop/Tools%20for%20Reinstall/Product%20support%20for%20Inspiron%2015R%205520.html)

Thanks.

BJ

 

[bnailchi]

Success! I just figured out how to get onto the Internet. I found and downloaded the ethernet driver. Now I have Internet access using an ethernet cable. I am finding some more to download and update. I am okay for now. I will let you know how it turns out. Thanks again. BJ

 

[bigmck]

That is great. I am glad you got it going. Let the Automatic Updates run so you get all of the Win 7 updates. This could take a while. As I mentioned at the first of this thread, when you get it like you want, go to Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download and make an image of your C: drive. This way if there is a problem again, you only have to restore the image (15 minute job) and you are good to go. Be sure to keep your image on a different internal hard drive or an external hard drive. If you need further help, just let us know.

 

[bnailchi]

Hi BigMcK,

After lots of downloading of updates and redownloading and some repairing, it appears that all update and driver loading issues have been resolved. Time will tell.

I was able to download the driver to successfully connect to the Internet via ethernet cable. However, after lots of attempts at searching and troubleshooting, although I thought I downloaded the driver needed for WiFi, I am unable to get it. Do you have any suggestions as to how I might solve the wifi problem? Please let me know if there is specific information I can provide here that will help.

After I get the Wifi connected, I plan to do a back-up on an external hard drive.

I think that is all that is left to do. I told my husband that once I get the wifi working and the whole system backed up, he should use it and see if any problems arise and we can take it from there. But, for now, it sure looks good!

Thanks,

BJ

 

[bigmck]

For the Wifi, I would suggest going to the Dell site. They usually have a forum much like this one for questions. They should be able to provide more detailed help. Glad you got it going.

 

[bnailchi]

I have been working with the Dell forum folks and I was told that I needed to install Dell drivers in a particular order so that it would work. They have a list of drivers by category in the order of installation on their Website.

However, in the process of installing, the laptop fell back into its Launch Repair loop and appears to be stuck there. During my previous installations following the clean reinstall of Windows 7, the computer made many repairs and kept reinstalling when I turned it on and updating when I shut it down. But other than not being able to install the WiFi driver successfully, it appeared to be working via ethernet cable.

Is this an indication of a damaged hard drive that needs to be replaced? I am willing to do another clean reinstall of Windows 7 and then install the Dell drivers according to their sequential chart if it's worth a try. Is this problem likely the hard drive or could it be something else? My husband is willing to purchase a new hard drive if that appears to be the issue.

Thanks for your help. We trust your best judgement.

BJ

 

[bigmck]

I think it might be time to get the Hard Drive. Newegg.com - 500 gb internal hard drive I have found this page that has some good 500 GB drives. You want to get a 32 MB Cache and 7200 RPM. Western Digital is a good brand. You can get one in the $70 range. Do you have a Windows 7 Installation disk? If not, I can direct you where to get one. Do you know how to install it? If not, let me know and I can direct you to a You Tube video. It is not hard. Through all of this, I have forgotten, is yours a laptop or desktop PC?

 

[bnailchi]

Thanks BigMck. It's a Dell Inspiron 5520 laptop.

 

[bnailchi]

Sorry, I forgot to answer your other question. I have a clean reinstall disk for Windows 7 but nothing else otherwise. I have done the clean reinstall once with this laptop and that is the extent of my experience with it. I welcome any advice or direction you can offer. Thanks.

 

[bigmck]

Sorry, I forgot to answer your other question. I have a clean reinstall disk for Windows 7 but nothing else otherwise. I have done the clean reinstall once with this laptop and that is the extent of my experience with it. I welcome any advice or direction you can offer. Thanks.

If you have done the Clean Install once, then you know how to do it. Here is a tutorial on it. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html I will find a you tube video and post it. I will be here to answer any questions after you get the Hard Drive. == There are several different videos according to the model number of Inspiron. See if one of these is yours.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=replace+hard+drive+dell+inspiron&sm=1
Also you will need the Product Key to input after Windows is working. You can find that in the compartment where the battery is probably. It might also be on the bottom of the computer. It is a 25 character key on a sticker that looks like this.

 

[bnailchi]

BigMcK,

Thanks so much for all of your help. My husband will purchase a new hard drive and I will install Windows 7 and the drivers, updates, etc. I had a trial run with all of this, including taking out and reinstalling the hard drive, during the weeks of troubleshooting. I think we are set. Once he gets the hard drive, if I run into problems I will check in with you guys again. For now, we can consider this case closed.

To BigMcK, YoYo155, and anyone else who may have helped during this long troubleshooting process, I thank you. You all have been extremely helpful, patient, and kind. You have taught me a lot during this process. I wish you all a very happy new year and beyond.

BJ