Dell Latitude D610 will not boot up.

Can you boot into BIOS?
If so, can you detect any hard drives?

Yes, I can boot into BIOS and it detects the 30GB HDD (which incidentally I have put into a caddy and looked at from my other PC, but not changed anything).

Not heard of UBCD, I have downloaded a zip file on my desktop PC.  How does it work, do I install from the zip and then burn a CD from it?

OK understand how UBCD works now, just downloading it.  Downloaded ultimate boot CD by mistake and that wouldn't install.  Have the right one now.

You shouldn't presume anything...I'm a database guy not O/S!

Thanks for the suggestions, I'm having issues with UBCD already (cannot find source files??)

Cheers

Hi,

Out of interest, have you tried booting the laptop WITHOUT the hd installed?  And if so, what happens?

I'm sure I've come across this one before, and thought it was to do with the boot order, but might be getting wired crossed.

Hmm...no.  Will get back on this tomorrow.

here is how to use UBCD :
Hardware diagnostic CD    UBCD

go to the download page, scroll down to the mirror section, and  click on a mirror to start the download
Download the UBCD and make the cd   <<==on a WORKING PC, and boot the problem PC from it
Here 2 links, one to the general site, and a direct link to the download

since the downloaded file is an ISO file, eg ubcd527.iso - so you need to use an ISO burning tool
if you don't have that software, install cdburnerXP : http://cdburnerxp.se/

If you want also the Ram tested - run memtest86+ at least 1 full pass,  - you should have NO errors!
 
For disk Diagnostics run the disk diag for your disk brand (eg seagate diag for seagate drive)  from the HDD section -  long or advanced diag !  (runs at least for30 minutes)

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/                        ultimate boot cd
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html             download page

**  you can make a bootable cd - or bootable usb stick

for completeness -here's how i handle disk problems : https://www.experts-exchange.com/Storage/Hard_Drives/A_3000-The-bad-hard-disk-problem.html

Just to be clear..are these two one and the same?

http://www.ubcd4win.org

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

Ok then I'll redo the CD!!

So far I have:

1.

run the laptop w/o HDD...Dell page lingers for a while then tells me there is no HDD!

2.

run chkdsk using the caddy...no bad sectors found.

3.

currently running a virus check on it.

>>  run the laptop w/o HDD...Dell page lingers for a while then tells me there is no HDD!  <<  that seems normal; but with the HDD connected - do you see the disk in the BIOS?
you may have to hit Del, or F10,F2 key

Yes, BIOS shows the disk.

Chkdsk: -ve
Scan: -ve

Now running comprehensive Fujitsu HDD test from the boot CD.

I'll do the memory too.   Which other tests should I run?

what does this mean ?
Chkdsk: -ve
 Scan: -ve
unknown to me

Chkdsk was negative i.e. showed no errors, same with virus scan.

The HDD passed both the quick and full diagnostic tests.

I think I have tried all the menu options, no errors found.

I cannot boot in safe mode, but I can put the HDD into a caddy and run those scans off my desktop PC.

The scan I did run was Zone Alarm AV scan.

Cheers

Last option before you do a new Windows install is to try a registry restore.  You haven't specified which version of Windows you have but guides are available for that.

It's XP.  Don't think I have backups of the registry.

Try a system restore to when it was working OK

try a repair also : http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm            Repair install  XP

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate your time on this.

A quick question...in the caddy I can see some of the data folders (containing jpg files) are encrypted.  That means they were encrypted when in the laptop, right?

I'm away this weekend, will report back Monday.

"That means they were encrypted when in the laptop, right?"
Correct.

Let's see, where are we...?

If it wasn't for those encrypted files I would go straight ahead with the reinstall.  

Of the other options (registry repair, system restore and windows repair), which would keep those files and their encryption certificate intact? If any?

you need to de- encrypt the files -  so you can back them up first - then re-install

Copying them off using the caddy would be OK as a backup?

And the reinstall wouldn't wipe the encryption key?

Sorry if I appear dense here, but I want to be sure!

How were they encrypted?  You should be able to copy them but you need to know the encryption method used so you can decrypt them once they come across.

I have absolutely no idea.  It's a friend's laptop and he was surprised to see them encrypted.  He would have loaded them in direct from the camera.

Try copying the encrypted files to a FAT32 disk.  Then try opening them.  If the encryption has gone then you have no problem.  I'm assuming that these are EFS encrypted and copying them to a FAT32 disk should remove the EFS encryption.

Try copying the encrypted files to a FAT32 disk.

Access denied, as per attached.
CaptureDenied.JPG

you can use the free paragon soft : http://www.paragon-software.com/home/br-free/download.html

Thanks, actually that was going to be my next EE question, I can't get my Windows 7 backup utility to work.

So I'll try this out.

>>  Access denied, as per attached.

Are you logged in as Adminstrator?  And you may need to take ownership of the folder concerned.  See https://technet.microsoft.com/en-nz/library/cc753659.aspx

Please see my previous question...

https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/28706449/Unable-to-remove-Account-Unknown-getting-error-You-can't-remove-Account-Unknown-because-this-object-is-inheriting-permissions-from-its-parent.html

I have tried lots of changing properties and ownerships, so when I realised the files were encrypted I decided to go down the route of getting the original laptop working.

OK.

I'm unsure of what encryption is on this machine.  But try booting from a Live Linux CD such as Ubuntu https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCD and see if you can access the files.  You might be able to open them or copy them.

I did a successful backup to virtual disk using the Paragon software and the disk caddy.

I tried Windows XP repair but the repair option wasn't available so I aborted.  I only have XP Home, and it may be an XP pro install that's the issue there?

Registry restore scares me tbh, especially as you have to run Recovery Console and the Michael Stevens article warns against that.

So I'm close to admitting defeat on this one.

yes, you need the same version for repair
if you have the cd - often by editing the ei.cfg file, you can use all versions
here autility to remove it :  http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/OS-Enhancements/ei-cfg-Removal-Utility.shtml

Sorry for the lack of update on this.

I'm waiting for the owner of the laptop and also trying to get hold of a bootable copy of XP Pro.  Should have that soon.

no problem, take your time

I bought an XP Pro disc.  I cannot find the ei.cfg file, does that mean it has been removed?

XP has no ei.cfg file
Wiindows 7 and Windows 8 disc's have an ei.cfg file

Ah!  Thanks.

I went into "boot options" and found diagnostics, which I am running now.  No issues found so far.

the diags from boot are not conclusive
use the ones i mentioned in the start - from ubcd

It passed the ubcd tests I tried but I'm trying them again, maybe I missed one or two.

Registry restore

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/307545

Note you could probably do this with the drive in a disk caddy and attached to another computer and use Windows Explorer.

I did part one, copied the system, software, security, default and sam files from the repair folder, but it still wouldn't restart.  Actually, there wasn't a system file in the repair folder, there was one called system.bak, so i renamed that and used it.  The machine still wouldn't boot.

I bought an XP Pro CD but the machine won't boot with that either.  

I can see plenty of Windows update files $nt...etc.

I'm seeing the owner tomorrow so this will be concluded then.  My recommendation is for me to take it into a pro repair shop and explain the issues, and get them to tell me what it was (if they can fix it).  but I'm not sure the owner will OK the expenditure involved.

Meanwhile, back to UBCD!

Cheers

ok - this is become a long thread - so can we summarise where we are now?
i believe the ram and disk diags were ok - right ?
and we are trying to repair the XP
>>  I bought an XP Pro CD but the machine won't boot with that either.    <<   what happens?
>>  I can see plenty of Windows update files $nt...etc  <<  when ?  from what did you boot to see these ?

Yep, the diags were fine, we are trying to repair the XP without losing the encryption keys.

It ignores the CD.  I bought two on eBay, the supplier assures they were both tested OK, I made a boot usb stick from one but it ignores that as well.

I saw the update files while I had the drive in a disk caddy while copying the system, software, security, default and sam files from the repair folder.

Spoke to the owner and he doesn't want to spend any cash, but having bought a new battery and upgraded the ram I'm tempted to pay for it myself!

here the repair wen t well
maybe the discussion holds something of value for you :
http://blog.nirsoft.net/2010/07/27/how-to-configure-windows-to-create-minidump-files-on-bsod/

and yes - the owner does not want to spend any cash.. but they did encrypt it -  or not?

Repair went well, using a CD?

Thanks for the link.

They did, but don't know how.

no - but if they say the repair went well - that means to me that you don't have to do anything specific - i mean other than mentioned in this repair article  :
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

you said "it ignores the cd"   what do you mean with that ?  does the pc NOT start from cd - or what ?

Well, I tried the CD again, and it did boot up!  So I took the option to install, leaving everything unchanged, and it did a full reinstall, so I have lost all the files and programs.

So I guess that's it!

I rebooted without the CD.  There are two XP options to boot into.  The top one, presumably the one I just loaded, gives me a clean XP install, all working as a fresh install.

The lower XP option (the old install?) gives me a clear blue screen with the arrow cursor, nothing else.

The lower XP option (the old install?) gives me a clear blue screen with the arrow cursor, nothing else.

First of all I get the XP screen for ages, then the screen goes black, then blue, then the cursor appears.

Same when I tried to boot to the last known working configuration.

I tried safe mode, and just get a black screen with "safe mode" in the corners.

Will report back this evening.

Going way back:
"OK understand how UBCD works now, just downloading it.  Downloaded ultimate boot CD by mistake and that wouldn't install.  Have the right one now."

UBCD if used correctly should have lead you to a solution long ago.

Wiping the drive with a fresh install of XP was a mistake?
At worst a repair of XP with the XP disc you bought should have worked fine.

i never suggested a clean install - i wonder why you tried thatdid you follow the link i posted for a repair ?

Wiping the drive with a fresh install of XP was a mistake?

I think the answer is yes.  An honest mistake.

I obviously didn't use UBCD correctly, because I didn't find any errors with it.

i don't know  what went wrong with ubcd - since i posted how to make the cd
and use it
if you have questions about it  - just ask

@ nobus
Please do not try to take credit for the the first post / advice to use UBCD
I posted UBCD first (the second post to this question)
Quote:
Your Comment 2015-09-16 at 22:33:23ID: 40979837

@ nobus
Hey dude ... this is not about points as we volunteers  do not get paid .... play by the rules set by EE or take a vacation.

Have a nice day,

Regards,
Michael

I still have the backup I took before I wiped it!

Use the back up to go back to zero to resolve the problem....
As per your testing is seems that you have no hardware issues...
You may have made some errors given the wide range of advice from EE advisers ... not all of us are experts... best of luck.
Regards,
Michael

Michael - i have enough points - so get off my back
i'm only trying to help him - if i can't do that by giving additional info  - we better close EE
that's all

anyway restarting from fresh - seems the only way out left
you can do this by using the restore partition or restore media from dell -  or any os CD

I rebooted without the CD.  There are two XP options to boot into.  The top one, presumably the one I just loaded, gives me a clean XP install, all working as a fresh install.

The lower XP option (the old install?) gives me a clear blue screen with the arrow cursor, nothing else.

Putting the drive into the caddy shows I have installed side by side two XP Pro instances.  There are two account names under Documents and Settings, the older of which still has the photos in question in My Pictures.  But of course that is the instance that I can't boot up.

So deleting the second clean install should put me back to square one - agreed?  Then I can try the repair install.

So how do I delete the second install?

Thanks,

  Col

Two OS's on one PC indicates there are two versions of OS's.
Meaning that the original OS is not XP pro.

"I still have the backup I took before I wiped it!"

Wipe the drive withDBAN on UBCD
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/dban.htm

Migrate the backup to the drive,then use the XP pro CD to run the Recover Console directly from the CD

The steps are given in this MS link:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/307654

Meaning that the original OS is not XP pro.

 But when I boot up, there are two options for me, and they are both "Windows XP Pro".

I did the backup using the caddy and Paragon. So presumably I'd have to install Paragon on the laptop to restore it?  and that would have to be from the second, working, install of XP Pro?

OK.  

By the way, the CD bootup offers me Automated System Recovery but from what I have read this is not suitable and should only be used as a last resort.

I don't think ransomware had been invented when the PC last worked.  The owner copied the pictures from the camera card to the laptop.  He has no idea how they could be encrypted - he wouldn't know how -  but it's not just the pics, all kinds of folders around the documents and settings are green font and therefore inaccessible.

The laptop is from the owner's old employer (all above board, they no longer wanted it).  Is it possible they put a timebomb or something in there?  I'm just thinking aloud here.

Probably two XP pro versions one with and one without SP updates.

I booted into the old version, safe mode, and it says it is SP2.

Not sure I get a repair option with this CD, so will do a clean install tomorrow.

Cheers

Clean install done.

Well, it's been quite a marathon, thanks for all who contributed, I've learned a hell of a lot.  The owner is happy to get a working laptop back even though he has lost his photos.

Cheers,

  Col

Unable to achieve the primary objective but in the circumstances the solutions definitely deserve an A.  Thanks again all.