M1210 Bootup problems

Hello, I'm having a problem with my bootup, after the window's loading screen everything goes blank and the hard drive is no longer loading and it just sits there. I've searched the forums and found that some people have experienced these same issues but have posted no solutions. I've called xps support and spent around 45 minutes trying to diagnose the problem (reflashing bios, different graphics drivers, dell diagnostics) to name a few and yet the problem still occurs. The only way I can properly boot up is when I enter the setup and select start with last known good configuration and I usually bootup properly that way. I'm just wondering if anyone has encountered this problem with their dell and how did you fix this because it's becoming quite annoying. Thanks all!

 

I hope that your data has been backed up! ~ if not, you might want to access your hard drive through an external enclosure and do so, or use dos shell to access your material and back it up on a USB key.

I would straight out do a full reformat, per the sticky instructions on the Dell forum page. That usually solves most problems, although it is sort of a easy answer for me to give you because it is long and wipes out everything.

I know that sometimes (probably not with the new dells) if there is a bootable disc in the CD-drive, and the boot order via BIOS is CD before HD, then your system might hang.

 

I have the same problem also, and I also tried reformatting and loading all the drivers in. After reformatting, and loading drivers, everything seem to be working fine. Then I load Alcohol 120, some patches, Office 2003, IE7 and then it starts again. It would start booting up normally, then after windows bootup logo, it will give me blank screen. I am able to get into safe mode fine.

If I start the computer using PSA test mode, (by pressing the FN key and power button to turn on the computer), it starts fine, until my next restart again.

Can anyone help!

Thanks

PS. Just a little Description of my M1210

Core2duo 7200
2 GB RAM
Webcam
Bluetooth
Intel wireless
120 GB HDD

 

It is most likely a software problem. I think there were some compatibility issues with Alcohol 120, but not 100% sure. I would go to MSCONFIG, turn off everything in the startup tab that is related to software. Then reboot. If it loads XP, then you are going to have to do a little of detective work to see what software is causing the problem. Easiest way is to check 1 program at a time in MSCONFIG (start up tab), and reboot each time after you check a program.

 

I would also recommend formatting if you have not done so. There is so much junkware when you first get your laptop that it is hard to pinpoint what the exact problem is.

If you do not want to format, you can follow the directions that i posted in the previous post about going to MSCONFIG and going through the software.

 

Yeah, I uninstalled Alcohol and the Logitech drivers in safe mode and rebooted my system. And it boots up fine with no problems. I then reinstalled my Logitech drivers and all is working well. I guess there is a conflict with the logitech drivers and Alcohol.