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    Need Help w/Inspiron 8600

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by VTEC Racer, Dec 28, 2008.

  1. VTEC Racer

    VTEC Racer Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hi all. A cousin of mine has a Dell Inspiron 8600 notebook that seems to have completely crapped on her. When I turn on the laptop, nothing loads and the screen stays black. Maybe after 30 seconds, a mouse-pointer appears but the rest of the screen remains black. The pointer moves like it normally would in Windows. When starting, no Dell logo or Windows logo appears. The screen just stays black and then the mouse pointer appears. The operating system is Windows XP professional. I'd appreciate any help or advice you guys could give me to get this thing started or atleast a way to get it into safe-mode. I would ideally like to get some pictures off of my hard drive if anything. Pressing F8 at startup didn't do anything either. I would appreciate any help you guys could give me. Thanks in advance.
     
    VTEC Racer, Dec 28, 2008
    #1
  2. atbnet

    atbnet Notebook Prophet

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    When you say nothing loads, do you mean you never see the Dell logo or option to boot into BIOS?
     
    atbnet, Dec 28, 2008
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  3. VTEC Racer

    VTEC Racer Notebook Enthusiast

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    That's right. No Dell or Windows logo or any option to boot into bios.
     
    VTEC Racer, Dec 28, 2008
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  4. atbnet

    atbnet Notebook Prophet

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    Can you try to boot into diagnostic boot? You can do this by holding FN and pressing the power button.
     
    atbnet, Dec 28, 2008
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  5. VTEC Racer

    VTEC Racer Notebook Enthusiast

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    Okay, I tried doing the diagnostic boot. At first it started doing a beeping sound in three beats. It changed a little bit and now it's just beeping like an old video game. Nothing appears on the screen.
     
    VTEC Racer, Jan 1, 2009
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  6. ronss

    ronss Notebook Evangelist

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    Try connecting notebook to an external monitor, if you get a picture on it, then you know its got to do with the lcd screen, connection...

    if you cannot get a pic on the external monitor, look at the video card.
     
    ronss, Jan 1, 2009
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  7. VTEC Racer

    VTEC Racer Notebook Enthusiast

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    It's not the LCD screen because a mouse pointer appears.
     
    VTEC Racer, Jan 2, 2009
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