Without warning on my Dell XPS 1530 laptop (Vista Home Premium - pretty much
up to date) I found that my system would no longer boot. I could get to the
User Select step, but it was just a Blue Screen from that point forward.

I sent some time today with a Dell tech and we tried to run a Restore (F8 on
boot - Repair your Computer - System Restore) on a couple of different
restore points. They were all unsuccessful. His diagnosis was that I was
going to have to do a system reinstall. My data is adequately backed up but
I REALLY hate the thought of reinstalling all the software (nothing from
unknown sources, BTW - am pretty careful with that stuff).

I am guessing that he is right but I thought I would post here in case
others have thoughts on something else that I might try first. BTW Safe Mode
with command line mostly works, although CHKDSK interestingly enough hangs.

Thanks.

dave

"Dave Lee" wrote in message
...
Without warning on my Dell XPS 1530 laptop (Vista Home Premium - pretty
much
up to date) I found that my system would no longer boot. I could get to
the
User Select step, but it was just a Blue Screen from that point forward.

I sent some time today with a Dell tech and we tried to run a Restore (F8
on
boot - Repair your Computer - System Restore) on a couple of different
restore points. They were all unsuccessful. His diagnosis was that I was
going to have to do a system reinstall. My data is adequately backed up
but
I REALLY hate the thought of reinstalling all the software (nothing from
unknown sources, BTW - am pretty careful with that stuff).

I am guessing that he is right but I thought I would post here in case
others have thoughts on something else that I might try first. BTW Safe
Mode
with command line mostly works, although CHKDSK interestingly enough
hangs.

Thanks.

dave




Well
before you do anything else try a RAM test

and the mfg's HD diagnostic

Hi Dave,
before you take the re-image option you may want to try a system file
check

'System Files - SFC Command - Vista Forums'
(http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66...0Maintena nce)


quite often the techs from the larger OEM's will suggest a restore to
factory install option when other options are still available it's
an easy success for them on their call logs

you may also want to try to reset drivers to std options from safe mode
as it could be a driver issue

also from a recent problem with an XPS laptop I know DELL has released
new drivers this week. so a check of those and possible safe mode update
may help

you say you get blue screen after log-in what errors do you receive -
or is it just a blank screen


--
barman58

Regards,
*Nigel*
the beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not
understand.,- frank herbert

"barman58" wrote in message
...

Hi Dave,
before you take the re-image option you may want to try a system file
check

'System Files - SFC Command - Vista Forums'

(http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66...and.html?filte
r%5B11%5D=Performance%20Maintenance)


quite often the techs from the larger OEM's will suggest a restore to
factory install option when other options are still available it's
an easy success for them on their call logs

you may also want to try to reset drivers to std options from safe mode
as it could be a driver issue

also from a recent problem with an XPS laptop I know DELL has released
new drivers this week. so a check of those and possible safe mode update
may help

you say you get blue screen after log-in what errors do you receive -
or is it just a blank screen


--
barman58

Regards,
*Nigel*
the beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not
understand.,- frank herbert

Thanks for the suggestion. Can you give me a reference to how to go about
reseting drivers from safe mode? I can only get a command line - nothing
else. I have never seen SAFE MODE run, but am I supposed to see clickable
icons somewhere? I don't get anything but a few SAFE MODE labels on a black
screen. I can only run from the command line.

After the log-in screen I get the normal blue'ish Windows screen with the
"circle running around the ball" and 'welcome'. After a short while this
leads to a blue screen - nothing else.

FWIW, I have had one other, possibly related, problem and that is that
sometimes my system would go into SLEEP mode and would have abended when I
wake the system up. It only happened from SLEEP, not SUSPEND. It wasn't a
regular occurence, but wasn't a singular event either.

dave

"philo" wrote in message
...

"Dave Lee" wrote in message
...
Without warning on my Dell XPS 1530 laptop (Vista Home Premium - pretty
much
up to date) I found that my system would no longer boot. I could get to
the
User Select step, but it was just a Blue Screen from that point forward.

I sent some time today with a Dell tech and we tried to run a Restore
(F8
on
boot - Repair your Computer - System Restore) on a couple of different
restore points. They were all unsuccessful. His diagnosis was that I was
going to have to do a system reinstall. My data is adequately backed up
but
I REALLY hate the thought of reinstalling all the software (nothing from
unknown sources, BTW - am pretty careful with that stuff).

I am guessing that he is right but I thought I would post here in case
others have thoughts on something else that I might try first. BTW Safe
Mode
with command line mostly works, although CHKDSK interestingly enough
hangs.

Thanks.

dave




Well
before you do anything else try a RAM test

and the mfg's HD diagnostic


Thanks - I'm not sure how to run a HD diagnostic as I didn't get anything
that looks like that that can be run standalone. The only thing that I have
that is runnable is the command line. If SAFE MODE is supposed to give you
icons/etc., I don't get any.

NOW I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK.!!

I just (for no reason) tried a normal Windows reboot and it worked!!! It
appears that the RESTORE that didn't seem to work actually finished - my
single/earlier reboot attempt after RESTORE failed..

I now have some serious thinking to do about next steps. Will probably
recontact DELL for sure. Thanks for the help.

dave

On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:43:40 -0500, "Dave Lee"
wrote:

Thanks for the suggestion. Can you give me a reference to how to go about
reseting drivers from safe mode? I can only get a command line - nothing
else. I have never seen SAFE MODE run, but am I supposed to see clickable
icons somewhere? I don't get anything but a few SAFE MODE labels on a black
screen. I can only run from the command line.

Right after your computer goes through POST (the first black screen
with text on it) and before Windows starts to load, start tapping F8.
When you get the screen with the choices, choose SAFE MODE.


DDW
--
Reply via this group
No email please

"Dave Lee" wrote in message
...

"philo" wrote in message
...

"Dave Lee" wrote in message
...
Without warning on my Dell XPS 1530 laptop (Vista Home Premium -
pretty
much
up to date) I found that my system would no longer boot. I could get
to
the
User Select step, but it was just a Blue Screen from that point
forward.

I sent some time today with a Dell tech and we tried to run a Restore
(F8
on
boot - Repair your Computer - System Restore) on a couple of
different
restore points. They were all unsuccessful. His diagnosis was that I
was
going to have to do a system reinstall. My data is adequately backed
up
but
I REALLY hate the thought of reinstalling all the software (nothing
from
unknown sources, BTW - am pretty careful with that stuff).

I am guessing that he is right but I thought I would post here in case
others have thoughts on something else that I might try first. BTW
Safe
Mode
with command line mostly works, although CHKDSK interestingly enough
hangs.

Thanks.

dave




Well
before you do anything else try a RAM test

and the mfg's HD diagnostic


Thanks - I'm not sure how to run a HD diagnostic as I didn't get anything
that looks like that that can be run standalone. The only thing that I
have
that is runnable is the command line. If SAFE MODE is supposed to give you
icons/etc., I don't get any.

NOW I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK.!!

I just (for no reason) tried a normal Windows reboot and it worked!!! It
appears that the RESTORE that didn't seem to work actually finished - my
single/earlier reboot attempt after RESTORE failed..

I now have some serious thinking to do about next steps. Will probably
recontact DELL for sure. Thanks for the help.

dave




Glad it is now working...

but still, I'd run the diagnostics...

Vista now has a built-in RAM test,
so you will not need a third party utility

As to the HD diagnostic
you can get that from your HD mfg's website

Hi Dave,

Open the registry editor from Task Manager (applications tab/click 'new
task') and check the contents of the shell string in this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

It should be just 'explorer.exe'. I suspect that you will find it is
appended with additional items. If so, alter it, close and reboot the
machine.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"Dave Lee" wrote in message
...
Without warning on my Dell XPS 1530 laptop (Vista Home Premium - pretty
much
up to date) I found that my system would no longer boot. I could get to
the
User Select step, but it was just a Blue Screen from that point forward.

I sent some time today with a Dell tech and we tried to run a Restore (F8
on
boot - Repair your Computer - System Restore) on a couple of different
restore points. They were all unsuccessful. His diagnosis was that I was
going to have to do a system reinstall. My data is adequately backed up
but
I REALLY hate the thought of reinstalling all the software (nothing from
unknown sources, BTW - am pretty careful with that stuff).

I am guessing that he is right but I thought I would post here in case
others have thoughts on something else that I might try first. BTW Safe
Mode
with command line mostly works, although CHKDSK interestingly enough
hangs.

Thanks.

dave

"Rick Rogers" wrote in message
...
Hi Dave,

Open the registry editor from Task Manager (applications tab/click 'new
task') and check the contents of the shell string in this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

It should be just 'explorer.exe'. I suspect that you will find it is
appended with additional items. If so, alter it, close and reboot the
machine.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

Of coures one of my own rules to to never mess with regedit, but ... :-)

Under that KEY I've got tons of stuff and none of it is iexplorer.exe. I
really don't understand of of this but what you are suggesting seems
inconsistent with what I am seeing.

Thanks.

dave



"Dave Lee" wrote in message
...
Without warning on my Dell XPS 1530 laptop (Vista Home Premium - pretty
much
up to date) I found that my system would no longer boot. I could get to
the
User Select step, but it was just a Blue Screen from that point forward.

I sent some time today with a Dell tech and we tried to run a Restore (F8
on
boot - Repair your Computer - System Restore) on a couple of different
restore points. They were all unsuccessful. His diagnosis was that I was
going to have to do a system reinstall. My data is adequately backed up
but
I REALLY hate the thought of reinstalling all the software (nothing from
unknown sources, BTW - am pretty careful with that stuff).

I am guessing that he is right but I thought I would post here in case
others have thoughts on something else that I might try first. BTW Safe
Mode
with command line mostly works, although CHKDSK interestingly enough
hangs.

Thanks.

dave

"philo" wrote in message
...

"Dave Lee" wrote in message
...

"philo" wrote in message
...

"Dave Lee" wrote in message
...
Without warning on my Dell XPS 1530 laptop (Vista Home Premium -
pretty
much
up to date) I found that my system would no longer boot. I could get
to
the
User Select step, but it was just a Blue Screen from that point
forward.

I sent some time today with a Dell tech and we tried to run a Restore
(F8
on
boot - Repair your Computer - System Restore) on a couple of
different
restore points. They were all unsuccessful. His diagnosis was that I
was
going to have to do a system reinstall. My data is adequately backed
up
but
I REALLY hate the thought of reinstalling all the software (nothing
from
unknown sources, BTW - am pretty careful with that stuff).

I am guessing that he is right but I thought I would post here in
case
others have thoughts on something else that I might try first. BTW
Safe
Mode
with command line mostly works, although CHKDSK interestingly enough
hangs.

Thanks.

dave




Well
before you do anything else try a RAM test

and the mfg's HD diagnostic


Thanks - I'm not sure how to run a HD diagnostic as I didn't get anything
that looks like that that can be run standalone. The only thing that I
have
that is runnable is the command line. If SAFE MODE is supposed to give
you
icons/etc., I don't get any.

NOW I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK.!!

I just (for no reason) tried a normal Windows reboot and it worked!!! It
appears that the RESTORE that didn't seem to work actually finished - my
single/earlier reboot attempt after RESTORE failed..

I now have some serious thinking to do about next steps. Will probably
recontact DELL for sure. Thanks for the help.

dave




Glad it is now working...

but still, I'd run the diagnostics...

Vista now has a built-in RAM test,
so you will not need a third party utility

As to the HD diagnostic
you can get that from your HD mfg's website




Got it - thx.

dave