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Thread ID: 108044 2010-03-11 23:00:00 Dell wont boot after power out NZHawk (4093) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
866277 2010-03-12 02:31:00 Yes the whole motherboard is SATA.
What is PCI is the IDE port - which is what the DVD drive was plugged into.

Yes everything is connected correctly & recheck.
NZHawk (4093)
866278 2010-03-12 02:44:00 Next step is to remove it and put it in a working system. Then scan it for errors.

Will let you know the results
NZHawk (4093)
866279 2010-03-12 02:51:00 Yes the whole motherboard is SATA.
What is PCI is the IDE port - which is what the DVD drive was plugged into.
. No PCI cards, which will connect into the PCI slots, and these cards can have Additional SATA ports on them. Can also Have IDE as well.

Id be trying another Power Supply first, the one in the PC may have taken a belt / Surge when the power came back on and damaged it.
wainuitech (129)
866280 2010-03-15 01:27:00 tried a new power supply without any change.
The cd drive seems faulty.
A replacement sata cd drive seems fine.

I did a soft-reinstall but
the computer boots up to a screen "Copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft...."
I connect the network cable press ok
and all I get is a blank screen - it seems to hang.

Is there any way around this?
NZHawk (4093)
866281 2010-03-15 01:58:00 I connect the network cable press ok
and all I get is a blank screen - it seems to hang. if I read that right, the PC boots up THEN you connect the network cable ??

If so what happens if the cable is connected before it boots. Its possible if its locking on the Ethernet connection, its either badly corrupted OR the port may have taken a power belt as well.

To rule out hardware, I'd be trying to boot from a ubuntu Live CD, see if the Internet works from that, and the drive contents are visible.
wainuitech (129)
866282 2010-03-15 02:38:00 I get the same "freeze" with our without the network cable connected.
The freeze happens after I ok to Activate Windows with Microsoft.

Booted from ubuntu Live and successfully accessed the internet.
NZHawk (4093)
866283 2010-03-15 04:22:00 What happens if you try safemode with network Support ?

If that doesn't work, try Safe Mode, it may ask you again to activate, but see what happens, just in case some drivers have really screwed up.

Other wise you can always try booting from the XP CD, recovery Console and run chkdsk -- may or may not do any good.
wainuitech (129)
866284 2010-03-15 05:01:00 Booting to Safe Mode with Networking --> freezes
Just Safe Mode: is fine -- no request to activate.
Recovery Console not available
Utility Partition only offers to check system & ram.
have run both with out issue
have already run chkdsk /p /r without any change
still freezes or jams
NZHawk (4093)
866285 2010-03-15 05:28:00 Ok getting somewhere - freezing with a network connection could indicate damaged drivers .

In safe mode uninstall the Network Drivers via the Device manager, reboot, hopefully when it asks to reactivate, it will give you the option to do it Via Phone . If not look to see if the "activate Windows" is available Bottom option here from MS ( . microsoft . com/kb/307890" target="_blank">support . microsoft . com)

If it does, as long as the COA is legit it should go through, then you can see about the network drivers .

IF the activation option is not there, try this ( never done it in safe mode so dont know if it works or not) -- Click start / Run type in

%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe . exe /a (Click OK)

Follow through till it gives the option to activate by phone ( next window) Middle option . Full pictured instructions ( . about . com/od/osproductkeys/ss/change-windows-xp-product-key_10 . htm" target="_blank">pcsupport . about . com)
wainuitech (129)
866286 2010-03-15 07:04:00 Thanks wainuitech,
I will get onto this Tuesday am.


Cheers
NZHawk (4093)
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