Unable to get into safe mode when there is a problem

[dal987]

Hi, a couple more thoughts and bits and pieces I've scavenged:
First - a rational list of some causes of black screen with blinking cursor
Computer Boots to Black Screen with Blinking Cursor | Computer Tips
- note 'some' causes, as you'll appreciate.

Second: DELL Vista specific
Computer Does Not Boot to Microsoft Windows Vista | Dell
Step 1, Step 3?

Third: BIOS beep? I guess you'd have mentioned it if there was such. I doubt this occurs somehow.

Fourth:
Using a Fn key, (like F8 for safe mode, F10 for BIOS etc), check your boot options with and without the problem present. (I can't remember 'n' and the text telling me what the options are disappears.. guess what.. too quickly.

I get sthg like:

\Windows\system32\winload.exe
Partition 1
Hard disk (parameter)
[ /Noexecute=optout /noGuiBoot /Bootlogo

Check this is unchanged.

Fifth: Try repairing the boot record rather than doing a System Restore.
Repairing the boot record.
How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows

Windows 7 Directions: ('cos I guess Vista will be similar- check)

1. Boot from the Windows 7 DVD.
2. Select Repair my computer.
3. Select Command Prompt
4. From the command prompt enter the following command: Chkdsk /R C: where “C” is your boot drive.
5. Answer Y to check the disk the next time that the system restarts.
6. Reboot the system. After the reboot, Windows will check the hard disk and try to repair the damaged area.
7. If you still get the error after this process, repeat the process but try rebuilding the master boot record at the command prompt with the following command: bootrec /fixboot and then rebooting

If your system can be saved, you should now be able to boot back into Windows without a problem!

Now all the above can only give you clues. It won't tell you why sthg's going wrong.

(& I'm betting Windows hasn't started booting when you get the flashing cursor, so the event log (BSOD etc etc) won't capture your error message).

 

[hdbg62]

Certainly a lot of options here and I’ll give them a try, thanks. As of now, my machine is running fine and I can get into safe mode – until next time.

 

[hdbg62]

dal987

I’ve run chkdsk as you suggested and no problems were found but there was a message “unable to log to event log, code 50.

Also ran a quick check on system through Dell from the utility partition in boot options; no problems found.

Tried to run the same but as an extended test, gave up after the test sat on L2 cache testing for 3.5 hours.

Really don’t think I’ll find anything at this stage because everything is running normal; guess I’ll just have to wait for the next occurrence of the problem.

I do have an external hard drive connected via USB but it was turned off when the problem occurred.

Thanks for your many suggestions; I’ll now put the machine back on hybrid sleep and wait until next time.
Last two occurrences were two weeks apart.

 

[hdbg62]

Have run a few more of these tests and as expected was not able to find anything pointing to my problem. Am still thinking the sleep mode (hibernation) I had set for the machine as per instructions from this forum is somehow the cause. It’s now on regular sleep mode with hybrid sleep disabled, also per instructions from this forum and I really can tell a difference. Now comes out of regular sleep mode in a snap, whereas before it would really struggle. Only time will tell.

 

[hdbg62]

Well, as expected it did it again, this morning. Was on the PC browsing for some time in Firefox, also had a look in Thunderbird. Had the machine on for about 30 minutes with Firefox and Thunderbird minimized but without any activity on my part when I tried to open a web page (my bank) which I just opened earlier in Firefox and I immediately could tell something was wrong because my cursor turned into a dash, web page started freezing up and it went downhill from there. Could not close web page, could not bring up task manager, was informed program was not responding, could not put machine to sleep, every attempt to turn off the machine normally failed and after about 30 minutes I just pushed the power button on the PC. PC did shut down but at restart it gave me the blinking dash in the upper left corner again and there was no way I was able to bring into safe mode; same problem. Stuck the installation CD in the PC and opted for system restore and after about 1 ½ hours everything is back to normal; until next time. It’s very frustrating to say the least. When it happens it happens when I open a web page in either IE or Firefox which then freezes but Windows also freezes, I’m unable to get any response from task bar, start button etc., have to force it to shut down with the power button and then I’m unable to open Safe Mode.