Inspiron 8100, running WinXP Pro, hangs immediately after diplaying the
blue Dell intro screen, at which point, it displays a blank screen and
a blinking cursor and goes no further.

I reset both the HDD and the CDR/DVD with no success. I tried starting
it by simutaneously pressing Fn and the Start button. This, produced
a different screen with the same results; however, I was able to enter
the BIOS via F2, which I could not do by just pressing the start
button. I did get one complete boot to OS via this method; however, it
hung on the next attempt to start it. Now, I can't even get into setup
via this start method.

I removed the CDR and the system booted to the OS after a 'no optical
drive found' message. I then replaced the CDR and the system
successfully booted to the OS several times over the next couple of
days. This success was short-lived as the it is back to hanging
mid-boot after I left it running for awhile.

I swapped HD and CDR with a Latitude 840C. The 840C recognized the
Inspiron drives, but the Inspiron continued to hang on boot with the
840C drives installed.

Bottom line: the system hangs mid-boot, won't access the BIOS, the CDR
and HDD appear to be operational when tried in another laptop, swapping
out the HD and CDR did not solve the issue, it boots to the OS every so
often. At present, it will not complete the boot process.

Try clicking on the function [F8] key through the boot=up cycle.
This should give you a screen with several choices such as
normal boot
normal boot witl log
safe boot
dos boot
and some others

chose the safe boot -- this does not load any drivers or other
programs. it will be in 6430X480 vga mode. If your machine
comes up in this then you know it is something in the boot
sequence or a tsr program. Then you chose the windows boot step
by step to isolate the problem.

good luck -- this can be a royal PITA as many programs install
other programs and/or change boot parameters with no notice.

A program I have installed on my 'puter is system mechanic 5 pro
from iolo.com I am very pleased with this as it is both a
tune-up program and also will provide programs to prevent boot
sequence changes or modifications to the autoboot/startup file
without your approval.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

GmcD

On 27 Oct 2005 15:56:59 -0700, "ElGuapodeColorado"
wrote:

Inspiron 8100, running WinXP Pro, hangs immediately after diplaying the
blue Dell intro screen, at which point, it displays a blank screen and
a blinking cursor and goes no further.

I reset both the HDD and the CDR/DVD with no success. I tried starting
it by simutaneously pressing Fn and the Start button. This, produced
a different screen with the same results; however, I was able to enter
the BIOS via F2, which I could not do by just pressing the start
button. I did get one complete boot to OS via this method; however, it
hung on the next attempt to start it. Now, I can't even get into setup
via this start method.

I removed the CDR and the system booted to the OS after a 'no optical
drive found' message. I then replaced the CDR and the system
successfully booted to the OS several times over the next couple of
days. This success was short-lived as the it is back to hanging
mid-boot after I left it running for awhile.

I swapped HD and CDR with a Latitude 840C. The 840C recognized the
Inspiron drives, but the Inspiron continued to hang on boot with the
840C drives installed.

Bottom line: the system hangs mid-boot, won't access the BIOS, the CDR
and HDD appear to be operational when tried in another laptop, swapping
out the HD and CDR did not solve the issue, it boots to the OS every so
often. At present, it will not complete the boot process.

On 27 Oct 2005 15:56:59 -0700, "ElGuapodeColorado"
wrote:

Inspiron 8100, running WinXP Pro, hangs immediately after diplaying the
blue Dell intro screen, at which point, it displays a blank screen and
a blinking cursor and goes no further.

I reset both the HDD and the CDR/DVD with no success. I tried starting
it by simutaneously pressing Fn and the Start button. This, produced
a different screen with the same results; however, I was able to enter
the BIOS via F2, which I could not do by just pressing the start
button. I did get one complete boot to OS via this method; however, it
hung on the next attempt to start it. Now, I can't even get into setup
via this start method.

I removed the CDR and the system booted to the OS after a 'no optical
drive found' message. I then replaced the CDR and the system
successfully booted to the OS several times over the next couple of
days. This success was short-lived as the it is back to hanging
mid-boot after I left it running for awhile.

I swapped HD and CDR with a Latitude 840C. The 840C recognized the
Inspiron drives, but the Inspiron continued to hang on boot with the
840C drives installed.

Bottom line: the system hangs mid-boot, won't access the BIOS, the CDR
and HDD appear to be operational when tried in another laptop, swapping
out the HD and CDR did not solve the issue, it boots to the OS every so
often. At present, it will not complete the boot process.


Is it by chance an AMD processor? I've had several DELL AMDs (and some
non Dells as well) that have become VERY flakey after overheating.
Replacing the processor did NOT solve the problem, yet the processor
also misbehaved on a known good board. If I cooled the system right
down, I could get it to boot, but not run long enough to get any data
off.

My experience is older Dells, and older AMD systems are generally not
worth wasting ANY time on.

The "DELL from HELL"

Motherboard is faulty.
JR
Dweller in the cellar

ElGuapodeColorado wrote:
Inspiron 8100, running WinXP Pro, hangs immediately after diplaying the
blue Dell intro screen, at which point, it displays a blank screen and
a blinking cursor and goes no further.

I reset both the HDD and the CDR/DVD with no success. I tried starting
it by simutaneously pressing Fn and the Start button. This, produced
a different screen with the same results; however, I was able to enter
the BIOS via F2, which I could not do by just pressing the start
button. I did get one complete boot to OS via this method; however, it
hung on the next attempt to start it. Now, I can't even get into setup
via this start method.

I removed the CDR and the system booted to the OS after a 'no optical
drive found' message. I then replaced the CDR and the system
successfully booted to the OS several times over the next couple of
days. This success was short-lived as the it is back to hanging
mid-boot after I left it running for awhile.

I swapped HD and CDR with a Latitude 840C. The 840C recognized the
Inspiron drives, but the Inspiron continued to hang on boot with the
840C drives installed.

Bottom line: the system hangs mid-boot, won't access the BIOS, the CDR
and HDD appear to be operational when tried in another laptop, swapping
out the HD and CDR did not solve the issue, it boots to the OS every so
often. At present, it will not complete the boot process.



--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth
If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes
Doubt yourself, and the real world will eat you alive
The world doesn't revolve around you, it revolves around me
No skeletons in the closet; just decomposing corpses
--------------------------------------------------------------
Dependence is Vulnerability:
--------------------------------------------------------------
"Open the Pod Bay Doors please, Hal"
"I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.."

ElGuapodeColorado wrote:
Inspiron 8100, running WinXP Pro, hangs immediately after diplaying the
blue Dell intro screen, at which point, it displays a blank screen and
a blinking cursor and goes no further.

When you swap the memory DIMMs with known - good parts, what happens?

--Winston

Uhm... Dell has NEVER offered AMD procs in any of their systems.

Robert

wrote in message
...




Is it by chance an AMD processor? I've had several DELL AMDs (and some
non Dells as well) that have become VERY flakey after overheating.
....

ElGuapodeColorado wrote:
Inspiron 8100, running WinXP Pro, hangs immediately after diplaying
the blue Dell intro screen, at which point, it displays a blank
screen and a blinking cursor and goes no further.

I reset both the HDD and the CDR/DVD with no success. I tried starting
it by simutaneously pressing Fn and the Start button. This, produced
a different screen with the same results; however, I was able to enter
the BIOS via F2, which I could not do by just pressing the start
button. I did get one complete boot to OS via this method; however, it
hung on the next attempt to start it. Now, I can't even get into setup
via this start method.

I removed the CDR and the system booted to the OS after a 'no optical
drive found' message. I then replaced the CDR and the system
successfully booted to the OS several times over the next couple of
days. This success was short-lived as the it is back to hanging
mid-boot after I left it running for awhile.

I swapped HD and CDR with a Latitude 840C. The 840C recognized the
Inspiron drives, but the Inspiron continued to hang on boot with the
840C drives installed.

Bottom line: the system hangs mid-boot, won't access the BIOS, the CDR
and HDD appear to be operational when tried in another laptop,
swapping out the HD and CDR did not solve the issue, it boots to the
OS every so often. At present, it will not complete the boot process.

I have one of these and it does rhis once in a while. It's a known Dell
issue.
When the system hangs,
1) Remove the AC adapter from the back of the computer.
2) Remove the battery - pull it out enough to disengage it.
3) The thing should now be off.
4) Plug the battery pack back in and power up the computer.
5) Shut down.
6) Plug the AC adapter back in and power on again.

The battery has a chip in it that causes a conflict and halts the boot
process for some reason.

This works for me but YMMV.

--
John R. Carroll
Machining Solution Software, Inc.
Los Angeles San Francisco
www.machiningsolution.com

I hope your are wrong, but I've been leaning that way myself. If,
indeed, this is the case, then I believe this box is just spare parts
for the Latitude.
Thanks for the tip,

I have not tried that as I do not have any spare DIMMs. The Latitude
has 1gb of memory, all on the board. Maybe, I will acquire an
additional gHz of memory for the Latitude and try it in this Inspiron;
however, short of that, I only can reset the DIMMs, which I will try.
Thanks for the reply and tip.

On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 15:56:59 -0700, ElGuapodeColorado wrote:

Inspiron 8100, running WinXP Pro, hangs immediately after diplaying the
blue Dell intro screen, at which point, it displays a blank screen and a
blinking cursor and goes no further.

Try booting http://www.memtest86.com/: it's a standalone memory tester;
you'd make a boot floppy with the memtest image off the web site and
boot the minimal config that still boots. If it runs for few hours
w/o errors, your motherboard is probably hosed. In the recent year
I have seen several IDE controllers gone bad---could be your problem.

On Fri, 28 Oct 2005 04:56:09 GMT, "Siggy"
wrote:

Uhm... Dell has NEVER offered AMD procs in any of their systems.

Robert

wrote in message
.. .




Is it by chance an AMD processor? I've had several DELL AMDs (and some
non Dells as well) that have become VERY flakey after overheating.
...

You are correct - It has been Dells AND AMDs I've had problems with -
the Dells were not AMD, and the AMD were not DELL.
Generally I've had more flakey problems with Dell than most other
brands I've worked with - and significantly more AMD problems than
Intel, processor wise. Mostly heat related.

John R. Carroll wrote:


I have one of these and it does rhis once in a while. It's a known Dell
issue.
When the system hangs,
1) Remove the AC adapter from the back of the computer.
2) Remove the battery - pull it out enough to disengage it.
3) The thing should now be off.
4) Plug the battery pack back in and power up the computer.
5) Shut down.
6) Plug the AC adapter back in and power on again.

The battery has a chip in it that causes a conflict and halts the boot
process for some reason.

This works for me but YMMV.



I have to do the same with my Inspiron also from time to time.
Only difference, I usually start it on just the power cord and after
it's booted, put the battery back in.

Fred