Can't boot - black screen blinking cursor

[operaflute]

I've got XP Pro on my Dell Inspiron 8600 (SP 2 but same problem after I got
SP3)

I upgraded the hard drive with a 160GB Western Digital Scorpio Drive in
November 2007. All sources called it compatible and all had been well until
now.
New RAM card a month ago - again confirmed compatible, and, to date, not
implicated.

Problem: after shutting down, computer will not reboot. After the Dell
splash screen, I get a black screen with a blinking cursor and I can not type.

Quick diagnostics give me the error:
DST Short Test Fail
Error 1000-0142
Unit 4: Drive Self Test Failed Status byte 79

Repeats of the above test now tell me:

DST Short Test Fail
Error Code: 1000-0146
Msg: Unit 0: DST Log contains previous error(s)


Google tells me the hard disk is probably dying.

I run the longer Dell Diagnostic Tests on the hard drive and all tests pass!
(listed below).

IDE Disk:
Device Self Test
Seek test
S.M.A.R.T. Test
Verify Test
Confidence Test


I can not boot into safe mode (I'm trying to use F8 to do so.)

I WAS able to restore everything with my back up (which I've done 2 or 3
times in the past week) but as soon as I shut down, I can't reboot and I have
to restore all over again. But as of today, even that won't work.

Using the XP CD chkdsk C: /p /r tells me "chkdsk found and fixed one or more
errors on the volume" but still same problem.
MBRFIX - no help
I tried the western digital diagnostic utility but it will not boot from the
western dig CD

I'm currently trying to restore again after chkdsk procedure. If it doesn't
go, I'll try restoring with an older image. IF no go, I'll reinstall XP with
the CD (old! SP!) and see what I get.

This started last week when I still had SP2. SInce then the SP3 came out,
but no change.
I did for a short time have the WINOFF program installed, but got rid of it
since it was my initial suspect. Sorry can't get the link without losing
this message... stupid cafe computer!

Help!

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I've got XP Pro on my Dell Inspiron 8600 (SP 2 but same problem after I
got
SP3)

I upgraded the hard drive with a 160GB Western Digital Scorpio Drive in
November 2007. All sources called it compatible and all had been well
until
now.
New RAM card a month ago - again confirmed compatible, and, to date, not
implicated.

Problem: after shutting down, computer will not reboot. After the Dell
splash screen, I get a black screen with a blinking cursor and I can not
type.

Quick diagnostics give me the error:
DST Short Test Fail
Error 1000-0142
Unit 4: Drive Self Test Failed Status byte 79

Repeats of the above test now tell me:

DST Short Test Fail
Error Code: 1000-0146
Msg: Unit 0: DST Log contains previous error(s)


Google tells me the hard disk is probably dying.

I run the longer Dell Diagnostic Tests on the hard drive and all tests
pass!
(listed below).

IDE Disk:
Device Self Test
Seek test
S.M.A.R.T. Test
Verify Test
Confidence Test


I can not boot into safe mode (I'm trying to use F8 to do so.)

I WAS able to restore everything with my back up (which I've done 2 or 3
times in the past week) but as soon as I shut down, I can't reboot and I
have
to restore all over again. But as of today, even that won't work.

Using the XP CD chkdsk C: /p /r tells me "chkdsk found and fixed one or
more
errors on the volume" but still same problem.
MBRFIX - no help
I tried the western digital diagnostic utility but it will not boot from
the
western dig CD

I'm currently trying to restore again after chkdsk procedure. If it
doesn't
go, I'll try restoring with an older image. IF no go, I'll reinstall XP
with
the CD (old! SP!) and see what I get.

This started last week when I still had SP2. SInce then the SP3 came out,
but no change.
I did for a short time have the WINOFF program installed, but got rid of
it
since it was my initial suspect. Sorry can't get the link without losing
this message... stupid cafe computer!

Help!

Disconnect the drive and see if you can boot into the XP Setup CD. You
should be able to get to the point where Setup looks for drives to install
to, then it will give up. At this point, you can be reasonably sure that
(most of) the rest of the hardware is still good.

If the drive is failing, there is less than no point in attempting to
reinstall to it. You should put in a new drive before this one fails
*entirely*. Failing drives have time-limited life spans, and it's better
to use that time for data recovery. Remove the old drive, put in a new
drive, install XP to it, and when done reattach the old drive and copy your
data back into place.

Installing to a new drive will also help you determine if the old drive is
failing or not. If the problem persists, it isn't the drive. If it goes
away, it was the drive.

HTH
-pk

 

[Daave]

I've got XP Pro on my Dell Inspiron 8600 (SP 2 but same problem after
I got
SP3)

I upgraded the hard drive with a 160GB Western Digital Scorpio Drive
in
November 2007. All sources called it compatible and all had been well
until
now.
New RAM card a month ago - again confirmed compatible, and, to date,
not
implicated.

Problem: after shutting down, computer will not reboot. After the
Dell
splash screen, I get a black screen with a blinking cursor and I can
not type.

Quick diagnostics give me the error:
DST Short Test Fail
Error 1000-0142
Unit 4: Drive Self Test Failed Status byte 79

Repeats of the above test now tell me:

DST Short Test Fail
Error Code: 1000-0146
Msg: Unit 0: DST Log contains previous error(s)


Google tells me the hard disk is probably dying.

I run the longer Dell Diagnostic Tests on the hard drive and all tests
pass!
(listed below).

IDE Disk:
Device Self Test
Seek test
S.M.A.R.T. Test
Verify Test
Confidence Test


I can not boot into safe mode (I'm trying to use F8 to do so.)

I WAS able to restore everything with my back up (which I've done 2
or 3
times in the past week) but as soon as I shut down, I can't reboot and
I have
to restore all over again. But as of today, even that won't work.

Using the XP CD chkdsk C: /p /r tells me "chkdsk found and fixed one
or more
errors on the volume" but still same problem.
MBRFIX - no help
I tried the western digital diagnostic utility but it will not boot
from the
western dig CD

I'm currently trying to restore again after chkdsk procedure. If it
doesn't
go, I'll try restoring with an older image. IF no go, I'll reinstall
XP with
the CD (old! SP!) and see what I get.

This started last week when I still had SP2. SInce then the SP3 came
out,
but no change.
I did for a short time have the WINOFF program installed, but got rid
of it
since it was my initial suspect. Sorry can't get the link without
losing
this message... stupid cafe computer!

It sounds like your drive (which is unfortunately less than a year old)
is pretty much shot and the Dell Diagnostic Test is failing to confirm
this for some reason. Your drive should still be under warranty. Contact
WD to see what your next step should be.

Regarding the inability of your WD diagnostic CD, did you configure the
BIOS to boot off the optical drive?

At any rate, stop trying software methods to fix a hardware issue. Is
all your data backed up? If not, that would be the very first thing you
should do.

 

[operaflute]

I'm all backed up, so no worries there. And the drive is under warranty, so
no problem there, either. I just wanted to confirm my diagnosis before
shipping this back/getting new one shipped to me. It seemed odd that I
couldn't confirm the problem with the Dell Diagnostic...

Interesting thing - I just restored using a back up made a few days before
the initial occurance, and I'm in. I haven't shut down/restarted yet, but it
gives me the opportunity to run a virus scan, and the Western Dig
diagnostic...

 

[operaflute]

Hmm - the Western Dig utility won't confirm a disk problem either, and the
mother of all virus scans comes up clean.

 

[Daave]

Hmm - the Western Dig utility won't confirm a disk problem either,
and the mother of all virus scans comes up clean.

Weird.

I would still replace the drive. Then you'll know for sure!

 

[operaflute]

Is there a way to clear the log on the diagnostics? I'm referring to this
error message I had been getting on repeat testing:



Repeats of the above test now tell me:

DST Short Test Fail
Error Code: 1000-0146
Msg: Unit 0: DST Log contains previous error(s)

 

[Daave]

Is there a way to clear the log on the diagnostics? I'm referring to
this
error message I had been getting on repeat testing:



Repeats of the above test now tell me:

DST Short Test Fail
Error Code: 1000-0146
Msg: Unit 0: DST Log contains previous error(s)

Try posting in a hardware group like microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware
..

 

[operaflute]

Ah good point.

Try posting in a hardware group like microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware
..

 

[operaflute]

Okay, folks, I guess I need more help! I gave up for a while, because I got
SO sick of restoring from back up constantly, and just didn't turn off my
computer. (If I don't turn it off, then I don't run into problems turning it
back on!) Obviously this defeats the purpose of a lap top...

I just replaced the hard drive yesterday and...

SAME PROBLEM! ARRRRRGH! Basically, if I shut down, I can't start up. I
get the first splash screen where I can get to the simple diagnostics, or
boot from CD, but before windows loads, I just get a black screen with
blinking cursor from which I can do nothing. Can't boot into safe mode,
either.

I can't take it any more... it's been a month!

 

[Bob I]

What shop did you take it to to have the hard drive replaced?

 

[operaflute]

Did it myself - bought a compatible Western Digital 160GB drive.

 

[Bob I]

If the drive isn't seen on a cold boot, I think you have a reset
problem. Will it pick it up on a CTRL-ALT-DEL?

 

[operaflute]

If I hit Ctrl-ALt-Del at the blinking cursor screen, yes it will try to
reboot again (and fail again.) Does that answer the question?
Also - ran MemTest over night last night - no error msgs.

 

[Bob I]

does it have a master boot record on it

FIXMBR

If I hit Ctrl-ALt-Del at the blinking cursor screen, yes it will try to
reboot again (and fail again.) Does that answer the question?
Also - ran MemTest over night last night - no error msgs.

:

 

[Bob I]

Think I would just replace it then.

neither fixmbr or fixboot did anything

:

 

[operaflute]

replace what? the drive? I just did and it didn't solve the issue!

 

[Daave]

Okay, folks, I guess I need more help! I gave up for a while, because
I got
SO sick of restoring from back up constantly, and just didn't turn off
my
computer. (If I don't turn it off, then I don't run into problems
turning it
back on!) Obviously this defeats the purpose of a lap top...

I just replaced the hard drive yesterday and...

SAME PROBLEM! ARRRRRGH! Basically, if I shut down, I can't start up.
I
get the first splash screen where I can get to the simple diagnostics,
or
boot from CD, but before windows loads, I just get a black screen with
blinking cursor from which I can do nothing. Can't boot into safe
mode,
either.

It's possible that your new hard drive is also shot, but I highly doubt
it.

We still need to determine if this is a hardware or software issue.

When you replaced the hard drive, did you perform a clean install of XP?
Or did you clone the contents of your old hard drive onto it? Or is it
still just a brand new blank hard drive?

Or you can just bypass the hard drive altogether and boot off something
like:

Bart PE or Ultimate Boot CD for Windows
Knoppix Live CD

 

[jafstraycat]

Hey operaflute...

Your hard drive is fine. Your system is fine. FIXMBR and FIXBOOT won't
work unless you have an x86 based processor (P3 or earlier). But that
isn't your problem either.

The real problem is that your BIOS will only allow up to a 137Gb HDD.
Windows doesn't have a problem with over-extending your BIOS limit. It
will even show your full capacity. The problem arises when data is
written past the BIOS' limit... then the HDD becomes "invisible" to
the BIOS. All of your data is still there and just fine. If you used a
program like PUPPY LINUX 4.1 (which boots from RAM) you would be able
to see that all of your data is in perfect order.

What you need to do is use a partition manager to shrink your C:
partition below the 137Gb limit and then reboot. You will be amazed to
see that EVERYTHING will be back to normal... with the small exception
that your C drive will be smaller. No problem, because now you'll have
a D drive with the remaining space available to use as back-up or
whatever you decide to use it for!!

Take care,
David

 

[jafstraycat]

Here's a post-script for you...

I would suggest shrinking your partition to 128Gb or less... or better
yet, just split it in two.

And as a possible temporary fix, try slaving off the drive to another
computer and defragging it. My theory is that you might get all of
your data back inside the crucial cut-off point of the partition and
be able to boot from it again. Just thinking out loud on this one,
though.

Good luck,
David