Laptop (Dell) is about to die - Can anyone help ??

[Jedi]

Take a look through this - seems like you should be able to get replacement backup cds from dell:
http://www.google.com.sg/search?hl=en&s ... =&aq=f&oq=

64 bit OS will only work if your CPU is 64 bit and even then I wouldn't recommend it unless you have some idea what you are doing.

[louy]

This is Dell in USA. I already phoned Dell in Singapore and they were helpless.

I phoned Dell in UK, and they said they will only send out replacement CD if I sign up to a new warrently plan cause my warranty has expired.

Price of the plan is 130quid GBP. I am assuming that the price of the CD in the shops is gonna cost 129GBP.

Not exactly sure what I am going to do yet.

Take a look through this - seems like you should be able to get replacement backup cds from dell:
http://www.google.com.sg/search?hl=en&s ... =&aq=f&oq=

64 bit OS will only work if your CPU is 64 bit and even then I wouldn't recommend it unless you have some idea what you are doing.

[ksl]

This is Dell in USA. I already phoned Dell in Singapore and they were helpless.

I phoned Dell in UK, and they said they will only send out replacement CD if I sign up to a new warrently plan cause my warranty has expired.

Price of the plan is 130quid GBP. I am assuming that the price of the CD in the shops is gonna cost 129GBP.

Not exactly sure what I am going to do yet.

Take a look through this - seems like you should be able to get replacement backup cds from dell:
http://www.google.com.sg/search?hl=en&s ... =&aq=f&oq=

64 bit OS will only work if your CPU is 64 bit and even then I wouldn't recommend it unless you have some idea what you are doing.

Do you want me to have a look at it? or just remove the hard disk and have it scanned externally, tell them you suspect virus and can they scan it for everything. If you can get to the dos command promt, you can have a good look around for hidden drives that may have the operating system on.

[louy]

Do you want me to have a look at it? or just remove the hard disk and have it scanned externally, tell them you suspect virus and can they scan it for everything. If you can get to the dos command promt, you can have a good look around for hidden drives that may have the operating system on.

It would be great if you could have a look. Need some way to fix my machine and I really do not know much about computers

[finetune]

Hi louy,

You can try this to salvage your sickly laptop without reinstalling Windows or asking Dell for help.

1. When booting up, press F5 or F8 repeatedly when you see the Dell splash screen.
2. Instead of going to the Last Known Settings, select Boot in Safe Mode.
3. When you're Windows (hopefully), select 'Start', then 'Run'
4. Type 'msconfig' in the box
5. Under the 'General' tab, uncheck 'Load Startup items'
6. Under the 'Services' tab, check 'Hide all Microsoft services'. Then click 'Disable All'. Then click 'Close'
7. Click 'Restart'
8. This time boot up using the Last Known Settings.
9. If you manage to enter Windows, you can install the spyware and virus scanners suggested by other forum users to fix the problem.

[louy]

Hi louy,

You can try this to salvage your sickly laptop without reinstalling Windows or asking Dell for help.

1. When booting up, press F5 or F8 repeatedly when you see the Dell splash screen.
2. Instead of going to the Last Known Settings, select Boot in Safe Mode.
3. When you're Windows (hopefully), select 'Start', then 'Run'
4. Type 'msconfig' in the box
5. Under the 'General' tab, uncheck 'Load Startup items'
6. Under the 'Services' tab, check 'Hide all Microsoft services'. Then click 'Disable All'. Then click 'Close'
7. Click 'Restart'
8. This time boot up using the Last Known Settings.
9. If you manage to enter Windows, you can install the spyware and virus scanners suggested by other forum users to fix the problem.

Thanks for that. I had tried that once before, and also tried to get the computer to restore factory settings as well.

On trying both of these, the whole computer screen went blue.

I left it on the blue screen for a while. Nothing happened, so I just shut down and gave up.

I will try it again tonight,

Thanks

[finetune]

Hi Louy, from what I gather, it sounds like your current Windows is severly corrupted or damaged. It is very likely that a Windows reinstallation or repair is needed. Good luck!

[louy]

Hi Louy, from what I gather, it sounds like your current Windows is severly corrupted or damaged. It is very likely that a Windows reinstallation or repair is needed. Good luck!

Many thanks for your expertise.
Thanks for suggesting and establishing what I had already suggested in my original post.

Im off to get a new CD. or possibly a new laptop as well.

[Dealer]

Good luck getting Windoze back up and running let us know how you get on.

If your LapTop/PC goes dead for good all is not lost as you can buy a HD Caddie for either 2.5 or 3.5 drives and recover all your data.

Genral rule of thumb is do not run your LapTop/PC until it corrupts the HD as then only a sector reader will get your data back.

BTW I have a copy of DELL XP if you are in Singapore.

[finetune]

If you can reinstall the operating system successfully, no need to replace your old laptop! Save money and save the environment... Cheers

[louy]

Fixed now.

Downgraded to XP.

Also, its a pirate version - so dunno if I can even bring my laptop back to SG with me.
Being Pirate, I wont get updates as well.

But its working for now and so I can spam the forums again !!!!

[HouseRocker]

Perhaps you're like me... a computer idiot. What I do is just call up a friend to help me backup everything there is to backup and do a thorough formatting. Think they call this a low level format or something. The thing is never try it yourself if you're never done it before... you could end up with no computer to use for a few days. lol! There're many geek friends or some poly people who knows these things inside out, so make a phone call and help will be right there. =)