Dear Calguns Techies....please help

[maderashooter]

show it whos boss

If a HD gives me problems I put it in a enclosure and slap a apple sticker on it to shame it for the rest of its non critical data storage life

[killmime1234]

If a HD gives me problems I put it in a enclosure and slap a apple sticker on it to shame it for the rest of its non critical data storage life

[UnitedWeStand]

For you to view blue screen error on boot you must tap the "f8" key during boot and choose option "Disable automatic restart on system failure".

[nick]

Looks like a driver issue, since Windows 7 works fine and Vista was having hardware-related issues.

It's usually a good idea to install the Dell drivers, you can get them here:

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/driverslist.aspx?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=dfh&os=WV64&osl=en&SystemID=VOS_N_1720&catid=-1&impid=-1

You're most likely right that you were having issues with the hard drive controller. However, the issue was most likely driver-related, not hardware-related. Sometimes you have to give Windows the HDD controller driver during the install, if it either doesn't have a built-in Microsoft driver for it, or the one it has doesn't work well.

Once again, I recommend that you install the Dell drivers, even though Windows 7 seems to work. Upgrade the firmware if needed, as well.

Oh, and going to Fry's in order to solve a problem is kinda pointless, unless you just went there to buy components

[45R]

For you to view blue screen error on boot you must tap the "f8" key during boot and choose option "Disable automatic restart on system failure".

Noted

[45R]

Looks like a driver issue, since Windows 7 works fine and Vista was having hardware-related issues.

It's usually a good idea to install the Dell drivers, you can get them here:

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/driverslist.aspx?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=dfh&os=WV64&osl=en&SystemID=VOS_N_1720&catid=-1&impid=-1

You're most likely right that you were having issues with the hard drive controller. However, the issue was most likely driver-related, not hardware-related. Sometimes you have to give Windows the HDD controller driver during the install, if it either doesn't have a built-in Microsoft driver for it, or the one it has doesn't work well.

Once again, I recommend that you install the Dell drivers, even though Windows 7 seems to work. Upgrade the firmware if needed, as well.

Oh, and going to Fry's in order to solve a problem is kinda pointless, unless you just went there to buy components

Dell does not offer any driver support for the Inspiron 1720 with regards to Windows 7. Boooo on Dell.

[Corbin Dallas]

Dell does not offer any driver support for the Inspiron 1720 with regards to Windows 7. Boooo on Dell.

Yes, they do. It's called "vista".


Many of the Vista drivers will work for Win7. When in doubt, go directly to the manufacturer via VID/PID in the hardware ID.

[Ricky-Ray]

The dell laptops should have a diagnostic test built into it. Power on the computer and hold down the mute button and it should load into a diagnostic mode. If there are any hardware issues it will give you an error code and if your laptop is still under warranty with Dell call them and give them the error code you got and they should be able to send you the replacement part or have a tech come out and replace it if it's alot harder than memory or hard drives.

[E Pluribus Unum]

Update. New HDD, New RAM and the computer is still hanging up on install. It gets to Completing installation then goes to the cursor with black screen..........

Why??

Take $350 to your closest Walmart and walk out with a new laptop.

[45R]

Can $350 get you a 17" laptop running at least a dual core, 4 gigs of RAM and 512 video?

[E Pluribus Unum]

Can $350 get you a 17" laptop running at least a dual core, 4 gigs of RAM and 512 video?

You can get close to that for $500.

[45R]

$50 to replace a few parts is much better than $500

[E Pluribus Unum]

$50 to replace a few parts is much better than $500

You bought a new hard drive and ram for $50? Where do you buy your parts? I have been a self-employed computer tech for 10 years, and I can't buy those parts for that.

Where I come from. a laptop HD will run around $100.00, and $40 or so for the RAM depending on how much you buy.


$140 is almost half the price of a new one. I'd rather have a $300 laptop that works, than a $500 laptop that has intermittent hardware issues.

[gump45]

A friend of a friend had a similar problem recently. He has a Toshiba laptop with Vista, and had downloaded BitTorrent video files. The next day, since he left it on overnight to finish the download, the laptop would try to boot, then partway through the boot screen it would go straight to a black screen with a blinking cursor in the top-left corner.

I tried using an Ubuntu LiveCD, and that booted up fine, but it would not let us copy files off the Toshiba's HDD onto a flash drive, or onto an external USB drive (File permission errors). I tried changing file and folder permissions on the external drive and on the laptop, but that did not allow files to be copied, either. I then tried using my Windows 7 DVD, to see if we could install Win7, but the laptop auto-rebooted partway through the boot up and install attempt, and repeated this each time we tried it.

We finally tried using the Toshiba Repair CDs, expecting that we would have to reformat the HDD and reinstall the s/w, but that had the same result: Kept rebooting on it's own, or if left alone, would boot up to a black screen with a blinking cursor in the top left corner.

The solution proposed by an MCSE friend of mine (in the industry 15 yrs.), was to just wipe and reinstall. But that never seemed to work. I wasn't able to find any malware via Google that did something like this. I don't know what the laptop owner eventually did, but am still curious about WTH happened. Any ideas?

Thanks!
-gump45

[jonyg]

If you're willing, I'd suggest sticking with a linux based OS permanently.