DELL Inspiron 630m won't boot anymore

Hi all,

I'm new here. I'm an experienced PC user, since early Win95 days and I've nearly always had DELL laptops.

My current Insprion 630m seems terminally ill to me, it will no longer boot into Windows. I could get as far as the XP Welcome screen, but it would just hang whilst logging in. I can't re-install Windows because the DVD-RW is knackered. It won't work anymore. I tried booting into safe mode but it just crashes. I think the HDD or some controller on the motherboard could be screwed. Maybe the BIOS is corrupt?
As far as I'm aware the last time I logged in I didn't get any reports of any viruses from my AV software - AVG.

Any ideas please.... would be most appreciated

Thanks in advance.

 

More likely than not, the hard drive is dead or dying. Could you get a replacement DVD drive from Dell or eBay? They are seriously like $30, and it isn't that difficult to swap out.

Get a new drive, and then reinstall the OS. I'm guessing that that OS hasn't been reinstalled in a long time as well, so reformating might really help.

But I wouldn't be surprised if it is just the hard drive. That series of laptops (630m and XPS M140) were really solid computers. I used to own one.

If you have another computer on hand (I assume you do since you are posting), find a way to get Linux Live CD on a USB stick (there are documented tools to do this but I am not familiar with them). You should be able to boot into Linux using the USB stick, which would verify that the computer isn't completely toast.

 

Hi Greg,

Thanks for the swift reply.

I'll try those things, although I have already tried Ubuntu Live CD on, which I downloaded from my self-built desktop (posting on) before the DVD-RW died and it booted OK.

You're right they are solid machines indeed, I hope it holds out a bit longer.
I'm thinking of upgrading it to maybe a DELL Vostro 1510 or the 1710. Could do with a bigger screen than 14.1".

I believe the HDD is a Western Digital 40gb IDE drive, pre S-ATA. Might still be able to get one.

Incidentally I have a book from Distinguished Professor of Computer Science Douglas E. Comer at Purdue University titled 'Computer Networks and Internets'.

Thanks again for the reply.