Machine : AREA-51M 7700 D900T
Hello All,
My problems started with screen freezes - various programs / times of freeze - seemingly no common denominator as far as what I was running - after which I would have to do a forced reboot. Windows actually crashed out a couple of times , but I was always able to restart - till now.
I tried to do a system restore with my restore disc - was told Windows could not be started due to a disc error. Decided to upgrade to a bigger HD and do a clean install. Popped in the new HD and my Windows restore / install disc - hit the power button - and got nothng accept the sound of the cd spinning up. Black monitor. OK. Reset the BIOS - started her back up, enter BIOS configuration screen, and the screen freezes.
Forced reboot - black screen again, nothing - no Alienware splash, no loading of configurations screens, no Bios edit option for F2 - just dead again. I could hear and feel the CD and HD spinning up - just couldnt get ANYTHING on the monitor.
I thought maybe I had a bad memory stick. Tried them both one at a time (resetting the BIOS each and every time by removing the CMOS battery) - I get the same results every time - a screen freeze at various points - sometimes while editing the BIOS, once I made it as far as starting the loading of Windows - but it always either crashes out with a mesage of "Cannot start Window - Disc error" (paraphrased), or just freezes up and my only option is a forced reboot.
During the start of my hardware investigation, I noticed I had a bit of a dust clog issue going on, so Im wondering if maybe something got cooked. If it was my memory, both sticks got it, so Im thinking it isnt my memory. Its not the HD, because I have a brand new one in, with absolutely nothing on it, not even Windows. Brand new CMOS battery in place. Looking back, I think this had been going on for quite some time, gradually getting worse and worse.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what direction / component I should consider next?
Ive GOT to get this thing running again.
Thanks in advance for any advice,
Sean
Hello All,
My problems started with screen freezes - various programs / times of freeze - seemingly no common denominator as far as what I was running - after which I would have to do a forced reboot. Windows actually crashed out a couple of times , but I was always able to restart - till now.
I tried to do a system restore with my restore disc - was told Windows could not be started due to a disc error. Decided to upgrade to a bigger HD and do a clean install. Popped in the new HD and my Windows restore / install disc - hit the power button - and got nothng accept the sound of the cd spinning up. Black monitor. OK. Reset the BIOS - started her back up, enter BIOS configuration screen, and the screen freezes.
Forced reboot - black screen again, nothing - no Alienware splash, no loading of configurations screens, no Bios edit option for F2 - just dead again. I could hear and feel the CD and HD spinning up - just couldnt get ANYTHING on the monitor.
I thought maybe I had a bad memory stick. Tried them both one at a time (resetting the BIOS each and every time by removing the CMOS battery) - I get the same results every time - a screen freeze at various points - sometimes while editing the BIOS, once I made it as far as starting the loading of Windows - but it always either crashes out with a mesage of "Cannot start Window - Disc error" (paraphrased), or just freezes up and my only option is a forced reboot.
During the start of my hardware investigation, I noticed I had a bit of a dust clog issue going on, so Im wondering if maybe something got cooked. If it was my memory, both sticks got it, so Im thinking it isnt my memory. Its not the HD, because I have a brand new one in, with absolutely nothing on it, not even Windows. Brand new CMOS battery in place. Looking back, I think this had been going on for quite some time, gradually getting worse and worse.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what direction / component I should consider next?
Ive GOT to get this thing running again.
Thanks in advance for any advice,
Sean