need help on a Dell laptop that's acting goofy

[Dueller]

Sorry guys...I'm a total computer imbecile.

Here's the problem: When you turn the pooter on, the initial Dell logo comes up and it goes thru BIOS. Before startin up Windows it goes to a screen that asks for the sysytem/admin password. I called dell and got that password. When you put in the password it then asks for the HDD password, which I don't have. To get it to load Windows, you have to go to systems maintenance then escape that and Windows will start. At that point it gives you the user name and you input that password and it loads pregferences and begins to work.

When you turn it off/log off you have to start this mess all over again.

Any clues...be gentle. I have no idea what I'm doing.

[silverc4s]

First question - is this a laptop
(A) that you have been using normally for a long time & it just started doing this, or
(B) is this a new to you computer that is in this condition???

Assuming your answer is (A) above, and this is Windows XP or later, I would suggest that you do a system restore to a point days or weeks before the problem started. You should be able to do this once you get past all that start up craziness. If the system restore fails, you may have a virus, and it may be difficult to recover form that condition. Some viruses are smart enough to prevent you from succeeding at all of the first aid attempts that you make.

Then you can just put your XP disc in your CD drive and start over...

[stealthn]

Are you sure this is YOUR laptop?

It sounds like a BIOS password has been set, when your PC boots and gets to the BIOS screen hit the Fx key (F8, F10, which ever one it says to get into setup/BIOS) then look for a BIOS or Hard Disk password, clear it out and you should be fine (If you know the password that is)

[Dueller]

Thanks Bill. Its my daughters laptop. It started suddenly. If I had to guess she dropped it or something. Once I get into windows everything is fine...its just getting there that a PITA.

I called dell tech support and they steered me in the right direction. They seemed to think the was a problem thatthe connection to the HD was broken. They walked me thru and I removed the HD, inspected and reinstalled. I get a message that "no bootable device" on start up occasionally.

Sounds like it may be hardware.

Thanks

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by Dueller

Thanks Bill. Its my daughters laptop. It started suddenly. If I had to guess she dropped it or something. Once I get into windows everything is fine...its just getting there that a PITA.

I called dell tech support and they steered me in the right direction. They seemed to think the was a problem thatthe connection to the HD was broken. They walked me thru and I removed the HD, inspected and reinstalled. I get a message that "no bootable device" on start up occasionally.

Sounds like it may be hardware.

Thanks

"No bootable device" usually means that the hard drive is tits up. You mentioned that it might have been dropped and that will do it.

Take the boot (restore) CD and put it in the CD drive. Reboot the laptop and see if it will boot from the CD. If it does then the computer is ok and the drive is toast.

Which model is it? You can get new laptop drives for $75 or so.

Joe

[Dueller]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

"No bootable device" usually means that the hard drive is tits up. You mentioned that it might have been dropped and that will do it.

Take the boot (restore) CD and put it in the CD drive. Reboot the laptop and see if it will boot from the CD. If it does then the computer is ok and the drive is toast.

Which model is it? You can get new laptop drives for $75 or so.

Joe

Its an old inspiron 2200...been a good pooter for her. Zero problems.

Question...if the HD is toast, why does it work fine once I get into windows? I'm on it as we "speak'.

Thanks Joe

[Eric Coffey]

I'm guessing Joe meant that the HD is going tits up. You might try running "check disc" to see if it finds/corrects any errors, but I'm with Joe. Your HD is probably on it's last leg, and you should back up everything on it now, if you haven't already.