Dell Dimension 4500 Boot Issue(s)

[WayneStatic]

Hi all,

First of all, thanks for this great forum and I apologize ahead of time if this is maddeningly incomplete; I'm trying to work on a machine for a friend of mine.

So, here's the dealio: I was told in a very generic fashion that this Dimension 4500 would not boot. When I tried it myself, I was greeted with the boot options menu indicating the last boot was invalid, etc with the options to boot from Safe Mode, etc. If I select either Start Windows Normally or Boot From Last Known Good Configuration, I get a BSOD, but only for a second; I can't tell what is being reported. The machine immediately leaves that screen and gets to a flash of the OEM logo before going back to the Boot Options Menu. If I try any of the Safe Boot options, I get as far at agp440.sys before the system, again, goes back to the Boot Options Menu.

So, to recap, I can't tell what is being reported. The fans are working and the machine was dirty, but I've seen dirtier. Has anyone there experienced this? Can anyone suggest how I can get that BSOD message? I've actually considered trying to take a picture of the screen while it was booting.......

Thanks in advance.

[Bob_180_Bob]

Hi,
Try doing a chkdsk... read this....
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

[Chaky]

I'm affraid that you would need to boot atleast in safe mode to make the necessary change, so your BSOD would remain on screen.
(My computer/Properties/Advanced/Startup and Recovery/Automatically restart (uncheck it))

Giving from what you've posted, you either have:
a) wrong drivers installed
b) corrupt driver files
c) M/B malfunction
d) any combination from above

I suggest you try clean windows install if chkdsk doesn't remedy your problem. Make sure that all the BIOS settings are default. (No O/Cing)