Member Avatar for celtfire

Ok so I took my Inspiron 8600 to the Geek Squad to see if I could get it fixed. The cooling fan quit and now the computer will boot only up to the OS (XP). The guy told me that it looked like my hard drive was fried and that it would cost more to fix it than to buy a new one. (Hello!... that unit cost me 2k). So inevitably I'm trying to fix it myself. I bought a new fan and my next step is to use the recovery disk. I would like to know if my efforts will be fruitless. Is it likely that I won't be able to recover my hard drive?

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A short, practical addendum for anyone seeing a fan-related shutdown followed by boot errors: a stopped case or CPU fan can let the system overheat while hibernating or idle and that overheating sometimes corrupts boot files or stresses the hard drive. ’s suggestions (Last Known Good, using the XP CD to repair, and mounting the drive in another PC to copy data) are exactly the right diagnostic path — and data safety must come first.

Quick checklist before attempting repairs or reinstall:

  1. Power down, remove AC and battery, and avoid further booting to prevent additional damage.
  2. If the data is important, remove the laptop drive and copy the files to another machine (use a USB-to-IDE/SATA adapter or install as a secondary drive) before running destructive fixes.
  3. Re-run Dell diagnostics (the DST/extended tests) and check SMART. If the DST repeatedly fails, assume the drive is degraded and image/clone it first for recovery.
  4. If diagnostics show the drive OK, use Recovery Console to run chkdsk /r or perform an in-place Repair Install from the XP CD (this replaces core system files but usually preserves programs and user data). Still back up first.

Post-repair follow-up: clean or replace the clogged fan, verify the CPU fan header and heatsink seating, and confirm BIOS temperature sensing and fan control. For blank-screen-after-clean symptoms (like ), also reseat the video/display cable as suggested. If a reinstall becomes necessary, consider free office alternatives (as mentioned) to bridge any software gaps while recovering licenses.

Cautions: don’t ignore repeated DST failures — cloning the drive before more attempts gives the best chance of salvaging data. If uncomfortable with hardware removal or cloning, a reputable data-recovery shop is the safer option.

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Member Avatar for dcc

Was this fan a case fan or the one on the CPU heat sink?

When the fan died did the computer shut down?

Does the fan in the PSU run? Does the fan on the CPU heat sink run? Are the LEDs on the motherboard or case on?

You wrote that the computer boots up to the operating system, is this the XP logo that you are referring to? What happens after that?

Member Avatar for celtfire

Sorry...It was the case fan. My husband pulled a wad of dog hair and dust from it and put it back in the case. Yes it shut down (this happened while it was hibernating in the middle of the night). PSU? Forgive me I don't know what that is...I can't hear the CPU fan (I haven't checked it)...All the LED's on the case light up as normal.
-The boot process is fine until it is supposed to go to the Windows XP screen. But instead it flashes "NTDETECT failed" and starts the boot process over and over.
- I received my new fan in the mail today, put it in, ran a diagnostic from the boot menu, got an error that said "DST Short test failed" but everything else passed.
- I also was able to get ahold of a Dell tech on the phone. He's sending me a copy of XP and calling me this next weekend to walk me through the set up process. He's says if that doesn't work I will need to replace my hard drive. I just hope there is a way I can recover my programs because I don't have any hard copies of any of them. I'd really hate to have to purchase them all over again.

Member Avatar for dcc

It sounds like you have a missing or corrupted file. There are a couple of things that you can do, the first would be to try a last know good configuration, and if that fails you can use the CD to try and repair the operating system (XP).

From what you have written is doesn't sound like a hard drive problem, at least from what I've seen so far. If it is you still have options for retrieving the information on it. One of these options would be to install it as a slave drive in another computer and transfer the information to the master drive. After that you can transfer the information to CDs or DVDs.

btw...a PSU is the power supply.

Edit: It occurred to me that you may be new enough to this not to recognize that the print in the blue is a link that will take you to instructions for the last known good configuration, just click on it.

Member Avatar for celtfire

Thank you very much for your insight. I already tried the last know good configuration option. I'd love to learn about how to install the HD as a slave in one of my other computers. Do I need any special equipment?
PSU- ha thanks...
I don't know much about the innerworkings of a computer...just how to use it...everything I do know is self taught...by playing around with 'em. Crashed a few...ha.
Thank you again, Stacey

Member Avatar for dcc

To connect the hdd as a slave drive you will need to change the jumper on the rear of the hdd from either cable select or master to slave. The flat ribbon cable that the master hdd is connected to is called an IDE calbe. You will want to connect the slave drive to the middle connector of the IDE cable that the master is connected to. The master hdd should have its jumper set to master.

If you would like to read about transferring information from one hdd to another read this.

Member Avatar for celtfire

:cheesy: Thank you so much. You Rock! I'll let you know how it goes.

Member Avatar for celtfire

Holy Frak! It's Back. And just as I left it. thank you so much. All I did was run the XP reinstall, it detected the XP that was already there, I hit repair and "Viola".
You don't mind me asking another quick question?....
I have Microsoft office basic 2003...all I need to do is buy an upgrade to Pro 2003 if all I want is Powerpoint and Publisher, right?
Thanks again...Stacey

Member Avatar for dcc

HI Stacey, this is an area that I don't have a great deal of experience in. You would be better off posting a new thread in the Microsoft Windows 2000/XP forum addressing this question. That forum is the appropriate one, and you should get more responses on a new thread opposed to tacking onto this one.

Congratulations on getting you system back to normal!

Member Avatar for vajra7s

HI Stacey, this is an area that I don't have a great deal of experience in. You would be better off posting a new thread in the Microsoft Windows 2000/XP forum addressing this question. That forum is the appropriate one, and you should get more responses on a new thread opposed to tacking onto this one.

Congratulations on getting you system back to normal!

Hi,

I am a new member joined today looking at the very helpfull posts. I have Inspiron 5100 laptop and had problems with fan which is not cooling the processor enough. I read some forums regarding Inspiron 5100 fan problems, so I decided open up and clean the fan. Everything wen fine (cleaning) but when I tryied to switch (boot) the laptop, nothing is showing up i.e., blank screen, no sound. But when I push the power button on, the power light (one of the 3 lights in front) goes on, CD/DVD drive goes on, fan starts and then nothing happens on the screen. Please if anyone can give/provide solution, help much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.:pretty:

Member Avatar for jbennet

Holy Frak! It's Back. And just as I left it. thank you so much. All I did was run the XP reinstall, it detected the XP that was already there, I hit repair and "Viola".
You don't mind me asking another quick question?....
I have Microsoft office basic 2003...all I need to do is buy an upgrade to Pro 2003 if all I want is Powerpoint and Publisher, right?
Thanks again...Stacey

Im not sure if you get publisher. If you need powerpoint save some money and use openoffice.

Member Avatar for rmrd

Hi,

I am a new member joined today looking at the very helpfull posts. I have Inspiron 5100 laptop and had problems with fan which is not cooling the processor enough. I read some forums regarding Inspiron 5100 fan problems, so I decided open up and clean the fan. Everything wen fine (cleaning) but when I tryied to switch (boot) the laptop, nothing is showing up i.e., blank screen, no sound. But when I push the power button on, the power light (one of the 3 lights in front) goes on, CD/DVD drive goes on, fan starts and then nothing happens on the screen. Please if anyone can give/provide solution, help much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.:pretty:

The first step is to make sure that you reseated the video cable properly.

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