Computer will not boot

[chefrj]

Need some help. I have been scanning this site for a while and have built 2 systems using tips from this site.

I have a Dell Dimension computer that is 3 years old and now it will not boot up. The OS is Windows ME. The boot sequence gets as far as the ME splash screen and then it freezes. I have tried to start it in safe mode but that does not work. Using a boot disk I can get to a A: prompt and cd to a C: prompt. I have tried to use scandisk but it gets to 2% and stops. Scandisk then gives the message, "Scandisk encountered a data error while reading cluster 25908. Scandisk will try to continue past this error." However scandisk cannot go past this error. I have used a Boot Rescue Disk to scan for viruses but nothing has been found. I also tried fdisk /mbr with no results. I found that last command after browsing this site for similar problems.

Any ideas? The drive seems to be spinning and there are NO grinding noises. I asked the kids if they noticed anything different. One of them said that it was in Safe Mode when he turned it off.

Could the disk surface have been damaged if one of the kids moved or bumped the computer while it was on? :eek:

[Quantax]

I would suspect drive related problems(i.e., bad sectors)but I've never heard of surface damage caused by the kind of movement you indicate.

[Budfred]

Hard drives are somewhat delicate and can be damaged by movement, but usually it would have to be pretty aggressive movement. Have you tried the manufacturer's (of the hard drive) diagnostics to test the drive??? Sometimes drives just fail too...

And Welcome to http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif

[chefrj]

Thanks for the replies.

The HD is a Maxtor product. I have gone to their web site but cannot find a diagnostic tool to download. Anyone know where I can get one?

I have a WD diagnostic tool and tried to run that but it would not run as the HD in the Dell is a Maxtor.

[Sylvander]

Read this http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;273738&Product=winme
Particularly the part headed "Windows Me Does Not Start in Safe Mode".

Do you have a backup of your C: drive?

[Budfred]

The diagnostic tool is called PowerMax and is available here:

http://www.maxtor.com/en/support/downloads/powermax.htm

[Whyzman]

If you run the diagnostics and they don't unearth any baddies...

You might want to use your boot disk and try a scanreg_/restore

at the A: (replace the underscore with a single space)

You will be given 5 choices to pick a registry boot that worked...follow the prompts and remember to "remove the boot disk" before rebooting after your selection...

[chefrj]

OK, I used Powermax and that fixed the cluster problem. I then ran scandisk and it went through though there were some long file names that it tried to fix.

Tried to boot and it said that the file VMM32.VXD was missing or corrupt. I did some research on the net to find some troubleshooting ideas but none of those worked. I called the Dell Tech and we tried several things including scanreg /restore. Nothing worked so I just went ahead and reformatted. There was mostly kid games that was lost so I am not too heartbroken about it.

Thanks for the help.

[Whyzman]

fixed the cluster problemWhen I saw the word Powermax and your result I cringed!

I've had a number of Maxtor drives bite the dust in the last 2 years, both "out of the box," and refurb/replacements from Maxtor.

If you plan on keeping this computer I would suggest watching for sales on Harddrives, or running the diagnostics (looking for an error code) on a regular basis so you can get it replaced by Dell if still under warranty...

[Sylvander]

Running Windows "Setup.exe" [like re-installing Windows] and repairing the Windows installation should have been enough to fix VMM32.VXD.