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WTF is wrong with my computer booting into Windows Vista (DELL XPS 420)

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  • Windows Vista
  • Boot
  • WTF
  • Computers
  • problems
  • Components
Last response: in Components
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May 18, 2013 8:42:26 PM

Ok so for a few months my computer has been sitting here collecting dust after a huge thunderstorm because it never successfully booted into Windows Vista. I didn't really know what was wrong and assumed it was because of the thunderstorm even though i have a surge protector although its is older and may actually be faulty. I made sure it wasn't RAM or video card issues because I'm constantly upgrading my video card so that is out of the question.After ruling that out I thought it was my PSU, then my hard drive ( MBR ), then my motherboard, and now I really don't even know what it is.:pfff:  Today I decided to try booting Ubuntu from a USB and see if that worked. Amazingly it did and thus I'm here typing this but one problem still remains. I still can't boot back into Windows Vista. I just tried booting from the Windows vista installation CD and it worked. Before installing ubuntu when I pressed enter on the screen after pressing F12 while having "run from CD" highlighted it just froze and i would have to reset the PC but for some reason it works now. After the menu with the installation options came up i selected repair windows and it did its little detection thing and it said it successfully repaired all damages and all i had to do was reboot. I did that and everything was fine until it came to the point right before where the windows vista logo usually loads and stayed on a black screen for about 10 seconds. Then suddenly my hard drive ( or what im assuming to be because it sounds like it ) clicked and my computer returned to the reboot process. This is what it has always done after the storm. I don't know what the hell is wrong with my computer and i can't even come up with a valid theory because it just isn't making sense for me :fou: . Im pretty sure its not a hardware problem because if i can run UBUNTU i should be able to run Windows so it must be an OS problem. Can somebody please help me with this aggravating problem? Thanks.

I will try to upload a video to Youtube showing the booting up process and what happens.
I also Installed Ubuntu onto the same hard drive that windows is on.

More about : wtf wrong computer booting windows vista dell xps 420

May 18, 2013 8:46:51 PM

Ubuntu runs just fine from usb key but locks up when you try to install to the HDD, sounds like a bad hdd or bad controller. When you ruled out the hdd as a possibility did you run an extended hdd diagnostic or just a quick test?
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May 18, 2013 8:50:25 PM


I ran an Extended Diagnostics test and I also installed Ubuntu. Sorry that i left that out.
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May 18, 2013 8:55:14 PM

Have you tried to nuke the current partitions and just do a clean install of Vista?
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May 18, 2013 9:16:12 PM

bignastyid said:
Have you tried to nuke the current partitions and just do a clean install of Vista?


No. Won't I lose all my data? Im trying to conserve everything I can.
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May 18, 2013 9:21:30 PM

Use unbuntu to backup your data, where a repair has failed a reinstall is the only option left.
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May 18, 2013 9:29:18 PM

bignastyid said:
Use unbuntu to backup your data, where a repair has failed a reinstall is the only option left.

:( 
I don't even know how to use ubuntu man.................
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May 18, 2013 9:53:59 PM

Well you have ruled out everything else really. A re-install is all that is really left. Yes a re-format and re-install you will loose your data but if you can't even get into Windows and do not know how to back it up with Linux you may not have much left that you can do.

When you installed Linux you said you installed it to the same hard drive that Vista is on did you install it to a separate partition? If not you may have lost Vista and all of your data already.
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May 18, 2013 10:41:24 PM

bryonhowley said:
Well you have ruled out everything else really. A re-install is all that is really left. Yes a re-format and re-install you will loose your data but if you can't even get into Windows and do not know how to back it up with Linux you may not have much left that you can do.

When you installed Linux you said you installed it to the same hard drive that Vista is on did you install it to a separate partition? If not you may have lost Vista and all of your data already.


yeah when you install ubuntu it automatically makes a partition for you. Mine was 32 gb the minimum. Man this sucks big time.... Can I save some apps and application data from my old windows vista or does EVERYTHING have to go?
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May 18, 2013 10:51:25 PM

The price to save your data would be getting new HDD, this is the only easy way to save your information.
Or you can try create separate partition and make clean install of Vista there.
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May 18, 2013 10:58:14 PM

Kisianik said:
The price to save your data would be getting new HDD, this is the only easy way to save your information.
Or you can try create separate partition and make clean install of Vista there.


Hmm ok i guess those are two reasonable options. How much space is required for a partition and how do I do it on windows. Is there anyway possible i could upgrade to Windows 7 and keep my data or no?

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Best solution

May 18, 2013 11:10:38 PM

jordan513 said:
Kisianik said:
The price to save your data would be getting new HDD, this is the only easy way to save your information.
Or you can try create separate partition and make clean install of Vista there.


Hmm ok i guess those are two reasonable options. How much space is required for a partition and how do I do it on windows. Is there anyway possible i could upgrade to Windows 7 and keep my data or no?



The easiest way is still getting new HDD, in this case you will have only one Primary Partition.
In case of using existing HDD, how big is HDD? You would have to use a lot partition manager, I did not use them for a while and could advice something wrong, the idea is change existing partitions into Logical and create another Primary Partition for new OS installation.
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May 22, 2013 7:01:23 PM

I decided it would be best to borrow a Windows 7 dvd from a friend and use that. I still have all of my old files but none of the actual applications work but its still ok. Thanks for all of the support it really helped
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