[lefty2053]

My daughter brought over her PC. It is a Dell Insirion 2305 All in One.
It would load up to the Windows Icon and then reboot. Kept doing this over and over. I got my Backup drive out and was able to copy her important stuff using Dells Data Recovery. I then used it and formatted the hard drive and set it back to factory software. Well it still does the loop. I tried another utility on there and it was taking forever so I canceled it out. Well now the loop goes to the Tests page instead. SO I have been running the OS Not loading test and it has run all night and still isn't done. If this doesn't fix anything what is my options? I was thinking it was the MBR but can't remember how to fix it.

 

[writhziden]

Manually Fix the Boot Configuration in Windows Vista or Windows 7

1. Start by accessing the Windows Recovery Options.
   
   
2. Start the Command Prompt.
   
   
3. Type the following command to backup the current boot configuration data.
   
   
   
   
4. Change the current path drive to the C: drive.
   
   
   
   
5. Change to the Boot directory on the C: drive.
   
   
   
   
6. Change the BCD file's attributes to allow the BCD file to be accessed and renamed. You need to remove the system, hidden, and read only attributes for it to be accessible.
   
   
   
   
7. Rename the old BCD file to preserve it as a backup.
   
   
   
   
8. Rebuild the boot configuration data.
   
   
   
   
9. Fx the master boot record by recreating it on the system partition.
   
   
   
   
10. Write a new boot record to the system partition in case the current boot record was corrupted, damaged, or overwritten.
    
    
    
    
11. Exit the Command Prompt.
    
    

Steps taken from Use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows



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[lefty2053]

I can only get into Dos now. Or the Test screen. In Dos I can edit Autoexec.bat and find a loop in there. I can not find any Windows Directory at all. AutoExec.bat does not load Win.ini or anything else that I think it should load.
I can see what is on C:, D: and F: which is the CD drive. I have the Dell Drivers and utilities disk in there. Can't get back to the Restore function screen at all. Any idea how to do that? This is Windows 7. It Found the Partition and Formatted and then re-installed to factory but now I am at a loss since it just returns to the Test Screen only.

 

[writhziden]

You will need a Windows System repair disc to reach the recovery options. You can create a repair disc on another Windows 7 system running the same bit version of Windows 7, i.e. 64-bit or 32-bit Windows 7.

Create a system repair disc​

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[lefty2053]

Created the disk and it can not find the system partition. SO I guess her son must have gotten a virus from somewhere as she thought. The System Partition is gone. Can I call Dell and get a new Disk sent from them? I know there will be a cost but it is better then buying a new PC. I have the Service Tag info from it before that was lost.

 

[Tomken15]

From other threads I've seen on the forum, Dell seem to be pretty good as they normally provide them FOC.

 

[lefty2053]

Called Dell and they are sending me Windows 7 on Disk for $18.50. They were trying to get me to buy 1 years Warranty for $240 which included the disk. Hard to understand some of the support people but I got it figured out. Then they tried to get me to buy the Drivers. I told the guy I can download the drivers off there web site for free. Then my daughter told me she had the drivers. So I guess this thread is solved.

 

[Tomken15]

Hope it works out for you - that's the first I've heard of them charging for the disks though, perhaps it's to do with the economic climate ?

There used to be something on Support for Home Users | Dell US about how to get the install disks - perhaps going through Technical Support may have produced a better result.

 

[lefty2053]

Well since I wasn't the registered owner of the PC they changed it so I was the Registered owner and possibly that is why they charged me for the disks.They are sending the disk to me and not my daughter. Still $18.50 isn't too bad.I was telling my daughter she would have to buy a new Windows Program before I called Dell and found out I could get it from them.

 

[Tomken15]

Well at least it will be their OEM install disks which should reinstate the Recovery partition.

 

[lefty2053]

Well at least it will be their OEM install disks which should reinstate the Recovery partition.

I didn't think it would reinstate the Recovery Partition. I thought I would have to Format it or just use something and get rid of the partition. If it reinstates that partition that would be great. It has been so long since I worked on a PC I had forgot how to use DOS even. I was typing in Format B:/s and trying to put a system on B:. Nothing I did would work. Of couse Even the System that was on there was gone. I got a directory of B: C: and F: with the Drivers disk in it. C: and B: only had DOS utilities on them. No Window Directory. I better start learning whats going on again on PC's.:banghead:

 

[Tomken15]

If you can get in then from Start type diskmgmt.msc > Enter and it will show you the drives - C: is where the OS is installed onto.

I don't know where the B: has come from - these days they're usually C: for OS and programs; D: Recovery Partition; E: CD/DVD drive and F: for USB - no A: as far as I know desktops no longer come with floppy disk drives.

Any others such as a card reader on a printer would be auto assigned from the other end of the alphabet.

I'm not sure with OEM disks whether you have to change the boot order or not for them to boot up with if it will be classed as a fresh install as an Install disk is inserted after bootup and a Recovery or bootable ISO inserted during changing the Boot order.

If it doesn't boot up with the OEM disk after putting it in and rebooting, then tapping something like F2 or F12 when switching on may get you into either the Setup or BIOS to change to CD/DVD ROM Drive before SSD/HDD - put the disk in - usually F10 to Save & Exit where the computer will reboot from the OEM disk and they should reinstate the computer to an out of the box condition.

 

[lefty2053]

If you can get in then from Start type diskmgmt.msc > Enter and it will show you the drives - C: is where the OS is installed onto.

I don't know where the B: has come from - these days they're usually C: for OS and programs; D: Recovery Partition; E: CD/DVD drive and F: for USB - no A: as far as I know desktops no longer come with floppy disk drives.

Any others such as a card reader on a printer would be auto assigned from the other end of the alphabet.

I'm not sure with OEM disks whether you have to change the boot order or not for them to boot up with if it will be classed as a fresh install as an Install disk is inserted after bootup and a Recovery or bootable ISO inserted during changing the Boot order.

If it doesn't boot up with the OEM disk after putting it in and rebooting, then tapping something like F2 or F12 when switching on may get you into either the Setup or BIOS to change to CD/DVD ROM Drive before SSD/HDD - put the disk in - usually F10 to Save & Exit where the computer will reboot from the OEM disk and they should reinstate the computer to an out of the box condition.

I was looking for C: and D: but there was no D: and I thought I would go through the ABC's and sure enough it turned out to be B:.F: is the DVD drive. I do know how to change the Boot sequence I am just worried I wont get it to do anything with that Hard drive. I have another Sata HDD I could possibly exchange it with though.

 

[Tomken15]

Type any queries you have for the computer into Dell Inspiron One 2305 | Setup Guide

This MS article should help with changing the drive letters, but I think that the Dell disks may do that - but as a belt and braces, perhaps it would be best to set them up first Change, add, or remove a drive letter