Booting from DOS, not working properly

[daChooch]

Hi,

I put in the PC Doc 7.5 in the CD drive, as well as the Mutli USB in the USB drive. I then turned on the computer and let DOS boot from CD.

PC Doc 7.5 did boot correctly and I see the 7.5 screen with the following Save Log options:
A. PC Doctor RO Floppy Bootable CD
B. Floppy Selectable
C. PC Doctor Hard Drive Selectable
D. VDisk RAM Drive

It will only allow me to choose "C". Then it takes me to the screen where i can run all sorts of tests.

So then i click on "Quick Test No Loopback" and it goes to a black screen with the cursor on the upper left side of the screen.
So this is where I am stuck. I don't see it running anything beyond this point.

Please note, the MUD is not flashing, just a green light is on. I tried booting from the MUD, but it doesn't seem to boot from there, only the CD.

HELP!?

Thanks

[fwilson]

daChooch,

It sounds like the system has an errot that does not allow PC-Doctor to boot properly.

Does the CD / MUD combination work correctly on a known good machine?

The black screen makes me think bad video card, bad ram could also cause this.  I would try swapping each out in turn and see if you can get the system to run diagnostics.

-Fred

[daChooch]

CD/MUD worked correctly on a different computer on windows, but i have not tried it DOS before.

The CD on this computer does boot correctly and i do see the pc-dr menu.
but as i said it doesn't allow me to test.this computer is only a few months old and suddenly receives a blue screen before window xp loads. what do you suggest i do?

p.s
VGA is on board (don't think that is the issue)

Thanx
d

[fwilson]

daChooch,

It really does sound like a video issue.  On board video uses system RAM so in this case that could be it.  If there is more than one stick of RAM in it try swapping them around.  If it only has one stick in it put known good ram in it and retest.  If none of the above works put a video card in and set the BIOS to use it and retest.



-Fred

[daChooch]

Changed Memory and now able to run diagnostic test from DOS.
Still cannot load windows also in safe mode,keep on receiving blue screen with the following error " session3_initialization_failed" 0x000006f

Any suggestions?

Thanx

[fwilson]

daChooch,

install the hard disk in another computer and copy off the critical data before you do anything else.  Then place it back in the system under test.

Bad memory can corrupt the hard drive.  Boot to safemode - command prompt and run CHKDSK /F (you may have to run more than once).  Hopefully this will clear up the HD errors and it will boot.

If chkdsk does not get it to boot test the hard drive thoroughly with the DOS product.  If it passes all tests you could try to do a repair with the Windows install disk but I would format, reinstall Windows, programs and finally the data you saved.

-Fred

[daChooch]

I could not even load through safe mode,RAM+VGA seem fine.
Tried loading HD as an external drive ..with no luck.

Ended up formatting the computer,

Thanks for your help

[fwilson]

daChooch,

At least it's on the run now.

-Fred