Solve : Doesn't seem to boot up!?

1.	Solve : Doesn't seem to boot up!?
Answer» Howdy, Any insight is greatly appreciated! Was researching jobs LAST night, and at some point (when I went to open Outlook, and also when I went to delete cookies and history in IE), I GOT something like "not enough memory to do this function" message. That was bizarre, I thought. When I went to check, I saw that it said I had about 19% of system resources available -- seems way too low. I shut down, then when I started up, all I got was the wallpaper screen -- no icons started popping up -- no nothing. It just hangs on the wallpaper and cursor, nothing else! What's going on?! Could I have deleted something by mistake? Did I get to the end of my computer? I'm flashing back to The Truman Show, when his boat crashes into the back of the "set". Please share your wisdom! Thanks. belakbailey...... How about telling us which O/S your using , is this a desktop or laptop? Have you tried rebooting into safe mode ? Quote Could I have deleted something by mistake? I really don't know .......were you deleting things ? Quote Did I get to the end of my computer? Probably not .. let us know dl65 Just in case you did "delete things" do you have a legal copy of Windows (what version?) for a complete reinstall? It is also helpful to know the computer make/model, version of Windows, processor type, RAM, etc. See below.Sorry -- forgot to include the basics. Windows ME Dell 4100 Series, Pentium III 866MHz 128 MB SDRAM 133 MHz 40 GB Ultra ATA Hard Drive I have a reinstall disk. Also, I don't think I deleted ANYTHING important. I did go into C Drive, under Windows, I think, and may have deleted one or two things that didn't look "important". Of the million things in there, could I have inadvertently chosen "the one" that causes it not to boot up? However, even before that, it seemed like I was low on memory, since I had gotten those earlier messages. Happy to answer any other questions. Thanks! Quote However, even before that, it seemed like I was low on memory, since I had gotten those earlier messages. By low on memory do you really mean memory or hard drive space? If you go into My Computer, and right click on C drive and check properties what do you see? What are the main programs you have running on there? We will get your problems solved! Hard to tell, at this point, as the computer doesn't even boot up to that point. I turn it on, it starts going, gets to the black screen with the wallpaper and blinking cursor, then doesn't do anything else. No hourglass or anything. Just stays there. I'm pretty sure that the message I got yesterday was a "not enough memory to do that . . ." type of message. This was at the point that I was simply trying to open Outlook, or open the IE Tools from within IE. It has thrown me for a loop.Also, just started it in Safe Mode. Same thing. Gets to the Safe Mode screen, but just hangs there, with the arrow, sitting there, mocking me. Any suggestions, I welcome with open arms.At this point we don't know if it is hardware or software related. Has anything happened since yesterday that might be relevant?I haven't ADDED or downloaded anything. I was looking through a company's job postings, doing some research -- went to IE Tools to delete cookies and history, then got the "not enough memory" message. Tried to open Outlook and got the same thing. When I turn it on, I get the normal hard drive sounds for about 10 seconds, get the black screen with wallpaper, then absolutely nothing else. Any way to check on memory, or to see if Hard Drive is doomed? Not sure if I need to buy a disk to check things out, or can do some diagnostics from where I am at this point.In safe mode when the arrow mocks you give it some time.If you know what kind of hard drive, you can run the diagnostics from the manufacturer. What is the service tag on the machine? 5 -6 digits posted on the back of it. Dell also has diagnostics you can download here: http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/devices.aspx?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd&SystemID=DIM_PNT_P3C_4100&os=WME&osl=EN Service Tag may be: B0WVB01 ??Also, after a long wait, when I go to Alt-Control-Delete to restart, the only item I see in the Close PROGRAM window is: Devldr16 Any importance to that? Quote Also, after a long wait, when I go to Alt-Control-Delete to restart, the only item I see in the Close Program window is: Devldr16 Any importance to that? It has to do with some Creative Labs/Soundblaster cards. _______________________________________ __ Here is some info on your machine: http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/my_systems_info/en/details?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd&~ck=mn&~tab=2 _______________________________________ _____ And here are the updated drivers for your machine: http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/devices.aspx?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd&SystemID=DIM_PNT_P3C_4100&os=WME&osl=EN#Okay, here is the first in a (hopefully short) string of silly, naive questions . . . With the links you've provided, for diagnostic downloads and such, what should my next step be? Download one or more of what Dell provides, try something directly on my PC, or call a service tech? I'm lost.

Answer»

Howdy,

Any insight is greatly appreciated!

Was researching jobs LAST night, and at some point (when I went to open Outlook, and also when I went to delete cookies and history in IE), I GOT something like "not enough memory to do this function" message. That was bizarre, I thought. When I went to check, I saw that it said I had about 19% of system resources available -- seems way too low.

I shut down, then when I started up, all I got was the wallpaper screen -- no icons started popping up -- no nothing. It just hangs on the wallpaper and cursor, nothing else!

What's going on?! Could I have deleted something by mistake? Did I get to the end of my computer? I'm flashing back to The Truman Show, when his boat crashes into the back of the "set".

Please share your wisdom!

Thanks. belakbailey...... How about telling us which O/S your using , is this a desktop or laptop?
Have you tried rebooting into safe mode ? Quote

Could I have deleted something by mistake?

I really don't know .......were you deleting things ?
Quote

Did I get to the end of my computer?

Probably not ..

let us know
dl65
Just in case you did "delete things" do you have a legal copy of Windows (what version?) for a complete reinstall?

It is also helpful to know the computer make/model, version of Windows, processor type, RAM, etc. See below.Sorry -- forgot to include the basics.

Windows ME

Dell 4100 Series, Pentium III 866MHz
128 MB SDRAM 133 MHz
40 GB Ultra ATA Hard Drive

I have a reinstall disk.

Also, I don't think I deleted ANYTHING important. I did go into C Drive, under Windows, I think, and may have deleted one or two things that didn't look "important". Of the million things in there, could I have inadvertently chosen "the one" that causes it not to boot up?

However, even before that, it seemed like I was low on memory, since I had gotten those earlier messages.

Happy to answer any other questions.

Thanks! Quote

However, even before that, it seemed like I was low on memory, since I had gotten those earlier messages.

By low on memory do you really mean memory or hard drive space? If you go into My Computer, and right click on C drive and check properties what do you see?

What are the main programs you have running on there?

We will get your problems solved! Hard to tell, at this point, as the computer doesn't even boot up to that point. I turn it on, it starts going, gets to the black screen with the wallpaper and blinking cursor, then doesn't do anything else. No hourglass or anything. Just stays there.

I'm pretty sure that the message I got yesterday was a "not enough memory to do that . . ." type of message. This was at the point that I was simply trying to open Outlook, or open the IE Tools from within IE. It has thrown me for a loop.Also, just started it in Safe Mode. Same thing. Gets to the Safe Mode screen, but just hangs there, with the arrow, sitting there, mocking me.

Any suggestions, I welcome with open arms.At this point we don't know if it is hardware or software related. Has anything happened since yesterday that might be relevant?I haven't ADDED or downloaded anything. I was looking through a company's job postings, doing some research -- went to IE Tools to delete cookies and history, then got the "not enough memory" message. Tried to open Outlook and got the same thing.

When I turn it on, I get the normal hard drive sounds for about 10 seconds, get the black screen with wallpaper, then absolutely nothing else.

Any way to check on memory, or to see if Hard Drive is doomed? Not sure if I need to buy a disk to check things out, or can do some diagnostics from where I am at this point.In safe mode when the arrow mocks you give it some time.If you know what kind of hard drive, you can run the diagnostics from the manufacturer.

What is the service tag on the machine? 5 -6 digits posted on the back of it.

Dell also has diagnostics you can download here:

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/devices.aspx?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd&SystemID=DIM_PNT_P3C_4100&os=WME&osl=EN

Service Tag may be: B0WVB01 ??Also, after a long wait, when I go to Alt-Control-Delete to restart, the only item I see in the Close PROGRAM window is: Devldr16

Any importance to that? Quote

Also, after a long wait, when I go to Alt-Control-Delete to restart, the only item I see in the Close Program window is: Devldr16

Any importance to that?

It has to do with some Creative Labs/Soundblaster cards.

_______________________________________ __

Here is some info on your machine:

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/my_systems_info/en/details?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd&~ck=mn&~tab=2
_______________________________________ _____

And here are the updated drivers for your machine:

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/devices.aspx?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd&SystemID=DIM_PNT_P3C_4100&os=WME&osl=EN#Okay, here is the first in a (hopefully short) string of silly, naive questions . . .

With the links you've provided, for diagnostic downloads and such, what should my next step be?

Download one or more of what Dell provides, try something directly on my PC, or call a service tech? I'm lost.

Solve : Doesn't seem to boot up!?

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