Specs:

Dell 4700c

Intel 3.0GHz processor
512MB
40GB hard drive
Windows XP Pro


So I shut down my computer in the morning before heading off to work- come home and the fan is REALLY loud and it’s not fully shut down. Just a black screen. So I restart my comp. only to get the blue screen of death. I was unable to load the system in safe MODE, or any of the other previously known settings. I tried to load from the Windows CD. Repair did not work, so I erased everything and tried to completely re-install Windows XP(All my GOODIES are backed up on an external hard drive). The installation does not work and goes back to the blue screen.

I am able to get to the F2 menu, and under the maintenance log, it says CPU0 FAN ERROR. I’ve purchased a new fan and heatsink that I’ll be installing today.

The error message on the blue screen is 0x00000024, but DELL says online that this may mean that my hard drive needs to be replaced.

Can anyone pinpoint what the exact problem is before I waste money on a new computer?
This sounds like a motherboard problem to me. I'd wait until someone else posts here too, just because I could be wrong, but if I'm right, you will need another PC - replacing the mobo is about as expensive and complicated as a new tower anyhow.The error CPU0 FAN ERROR means that the fan was not detected as running or was running too slowly, so you're on the right track with the new fan. But, did you verify that the fan was not running? As an aside, when installing the new heatsink, be sure to COMPLETELY remove any thermal compound from both surfaces (a credit card edge is good, then use ISOPROPYL alcohol to remove the residue), then, when dry, apply a THIN layer of new thermal paste to each surface (again, a credit card edge is good for this).

The Stop Error, 0x24, indicates a file corruption and could, indeed, be your hard drive. But, it may not be. Try this: a) boot from the Win CD and go to the Recovery Console - run chkdsk /f/r; b) go to your hard drive manufacturer's website and download and run the diagnostic TOOLS for your drive.

Best of luck.The cpu fan and power supply fan were working at the time of the error message. Will it make a difference if I just replaced the cpu fan instead of the heatsink?


Is browning on any of the parts on the motherboard normal? If not, then it's definitely the motherboard. A few of the parts (the ones that look like miniature AA batteries) have a rust-like substance on top.Quote from: omnipadme on September 23, 2008, 02:42:05 PM

The cpu fan and power supply fan were working at the time of the error message. Will it make a difference if I just replaced the cpu fan instead of the heatsink?

Is browning on any of the parts on the motherboard normal? If not, then it's definitely the motherboard. A few of the parts (the ones that look like miniature AA batteries) have a rust-like substance on top.