Computer freezes as soon as it boots

[Macris]

My Dell Inspiron 530 that is running Windows XP Home Premium freezes on the desktop every time I boot it up, so I ran the diagnostic scan that came built into the computer, and I got the errors 1100:012A, 1100:022A, 1100:032A, and 1100:042A. The additional error information on all four errors said "DISKETTE- the drive did not respond in a fixed time to an access attempt.

If anyone could help me with my problem, it would be much appreciated, and if anyone needs more information I will try my hardest to find it.

Edit: I can boot up in safe mode, but I don't know how to use it.

[stroyal]

Welcome to TechIMO!

Do you have a floppy?
Will the computer boot to a floppy or CD?
Do you know how to get into the BIOS?

[Macris]

I do have blank floppy disk, but I don't know how to make it boot from there, and yes I know how to get to BIOS.

[stroyal]

I meant a floppy drive. So I assume you have a floppy drive.

I always keep a win 98 boot floppy to test with.
You can download the hard drive manufacturers test disc, that is a boot disc, CD or floppy.
If it boots you can then test the hard drive.

You will probably have to go into the BIOS and change the boot order, to boot from a floppy or CD.

If you have an XP disc, that is a boot CD also.

If it boots from a CD or a Floppy, and runs it could be the hard drive is NG or the operating system is corrupt.

[stroyal]

Safe mode works.
If you had just installed something you could uninstall it, or do a system restore to a date before the problem started.


I'd check your discs first.
Run the Hard drive manufacturers disk, then I would disconnect the floppy and the CD, and see if it boots

I know it sounds like a pain, but diagnosing computer problems can take a long time.

Once you run all the available test programs, the next step is trying known good parts in your computer, one at a time, Or trying your parts, one at a time, in a working computer. This is how a computer shop would do it, as there is no real test equipment, except back at the factory

Only a geek would probably enjoy it.
Here is a memory test boot disc.


Memtest86 - Download Page

Edit: what brand hard drive do you have?

[osprey4]

Restoring the Dell factory image from the Windows Recovery Environment

This is what you need to do.

This is not a hardware issue, since those error codes pertain only to the floppy drive controller (and I'm guessing you do not have a floppy drive). You said you have "XP Home Premium", which I'm guessing means you have Vista Home Premium. So the article above is what you need to fix this.