Comments on: Blinking Dash Returns with Vengance http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/ Utterly random, incoherent and disjointed rants and ramblings... Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:36:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: Steve http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8769 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:36:10 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8769 Not an expert, but couldn't that blinking cursor indicate a RAM error? I believe it appears just as key OS (and knowing MS, some not so key) are being loaded into memory. Not sure, but perhaps reseating the RAM (or trying out new RAM). Just a thought. Not an expert, but couldn’t that blinking cursor indicate a RAM error? I believe it appears just as key OS (and knowing MS, some not so key) are being loaded into memory. Not sure, but perhaps reseating the RAM (or trying out new RAM).

Just a thought.

]]> by: Luke Maciak http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8768 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:45:11 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8768 Actually, I never actually used <a href="http://www.grc.com/sr/spinrite.htm" rel="nofollow">Spinrite</a>. I might need to check it out. Btw, I think Steve Gibson needs to hire someone to update the look of his website and his tools. Looking at them takes me back to the way the web was in 1991. :P Actually, I never actually used Spinrite. I might need to check it out.

Btw, I think Steve Gibson needs to hire someone to update the look of his website and his tools. Looking at them takes me back to the way the web was in 1991. P

]]> by: Gamberoni http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8767 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:27:45 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8767 Luke Have you tried Steve Gibson's Spinrite tool - yes it costs money, but I've used it on a number of drives and it's always sorted out the - admittedly minor - issues that I've had. Luke

Have you tried Steve Gibson’s Spinrite tool - yes it costs money, but I’ve used it on a number of drives and it’s always sorted out the - admittedly minor - issues that I’ve had.

]]> by: Luke Maciak http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8748 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:55:11 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8748 True. I will give it a try. The CD actually looks full of very useful stuff. :) Btw, I love how the page you linked to makes you click through another page (also chock full of ads) which then sends you to rapidshare. lol True. I will give it a try. The CD actually looks full of very useful stuff. )

Btw, I love how the page you linked to makes you click through another page (also chock full of ads) which then sends you to rapidshare. lol

]]> by: hrvoje http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8747 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:16:06 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8747 not to late to test the HD. Try downloading from <a href="http://soft.softoogle.com/ap/hiren-s-bootcd-download-6916.shtml" rel="nofollow"> here</a> if it doesn't work you always have torrents ;) not to late to test the HD. Try downloading from here if it doesn’t work you always have torrents )

]]> by: Luke Maciak http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8746 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:54:11 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8746 [quote comment="8745"]Try booting Hiren's Boot CD. You have bunch of testing/diagnostic tools that you can try.[/quote] Meh, too late. I already reinstalled Windows on this box. Perhaps next time. :) Btw, where do I get Hiren's CD? The "official" site doesn't have the iso. :P hrvoje said:

Try booting Hiren’s Boot CD. You have bunch of testing/diagnostic tools that you can try.

Meh, too late. I already reinstalled Windows on this box. Perhaps next time. )

Btw, where do I get Hiren’s CD? The “official” site doesn’t have the iso. P

]]> by: hrvoje http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8745 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:21:09 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8745 Try booting Hiren's Boot CD. You have bunch of testing/diagnostic tools that you can try. Try booting Hiren’s Boot CD. You have bunch of testing/diagnostic tools that you can try.

]]> by: Luke Maciak http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8744 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 04:50:55 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8744 Nope. I haven't tried that. It might be a good idea though. Nope. I haven’t tried that. It might be a good idea though.

]]> by: vacri http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8743 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 01:38:44 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8743 what happens if you use a different bootloader? Have you tried installing grub or lilo and setting it to default to loading the windows partition? what happens if you use a different bootloader? Have you tried installing grub or lilo and setting it to default to loading the windows partition?

]]> by: Luke Maciak http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8742 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:15:34 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/04/10/blinking-dash-returns-with-vengance/#comment-8742 [quote post="2386"]I wonder if you’ve tried booting from another HD or a CD when this happens? That would help to settle whether it was a hardrive issue.[/quote] Yep. I booted Knoppix and it works beautifully. It detects all the drives and everything. I can actually browse and backup my C drive. I booted off the Windows CD and was able to reinstall it. As I said, this is the only reliable way I can get this machine up and running. If it is a mobo issue, it's probably a very subtle one.

I wonder if you’ve tried booting from another HD or a CD when this happens? That would help to settle whether it was a hardrive issue.

Yep. I booted Knoppix and it works beautifully. It detects all the drives and everything. I can actually browse and backup my C drive.

I booted off the Windows CD and was able to reinstall it. As I said, this is the only reliable way I can get this machine up and running.

If it is a mobo issue, it’s probably a very subtle one.

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