My daughter's laptop won't boot up. It shows the Dell logo then the screen goes black. When I ran diagnostics I get Error Code 0146 on the Hard Drive short test. Also says 2000-0146 and states Log Contains Previous Errors. Any suggestions? This is a Dell Inspiron 1520 and is only two years old. This happened before but I was able to get into a system start up repair somehow and fixed it. I don't know how I got there before. Just kept pushing F buttons as it was turning on, Now the F buttons just beep. I really don't know what I'm doing. When I ran the hardware diagnostics I'm getting Error code:0F00:1344 Msg. Block 1756515. I hit retry and get Msg block 3541631. Retry again and I get Msg. block 3549311 etc.
This is a Vista system. I ran more tests and it failed the Confidence test
the S.M.A.R.T. long self test
the S.M.A.R.T. short self test
the Read test
the Seek test
the Verify test
Windows Boot Manager reads:
Windows has encounted a problem communicating with a device connected to your computer.
This error can be caused by unplugging a removable storage device such as an external USB drive while the device is in use, or by faulty hardware such as a hard-drive or CD-ROM drive that is failing. Make sure any removable storage is connected and then restart your computer.
If you continue to recieve this error message, contact the hardware manufacturer.
File: \Boot\BCD
Status: 0xc000000e9
Info: An unexpected I/O error has occurred
In layman's terms: Your hard drive is bad. It needs to be replaced.
No series of F keys are going to fix that one.
Your daughter probably dropped the laptop.
One possible Caveat: Dell has used a connector adapter on some laptop HD's. I don't know if your model uses one or not.
You will be able to easily identify if your machine's HD uses an adapter, because the gold connection wires will appear different from your newly purchased HD. If different, carefully remove the adapter from your old HD and carefully fit it to your new HD.
Personally, I'd make the HD replacement to allow me to keep the Inspiron 1520 vs. spending many hundreds of dollars to replace it.
You will necessarily have to install the operating system and drivers (hopefully from CD's that Dell has already sent to you, otherwise contact Dell for the CD's)
Your daughter probably dropped the laptop.