No start up

I have a Dell lap top, "very" old, almost 7 years old working with me, it has Windows XP SP 3 and some times the computer does not start. Let explain, my computer has a Password to start up so the first screen you see is the one requiring you the password, once you enter it and hit the screen turns "blank" for about 3 to 4 seconds, then you can see the Windows XP logo screen having a "bar" showing you that the computer is "running", it takes about 25 to 30 seconds in that screen and then suddenly the screen goes blank once again and it takes around 4 seconds blank and then you may see the pointer (an arrow) in the middle of the screen, then you receive the blue screen with the Windows XP logo and the label "windows is starting up". THAT IS CORRECT, that is, this happend when the computer is working fine, BUT, and here is the problem. In some occasion you are asked for the password, then you can see the Windows XP logo screen with the "bar" BUT when it turns blank, YOU NEVER RECEIVE THE pointer (arrow) in the middle of the screen and NEVER start, you may only "see" the disk led blinking as reading the disk BUT NEVER START. When this happend, I press the On/Off button and "force" to shut down the computer, the next action is to start the computer in the "safe" mode (pressing F8) and then once the computer started, I shout down the computer usning Turn off > Turn off. Once it is turned off, I start the computer again (in normal way) and up to date, IT START normally. Thanking you in advance for any help, I remain.

It sounds like your HDD might be getting a bit tired of life It's probably not a bad idea to consider installing a new one as I wouldn't like to store anything on a 7yr. old HDD. They are very cheap nowadays. Do you have valuable Data on it that you have nor saved to disk or to a USB drive lately …or never? Now might be a good time to to do a complete back-up copy of Data, Email addresses, Bookmarks, important drivers etc. It is job I wouldn't put off either. When you have done that and I'd strongly suggest not before, open the 'run' command and type in: chkdsk volume:/f and then press 'enter'. If you have any open files you will be asked if you would like to schedule the volume checking when the PC re-starts. Type: Y and then press 'enter' and then re-start. Cheers, Lee

Thanks Lee, Let me tell you that in a monthly basis I am getting a back up from my computer using the "back up" utility Windows XP has. I have never made an ASR but only the "standard" back up. I am not sure if it is possible to get a new HDD for this computer and what the technical especification must be to get the new HDD. As you know my computer is a 7 years old and it is a Dell Latitude C840 with a hard disk of 60 Gb capacity and I have the original CD's coming with the computer. About the ASR the " Windows help" talks about "Diskette" as the media to "save" the "programs or files" (I do not know) obtaining from this utility, but my computer has not a Diskette Driver by default. Is it possible to use a different media to "save" that ASR? The computer has a CD R/W and two USB ports. Thanking you in advance, I remain.

If you do not have an external HDD to connect to a USB port, I'd suggest saving everything important to disk. Personally, I'd be saying: "thanks for the long and tireless service old friend" and then give that old Laptop a decent burial and shop for something more up to date. The most important thing though is to get your valuables off it first as you don't want them going to the same grave. I wouldn't worry about any driver exe files (they will be useless on anything new), but any programs you use that have exe files ( downloaded programs) would be worth saving. Cheers, Lee