Inspiron 1420 is not booting to windows

Barbara, is your windows uptodate? If not, update it. Then check drivers if uptodate. If not, download DriverMAX free and scan. I had a realtek message relating to driver.

please use outcropped file to boot

and install cheapest to scrol

boot in the safe mode, see if issue still occurs (F8 at boot) if it does, then likely there is a problem with the Video Card or the LCD itself, I'm leaning toward the video card.
Try flashing the bios to current and installing the most current video driver, see if anything changes.

Something is having a problem loading. Usually these are drivers or the last program installed.

When you boot start pressing F8 as soon as you see something. This is before the windows screen so you have to power on and start pressing F8. Then select Safemode. This will boot up windows without loading any drivers. Once you are in safemode then you can go to control panel and uninstall the last thing you installed. sometimes just booting into safe mode and then shutting down and rebooting normally will clear the error.

Having said that this can also be casued by a virus that has damaged windows files. You can repair your windows setup if you have the windows cd. If you have to use the system restore it may allow you to repair or attempt to but usally will try to wipe out everything and set it back to factory.

click start....run....msconfig.
in the system configuration window select the startup tab on top right.
click disable all...click apply and ok
restart the system. this should fix the issue

Go back into Safe Mode, and try to run a system restore to a date where this issue did not exist.

you need to enter setup by tapping one of the f keys or the delete key. i'm not sure which it is for this model. when you enter the bios setup change the boot order to boot to the dvd first. hit f10 and save the change then reboot with your install disk in the drive. it should start installing.

You need to cheat a little. First try to boot into safe mode by pressing the f8 key as soon as you hit the power (and keeping your fingers crossed on the other hand that it notices your doing this). Before you get too depressed just try booting into safe mode and then reboot normally. That may be all it take to fix it. Try this a few times before getting into the more serious fixes.

If you can get into safe mode you can simply copy your files off to a usb data drive. Those will still work. You may be able to use the wired network card if you select safe mode with network access. But don't count on that. The cd/dvd will not work so you can't burn it to disk. A flash drive will work on the usb while a external hard drive that connect via usb usually won't as it needs drivers.

The other way is to boot using a bootable cd. If you can get a vista install cd you can install over the top of your existing windows and retain your settings. If you don't know where everything is then you need to be a bit creative and use something like the demo Ubuntu cd that boots into a windows like operating system that will allow you to copy stuff over the network to the usb drive or the network.

If you have a friend with the right laptop or desktop you can take the drive out and set it up as a second drive. When they boot normally they then can see your drive and just copy burn or move your stuff. This is what I do in the shop when the existing system is too messed up to work with. There may be the odd thing you won't get access to but you should get most of it.

Sounds like your graphics adapter isn't working correctly or there's a problem with something in Windows (I'm assuming you're running Windows XP). If so, restart your computer and hit F8 until you get a menu. Select Safe Mode and see if it boots up correctly. If it does, note any error messages you may receive and then shut it down. After shutting it down, let it start up on it's own and see if you get your picture back.

For the issue of BSOD of Unmountable Boot volume, the only solution so far is to reinstall the system. If you are unaware of how to do it, it would be easier to contact Dell technical support and allow them to guide you thru it. (if your warranty is active, it's free)