Question Dell Optiplex 3040 has finally conked out ?

[Ensign Scrulu]

Hi there.

My trusty (until I installed Windows 10 that is) Dell Optiplex 3040 has finally conked out and is at the moment just a pretty expensive paperweight. The trouble began with a massive virus infection (described in the thread 'VMware Tray Process won't go away' where user Colif was very helpful).

Now I can't even, as a last resort, reinstall Windows 10 from a DVD by powering off the hunk of junk, then booting in to setup and there choose 'Boot from CD/DVD'.

I get 'Invalid Boot Media press any key . . . ' but the PC doesn't have an Anykey! I see Caturl, NumLock . . . but seriously; I'm in deep sh...dog-doo here 'cause that was the very DVD and DVD/CD drive I installed Windows 10 from. Go figure.

Better yet, puhleeze help!

 

[Lafong]

What's the origin/pedigree of this DVD?

Where from, how made, etc.

I'd make a new installer via Microsoft's "Media Creation Tool" using my own USB flash drive of at least 8 GB capacity.

Disconnect all drives other than the one to receive Windows.

Boot from the installer, delete all existing partitions, and let Windows make all new partitions, following the prompts.

 

[Ensign Scrulu]

Sir, I'll have you know it is of the noblest pedigree! Dell Computers (it came with the PC). As to. how it was made etc I have no idea; I wasn't there.

You say: 'I'd make a new installer via Microsoft's "Media Creation Tool" using my own USB flash drive of at least 8 GB capacity.'

Well, I have just such a USB flash drive as you describe, but I get 'Invalid Boot Media press any key . . . ' with that too.

Or used to, because last time I tried, I couldn't even get into the boot menu although I tapped F12 repeatedly after the Dell logo appered which is the way to do it and which has always worked until just now.

'Tell you what Lafong, it is now 7:37 AM Sunday and I've been at it since about 7 PM the previous day and am cross-eyed for lack of sleep. So I'll just go beddie-bye for now and hope all will be well when I wake up. Thank you.

Seeyabye.

 

[ubuysa]

If the Windows system on the USB drive is current, (ie. you used the 22H2 media creation tool here) then try pressing F2 or Del on boot to enter the BIOS setup. Change the boot order in there to put the USB drive first.

If the Windows system on the USB drive is not current, then I advise using another PC/laptop to download the 22H2 version of the media creation tool and use that to create a new USB bootable stick.

 

[Ensign Scrulu]

Thank you ubuysa but the machine is up and running now. Like I said in partial reply to user Lafong up there:

'Tell you what Lafong, it is now 7:37 AM Sunday and I've been at it since about 7 PM the previous day and am cross-eyed for lack of sleep. So I'll just go beddie-bye for now and hope all will be well when I wake up. Thank you.'

And sleeping on the matter worked! There's obviously something to be said for benign neglect. But then, I'm none the wiser as to why the machine crashed in the first place.

Thanks for pitching in though!