Dell laptop black screen flashing cursorSolved/Closed

Question

Hello, Was watching movies on my laptop and fell asleep. Woke up with funny beeps coming from the laptop and my cat sitting on the keyboard!! Just switched it off. 
Next day when switching it on I get the black screen with cursor flashing in top left corner. 
It starts by saying DELL and in the top rigt corner tells me to F2 or F12, but straight after that goes to the black screen. Never to the windows screen. 

I just CANNOT lose the data on my hard drive. 

Is there anything I can do to fix this without losing my info? 

Do you think the combination of buttons pressed by my cat sitting on it could really have BROKEN my laptop???? 

Surely not? 

PLEASE HELP! 
A.Configuration: Windows XP Internet Explorer 7.0

Ac3 · Accepted Answer

I had the exact same problem and these are the steps I used to solve the problem.

FIRST:
When your computer is booting up you have the option to press F2 or F12.
PRESS F2 -Set Up
When your in the Set Up go down to Boot Device Configuration(BDC)
Now under Hard Disk Boot Priority
You Will see first boot device
second
third
and boot other device
FOR THE FIRST BOOT DEVICE SELECT "HARD DISK"
After you have made the first boot device hard disk press F10 TO SAVE and RESTART

These are the steps to follow if you have Windows Vista and are dealing with a Black Screen with Blinking underscore. :)

Ashley · Answer

Did you get it fixed? We are having the same problem.

rogerruffner.com · Answer

May be a low-end "fix".  Had this prob with client PC at work.  Could not figure it out so was changing out to another exact same make/model (Dell Opti 745).  New machine booted fine and everything, but AFTER ADDING ON ALL THE USB STUFF the user had plugged in, THE NEW PC DID EXACTLY THE SAME THING. 

So, I only left the keyboard, mouse, and all-in-one ptr/fax/scn plugged in, and all was good. 

I think it may be an underpowered supply. 

Good luck!

thugs · Answer

FOR ANY DESKTOP USER THEY CAN TRY REMOVING THE RAM,,CLEANING THE RAM AND THEN RESEATING IT...IT WORKED IN MY SYSTEM>>PPL CAN TRY

mel58109 · Answer

I had the same problem. I think that it was because I had my IPod plugged in to the USB when I rebooted. I had to (actually it was F12 not F8) and re-click HD as the boot device and everything was peachy after that.

pencraft · Answer

I had a high capacity flash drive plugged in for the first time. I removed it and was able to restart with no issue.

ricklad · Answer

i have a dell vostro 1500 but I cant see to shift the cursor. I have hit both f2 and f12 and I cant find any safe modes or bdc's or anything. please help. urgent

Dell laptop black screen flashing cursor

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