Hi exsls,

Start the system into safe mode and check if there is a yellow bang mark or exclamation mark in the device manager. Follow the steps below to go to device manager.

Start > in search box type in device manager > check if there is a bang mark.

In addition try running the hardware diagnostics by tapping the F12 key a few times during startup until you see the ‘One Time Boot Menu’ appear.

At the one time boot menu, press the down arrow key to highlight ‘Diagnostic’, and then press Enter to begin the hardware diagnostics.

If the test fails, please make a note of any error codes listed. You can also refer to the link below.

http://dell.to/OUGnqT

Let us know about the progress.

Also under Safe Mode the computer will not read what's in the CD drive

There is no yellow mark or exclamation mark in device manager, when I  run diagnostics  it gives me the following message: No Diagnostic Utility Partition found. To run Diagnostics insert your Dell Drivers and Utilities CD which I don't have, the only CD I have is the drivers, but even when I insert the Cd Drivers and I boot from the CD Drive it won't read the CD, I tried to re-install Win but it won't read the CD; under Device  Manager all the hardware (CD drive, modem, etc) shows good.

Hi exsls,

Please start the system in safe mode uninstall the video driver from device manager and restart the computer, follow the steps below.

Start > settings >click on control panel> double-click the Systems icon> System Properties window click the Hardware tab> click on device manager > under the video driver select the video driver > right click on it > click on uninstall > a popup window will appear check the box> click on ok.

Since the CD’s are not reading in the system, the optical drive may be faulty.

Let us know about the progress.

Hi:

I am going to try the steps you have indicated; I connected an external optical drive but did not worked.

Thanks,

Jose E. Saenz

Hi exsls,

Thanks for the information, please try above steps which I have provided in my previous post and let us know about the progress.

I am sorry, that did not work.

It seem to me that the mobo is at fault.

Hi exsls,

Please run the Dell PC diagnostics to check if there are any hardware issues. Use the link below.

http://dell.to/We70YO

Select ‘Full’ and click on run diagnostics.

Let us know about the progress.

I replaced the motherboard, I turned the laptop on not before crossing my fingers and I am still getting the blue screen!! I can't run diagnostics, is not in the hard drive any longer; if the memory cards go bad could that be a reason for the blue screen or if one of the fans is not working?  The laptop starts normally, then a few seconds later the blue screen comes on; still under safe mode will not even read the optical drive, under device manager everything looks ok.

Could I run the Dell Pc diagnostics you suggest under safe mode? Thank you