BleepingComputer.com: Dell Inspiron 1720 Black Screen Will Not Boot

My Dell 1720 Laptop (Vista) had the following error:
The file header checksum does not match the computer checksum

I tried to restore to factory settings F11 but the laptop wouldn't let me.

Tried to restore from Dells disk but the computer wouldn't load the restore disk.

Now the computer on startup has a black screen and will not boot up. None of the F keys will work. Keyboard was working fine until this error.

I decided to purchase a new hard drive. Installed the new drive and the computer is doing the same thing.

Any ideas?

1) What is new or different since the last time everything worked properly (ie, new hw, new sw, virus, error, etc)?

2) What do you mean the "laptop wouldn't let you" restore to factory settings?

3) What do you mean it "wouldn't load the restore disk"?

4) You replaced the drive and now have a blank hd in the system?

1) What is new or different since the last time everything worked properly (ie, new hw, new sw, virus, error, etc)?
I purchased the Dell 1720 in 2008. Never a problem until the error message "The file header checksum does not match the computer checksum" The only thing new is the hard drive that I installed yesterday
2) What do you mean the "laptop wouldn't let you" restore to factory settings?
Black screen will not boot
3) What do you mean it "wouldn't load the restore disk"?
Can't get the computer to boot. 4) You replaced the drive and now have a blank hd in the system?
Yes I have a blank hard drive installed yesterday thinking that this would work and I could get the computer to run the restore disk.

Thanks!

You need to change the bios so the cd drive is the first device in the bios boot order. However, that checksum error may indicate a hardware problem somewhere.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/itprovistasetup/thread/aeebb9c0-c1c6-4d04-b1d1-4bc9e4d0d31d

Louis

Thank you for the information. Hamluis the link that you sent had very good information. It's really tough to do anything with the screen black. I plugged in my other computer screen and it wouldn't work either. Don't know what happen but I believe that this Dell 1720 will be going to a repair center.