Nothing but a black screen

OK here is the problem. I was working on an old HP PII and I shut down some services that i didn't need on the system. I don't know if I shut down one that I thought was something else or what, but it ran great untill I rebooted it. Then it goes through the initial memory test where if you press F1 you can get into the setup. Then just a black screen. I can't get into safe mode or anything. I've tried shutting the system off and restarting it. I've tried a boot disk, I've even tried to insert the windows disk and reboot to reinstall windows.

Nothing. The only area I can get into is the setup area.
Help before my girlfriend kills me. Its her computer.

Thanks

 

ducksoup

I can not be of much help in restoring things but I believe you have joined me in learning a very valuable lesson.

DO NOT

#1--Start messing with things until you make sure that you have a System Restore point.

#2--shut anything down that you do not 100% know for sure what it is.

I have not done it with XP but I did with 98SE which was a bit easier to restore.

AH !! How about using a Restore Point ?

BillyBob

 

If you go into the BIOS, you should find options for boot order and if you set CD to be the top option, the system should boot from the XP CD.

If not, you can get a set of 6 floppys designed to do an install of XP and use them to get to the option to do a repair install.

 

OH MY !! I believe I goofed. Did not think. Or what ever. Your choice.

That does not make sense does it ? In order to use it I believe Windows has to be running.

Unless there is a way to use RP from DOS.

BillyBob

 

I swear I tried this and it didn't work but I thought hay what the hell I'll try it again and sure enough it worked. Now I'll just reinstall

Thanks

 

Though this problem was solved, I would have cleared CMOS before I reinstalled.

Johanna

 

I did but thanks for the thought. Great minds think alike.