Cannot get my comp to boot

This morning, my comp froze up. It was weird. I could do stuff in open windows (e.g., an open MSN Messenger window allowed me to chat), but I could not do anything outside of that window. I pressed control alt delete and stop the explorer.exe process. My comp when blank and then Ijust decided to hold the power button and restart it. On restart, I get a screen that basically says Windows did not start successfully, possibly due to a hardware or software change. It gives me options to start the comp in Safe Mode, Last Known Configuration or Normal start-up. When I select either of the options, it goes the the Windows start-up screen then quickly flashes a blue error screen (which I cannot read) and then back to where I started. Does anyone know a way that I can get into Windows. I really feel that if I can just get Windows started, I'd be able to shut it down successfully, then things would be ok. Any suggestions????

 

How to do a repair install

If you can boot to safemode, and login with username Administrator (leave password empty if you did not set one up for this special account) then try creating a new user accound with full admin privileges control panel /users / create new account

Basically, when windows shuts down it saves the registry to files called hives. When you did this "improper shutdown" you did not save your registry to hives so there is nothing to load.
If you can boot to the secret safe mode administrator account and create a new profile you can copy it to the other one to replace the missing hive files. If not, you have to do a repair install on windows to create new ones.

 

Hello Micro

For the following suggestions you need a XP cd and the BIOS set to the cd drive as the primary boot device.

Once you boot the cd:

Bring up the Recovery Console. Run Chkdsk:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/chkdsk.mspx

If no disk problems - try a system restore from a command prompt prior to this problem.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304449&sd=tech

Regards - Charles

Edit: Sorry oshwyn - composing while you were posting.

 

I have the CD, but what is the BIOS stuff about...and how do you get to the recovery console? I tried a repair install, but to no avail.

 

but what is the BIOS stuff about
One of the BIOS options determines what devices the system tries to boot from first. Since you already tried a repair install, the system had to have booted from the cd first, so that's moot.

Boot from the cd and take the middle option: "To repair windows using the Recovery Console" and enter the installation # - 1, then enter chkdsk /f

/f : Fixes errors on the disk.

Regards - Charles

 

When I boot from the CD, I get the following options:

"To continue the current update, press ENTER "

"To Cancel the current upgrade and install a new version of Microsoft Windows, press F10 "

"To exit Setup without installing Microsoft Windows, press ESC"

I don't seem to have the recovery console option. Is there anyway I can stillget to it it with the options I've listed? Thanks for the help.

 

Hi Micro,

Sounds like you're past the first screen.

Do you have the cd in the ROM drive from a cold start? It does seem that the HD is being booted first and then the cd is being read after that.

If the cd is not being booted from at a cold start (meaning shutdown and startup), you're going to have to go into the BIOS. In the meantime, find out what key gets you into the BIOS on a bootup - on mine, a Dell, its the delete key.

Once in the BIOS, you maneuver with the arrow and enter keys. You'll see boot options - make the boot order the ROM 1st, with HD 2nd. When you exit, make sure that you use the option to make the change permanent.

If you can't do this for whatever reason - the RC can be installed on the installation, but that has consequences of it's own, so try this first. And right now, you don't know what shape the HD is in.

Regards - Charles

 

I do have the CD in before I start. I get a Gateway screen and then a prompt to the effect of "Press any key to boot from CD." Then I jump to the screen that I previously mentioned. I'll search around to try to get into the BIOS to do your suggestion. I just wish I could easily get in the RC so I can run the checks. I feel like that might fix this problem.

 

I got into BIOS and made the said changes. It supposedly is booting from the CD-ROM drive. To be honest, nothing has changed from before. And actually, it was already set to boot from CD-ROM first. Any other hints on getting into the RC?

 

If I chose this option, " "To Cancel the current upgrade and install a new version of Microsoft Windows, press F10" would I be reinstalling Windows?

 

I have no idea why you're seeing that screen, unless this a Gateway "feature ".

I get a Gateway screen and then a prompt to the effect of "Press any key to boot from CD."

a Gateway screen is what you shouldn't be seeing - it sounds like a proprietary feature.

then a prompt to the effect of "Press any key to boot from CD." Right after that you should be seeing the options I mentioned.

The issue here is whether or not you can get to a command prompt to start chkdsk or anything else. Everything that you're telling me as far as I can tell precludes that.

Wait to see if anyone comes along with some more ideas.

Regards - Charles

 

Yeah...I just cannot get to the "To repair windows using the Recovery Console" option.

 

Forgot to answer your last question:

If I chose this option, " "To Cancel the current upgrade and install a new version of Microsoft Windows, press F10" would I be reinstalling Windows?
I would say yes - but now I'm wondering just what kind of cd this really is.

Regards - Charles

 

I have the "Operating System Windows XP-Home Edition" Version 1.0 that came with my desktop. Is this what you are using?

 

I just found info on the gateway site showing how to use this option to get to RC. I'm there and running chkdsk /r now. I hope this works!!!!

 

The cd that I used last night to go thru the motions in order to refresh my memory is XP Home upgrade supplied by Dell in Jan of 2002 after I got my system with WinME on it - I did a clean install with it. The version says 2002, and that's it.

The only restriction on this cd is that it could only be used on a Dell system, but other than that, it's no different from a store purchased version.

If you look at this thread http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=48110 where I gave the same advice about running chkdsk from the RC - it was taken for granted that the poster would be able to do so.

Maybe it would pay to send the poster a PM and see what you can find out.

Regards - Charles

 

thanks charles!!! I'll check that out and hopefully be able to make things work. I really appreciate all of your help thus far.

 

One more shot

If I chose this option, " "To Cancel the current upgrade and install a new version of Microsoft Windows, press F10" would I be reinstalling Windows?
Try the "press F10" and see what the next window is.

If it then wants to start installing - you should be able to bail out because it will ask where to install.

Regards - Charles

 

Yeah...that's what I did to get to the recovery console. I did that to get to the screen where I could select the recovery console. I posted this a few posts back...I'm running chkdsk /r currently. It's taking a while and I'm nervous as to what will come of it. I'll keep you posted when it finishes. And again... thanks for the help.

 

Hi Micro,

I posted this a few posts back...
Yeah I missed that one - figured there had to some way to get into the RC.

Regards - Charles