Won't start windows. Keeps recycling

Compaq laptop w/ windows XP pro froze. I pushed the button to reboot and now it goes through a screen that says:
Sorry for the inconvenience...
It gives several choices such as Start Normally (which it tries every 30 seconds) and Safe Mode and Last Good Configuration but none of them work.

I made a recovery cd but when I start with the cd in the drive I just get a blank screen and nothing happens.

I've tried safe mode but it won't start.

Help!!

 

Hope this is the info you need

OK First, thanks for replying! Hope your expertise will help us outta the jam.

We were running a process and the computer froze for some reason. When we pushed the restart button we got this foolowing screen and every time subsequent that we've turned it on.

"We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this.

If your computer stopped responding, restarted unexpectedly , made coffee or was automatically shut down to protect your files ad folders, choose Last Known Good Configuration to revert to te most recent setings that worked.

If a previous startup attempt was interrupted due to a power failure or because the Power or Reset button was pressed, or if you aren't ure what caused the problem, choose Windows Start Normally.

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)

Start Windows Normally

Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice "
When in this screen, if I allow the timer to run out, I get a Windows XP splash scree, a BSOD with a lot of text that I can't read as it only lasts a second or so and it cycles back to the above screen again, restarts the timer and..... this will continue as long as I let it.

We've tried using the Last Known Good option and get nothing at all...

As to the boot order, it looks like Notebook Multibay (I assume that's the CD/DVD ROM) is first and Hard Drive is second.

A GENERIC XP-Pro-SP2 Recovery disk was made from Microsoft's site as shown by Noahdfear in THIS post. We haven't followed out the instructions fully as yet since the question there wasn't quite the same as this one.

Any other tips or questions before we put this puppy in and try to ruin everything totally?

 

Oh, Woe

Nothing at all. We get a "black screen" (it's "lit ", but nothing on it at all) after waiting five minutes. The CD did read into the box (we heard the CD drive operating) but after that, zilch.

If nothing else, at least that message didn't come up again. Small comfort, that, eigh?

Standing by for the next idea.

 

Hi Fauxqui

I first feel the need to ask what your intentions are with a Recovery Console cd so that I know what page you're on.

Next, did you test the cd on the computer you created it on? Please do so. If it boots the computer to the Recovery Console then we know there may be a problem with the cd drive in the laptop. Let me know.

Now, when you start the laptop you should also have another choice ...... Disable Automatic Restart
If you don't see that option, power the laptop down. Now start it and begin tapping the F8 key. This should give you an Advanced Start Menu, very similar to the one you see now. The Disable Automatic Restart option should be listed and I want you to select it. Let me know if it still isn't there. Selecting that option should cause the computer to halt on a blue screen with an error message instead of doing a restart loop. Write down all of the information on that blue screen and post it here.

 

Hi, Noahdfear!

Pippopottomus here... I work for Fauxqui... he's just gone out of the office for the nite and I'll get him to try this when he gets home. Possibility that he won;t get message and we'll do this tomorrow AM.

As you can see from previous post, we've got either (no CD inserted) the page of instructions, (none of which work...can't boot to anything right now) or (CD inserted) just a black screen. I can hear the CD run on power-up but we get nothing onscreen at all.

We were hoping to get the laptop booting into normal Windows with the RecCD.

Fauxqui (I'm pretty sure) did NOT test the CD in the computer he used to make it and I'll have him do that in the morning sure, unless he makes another tonite and tries it in his home computer.

So far (without the F8 trick) we're getting the Compaq screen and a note ( "F-10 enter ROM start ", or such like) which I did use to check the boot sequence (set to "Multibay" as first and harddrive as second choices) but I forgot about the "F8" option.

We'll get the information you requested and put it up here for you and Pete to look over either late tonite or tomorrow AM at office.

Thanks to both you and Pete for being here.

 

Fauxqui here with blue screen

Thanks guys, I hope we're onto something. I Pippo is right I didn't test the disk but I followed your instructions and got to the blue screen which says:

A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

If this is the first time you've seen this stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps:

Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed. If this is a new installation, ask your hardware or software manufacturer for any windows updates you may need.

If problems continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or software. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. If you need to use safe mode to remove or disable components, restart your computer, press F8 to select advanced startup options, and then select safe mode.

Technical information:

*** STOP: OxOOOOOOED (Ox82F8E900,)xCOOOOO9c,OxOOOOOOOO,OxOOOOOOOO)


Now, I have tried to start in safe mode before but unsucessfully. I started, got the screen that said Compaq and F10-ROM based setup and a black screen. When I press F8 rerpeatedly I just get "beeps" after a bit.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Heya pip!

That Recovery Console disc, if burned successfully, should start the Recovery Console on any XP machine. The version (SP1, SP2) of the file used might have an effect on the functionality of some of the available commands, but boot to the cd it should do. You can also check the cd by inserting it into a working machine and browsing the cd via Windows Explorer (or My Computer>cd drive). The directory structure for the cd is as follows.

Code:

 Volume in drive * is VRMPFPP_EN
 Volume Serial Number is D7FD-CA59

 Directory of *:\

01/15/2008  09:16 PM    <DIR>          I386
01/15/2008  09:16 PM                10 WIN51
01/15/2008  09:16 PM                10 WIN51IP
01/15/2008  09:16 PM                 2 WIN51IP.SP2
               3 File(s)             22 bytes

 Directory of *:\I386

01/15/2008  09:16 PM    <DIR>          .
01/15/2008  09:16 PM    <DIR>          ..
08/03/2004  10:10 PM            29,992 1394BUS.SY_
08/17/2001  01:06 PM             6,259 1394VDBG.SY_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM            13,699 ABP480N5.SY_
08/03/2004  10:07 PM            91,947 ACPI.SY_
08/17/2001  12:57 PM             6,449 ACPIEC.SY_
08/17/2001  01:07 PM            50,331 ADPU160M.SY_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM             8,038 AHA154X.SY_
08/17/2001  01:07 PM            29,912 AIC78U2.SY_
08/17/2001  01:07 PM            30,488 AIC78XX.SY_
08/17/2001  12:51 PM             2,839 ALIIDE.SY_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM             7,277 AMSINT.SY_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM            15,258 ASC.SY_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM            13,211 ASC3350P.SY_
08/17/2001  12:51 PM             8,936 ASC3550.SY_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM            49,558 ATAPI.SY_
08/03/2004  09:05 PM            48,044 BIOSINFO.INF
08/17/2001  12:49 PM             6,232 BOOTVID.DL_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM             7,630 CBIDF2K.SY_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM             3,975 CD20XRNT.SY_
08/03/2004  10:14 PM            33,703 CDFS.SY_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM            24,812 CDROM.SY_
08/03/2004  10:14 PM            27,951 CLASSPNP.SY_
08/17/2001  12:51 PM             3,671 CMDIDE.SY_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM             8,537 CPQARRAY.SY_
07/21/2001  01:20 PM             1,479 C_1252.NL_
07/21/2001  01:20 PM             1,642 C_437.NL_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM            29,302 DAC2W2K.SY_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM             8,001 DAC960NT.SY_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM            19,989 DISK.SY_
08/03/2004  10:07 PM           125,135 DMBOOT.SY_
08/03/2004  10:07 PM            70,281 DMIO.SY_
08/17/2001  12:58 PM             2,859 DMLOAD.SY_
08/17/2001  01:07 PM            10,997 DPTI2O.SY_
08/04/2004  12:02 AM             9,424 DRVMAIN.SDB
08/03/2004  10:14 PM            72,696 FASTFAT.SY_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM            15,204 FDC.SY_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM            11,325 FLPYDISK.SY_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM            60,791 FTDISK.SY_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM            53,234 HAL.DL_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM            47,111 HALAACPI.DL_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM            40,176 HALACPI.DL_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM            51,352 HALAPIC.DL_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM            48,507 HALMACPI.DL_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM            52,583 HALMPS.DL_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM            37,788 HALSP.DL_
08/03/2004  10:08 PM            20,061 HIDCLASS.SY_
08/03/2004  10:08 PM            12,727 HIDPARSE.SY_
08/17/2001  01:02 PM             5,265 HIDUSB.SY_
08/17/2001  01:07 PM            15,648 HPN.SY_
08/03/2004  10:00 PM             4,064 I2OMGMT.SY_
08/03/2004  10:00 PM            10,324 I2OMP.SY_
08/03/2004  10:14 PM            26,025 I8042PRT.SY_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM             8,560 INI910U.SY_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM             2,897 INTELIDE.SY_
08/17/2001  12:58 PM            20,351 ISAPNP.SY_
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDA1.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDA2.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDA3.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,656 KBDAL.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,120 KBDARME.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,120 KBDARMW.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDAZE.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDAZEL.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDBE.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDBLR.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDBR.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDBU.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDCA.DLL
08/03/2004  09:58 PM            12,223 KBDCLASS.SY_
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,656 KBDCR.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             7,168 KBDCZ.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,656 KBDCZ1.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,656 KBDCZ2.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDDA.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDDIV1.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDDIV2.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,120 KBDDV.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDES.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDEST.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDFA.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDFC.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDFI.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDFR.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDGAE.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,120 KBDGEO.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDGKL.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDGR.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDGR1.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDHE.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDHE220.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDHE319.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDHEB.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDHELA2.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,656 KBDHELA3.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             8,192 KBDHEPT.DLL
08/03/2004  09:58 PM             7,921 KBDHID.SY_
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,656 KBDHU.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDHU1.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDIC.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDINDEV.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDINGUJ.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDINHIN.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDINKAN.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDINMAR.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             6,144 KBDINPUN.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDINTAM.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDINTEL.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDIR.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDIT.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDIT142.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDKAZ.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDKYR.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,656 KBDLA.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDLT.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDLT1.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDLV.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDLV1.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDMON.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDNE.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             7,168 KBDNEC.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDNO.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,656 KBDPL.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDPL1.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDPO.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDRO.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDRU.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDRU1.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDSF.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,656 KBDSG.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,656 KBDSL.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,656 KBDSL1.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDSP.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDSW.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDSYR1.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDSYR2.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDTAT.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDTH0.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDTH1.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             6,144 KBDTH2.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             6,144 KBDTH3.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDTUF.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDTUQ.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDUK.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDUR.DLL
08/17/2001  09:34 PM             5,632 KBDURDU.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDUS.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDUSL.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDUSR.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,144 KBDUSX.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDUZB.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDVNTC.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             5,632 KBDYCC.DLL
08/17/2001  01:55 PM             6,656 KBDYCL.DLL
08/03/2004  09:59 PM             3,985 KD1394.DL_
08/17/2001  12:49 PM             4,184 KDCOM.DL_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM            92,032 KSECDD.SYS
08/03/2004  09:59 PM            14,614 LBRTFDC.SY_
07/21/2001  01:20 PM               847 L_INTL.NL_
08/03/2004  09:58 PM            20,981 MOUNTMGR.SY_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM             9,785 MRAID35X.SY_
08/03/2004  09:38 PM            47,564 NTDETECT.COM
08/03/2004  10:15 PM           574,592 NTFS.SYS
08/03/2004  10:18 PM         1,038,205 NTKRNLMP.EX_
08/03/2004  10:10 PM            38,047 OHCI1394.SY_
08/17/2001  12:57 PM             1,629 OPRGHDLR.SY_
08/17/2001  09:24 PM            10,256 PARTMGR.SY_
08/03/2004  10:07 PM            37,184 PCI.SY_
08/17/2001  12:51 PM             1,695 PCIIDE.SY_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM            13,610 PCIIDEX.SY_
08/03/2004  10:07 PM            54,681 PCMCIA.SY_
08/17/2001  01:07 PM            16,328 PERC2.SY_
08/17/2001  01:07 PM             3,363 PERC2HIB.SY_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM            22,761 QL1080.SY_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM            18,888 QL10WNT.SY_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM            25,938 QL12160.SY_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM            22,855 QL1240.SY_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM            27,359 QL1280.SY_
08/03/2004  10:00 PM            12,010 RAMDISK.SY_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM            23,453 SBP2PORT.SY_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM            52,069 SCSIPORT.SY_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM             8,420 SERENUM.SY_
08/03/2004  10:15 PM            30,067 SERIAL.SY_
08/03/2004  10:05 PM           205,502 SETUPDD.SY_
08/03/2004  10:00 PM           260,272 SETUPLDR.BIN
08/03/2004  09:01 PM           262,144 SETUPREG.HIV
08/03/2004  09:59 PM             6,310 SFLOPPY.SY_
08/03/2004  10:10 PM             5,597 SLIP.SY_
08/17/2001  01:07 PM            11,098 SPARROW.SY_
08/03/2004  10:05 PM           232,832 SPCMDCON.SYS
08/17/2001  12:56 PM             1,599 SPDDLANG.SY_
08/03/2004  10:10 PM             6,863 STREAMIP.SY_
08/17/2001  01:07 PM             8,352 SYMC810.SY_
08/17/2001  01:07 PM            18,304 SYMC8XX.SY_
08/17/2001  01:07 PM            16,761 SYM_HI.SY_
08/17/2001  01:07 PM            17,923 SYM_U3.SY_
01/15/2008  09:16 PM    <DIR>          SYSTEM32
08/03/2004  10:00 PM            68,787 TFFSPORT.SY_
08/17/2001  12:51 PM             2,629 TOSIDE.SY_
08/04/2004  12:44 AM            74,899 TXTSETUP.SI_
08/17/2001  12:52 PM            15,864 ULTRA.SY_
08/03/2004  10:08 PM            14,592 USBCCGP.SY_
08/17/2001  01:03 PM             2,495 USBD.SY_
08/03/2004  10:08 PM            15,034 USBEHCI.SY_
08/03/2004  10:08 PM            30,383 USBHUB.SY_
08/03/2004  10:08 PM             9,350 USBOHCI.SY_
08/03/2004  10:08 PM            61,918 USBPORT.SY_
08/03/2004  10:08 PM            14,618 USBSTOR.SY_
08/03/2004  10:08 PM            11,188 USBUHCI.SY_
08/03/2004  10:07 PM            10,544 VGA.SY_
07/21/2001  01:40 PM             2,437 VGAOEM.FO_
08/03/2004  09:59 PM             2,943 VIAIDE.SY_
08/03/2004  10:07 PM            38,449 VIDEOPRT.SY_
08/17/2001  01:07 PM             2,509 WMILIB.SY_
             212 File(s)      5,676,193 bytes

 Directory of *:\I386\SYSTEM32

01/15/2008  09:16 PM    <DIR>          .
01/15/2008  09:16 PM    <DIR>          ..
08/03/2004  11:56 PM           708,096 NTDLL.DLL
08/03/2004  11:56 PM           152,576 SMSS.EXE
               2 File(s)        860,672 bytes

     Total Files Listed:
             217 File(s)      6,536,887 bytes
               6 Dir(s)               0 bytes free

Now, the Recovery Console is great for a limited number of tasks. Using it as a boot cd is not one of those. There are boot cd images available that will bypass the boot sector in the event it gets corrupted, and that might be useful here. You can obtain an image from here and burn a disc if you'd like to try that as well. Scroll down to and select Boot CD "“ Windows XP Emergency Boot CD (XP SP2 Pro & XP SP2 Home)

You can use the burncdcc.exe file (located in the Recovery Console disc creation package) to burn the iso included in that boot cd zip. Just double click burncdcc.exe then browse to and select the ATW_Windows_XP_SP2_Boot_CD.ISO file extracted from the zip, insert a blank cd, then click Start.


Again, check the RC disc first. If it works, that's a good indication the laptop's cd drive has a problem too, in which case a boot cd won't help either. Did you ever try selecting Safe Mode?

 

Hi Fauxqui,

You posted whilst I was busy typing

If you manage to get to the Recovery Console, at the C:\Windows> prompt, type the following command and press Enter.

chkdsk /r

When it returns to the command prompt, type exit and hit enter. Remove the cd upon restart and see if the laptop boots normally.

Or, if you get it to startup normally with a boot cd, open a command window and type the same command. You will be prompted to run the checkdisk utility upon restart. Select yes, remove the cd and reboot.

Before you go off doing a fixboot command in the Recovery Console (which might work as well) let me do some investigating. Some OEM installations have proprietary code in the MBR and a fixboot command will result in the built-in restoration partition becoming inaccessible.

 

Hi guys

I did try to start in safe mode but was unable to.

I'll get on with your suggestions tomorrow with Pip's guidance.

Thanks much, I really appreciate the help!

 

Woe, woe, naught but woe...

"For yea, verily, I say unto thee: Thou shalt cast thy bread upon the waters; and it will become soggy and sink. "

Well, nothing works.

We took all CD's out, restarted and used F8, which brought up the Windows Advanced Options Menu page. Selected "disable automatic restart on system failure" and that brought up the "which OS to start" page with the "disable" option in blue at the bottom... since there's only one OS... enter brought up the Windows Start splash screen with three blue dots chasing themselves and then we went to the BSOD message shown in Fauxqui's msg of 22:02

We did not restart another XP box successfully with the RC disc, so on the possibility the RC burn may have been bad, we did another - with the same results. Both Fauxqui and I made separate ones but they will neither start the laptop nor any other XP box in the place.

We d/l and burned the boot disk and and that DOES start any XP box we have (except the laptop. of course)(you expected maybe something different?). On the laptop, the Boot CD produces a flashing underscore cursor in top left of screen for five seconds, goes to blank screen, then back to the screen shown in message three.

Just for grins, I went into the setups on the laptop and ran a HDD self-test.... which failed about a minute into the first (quick) test with a "Read Failure" error.

I begin to think that the laptop's HD is toast.

Can't get anywhere near the C:\Windows> prompt to run chkdsk and I'm really at a loss as to what to try next.

So, with all that in mind, do we have a doorstop?

Thanks

 

I'm leaning towards the same. Remove the hard drive and reseat it. Remove the battery and use the AC power cord only. Same results?

I'm at a loss as to why the RC disc has failed to work for you. Did you check any of them via windows explorer to see if all of the files were put on the cd? The burncdcc program has an option to Read Verify, which might indicate if there was a problem with the burn. Just to make sure, did you view the Readme.htm file to make certain the proper procedure was followed?

 

Spot checks

I did spot checks to compare files and found all I checked in the list and the RC disc... tomorrow I'll do a comprehensive check for each file but I'm pretty sure all were present.

We used the instructions from the site and did check with the Readme files ([FONT= "Arial Narrow"]I ALWAYS read the "readme ".... there IS a reason, after all, why they were made and I've never understood why some people seem to think them an imposition on their time... personal peeve point[/FONT].) and followed them religiously.

"Verify" was checked in burncdcc as was "finalize disc ", but no help. We tried the RC disk in two other XPPro SP2 boxes with the same result... I don't just remember what came onscreen right now, but the upshot was a flashing underscore cursor that would admit of no further entries and which simply stayed onscreen until I removed the RC disk and rebooted the machine.

What's truly fascinating here is the example it gives of how easy it is to suddenly lose a major component of the unit, AKA, "Why You Should Always Backup Your Data And Files ". Computer wasn't doing anything weird(er than normal) or misbehaving at all until it got hung up on a program. Fauxqui cut the power to get out as nothing else would work. Either the HDD had already gone away or the power drop and surge at restart sealed it's fate... I guess we'll never know.

Tomorrow we'll open up the laptop's case, remove and reseat the HDD (anything I should watch out for, besides "everything "?), remove the battery and use AC only and see if anything works. (1) My hopes are not high at the moment.

Like you, I'm still confused about the RD Disc. That SHOULD have worked, unless I'm missing an obvious step (like maybe I shouldn't come within seven feet of anything involving moving parts...) in the process, but I think we did everything "by the book ". Tomorrow we'll burn up another RC disk using a different box/processor and see if that works. (see (1) above.)

Until tomorrow, then. I'll try to find a Virgin (in Philadelphia, that's not too easy) to sacrifice to the Confuzer Gods, but if worst comes to worst, we're only a mile from the river.

Thanks again for the suggestions and help on this and on all my problems.

 

RE: RC disc. You might consider grabbing a fresh download of the setup floppy disc package from MS first. Delete the current package and the ISO file.

When you run the RecoveryConsole.bat and it asks if you want to burn the cd, answer yes. When the burn program opens, just close it. There will be an iso file created in the same folder again. Download and install the ISO Recorder version for your operating system (the system you're making the disc on). There is no Program group for it on the Start Menu, nor any shortcuts. It's a shell extension, which means it just adds a right click option. Right click the iso and select Copy Image to CD. Click Next after you've inserted a blank cd and it's recognized, then finish when the burn is done. You're ready to try the new RC disc.

 

More info!

Pippopottomus speaking again (Vince)
......

We'll give that one a shot immediately if not sooner!
......

We gave it a shot.

It shot back.

Got the program and saved it as instructed to the folder where (all re-downloaded as suggested) everything ese is, created bootdisk.exe and ran the BAT file, told BURNCD "no" and sure enough, there was XPRC.iso (and XPBOOT.ima).

Right-clicked on the ISO file and did NOT get the "copy to CD" istruction.... just the standard file options: Open, CA Antivirus(check), create PDF, send to (sub-options: Bluetooth, Compressed folder, Desktop, Mail Recipient, My Documents and Floppy "A ".) , cut, copy, create shortcut, delete, rename and properties.

Never a "Create CD" in the bunch ".


So I figger I'm doing something wrong here.

????

 

You did do this step?

 

I'm embarassed

This machine doesn't have a CD burner, which is probably whuffo it can't find a CD burner to burn to.

Doh.

Somedays I absolutely amaze myself by my stupidity.

 

Final answer? It's a brick.

Did get the RC Disc burnt per instructions and tried starting with it but no luck. Not a problem as we replaced it with a new computer and Fauxqui needed a door-stop anyway.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions!

Vince