Black Screen White Cursor on Startup

I´ve checked several posts on similar topics however none are quite on par with what I´ve got going on.

Was working on my laptop, Windows XP Pro installed, on AC power when the cord got pulled and the computer shut off. When I tried to restart I got a black screen with a white cursor.

I can boot off my XP Install CD and have tried:
1. Windows Repair (no help)
2. Chkdsk R (runs to the end, no help)
3. Fixboot
4. Fixmbr

I´ve also removed the CMOS battery (to reset the bios), tried it with the battery plugged instead of the AC adaptor, nothing.

I´ve also tried taking the RAM out and putting it in the different slots, no luck.

I have another HD (which I replaced with the one I´m currently using a few months ago) and popped that one in and it started up fine.

I don´t think it´s a HD issue as I can scan and check it when I run the XP install disk...looking for any insight!

Thanks in advance...

 

Try booting with a Quick Boot floppy or CD to determine if your problem is a boot loader issue.

Quick Boot Media Creators

 

Thanks for the suggestion.

I´ve run the boot cd I made and get to a screen that gives me the following options:

1. Physical Disk 1 (rdisk0) Boot Partition 1
2. 1 " " 2
3. 2 (rdisk1) 1
4. 2 " " 2
5. 3 (rdisk2) 1
6. 3 " " 2

I can also select F8 for advanced option from here (such as Safe Mode etc) but then it returns me to the boot loader to choose a boot partion to load.

The first choice gives the following message:

<Windows root> \system\hal.dll

It says the file is missing or corrupt, please re-install a copy of the above...I don´t have any options after that, just to start over again.

The other options lead to the following message:
Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem. Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware.

Then continues with reading manuals and reference information, etc.

Next steps? Or suggestions to reinstall this file?

 

That means your troubles are more serious than the boot assist files. If you have valuable data that you would like to attempt to recover from that drive, you should make a BartPE boot CD and use it to boot and see if it is able to read the drive data and allow copying it to other media.

Then you can try a Repair Install. That will replace any corrupt or missing Windows system files but leave your personal files intact.

To perform a Repair Install:

Configure your computer to start from the CD-ROM drive. For more information about how to do this, refer to your computer's documentation or contact your computer manufacturer. Then insert your Windows XP Setup CD, and restart your computer.

1.
When the Press any key to boot from CD message is displayed on your screen, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD.

2.
Press ENTER when you see the message To setup Windows XP now, and then press ENTER displayed on the Welcome to Setup screen.

3.
Do not choose the option to press R to use the Recovery Console.

4.
In the Windows XP Licensing Agreement, press F8 to agree to the license agreement.

5.
Make sure that your current installation of Windows XP is selected in the box, and then press R to repair Windows XP.

6.
Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Setup.

If that fails, you will need to do a clean install by deleting all partitions and installing a complete new Windows system. You will lose all personal data of course. If somewhere along the way Windows setup fails, then you probably have a defective hard drive.

You can test the hard drive by running the manufacturers diagnostic software. Diagnostic Sources

 

Great, I´m going to try BartPE, see if I can save the data I have on there. I´ve run the repair function a few times already in the last couple of days in attempts to recover the HD. Was just hoping to avoid a full re-formatting.

Just out of curiosity...have you heard of a sudden power cut causing an issue like this? I´ve had the power cut on me before and the computer starts back up easy goes.

Will be back to update. Thanks again.

 

Power failure can cause hard drive media surface damage or head damage under certain conditions. It seems to be a matter of luck since I've never had it to happen even though I have had several power outages while operating. Just luck of the draw.

Good luck with the recovery.

 

Hey surferdude...I´m having issues creating my own BartPE...I´ve researched some of the errors I´m getting, and it seems in part because I have a Dell, creating one of these is more difficult.

I guess my question is are there any prepacked .iso´s that I could download and use rather than making my own?

Any suggestions would be great!

Thanks

 

There is a plug-in included with the BartPE that is named fixDell. Select it before doing the burn and it usually takes care of that issue. It also works when using an OEM CD of other makers.

 

If it didn't come with your version, you can get it Here. Download that cab file. EDITED FOR CORRECTION (That file isn't included with the original download)

After downloading that cab file, run the PE installer and click the plug-in button during the process. Click the ADD button and browse to the cab file download. Select it and click OPEN then OK. It will automatically include that plug-in in the creation.

No direct links exist for a pre-made iso file of a BartPE since it would be a copyright violation. You are required to build your own using your MS setup CD. Yes, I think that stinks too.

 

Surferdude -

I created an .iso with BartPE however it only came out at 56k which seemed way to small compared to the size of the i386 folder it is built from.

I think I´m on my last straw before I give in and reformate, but just thought I'd throw out that last question...

By the way, I did try to boot it off the cd I made with that iso file, no luck.

Thanks

 

Evidently there are different Dell setup CD's since I use one for making BartPe CD's all the time.

I hate to see you give up but it's your choice. Consider borrowing a full retail XP setup CD from someone or have someone make a BartPE for you with their setup CD.

Another option to consider, at the top of the XP main forum page you'll see a sticky thread titled "System Restore Not Working Use Safe Mode" Read that thread and especially post #5 to see if you think it may be something you could use.

 

Sounds like it's worth a shot! I'll give that a go tonight...see if I have any restore points that work!

Thanks for not giving up yet.

 

I have been watching on and off.

I suggest running the hard disk drive manufacturer's testing utililities. It might tell you about something that is wrong in the boot sector.

I don't mind a reformat, it clears out the cobwebs. Do you have the data backed up?

Making up a BartPE disk can be a little tricky. If you can, try it on a friend's computer using their (MS) Windows disk. It could work on your PC.

No disrespect to surferdude2, I was watching for tips

Matt

 

Matt, No offense is ever taken when anyone offers additional advice. I'd love to get this resolved but things don't look good.

The "Quick Boot" CD I had JG make substitutes for the boot sector and all the boot loader assist files so I doubt there is any hope in that area. That clears the MBR and the loader code along with the ntldr, ntdetect.com, and boot.ini files.

If he is able to get a copy of the registry hives from a backup set that System Restore makes and try booting with those, that should tell the tale as to whether the HD is physically damaged or the system is beyond repair. If there are no registry hives in system restore, then trying the copy contained in the Windows\Repair folder could be worth a shot.

However, even if it booted with the Windows\Repair registry hives, that would only allow for recovering personal files. Fixing the a system that didn't respond to numerous "Repair Installs" would leave few options. You'd have to know exactly what was wrong and without any real clues, that's next to impossible.

If I had the beast here, I'd try a parallel install of XP just to see if the drive was healthy and if it worked, poke around in the old system files and likely waste lots of time looking for the problem.