[11010110]

Hi. I was doing some spring cleaning on my friend's computer. There was a problem with windows on the start because it wouldnt let me update or defrag. so all i did was fix some registry errors and run Cleanup to get rid of some old temp files. then he tried to open up microsoft word in order to write an essay, and the computer froze. he turned it off and it came up with an error. The black screen asking to run in safemode, normal etc... i have tried every way to run it. DOS, Safemode, and even debug mode but whatever i do all it does is go streight to a black screen. the cursor still works but thats it. Still says windows Xp at the top and safemode in the corners but thats it. No blue screen no nothing. I have fixed my computer many times but i have never seen anything like this. I have no clue what do do. Hes running windows XP (never been updated) on a HP pavilion xt963. Any help at all will be greatly appriciated.


Thanks

Edited by 11010110, 10 March 2006 - 07:04 PM.

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Start the System Restore tool at a command prompt

1. Restart your computer, and keep tapping F8 during the initial start-up until you get options, select Safe Mode with a command prompt then press enter.

2. Log on to your computer with an administrator account or with an account that has administrator credentials.

3. Type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:

%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

4. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to restore your computer to an earlier state.

Look for the most recent system checkpoint created before the errors to restore from

For additional information about the Safe mode with a command prompt, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

http://support.micro....com/kb/315222/


A description of the Safe mode boot options in Windows XP

[Retired Tech]

Start the System Restore tool at a command prompt

1. Restart your computer, and keep tapping F8 during the initial start-up until you get options, select Safe Mode with a command prompt then press enter.

2. Log on to your computer with an administrator account or with an account that has administrator credentials.

3. Type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:

%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

4. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to restore your computer to an earlier state.

Look for the most recent system checkpoint created before the errors to restore from

For additional information about the Safe mode with a command prompt, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

http://support.micro....com/kb/315222/


A description of the Safe mode boot options in Windows XP

[11010110]

thats the problem. no startup. ive tried everything! every safemode, VGA, Debug, everything. it all leads me to a black screen with nothing but a working cursor. Any other ideas?

[Retired Tech]

You can use this guide to repair XP

Possibly, you will need to boot the PC and keep tapping the delete key until the PC enters set up. Change the boot order to CD ROM Drive then hard drive, press F10 then press enter, type Y then press enter and as it reboots, look for press any key to load from CD, press enter

XP Repair Install

Windows XP repair feature won't delete your data, installed programs, personal information, or settings. It just repairs the operating system

After running XP Repair you will need to install all Windows Updates

Microsoft Update

[11010110]

He doesnt have his original windows disk. It got loast a long time ago. Will any disk work?

[Retired Tech]

As long as it is the same version as was originally installed, if you downloaded SP2 then you need an SP1 CD and you enter the product key for the computer, not the borrowed CD

[11010110]

how do i find the product key for the computer? I have reeinstalled windows many times and it has never asked me for a key before... also, the delete key ist getting me into the setup mode. is there another way? i have tried F2 but that didnt work either. is there another way to get it to run the disk?

Edited by 11010110, 10 March 2006 - 08:02 PM.

[Retired Tech]

The PC should have a sticker on it

That's about it because you cannot start the PC to search for it

[11010110]

Its asking me for the admisistrator password... there wasnt any password for windows... could it be where i put the product key?

[Retired Tech]

If you did not set a password then just press the enter key

[11010110]

i did and all it gives me C:\WINDOWS> . even if i press enter again. is there a way to get around it?

[11010110]

we tried what we thought could have been a passowrd but it told me that that was not a supported command. like im in DOS or somethin then it told me to type help for a list of commands and i did so... is there a command to start the process?

[Retired Tech]

Is it set to boot from the CD ROM Drive and then the hard drive? If you boot it with the XP CD in then press enter when it says press any key to load from CD it should start set up with no mention of enter a password

[11010110]

i hit R to get me to the recovery console. it sends me to to a page where i choose which windows i want to recover. then it does the same thing as last time... am i doing something wrong?

[11010110]

well... i ran the restore and finished it. but i still get the same black screen as before. what else could it be?!