[Darin Stevens]

OK folks, before I kick my computer to the curb I figured I would ask for some help.

I had a virus that attacked my Anti-Virus software and was trying to go in and clean things up. I ran spyware and a house call from trend micro and was attempting to reload a new version of Norton anti virus and that is where the trouble began.

I couldn't complete the load because of fatal errors. I went to symantecs website and was following instructions to do reboot in Safe Mode and couldn't ever get the computer to do it.

Now computer is stuck in the black f8 screen and doesn't respond to any inputs. It just keeps running back through the boot menu. Continuous boot loop. And yes I got there through msconfig because Safe Mode wouldn't work with F8.

Should I get my OS software and have the computer reboot from the CD drive?

Please help


Darin

Edited by Darin Stevens, 03 July 2006 - 09:35 AM.

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Is this big trouble or a rhetorical question regarding starting the OS disk?

[Darin Stevens]

Is this big trouble or a rhetorical question regarding starting the OS disk?

[computerwiz12890]

Hello and welcome to Geeks to Go.

First of all, there are literally hundreds of people asking for help. Sometimes we will accidentally overlook someone's request for help. I'm sorry that you were missed. We do have a special forum called The Waiting Room if you've been waiting for 3 or more days.

At this point, I think your best option would be to repair Windows XP. You will need an XP CD in order to do this. If you're not sure how to do a repair, check out the following link: http://www.geekstogo...ws-XP-t138.html

If you have problems, here is an alternate way to repair XP:

Alternate XP Repair Method

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 and possibly a few drivers.

Microsoft Update

Edited by computerwiz12890, 04 July 2006 - 12:07 PM.

[Darin Stevens]

Wiz, I tried that and now i get hung up in "windows XP setup cannot run under safemode. Setup will restart." and I try to go back to the f8 screen when it posts on the restart and select normal startup or last known settings to no avail.

Any suggestions?

[dsenette]

are you actually booting to the xpcd? did you change your bios to have the cdrom to be the first boot device? if not...do that and make sure you're booting to the xp cd

[Darin Stevens]

I swiched it to the dvd drive and maybe that will work. I'll try. I thought that is was loading directly from the cd drive but maybe i have it wrong.

Here goes again. it says press any key to boot from cd then goes through the process of loading files, then it will go through the process of running the setup and then goes back to screen that says press any key to boot from cd then it comes black screen with window in the middle with XP setup cannot run under safemode. Setup will restart now"

Before I couldn't get the [bleep] computer to go into safemode now I can't get it to start in Normal mode.

[dsenette]

Creating a Bootable Recovory Console Disk

Download RC.ISO from Here.

Now burn this ISO image to a CD and boot your computer with it.
Keep in mind that this is different than burning a file to a CD. If you do not know how to burn an ISO image, then download CDBurnerXP Pro to another Windows machine and install it. Then go Here for instructions for burning the ISO image

Once the CD is created, place it in the defunct computer

Then reboot your broken PC with that CD in the CD-ROM drive.

Make sure the PC is set to run from the CD as the primary boot device.
You do this by setting your PC to boot to the CD-ROM in BIOS (enter bios by pressing f1, f2 or del key during memory count up, then search for boot order, and set the CD as the first boot device)

When the PC boots, it will boot from the CD...after the first several screens load, you will be given a choice to choose R for recovery console. You will be asked to log in.
For Windows XP Home, there is not password, just hit enter. For Windows XP pro, ask whomever set up the machine what password they used.

Once at the Recovery console c:\windows prompt, type
bootcfg /add

windows will scan your system, looking for windows installs

It will find c:\windows and give it a number 1

type 1
press enter

it will ask for a name

type Windows2
press enter

it will ask for switches

leave blank
press enter

Type EXIT

windows will reboot

This time, you will be give a choice of two operating systems WINDOWS and WINDOWS2, choose the second

Windows will boot.

Now, open c:\boot.ini in notepad and paste the contents here


{credit for instructions ~ gerryf}

[Darin Stevens]

link to rc.iso is a nogo

Got another link?

[dsenette]

hold

[dsenette]

try This