[DangerousThing]

I have an older IBM NetVista machine running XP. As of yesterday, the machine won't boot. It gets to the main startup screen and continously cycles. The only option I am finding is:

Full Recovery:

"Use this option to delete all files from the operating-system partition of your hard disk, reformat the partition, and install Windows XP, the device drivers, and the original preinstalled applications."

My son is the primary user of this machine and he has THOUSANDS of music files stored on it.

I do not want to lose those files.

PLEASE help....

Edited by DangerousThing, 19 December 2006 - 09:02 AM.

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Items in blue which are underlined are clickable to give more information about the process

Start the System Restore Utility 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 315222 to see a description of the Safe Mode Boot Options in Windows XP

[Retired Tech]

Items in blue which are underlined are clickable to give more information about the process

Start the System Restore Utility 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 315222 to see a description of the Safe Mode Boot Options in Windows XP

[DangerousThing]

Thank you so much for your prompt attention. I sincerely appreciate it. When I select any startup option from the f8 function, the machine still keeps cycling over and over to the main IBM screen to a "no signal" window. I have tried safe mode, safe mode with networking, safe mode with command prompt, etc....

[edit] i am now at the main screen and staying there. the choices at the bottom are: press F11 to start the IBM recovery Program

Press F1 for setup
Prees F12 for Starup device menu. <-----I have monkeyed with this a bit

Edited by DangerousThing, 19 December 2006 - 09:10 AM.

[Retired Tech]

Is it a laptop

[DangerousThing]

no

[Retired Tech]

I just want to check with someone, at worst you would need to remove the drive and install it in another PC as a slave drive, copy any data you need to the other PC or to recordable disc, then return the drive to its PC to run the full recovery

Hopefully it will be simpler than that though

Do you only have a recovery CD

Would you be able to borrow a same version XP CD as was originally installed

[DangerousThing]

I don't think the drive is removable....I do have an XP disc. i think I may have messed up the startup sequence, as I get a message that the ROM has no operating system....and then goes to a default startup sequence....

[Retired Tech]

If you start the PC and keep tapping the delete key until it enters set up, can you check the boot priority, set it to CD ROM then hard drive, press F10 to save, type Y to confirm, put the XP CD in the drive, press enter, it will reboot

See what it does

If it still won't load, reboot the PC and look for press any key to load from CD, press enter

See if it goes anything like this

Click this to view the XP Repair Install Guide

[DangerousThing]

the choices I get in setup are First: cd/dvd rom
second: removable - netwrok - disabled
third: removable - hard disk 0 -disabled
fourth: removable - hard disk one- disabled

what should is set the second to?

Edited by DangerousThing, 19 December 2006 - 09:34 AM.

[Retired Tech]

Set it for CD ROM, is there nothing for C, if not set the others to enabled

[DangerousThing]

now the keyboard is intermittently working and not

[DangerousThing]

okay..I pressed any key to boot from cd and I am at a windows setup screen

[DangerousThing]

I can't ope you link to the example reapir guide....I am know at a setup screen.....I have choices of setup xp, reapir xp using reovery console, or quit

[Retired Tech]

Can you click the green link in post 8

You are looking for the repair option

HDD 0 needs to be enabled, you could try that first

[DangerousThing]

i am on my oldest machine that has a problem opening links....No I cannot open it

I should select "R" for repair option, yes?