[PC buffoon]

Thanks.

I don't know if I'm doing this right. I'm typing this stuff from here:

C:\>

I typed in the bootcfg /add command and it said "Error: failed to successfully scan disks for Windows Installations. This error may be caused by a corrupt file system which would prevent bootcfg from successfully scanning. Use chkdsk to find any errors.

Should I be going back to start from scratch, starting up the PC with the CD?

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not neccessarily...you're doing this from the right place though....there just...seems to be something wrong with the hard disk (something quite possibly very wrong)...do you know what make and model drive it is?

[dsenette]

not neccessarily...you're doing this from the right place though....there just...seems to be something wrong with the hard disk (something quite possibly very wrong)...do you know what make and model drive it is?

[PC buffoon]

I looked at the F2 thingy and it says

Maxtor 6E040L0

[dsenette]

http://www.maxtor.co...;downloadID=113 go there and download the PowerMax 4.23 Bootable CD .ISO image file from the link at the top...then burn it to a cd the same way you burned the RC.iso file, then boot to this new powermax cd...once loaded you will get a few options for testing...run the first three steps..one at a time...in the order they appear...DO NOT RUN THE LAST TEST (Low Level Format, Quick or Full Test:)...that one will COMPLETELY erase your hard drive

info for these tests and the powermax program:
http://www.maxtor.co...ax_guide_en.pdf

[PC buffoon]

Thank you. I'll do that.

Bye for now.

[PC buffoon]

OK, I did warn you I was a buffoon.

I went to turn off the PC to prepare for the Maxtor tests and I restarted it and this time the instructions below worked (your first idea).

I don't know if i did it wrong the first time (I don't remember getting a C: WINDOWS) or it needed to have that scan and repair and then be re-started into the Windows Recovery CD. ( i just carried on from the C: thingy after the first scan).

Anyway, whatever it was, it's going now.

Thanks for your patient help, dsenette. You're a life-saver

Creating a Bootable Recovory Console Disk - Bootcfg /Rebuild

• Download RC.ISO from Here.
• Now burn this ISO image to a CD and boot your computer with it.
  NOTE: Keep in mind that this is different than burning a file to a CD-ROM. 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.
  NOTE: 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.
  NOTE: 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 /rebuild

• Press ENTER
  Note:The bootcfg /rebuild command scans the hard disks of the computer for Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows XP installations, and then displays the results. You can add the detected Windows installations.
• When you receive a message that is similar to the following message, press Y:
  

  
  Total Identified Windows Installs: 1
  
  [1] C:\Windows
  Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All)
  

• You receive a message that is similar to the following message:
  

  Enter Load Identifier

  NOTE:This is the name of the operating system. This is either Microsoft Windows XP Professional or Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.
• Type the name of your operating system, and then press ENTER
• You receive a message that is similar to the following:
  

  Enter OS Load options

• Type /fastdetect, and then press ENTER.
• Type exit, and then press ENTER to quit Recovery Console.
• Your computer will restart, and the updated boot list may apear when you receive the "Please select the operating system to start" message.
• If you see a Boot list with multiple entries choose the XP Home option to boot to windows.

[dsenette]

sweet!...now...there's something that caused the problems that you had to begin with....what they are/were i can't tell you...BUT...you may want to burn any important data off to CD's...like photos, music, important files, etc... alot of times the issues that you're showing are indicitive of hard drive failure (or at least the possibility there of)...so i can't be sure that these problems won't happen again....you may concider buying another hard drive to use as a backup resource for all your files and documents....i'd say it wouldn't be a bad idea to get another hard drive to replace your main one...but without having an actual OS disk...that wouldn't do you much good.

[PC buffoon]

Yes, you're right. I looked at the error log and it's showing a long list of disk error messages like "drive (0) hard disk has a bad block" or words to that effect.

I'm going to run that Maxtor utility anyway and see what it says.

Thanks again

[PC buffoon]

Don't know if I'm doing the right thing by continuing to post when the original problem has gone. Just thought I'd post an update in case anyone else is having the same problems.

I ran the Maxtor disk and it found and repaired errors on the hard drive. I'd recommend this to anyone who has a hard disk like this (I mean the manufacturers utility).

Before I ran that the CPU was showing 100% usage with just windows and the internet running and everything was going at a snail's pace (a 90 year old snail with advanced arthritis).

Now it's showing between 6 and 65%. Still high but the PC is running much quicker now.

Thanks for all the help.

Edited by PC buffoon, 09 January 2007 - 09:56 AM.

[dsenette]

cool deal! disk errors can cause high cpu usage because the drive (and subsequently the processor) is having to work much harder to get the job done