[pj1115]

Hey

My PC was working fine one minute, then it suddenly froze. I turned it off, and when I turned it on, it wouldn't boot. It gets to the XP loading screen, then reboots suddenly and gives me the "Windows did not start successfully" message. I tried safe mode, but it did the same thing before it booted (hung as MUP.SYS was loading). Even after unplugging all PCI cards, peripherals, etc. (not the keyboard), nothing works.

A couple of hours later, EXACTLY THE SAME thing happened to another PC; this time, a brand new laptop.

Both run Windows XP SP2, both connect wirelessly to the same modem/router, and neither of them have ever shared files.

Help! What now?

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Since you do get to the Safe Mode selection screen, choose "Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)" and see if that fixes it.

[Ztruker]

Since you do get to the Safe Mode selection screen, choose "Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)" and see if that fixes it.

[pj1115]

No, it doesn't work. To update you all, I fixed the first PC by running a CHKDSK from the Windows XP recovery console.

I'm trying to to the same with the notebook, but I'm having trouble.
On this PC, it stops booting after displaying 'HPDSKFLT.SYS' before hanging when I try to boot into safe mode. Also, I'm trying to run a CHKDSK, but the Windows XP CD keeps saying that it can't find any hard-disks.

Help!

[pj1115]

Another update:

I finally managed to gain access to the recovery console -- I had to play with the jumpers, and also ammend a few misconfigurations in the BIOS, but I finally managed to get the XP disk to detect the hard-disk. Thus, I was able to access the Windows installation through the console.

Only, I need the administrator password to go any further. I've tried all my passwords, but I think the IT department at the office must have made the actual Administrator password different. It's not blank, it's not six 0's, it's not a space, etc.

Guess I'll have to crack the SAM from Linux, or use the Windows 2000 CD to bypass the need for a password completely. I'm going to try to obtain the CD for the latter first. I'm assuming that any further elaboration on those particular topics remain a grey/black area when it comes to the GeeksToGo rules, so I'll keep 'schtum'.

Anyway, thanks for the help!

Merry Christmas!