Jump to content

Welcome to Geeks to Go - Register now for FREE

Need help with your computer or device? Want to learn new tech skills? You're in the right place!
Geeks to Go is a friendly community of tech experts who can solve any problem you have. Just create a free account and post your question. Our volunteers will reply quickly and guide you through the steps. Don't let tech troubles stop you. Join Geeks to Go now and get the support you need!

How it Works Create Account
Photo

Please can anyone help... Cant start Windows XP


  • Please log in to reply

#1
larry1981

larry1981

    New Member

  • Member
  • Pip
  • 4 posts
Hello, I am new to this forum and require help already so....

Please can someone help me...!

Got a (for me) fairly large problem with our home computer (currently using works one)...

When we switch it on it goes straight into what I think is called the Advanced Windows Options (with the following options: Safe Mode, Safe Mode and Networking, Safe Mode and Command Prompt, Last Known Good Configuration or Start Windows Normally)

Whichever one we try and select the computer desides to re-boot itself and then the process starts again...

We did have a similar problem a few weeks ago whereby we were unable to get past the User Log On Screen and whichever user we selected we kept getting thrown out and the computer reset. The PC was given to a Computer Repair place who ?rectified the problem...

I run AVG Free Edition Anti Virus which had not thrown up anything too untoward prior to this issue we now have...

If anyone could help I would be very very appreciative...

(NB I will be unable to try out anything told to me until I get home tonight and will then post back tomorrow with the results... kind regards. Lawrence)
  • 0

Advertisements


#2
hfcg

hfcg

    The hippie freak computer geek

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,496 posts
Hello, and welcome to Geeks To Go.
How much technical ability do you have?
Can you swap out a hard drive?
Here is what I would like for you to do.
  • With both machines turned off and unplugged
  • Take the hard drive out of the problem machine
  • set the jumper to the proper position. (slave)
  • connect the hard drive as a secondary drive to the working machine
  • If CHKDSK does not start automatically,
  • right click the drive
  • select properties
  • select check disc for errors
After the chkdsk utility runs the drive should work, HOWEVER if this is a reoccurring problem I would think about replacing the drive.
  • 0

#3
happyrock

happyrock

    Tech Moderator

  • Retired Staff
  • 9,285 posts
for the future to keep from this booting loop..
Windows XP is set by default to reboot your computer when it hits a critical error. For most users I suppose this is a good thing, as no one likes to see the BSOD (blue screen of death). But in this case, we actually WANT to see the BSOD because it contains some useful information in diagnosing the problem. In order to force your computer to show you the BSOD, need to tell it to stop auto restarting on critical errors.

Right-click...My Computer... and then click ...Properties...
Click the ..Advanced tab...
Under Startup and Recovery.. click ..Settings... to open the Startup and Recovery dialog box....
Clear the ..Automatically restart.. check box, and click OK the necessary number of times...

Restart your computer for the settings to take effect....
  • 0

#4
larry1981

larry1981

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 4 posts

Hello, and welcome to Geeks To Go.
How much technical ability do you have?
Can you swap out a hard drive?
Here is what I would like for you to do.

  • With both machines turned off and unplugged
  • Take the hard drive out of the problem machine
  • set the jumper to the proper position. (slave)
  • connect the hard drive as a secondary drive to the working machine
  • If CHKDSK does not start automatically,
  • right click the drive
  • select properties
  • select check disc for errors
After the chkdsk utility runs the drive should work, HOWEVER if this is a reoccurring problem I would think about replacing the drive.



Thanks for your input - unfortunately i think i may have misled you somewhat .... we only have one machine at home - i am using works computer to come onto this forum (do not work from home)... also technical knowledge of computers is limited at best... i know more about the programmes on the computer than the machine itself... !
  • 0

#5
larry1981

larry1981

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 4 posts

for the future to keep from this booting loop..
Windows XP is set by default to reboot your computer when it hits a critical error. For most users I suppose this is a good thing, as no one likes to see the BSOD (blue screen of death). But in this case, we actually WANT to see the BSOD because it contains some useful information in diagnosing the problem. In order to force your computer to show you the BSOD, need to tell it to stop auto restarting on critical errors.

Right-click...My Computer... and then click ...Properties...
Click the ..Advanced tab...
Under Startup and Recovery.. click ..Settings... to open the Startup and Recovery dialog box....
Clear the ..Automatically restart.. check box, and click OK the necessary number of times...

Restart your computer for the settings to take effect....



Thank you for your input - will do this as soon as it is up and running again for next time!!!!
  • 0

#6
wannabe1

wannabe1

    Tech Staff

  • Technician
  • 16,645 posts
Do you have an XP installation cd? The disk check referenced in the preceding replies can be run on your machine using the cd.
  • 0

#7
larry1981

larry1981

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 4 posts

Do you have an XP installation cd? The disk check referenced in the preceding replies can be run on your machine using the cd.



Gonna sound stupid now but dont think so - the computer was purchased from a large childrens store outlet via internet order (not sure if we're allowed to mention company names on here...) and dont ever remember it coming with the disc although the system was pre-loaded....

thanks to everyone for their help so far.. any other ideas greatfully received...
  • 0

#8
wannabe1

wannabe1

    Tech Staff

  • Technician
  • 16,645 posts
Download RC.ISO and burn it to a cd as an ISO image. You may need a burning toy like ISO Recorder to do this...be sure to get the version for your operating system.

Once you have created this disk, boot the machine with it...watch for the prompt "Press any key to boot from cd" at the top of the screen...press the spacebar when you see it. At the "Welcome to Setup" screen, press R to start Recovery Console. Choose the operating system you wish to repair by number (usually 1) and press "Enter". When prompted for the Administrator password, leave it blank and press "Enter".

At the command prompt, type chkdsk /r and press "Enter". (Note the space before /r) This will begin the disk check. It's a very long check and may appear to hang or back up a few times...this is normal, let it finish. You will end up back at the command prompt when it's done, type exit and press "Enter" to quit Recovery Console.

Let the machine try to boot normally.
  • 0

#9
happyrock

happyrock

    Tech Moderator

  • Retired Staff
  • 9,285 posts
try wannabe1's fix first...


If Windows XP (or 2000) refuses to start, press F8 right after you turn on your PC but before the Windows log-on appears (it may take a few attempts to get the timing right). At the resulting menu, select Last Known Good Configuration to restore your Registry to an earlier date.

If this doesn't get your PC working, reboot and press F8 again, but this time select Safe Mode, and then choose Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore. Follow the wizard's instructions and pick an appropriate backup.

If that approach doesn't work either, or if you can't even get to this menu, use your emergency boot floppy. If your hard drive's boot sector or Windows' basic boot files have been corrupted, this disk will circumvent the problem and boot you into Windows. If you don't have an emergency boot floppy, you may be able to use one created on another PC running Windows XP or Windows 2000, but there's no guarantee that it will boot your machine.

To make one, insert a blank floppy disk into drive A:, select Start, All Programs, Accessories, Command Prompt, type format a:, and press Enter. When asked if you want to format another disk, type n and press Enter. Type the following commands, pressing Enter after each one.

xcopy c:\boot.ini a: /h
xcopy c:\ntdetect.com a: /h
xcopy c:\ntldr a: /h

Now type exit and press Enter to close the window. Remove the floppy disk and label it "Windows XP boot floppy." Put this emergency disk in the floppy drive of your inoperable machine and boot up. Windows should run with no problems. You could simply keep the floppy in the drive all the time, but to truly fix the problem, launch the command prompt as described above, type xcopy a:*.* c:\ /h, and press Enter.

Edited by happyrck, 28 January 2008 - 08:51 AM.

  • 0






Similar Topics

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

As Featured On:

Microsoft Yahoo BBC MSN PC Magazine Washington Post HP