[firehawk12]

"Windows XP won't boot after BIOS loading screen: Blinking underscore problem"

Hi all. Did some searching and it seems to be a somewhat common problem, but I can`t fix it using any of the suggestions.
I've went to the recovery console, reset my boot.ini, ran a chkdsk /r, did fixboot and fixmbr and also did a repair of Windows from the disc. Do I have any more options, or do I need to just reinstall Windows completely?
What files would I lose if I did that? Everything under my user profile?

Thanks.

Oh, here's a question - if I ghost the drive and then format and restore the partition back to the drive, will it work again? Or would I just get the blinking cursor again?

Edited by firehawk12, 29 March 2008 - 12:17 AM.

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Here a suggestion.you can boot from Windows CD.then just do a recovery.by doing so it reinstall ur windows file.do an update and reinstall all ur application it messes them up.by doing so u actually get to keep ur files intact and not format the computer.

[sanosukez]

Here a suggestion.you can boot from Windows CD.then just do a recovery.by doing so it reinstall ur windows file.do an update and reinstall all ur application it messes them up.by doing so u actually get to keep ur files intact and not format the computer.

[firehawk12]

Yeah, I already tried that and it doesn't work. I still hang after the BIOS and get the blinking underscore cursor.

Okay, I plugged in an old HDD and popped the current HDD into an enclosure. It does look like it's the hard drive's boot sector or something. I can access the drive's files, but I just can't boot into Windows. So, what I need to know is... is this HDD dead? I mean, do I need to RMA this hard drive? Or can I format it and start over? The diagnostics run by Windows, Norton Ghost and WD seem to come back fine... but multiple attempts to write the boot sector yields no results.
Right now I'm just ghosting the drive and copying the files, but I have no idea what to do/try next.

Edited by firehawk12, 29 March 2008 - 03:27 AM.

[sanosukez]

Back up your old files and format the drive.this happen to 1 of my frens.he brought a new hard disk.if it still don't work recommend u do a RMA.Good luck.

Ps:for my friend case his partition is lost and he cant even create 1.

[firehawk12]

That's why this is kind of frustrating. I can see everything on the drive, I just can't boot into Windows.
I'm doing a backup and I'm going to try SpinRite. If it is a boot sector problem (that can't be fixed with fixboot) then hopefully it will fix the problem.