[nyg2008]

Hey everyone,
I have Windows XP on my computer and had automatic windows updates set up. Whenever an update was installed, my computer would automatically restart. When I came home from work the other day, there was a black screen on my computer. I don't know if a windows update was installed and the computer restarted or what. But the screen said something about the loss of a file and that I needed to boot from the Windows XP cd, which I don't have. After several unsuccessful attempts to reboot the machine, I pruchased and download a Windows Recovery cd. This didn't work either. Now when I turn my computer on, I get a black screen that says:

"A proplem with the hard drive has been detected. Consult the Troubleshooting Section of your user's manual. Press the Enter key continue."

When I hit enter, I get another black screen that says:

"We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this....etc, etc."

Then it gives me three options on how to start Windows (i.e. in Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, and Safe Mode with Command Prompt). I tried all of these options and nothing works. I just start back from the beginning and go through the same routine.

Does anyone know what may have caused this and what actually happened to my computer? Was it a virus? Is it fixable? Is my hard drive shot? Any help you can provide is much appreciated.

Thanks,
Erik

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Hi nyg2008, Welcome to Geeks To Go

I am suspecting you are having a bad sector in your harddisk and your windows update had mistakenly lies on those bad sector.
Try run a ScanDisk for your HDD using the Recovery Console command prompt.

How to run checkdisk from recovery console (Windows xp). Courtesy dsenette

• Insert the Windows XP startup disk into the floppy disk drive, or insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive, and then restart the computer.
  Note:Click to select any options that are required to start the computer from the CD-ROM drive if you are prompted to do so.
• When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the Recovery Console.
  Note:If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you want to access from the Recovery Console.
• When you are prompted to do so, type the Administrator password. If the administrator password is blank, just press ENTER.
• At the Recovery Console command prompt, type the following then press Enter:
  
  chkdsk /r
• Allow this to run UNDISTURBED until completed (45 min or so)
• Report any errors

A tutorial on how to run chkdsk is as per below link.
http://www.geekstogo...xp-t131922.html

If you need a repair on your system file after the scan was completed, you can use your CD to repair your system. Below is the link for tutorial to repair Window XP.
www.geekstogo.com/forum/How-to-repair-Windows-XP-t138.html

Edited by sUBtech, 20 October 2008 - 11:56 AM.

[sUBtech]

Hi nyg2008, Welcome to Geeks To Go

I am suspecting you are having a bad sector in your harddisk and your windows update had mistakenly lies on those bad sector.
Try run a ScanDisk for your HDD using the Recovery Console command prompt.

How to run checkdisk from recovery console (Windows xp). Courtesy dsenette

• Insert the Windows XP startup disk into the floppy disk drive, or insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive, and then restart the computer.
  Note:Click to select any options that are required to start the computer from the CD-ROM drive if you are prompted to do so.
• When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the Recovery Console.
  Note:If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you want to access from the Recovery Console.
• When you are prompted to do so, type the Administrator password. If the administrator password is blank, just press ENTER.
• At the Recovery Console command prompt, type the following then press Enter:
  
  chkdsk /r
• Allow this to run UNDISTURBED until completed (45 min or so)
• Report any errors

A tutorial on how to run chkdsk is as per below link.
http://www.geekstogo...xp-t131922.html

If you need a repair on your system file after the scan was completed, you can use your CD to repair your system. Below is the link for tutorial to repair Window XP.
www.geekstogo.com/forum/How-to-repair-Windows-XP-t138.html

Edited by sUBtech, 20 October 2008 - 11:56 AM.