[SmokeyBandit]

Hi,
I've had a topic in the Malware forum for awhile now and I was told to post a topic here. everything I know about the problem is posted in that topic.

http://www.geekstogo...opic=61512&st=0

I'm pretty sure it's a problem with my HD, I just don't think it is possible for me to fix it.

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Could you post what happens when you boot now

[Retired Tech]

Could you post what happens when you boot now

[SmokeyBandit]

Same as it always does, goes to the blank screen, but if I use the Ultimate Boot CD w/o burning an XP to it, I can get this DR-DOS thing to work, but it doesn't help.(that I know of).

[Retired Tech]

Try here

http://www.geekstogo...ws-XP-t138.html

[SmokeyBandit]

As I said, I don't have a Windows XP CD, I just have the Emergency Recovery XP CD that my manufacterer gave to me. So it goes to a Powerspec(my manufacterer)'s re-install of XP and in the other topic of mine you can see the files it failed replacing.

[SmokeyBandit]

I just got done using an option on the CD that re-installed XP and put all my system files in a certain folder, but it is still booting up with a blank screen ;(.

EDIT:Could this be the problem? A few months ago, I bought a Nvidia card, installed it(work find for a month or two), then my monitor broke. I sent the monitor to get fixed(lucky I still had warrenty). During this time I hooked my TV up to the videocard and used my TV as the monitor. I got my monitor back and plugged it in and it was frozen on the operating system(with the wallpaper and icons and everything), so I plugged it back into the tv and it didn't work. So I rebooted and that's when I started getting this problem. I then took out the video card so it would just go back to my old card(integrated S3 Graphics). Could this be the problem?

Edited by SmokeyBandit, 21 September 2005 - 04:30 PM.

[Retired Tech]

You could boot the PC and keep tapping delete key until it enters set up to check it is set to use the onboard graphics, installing Nvidia could have reset it

[SmokeyBandit]

Everything looks fine to me. I'm wondering if my HD is ruined. I've been going around a few different sites on the internet asking for help, and no one can figure it out. :/

[Doby]

Hi,

If you have not already download and create a bootable floppy with memtest86 on it

This will check the ram, sometimes when files are missed when the OS tries to install its bad ram, report back what you find.

List your computer specs or name brand and model number.

Rick

[SmokeyBandit]

Ummm I don't have a floppy drive.

EDIT:Here's something I made awhile back and had it saved to a disk.

Processor
1.50 gigahertz AMD Athlon XP
128 kilobyte primary memory cache
256 kilobyte secondary memory cache

Drives
40.01 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
29.88 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

SAMSUNG CD-R/RW SW-252S [CD-ROM drive]

WDC WD400BB-00FJA0 [Hard drive] (40.02 GB) -- drive 0, s/n WD-WMAJA4547435, rev 13.03G13, SMART Status: Healthy

Controllers
Primary IDE Channel [Controller]
Secondary IDE Channel [Controller]
VIA Bus Master IDE Controller

System Model
powerspec4.0i KM400A-8237
Enclosure Type: Desktop

Main Circuit Board
Board: KM400A-8237
Bus Clock: 166 megahertz
BIOS: Phoenix Technologies, LTD 6.00 PG 08/30/2004

memory Modules
224 Megabytes Installed Memory

Slot 'A0' has 256 MB
Slot 'A1' is Empty

Display
VIA/S3G KM400/KN400 [Display adapter]
Daewoo 17" PnP-CRT [Monitor] (16.3"vis)


I'm not trying to install an OS, I'm trying to save my old or re-install.

Edited by SmokeyBandit, 21 September 2005 - 07:16 PM.

[Doby]

Ummm I don't have a floppy drive.

Thats why I still install floppy drives in all my systems they come in handy once in a while.

I'm not trying to install an OS, I'm trying to save my old or re-install.

But you said this

I just got done using an option on the CD that re-installed XP and put all my system files in a certain folder, but it is still booting up with a blank screen

Witch is the same thing as a repair install of the OS in other words you are reinstalling XP but keeping your personel settings but XP won't install that is why I wanted to test the ram because it can be a leading cause when XP won't install.

The info you posted is helpfull but without being able to test various components we would be just guessing. the alternative is to swap parts in and out till we find what part is bad.

I think you have a western digital hardrive you could check thier website for downloadable tools to check the drive, possibly you could create a bootable cd with the tools on it to check your drive.

Rick

[SmokeyBandit]

If I put a Floppy drive in, would it notice it enough to boot up with it?

[Retired Tech]

If you have a floppy drive you can use XP SetUp Discs

http://support.micro...kb;en-us;310994

These may load enough files to let the XP CD continue

If you have data on the drive you need to save, you can remove it, install it in another PC as the slave drive, back up the data, return the drive to your PC and use UBCD to hard fill / write zeros to the drive, then install XP

If you have not got any data on the drive you need to save then you can use UBCD to hard fill the drive and then install XP

[davesfx]

also, you can download ubcd then burn it to a disk, its bootable and has the memtest on it. This is what I have had to do to test my ram, without a floppy.

just an fyi..

[Doby]

Good idea guys on the UBCD will start suggesting it more often