HELP!! with windows xp

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orangeman

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my computer had finished a fairly big update/download for acrobat which required a restart. I ok'd the restart after which it sat for an extended amount of time on the windows xp restart screen.

I turned it off which I think was a mistake now.

When I turned it back on, it keeps on looping over and over. It gets a screen where you have the option of how to start windows.... normally, safe mode etc. No matter which option I pick, it comes up with the windows logo page then the computer restarts itself, then the choice comes up again on how to start windows.

I really don't want to lose what I have by reformatting. Is there some way to get into windows by a back door where I can restore from last saved point or something?

Please I need options.

Thanks
 
I've had this happen to me before. If you still have the original install CD or a copy of XP laying around, pop it in the drive and boot from the CD. From there, you can choose to repair your windows XP install. This will replace your XP system files incase something got corrupted. You may have to reinstall the Acrobat product, though.

Let us know if this works for you!
 
Right now, the computer boots up and within seconds, that screen comes up that allows you to choose how windows boots up... normal, safe mode etc. If I use the keyboard to choose any option and hit enter, nothing happens at all. Once the countdown reaches 0 then nothing happens. i cannot even get into the bios to select the cd as the bootup device.
 
I found the 6 diskettes (recover) for win xp. If I boot up with them, it asks for them one by one. Finally, after the 6th diskette, it comes up with a menu...
- to set up windows now, press ENTER
- to repair a windows xp installation using recovery console, press R
- to quit setup without installing windows xp, press F3
I select R and the following comes up.....
1: c:\windows

which windows installation woud you like to log onto
<to cancel, press ENTER>

at this point what do I do? last time I typed in "1" and <enter> and it brought me to a c:\windows prompt at which point I no longer knew what to do.

If I type in help at the prompt, it lists about 25-20 possible commands like attrib, format, logon, ren, type etc.

Help please
 
No, don't select 'R' at that menu, press ENTER, it will find all Windows installation. Then you\ll see your install of Windows XP, and then press R. It will go through and replace all corrupted/missing files, and you should be able to boot.
 
...Just don't expect a stable OS after a repair install. After the repair install, grab your information, burn it to cds or dvds, or transfer them to a different hard drive or partition. Do a fresh install after that.
 
Lorithad said:
...Just don't expect a stable OS after a repair install. After the repair install, grab your information, burn it to cds or dvds, or transfer them to a different hard drive or partition. Do a fresh install after that.

Why the **** wouldn't you expect a stable OS?
 
Because problems arise after repair installs. It happens. Especially when you're using an xp SP1 cd to do a repair on an XP SP2 machine.
If you know what you're doing, you can handle pretty much anything that comes up. But really, it's not worth the stress. Most of your settings will have been reset due to the repair, you have to reinstall pretty much all of your programs anyway. Its better in the long run to just grab your information and do a fresh install.
 
I have another question now...

Some of the data on the hard drive was toast. I can recover some of it. Today I purchased 2 cheap/small 80Gb hard drives. The first one will contain the main stuff, the second one I will use as a mirrored backup.

QUESTION: I have installed the first hdd and have windows xp on it. How do I install the second one? Windows does not see it, if I go into the bios I can see it. How do I format the thing so it is recognized in windows? Also, the main hdd comes up as "G" now, even if I have it as the only hdd in the system. Is there a way to set it back to "C" again?

Thanks
 
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