Windows won't boot on my old PC

[Santuzzo]

Today when I wanrted to switch on my new PC it would not boot.
I got a message screen saying windows could not be started due to a change in software- or hardware.
I got a choice menu of different option to either try again, or to try boot in the last working configuration or in safe mode. I tried all of then, but none let me boot windows.
Whne I tried to boot it normally I got a blue screen, but it was only on for a split second so I could not read what it saud and the PC would reset.

Could this be a broken hard-disc? or a virus?

Is there anyway I can find out without being able to boot windows? Do uouy tihnk I lost all the content of my old PC?
What can I do now?

I would appreciate any help!

Thanks,
Lars

 

[Hefemeister]

First just to check I would clear cmos, reseat ram and gpu?

If that did not work since you cannot boot into safe mode and last good configuration does not work I would run a repair install of xp.

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install

 

[carnageX]

Do this:

When the computer tries to start up and gives you a BSOD, then wait for the BIOS splash screen to come up. There should be a pause after the BIOS screen, and start pressing F8 until a boot menu comes up. Should look similar to the one that you had seen with Last Good Config, Safe Mode, etc. Choose the option that says "disable restart on system failure." THe system should then reboot again, and let it get to try to load windows. This time the BSOD should stay up. WHen it does, give us the following info found in this topic:

http://www.techist.com/forums/f9/decoding-stop-errors-193078/ (items we need are pointed to with arrows)

 

[Santuzzo]

First just to check I would clear cmos, reseat ram and gpu?

If that did not work since you cannot boot into safe mode and last good configuration does not work I would run a repair install of xp.

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install

Thanks !
I tried to reseat the RAM already, that was my first thought. I will try the GPU as well.
WOuld a repair install Win XP mean I'd lose all my data?

Do this:

When the computer tries to start up and gives you a BSOD, then wait for the BIOS splash screen to come up. There should be a pause after the BIOS screen, and start pressing F8 until a boot menu comes up. Should look similar to the one that you had seen with Last Good Config, Safe Mode, etc. Choose the option that says "disable restart on system failure." THe system should then reboot again, and let it get to try to load windows. This time the BSOD should stay up. WHen it does, give us the following info found in this topic:

http://www.techist.com/forums/f9/decoding-stop-errors-193078/ (items we need are pointed to with arrows)

Thanks !
I will do what you suggested and post what I find.

Thanks, guys, I appreciate your help!

 

[Hefemeister]

Give us the stop error first.

A repair install will keep all of your installed programs and data intact although sometimes things will happen it is not a guarantee.

You will need to do all of the windows updates right away to get your machine properly patched.

 

[carnageX]

Repair install does not erase your data, it just replaces the Windows files. But if its hardware problem, a repair install won't help much.

 

[Santuzzo]

OK, I just got the blue screen to stay and I can read it:

it says:

UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME


then at the end it says:

technical information:

STOP: 0x000000ED (0x87369900, 0xC0000006, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)

 

[carnageX]

STOP 0x000000ED or UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

Windows XP was unable to gain access to the volume containing boot files. If you see this STOP message while attempting to upgrade a system to Windows XP, verify that you have compatible drivers for the disk controller and check the drive cabling to make sure it is configured properly. If you're using ATA-66 or ATA-100 drivers, make sure you have an 80-connector cable, not a standard 40-connector IDE cable. See the troubleshooting suggestions for STOP 0x7B errors as well. In some cases, this error will spontaneously correct itself after you restart your system.

I'd do a chkdsk /r from the XP disc's recovery console.

Do you have an XP install disc? If so, then just boot off of it, Press R to enter the Recovery Console, choose the installation of Windows (probably just 1, so type 1 and then hit enter), and then enter: chkdsk /r
and let it go. May take a while, so be patient.

 

[Santuzzo]

I'd do a chkdsk /r from the XP disc's recovery console.

Is chkdsk =check harddisc?
Does this error message look like my harddisc is damaged?

 

[carnageX]

It checks your hard disk, yes. It attempts to find bad sectors and mark them off. You should not have any data loss (I haven't, and I've used it tons and tons of times). But make sure when you do it, you have the /r switch on there.