Computer restarts on startup!!

[nickk]

Hi,

I have a big project that I need done and this is really a big problem. This morning I woke up and started my PC. Before it even shows me the windows screen (this is XP pro by the way) it gives me an error and tells me I can either start windows normally, in safe mode, in safe mode with networking, safe mode with CMD, and windows with the previous settings that worked.

At first, I tried start windows normally, but it just starts loading windows, and restarts straight away, to the same error screen. I hoped some of the other options would work, but unfortunately, they all have the same result Any suggestions?

 

[intercodes]

nickk,

Please note down the error code and the message it shows and post it in here. It is easier to solve your problem with the error code than giving wide solutions...

 

[nickk]

Sure, sorry about that, the following is the exact message:
We appologize for any inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this.
If your computer stopped responding, restarted unexpectedly, or was automatically shut down to protect your files and folders, choose "last known good configuration" to revert to the most recent settings that worked.
If a previous startup attempt was interupted due to a power failure or because the power or reset button wa pressed, or if you aren't sure what caused the problem, choose start Windows normally.

(The following are the options I could choose)

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Last Known Good Configuration
Start Windows Normally

Last night I remember I was shutting down my pc, and some program would not respond, so I pressed the power button to stop my pc. I know this isn't entirely healthy for the PC, but I had donw it before with no problems.

Choosing any of the options results in the same . I can also access BIOS settings before the error message, if thats any help.

Any help on this situation would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

[intercodes]

nickk,

Try using the Windows Xp disc to repair your computer. For performing a repair follow this link .

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_repair_install.htm

 

[nickk]

Thanks for the reply, but I have even biger problem than I thought. When I try running the Recovery Console, as the link describes, I get a blue screen with the following error:
REGISTRY_ERROR

Technical Information:
STOP: 0x00000051 (0x00000003, 0x00000003, 0x0000000, 0xE119E000)

There is also some text about starting in safe mode, etc. which is not very helpful (as safe mode does not start anyway). I read some tutorials from Microsoft that deal with corrupt registry, etc. but they all require access to the recovery console. Any more sugestions?

 

[southernlady]

nickk, I hope you have a way to get critical files off that hard drive cause I believe you are *screwed* and are going to have to do a complete reformat. If you have a second computer, take the hard drive out and get the files off before reformatting it. Also, do you have a utility disk, like the Maxtor utility disl? It helps cause you can *scrub* the disk with all zeros and make sure there is nothing there such as a virus.

I believe you can download it...I'll have to go hunt that one, brb. Liz

 

[nickk]

This is really sh!t, I have to finish a PHP project today and it looks like its going to get delayed Getting the files off wont be too hard, il just put another harddrive into my pc, boot with a live version of linux and copy the important files from one disk to another. Are you sure there is no other way to fix this ?? I would really appreciate it.

 

[southernlady]

Not that I know of...as far as your project, can't it be converted to gimp? Liz

 

[intercodes]

nickk,

One more try, .. try executing this command at the recovery console "chkdsk" . This is a scandisk command, worth a try...

 

[nickk]

Nope, doesnt work Thanks, both of you for your help, but I decided to install Windows on a second HD, and then use this one as a slave and copy the files. This will take most of today and will waste alot of time, but I should have seen this coming, I mean I'v been using my HD for atleast 2 years with no defragmentation, etc.