Windows XP won't start [urgent help please]

[SupremeRuler99]

I am quite beside myself. We recently got broadband and I decided to leave the computer by itself to download a whole swag of Windows Updates. When I returned it had restarted itself and something was wrong.

A screen asks whether I want to start in the following modes:

- Safe Mode (with various other forms of Safe Mode)

- Last Known Good Configuration

The problem is that neither option will get the PC to boot, it merely restarts and goes back to that screen. The Last Known Config option displays a blue screen with lots of writing for a bout half a second before it dissapears.

How can I get Windows to boot? Do I need to do a system restore, if so how? This PC does not belong to me and there is important data on the PC which had not yet been backed up - I know, stupid mistake. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

[Osiris]

The most logical thing to do right now is to take the drive out and hook it up as a slave drive to another pc and pull the data off before you render it useless. Then start to work on it.

 

[Alvin.C]

Re:

Hello,

...can you get into safe mode?

If Last Known Configuration didn't work, then try going into safe mode, and start troubleshooting from there.

You say a blue screen appears when you try last config, can you note down any STOP error message that appears?

 

[SupremeRuler99]

I was also unable to go into Safe Mode, it would simply restart the computer.

The blue screen was visible for such a short time that the first time I didn't even notice it. It was impossible for me to read anything.

However, the problem has been fixed, sort of. I used the HP Recovery thing built into the computer. The Owner profile and all the documents are safe... the other user profiles however...

 

[mikesgroovin]

I'M so sick of this shit hole,

there is no crack,

no new discussions,

no new questions,

this is my fifth account,

you are all n00bs

Actually, I do have a new question.
I'm having a little difficulty in vBulletin. It seems that whenever I try to activate the Ban button on a particualr user it never functions correctly. I have noticed this problem before and can't remember how it was resolved during the initial occurance. I am using a firefox browser with a windows 2000 (SP4) os based laptop....
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Oh wait....nevermind, it works now. Click....