XP Wont Boot

[bramsay55]

I am trying to fix my brothers computer, and after giving up on a nasty virus that we just couldnt get rid if, we reformatted using the OEM on a recovery partition. Now whan we turn the computer on, we merely get the f8 options (safe modes, last known good, start normally, etc) If we pick last known good, or start windows normally, we get the xp on black loading screen, then Nothing. Just Blackness. Safe modes work fine.

I have no problem running the recovery again, but I cant access it whan I restart, or turn on the computer. it seems to go straight into the f8 options, regardless of whether I tap f11 (recovery) before. I haven't really tried much, other than disabeling all the startup options with msconfig in safe mode. Is there a way to access the recovery partition through safe mode while XP is loaded? The partition is hidden: there is no other drive showing in the "My Computer" screen.

Would I be better off to try to load another OS off a cd? I do not have a copy of xp, but I am tempted to throw 2000 pro, or ME on it just to give him his computer back. But I figure if I do that then the OEM xp partition will be gone forever...

Any ideas?

 

[Hawk]

When you disable all the start up options in msconfig, the system is bound not to load properly, you must re-enable the system service options if you renember them.

Next in safe mode go
control panel>administrative tools>event viewer

Look under the system and application and see what warnings/errors you get, might help you diagnose your problem

Also if you have added hardware or changed it, it might not be supported set of drivers installed.

 

[SHAWN]

Take the hard drive out and install it in another system. Run checkdisk on it and repair any errors if found automatically. If that does not work, you are going to have to reload the operating system. Does he have a COA sticker for XP on the machine? If so, copy a friends cd or borrow one and use his code.

 

[bramsay55]

There have not been any hardware changes to the system, everything is the exact same. The Start up options I disabled are not anything that would interfere with the loading of windows, they are merely third party software included with the OEM.

I cannot "take out the HD" because all other systems are laptops, so that isnt an option. I am finally able to access the Bios/cmos, so we may be able to just throw on 2000 after all...

 

[Wildajeep]

You may have viruses in you recovery partition as well.

I'd suggest making a boot cd (from any old `98 boot disk) with an up to date DOS version of something like FPROT (you will have to view the readme.txt to find mirror sites with new definition files). And scan your drives with "report only" option on.

If it shows viruses in the recovery partition, delete the partition, it's worthless - then use a friend's XP Disc with your COA Key.

Good luck.

{edit: one thing I forgot to mention, you will need to mount the NTFS partition so that you can use it in DOS mode - I forget where I got it but I use NTFSPRO)

 

[bramsay55]

The Recovery Partition did indeed have virus (s) in it, FFS.

We tried using F-prot for dos when fixing the computer in the first place. The computer actually had a FAT32 file system, I am not sure why, perhaps a wrong selection during a previous recovery? I would be to blame, as the computer only had one previous owner, myself.

We just put 2000 pro on it only to realize that 2000 had little to no driver support. (oh yeah. oops!) We plan to just put ME on it, but will have to F-disk first.

At this point I just want it to run something, anything! We can get XP or XP pro from the college library just fine, but its closed and I want it running ASAP! My lovely mother took the liberty in calling her "gentlemen friend" and giving him directions to my front door. He is a computer fix it guy, and I would rather have it taken care of before he starts poking his nose into my nice little basement network!

As for my brother, as long as he can listen to his music with the newest Windows Media Player, and use MSN through his crappy dial up, he's happy. Now if only he can learn not to run .exe's he downloaded off limewire before scaning, things should work out just fine.

 

[Osiris]

do you know how to fdisk?

 

[ZeroX]

Originally posted by bramsay55 My lovely mother took the liberty in calling her "gentlemen friend"

lol


so did the gentlemen friend fix it?

i am hearing some hidden agression towards this guy

 

[bramsay55]

LOL, just the fact that he "know whats wrong" but hasn't even so much as looked at the computer, or heard a discription of the problem from someone who isnt computer illerate. (unlike a woman who cant turn it on, litterally) it just annoys me.

I do not know how to f disk, but the husband sure does! But the gentlemen friend does not need to know this little detail

I put ME on, and its ok, I am missing the Ethernet, and sound drivers, but found them online anyway.

 

[bramsay55]

OK, Windows ME didn't work, There is no such NIC driver, so after we had ME running we put 2000 Pro on again as an upgrade, and updated the NIC driver. It is now online, and on the network! Who hoo! So now when the old computer dude comes over I can be all like "Oh, gee, sorry man, that's already been taken care of. Do you have your A+? " hehe. ;.)

The 2000 pro boots very quickly. way faster then the XP ever did on the system. I am sure he will be content with that. I hooked him up with MSN, Windows Media Player, and Firefox, and added as much music we have that he would enjoy, so he will be pleased.

Time to teach him AVG and Anti-spyware.