problem starting windows

hi,

i tried installing an old game (liero if u know that ;P). it was doing something with the sound or something.. but it took quite long so i decided to exit it. as i did i got a bluescreen. and since then the laptop gets stuck at the screen saying: windows starting. i can still move the mouse though.

is there any other option to solve this problem without losing the data?

 

It may just be a startup item, can you login to safe mode? Also try last known good configuration from the startup options menu (F8 on startup).

If LKGC doesn't fix it, post back and you'll get further advice.

 

tried both. didnt function

 

Step 1

If you have a windows xp cd, start the computer and boot with it and choose recovery console.

Then follow the instructions beginning at STEP 2

If you do not have a Windows XP CD, do the following


download RC.iso from the following link:

http://www.thecomputerparamedic.com/rc.iso

You need to burn this image to a CD and boot your computer with it--this is different than burning a file to a CD. If you do not know how to burn an ISO image, then download the following program to another Windows XP machine, install it.

make certain you download the proper installation for your version of windows. Open MY COMPUTER, choose HELP > ABOUT. Note the service pack and get the appropriate version of the iso burner power toy

http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/isorecorder.htm

After installation, reboot, then right click the RC.iso file you downloaded above and choose COPY IMAGE TO CD.

Then reboot your broken PC with that CD in the CD-ROM drive.

This will give you a recovery console to use to run

Insert the cd into the non-functioning PC



STEP 2

When boot begins, a windows setup will appear to start, but you will be taken to a recovery console.

You will need to select your windows installation by pressing a number, most likely 1

Windows will ask you for a password

If you have XP home, press enter...there is no password

If you have XP Pro, you need to enter the password you set when you installed your machine with XP Pro.

After entering the password, you will find yourself at a command prompt that looks like this

c:\windows

type
chkdsk /r
<enter>

follow the prompts, then when it is complete, remove the CD

type

EXIT

<enter>

the machine will reboot

Did that fix it?

 

If chkdsk doesn't work then try a registry recovery. If that doesn't work, try an XP repair install. If that doesn't work you're SOL. Time to format and reload (or "nuke and pave" as its known).

 

ok thx.

chdsk didnt function

i tried registry recovery.... it kinda went wrong.. the repair folder was empty =__=.. i dont think thats normal right?
i copied the files back to where they were. when i try to start windows now i cant even move the mouse.

i tried xp repair install now. it gets till the part where it seems to install windows. but it looks like as if it would load endless @_@.... the description changes though.. although i think that its just a loop..

is that normal that it loads so long? ><

 

no, it is not normal for that to be empty, but I do not follow you--it was empty, but you copied files back to where they were....what files did you copy back?

And this liero thing....perhaps you can tell us where you got it? And how it installs? I ask because I am wondering if it writes configuration files that are no longer in use by WIndows XP.

My original suggestion was based on the notion that your shutting your computer off in the middle of install corrupted the harddrive/file system--perhaps we have something else going on here.

Did chkdsk report any errors at all? How long did it take?

You tried safe mode and last known good configuration....did you try "VGA mode" and "safe mode with command prompt"

 

md tmp
copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\tmp\system.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\tmp\software.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:\windows\tmp\sam.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\tmp\security.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bak

delete c:\windows\system32\config\system
delete c:\windows\system32\config\software
delete c:\windows\system32\config\sam
delete c:\windows\system32\config\security
delete c:\windows\system32\config\default

copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system
copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\software
copy c:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam
copy c:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security
copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default

it wasnt able to find the files in the repair folder so i copied them back

i think liero works with a dosbox. the game functions on other pcs with xp

on the first time i did chkdsk it said that it fixed one or more errors. but nothing changed at all. i think i took around more than 2 hours to finish

yeah i tried safe mode and lkgc.

well tried it all...

thx anyway.. found a way to save the files ^^

 

This concerns me...2 hrs is a long time, even for chkdsk /r (which adds a couple of extra phases)

How big is that drive?

The fact nothing was in the repair folder is also concerning. Every time Windows starts, it puts files in there (the LKGC should automatically restore those files) Since there was nothing in there, LKGC will not work for certain.

I'd do one of two things at this point if this were my machine....which one depends on past history and your gut

If I thought the harddrive was "ok" I would run chkdsk /r again...maybe even twice more....yes, sometimes, running it twice will catch errors missed the first time.

Then, I would drop the drive in a second machine as a slave and get into system volume information and manually extract some recent restore points

folder looks something like this
C:\System Volume Information\_restore{89CA4D93-AAC7-4F3B-BBF8-7C7A257DD4B1}\RP159\snapshot

and insert them in the C:\WINDOWS\system32\config folder (after renaming them of course).

Each restore point file corresponds to a registry hive, for example
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM = SAM

You do that for each registry hive--the process is just like the one mentioned above, you are just using different source files (REPAIR folder is the LAST group of files that worked--the system volume folder contains all the restores points made over the past...whatever)


------------------------------------------

If I suspect the drive was not "ok" (and I suspect that is the case) I would stop using the drive right now, install a new drive and then see if I can rescue my data off the drive after the new install is complete.

 

i cant do much now anymore. it says that the os isnt completely installed and restarts.

i decided to access my files through knoppix and transfer them on a stick.

but thanks for ur afford helping me

 

hey its me again.. my sis used the recovery cd, after it was "finished" with the recovering (black screen) i think.. the blue screen appeard with choosing the set ups.. the problem is that the touchpad is not functioning, any idea why is that or how to fix that? and sorry for the bad descriptions, i didnt watch when she did it.. if you have questions just ask, i ll ask my sis then..

 

not sure what you mean the BLUE SCREEN APPEARED with choosing the setups....just a guess, but I would say the touchpad needs drivers. If you are not in windows yet where you can install the drivers, just put a mouse on the laptop until you get into windows and then install the drivers once setup is complete

 

hi, my sis managed to complete the setup, she used the mouse as you suggested.. she said that the touchpad is working again when she got into windows.. so glad the problem is solved so fast^^.. thx for your help gerryf19!

 

yes, I would have thought so...Windows does have support for touchpads built in, but the minimal setup routines would not

You might still consider installing touchpad drivers through, for added features

 

k thx for the info, will tell my sis about that =)