problems starting windows

phatbear

Dear all,

Ive been asked to have a look at a neighbours pc, anyway the problem is way beyond my very limited expertise so here goes when the pc is turned on a page with:

"We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start succesfully. A recent hardware or software change may 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 start up attempt was interupted due to a power failure or because the Power or Reset button was pressed, or if you arent sure what caused the problem, chose start windows normally .

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Last Know Good Configuration (your most recent good settings that worked)

Start Windows Normally"

Anyway no matter what choice I go for nothing seems to work and the PC just restarts itself.

Any help would be very much appreciated


All the best

The Bear

SkipClick

Possible modem is trying to contect to the internet sugest change the modem to a new one. I could be wrong but friend of mine had this problem some time agao turn out was the modem then I did a clean format the hard drive as well same go. :eek:

phatbear

But windows is starting up so the modem wouldnt kick in anyway, trying to avoid doing a total format at the mo

gary38uk

have you tried to reload windows using the disc and do a repair?
or
u might have the loop error?
when on an error windows restarts.
this is a know bug, but this option can be turned off. right click my computer/properties/advanced/startup & recovery, untick box, auto restart.
i allways turn this off, it seems a silly option to have as it can result in this constant loop.

phatbear

to right click anything id need to get into windows first

kat21

sounds like the boot record to me if it will not start chances are it may be corrupt do a search in google for fix mbr. there are also software programs out there that will fix the master boot record checkout microsofts website
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/bootcons_fixmbr.mspx?mfr=true
=======================================================
Boot from the windows XP CD, press the "R" key in the setup in order to start the restoration console. Select your windows XP installation from the list, and enter the administrator password.
Enter the command: "FIXMBR" (without the quotes) at the input prompt and confirm the next question with a "Y" (without the quotes). Use exit to restore the computer.

I had to use this on a PC that I had corrupted the MBR with by using a boot manager.

Worked perfectly. This may have been posted before, and if so, forgive me. If not, now you know how to repair your MBR. By the way MBR stands for Master Boot Record.
==================================================
http://www.1000files.com/Utilities/File_and_Disk_Management/Partition_Table_Doctor_10655_Review.html
Kat21

Browntoa

have you tried opening up the PC and re-seating all the ram,graphics cards, sound cards etc....

otherwise this may help

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting

it requires a Windows XP disk but I have used this recently to get a Pc working that was in a similar loop

it looks very involved but it's not as bad as it looks in practice !!

you are looking at this bit onwards :

Manual steps to recover a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting

The procedure that this article describes uses Recovery Console and System Restore. This article also lists all the required steps in specific order to make sure that the process is fully completed. When you finish this procedure, the system returns to a state very close to the state before the problem occurred. If you have ever run NTBackup and completed a system state backup, you do not have to follow the procedures in parts two and three. You can go to part four.

Part one

In part one, you start the Recovery Console, create a temporary folder, back up the existing registry files to a new location, delete the registry files at their existing location, and then copy the registry files from the repair folder to the System32\Config folder. When you have finished this procedure, a registry is created that you can use to start Windows XP. This registry was created and saved during the initial setup of Windows XP. Therefore any changes and settings that occurred after the Setup program was finished are lost.

To complete part one, follow these steps: rest is on the link I posted rather than post all the pages here !! try the MBR fix above first though

phatbear

Thanks i'll give it a go in the morning, due to an over dose of chinese takeaway my brain doesnt seem to be functioning at the mo

all the best

the bear

phatbear

Just to let ya know your advice worked, so it now boots, alas its running uber slow so ive just made some more work for myself, gota larf.

thanks again everyone

all the best

the bear