Pc not recognising windows...all too much!

Titania777

Please can anyone help? My desktop PC is semi booting but doesn't seem to be seeing my Windows XP Pro. I've tried to boot from XP disk but no option for a restore type. Used an older XP disk but need the VIAAGP1.sys file and also the validation number is no longer valid (no idea why). Made a UBCD4Win disk and again changed BIOS from hard drive to disk but still showing disk boot failure insert system disk and press enter.

Tried the disk for motherboard on this borrowed laptop that has taken me ages to set up (dear God - bear with me - so bad on a laptop) to get the VIA file unzipped but started to load so I cancelled.

Any help greatly appreciated as I've been on this since 7.30 this morning and a little knowledge is a dangerous thing - can't take much more....

closed

you switch on, what happens you get disk boot failure? What happened prior to the problem

if you can boot from an xp disc, go into recovery console

is the hard disk visible in the bios?

does ubcd boot in any machine

Donnie

Is this a name brand machine?

Titania777

closed - I switch on and get the first black screen with white writing for a few seconds - then nothing - just a a black screen where nothing happens. Prior to problem nothing major, running a bit slow but 75% HD free. Ran the normal to check - didn't show infected but something wasn't right - just a gut feeling.

Donnie - no brand - a 'home made by friend' I've had for a number of years

closed

need more detail, white writing?

does F8 work

Titania777

Please bear with me and apologies for slowness - no mouse and finding lappy keypad poo so I'm very slow!

close - tried two xp discs - 1st had just install - 2nd recovery one needed the VIA file and license number not accepting. HD visible in BIOS Re UBCD I'm wondering if I haven't copied correctly as it's an ISO or something.

White writing is the normal I get that tells me diskettes master slave ports PCI device listing etc that I normally get when for a split second when I power on.

Titania777

At mo where I have BIOS set for disk it's showing disk boot failure, insert system disk & press enter

Titania777

F8 If that's sAFE mode it only worked once but not now.

closed

this will burn iso's properly using write image mode to disc

http://www.imgburn.com/

try booting from xp disks, then recovery console

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

Titania777

Thank you - was in process of having another go.