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CheekyBoy
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 69
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Hi all
I am unable to start up my PC at the moment...
When I swith on, I get the screen that says that Windows has not started successfully. I then get the options to start in safe mode (x 3); last known cofiguration and start windows normally.
I've tried all options and still keep getting this screen again.
I've also done chkdsk /r which has repaired some errors, but still no joy!
Any suggestions please??
CheekyBoy
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maxping__
regular
Reg'd: Sun
Posts: 1891
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Have you tried getting it to boot in safe mode ?
Tap F8 repeatedly as it boots.
If you can get it to boot try a system restore.
If that fails and you have a XP CD try this - http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
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 IDNet Home Max 8 Mb
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CheekyBoy
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 69
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Hi Maxping
Am unable to get into Safe Mode.
Have tried repair install from CD. It goes through to 100% and then I get the following message on a blue screen:
Windows has shut down etc...
REGISTRY ERROR
STOP: 0x00000051 (0x00000004,0x00000001,0xE1038c68,ox006DF130)
After rebooting from this I then got the message that system32/drivers/ntfs.sys was missing or corrupt. Have tried chkdsk /r again but still no luck!!
Now when I try to start the machine up, I get the boot screen and then it just goes blank, unless I boot up from the CD. I'm getting really confused now!
It's not my day I think...
Any more suggestions?
CheekyBoy
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RichieP
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 4763
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I'd have another attempt at a repair install.
If that doesn't work your only option is going to be a reformat and clean install of XP.
Do you have any data you need to keep?
You'll also lose any programs you've installed so you'll need to find your disks.
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 OK OK I can't go any faster! aaaaaaaaaaaagh!
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CheekyBoy
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 69
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RichieP
I've tried the repair install a couple of times - I get the same error after is has reached 100% each time!
Luckily, following your advice from a previous post I bought Acronis 10, so everything important/critical is backed up! ( I Hope!!)
How do I reformat the hard drive? I guess this wipes everything from the hard disk, including the OS, so if I do that, how do I then copy the mirror image of my hard disk (that I did through Acronis onto an external HDD)onto it, as I thought I needed to be in safe mode to do that.. (Or do I need to install XP again first?)
If I install XP first (assuming that's successful) when I copy everything over won't it try to install the XP files again?
Sorry for so many questions, but this is just about at the limit of my PC knowledge here!!
Thanks for your help so far,
CheekyBoy
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RichieP
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 4763
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Hopefully you created an Acronis recovery disk. Right?
If not, the CD with True Image on it is a bootable disk.
Change your boot order to boot from CD first in your BIOS.
Put the CD in the drive and plug in your external hard drive and turn it on.
When True Image loads from CD, select the Full version and let it load.
Select recovery and let it find your external disk.
Expand the disk and click your backup file.
Follow the prompts and let it install your backed up OS. You should also get the option to resize the partition to fill the whole disk.
Follow the prompts and let it do it stuff.
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OK OK I can't go any faster! aaaaaaaaaaaagh!
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CheekyBoy
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 69
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Great... thanks.
Am away from home at the moment, but will try this out later in the week and let you know how I get on.
Thanks
CheekyBoy
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CheekyBoy
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 69
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OK... here's the latest.
I've tried a procedure that was recommended at Short Media
I've done everything it tells me and all was going well until...
In one of the final steps of the recommended procedure it tells you to name the OS in the load identifier which I did...
When I reboot, it asks me to choose which OS system I want. The original one is there plus the one I just named in the load identifier. When I try to select using my up/down arrows the keyboard/screen just freezes. Even if I do not select the OS and let the clock run down to zero, it just freezes when it reaches zero.
Have tried 2 keyboards (PS2) and still the same.
Any final suggestions to get this working before I try the full back up from Acronis?
(Keyboard works again if I reboot from CD and go into Recovery Console again!!)
Thanks all
CheekyBoy
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RichieP
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 4763
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You've named an operating system and it's still seeing the original.
I'm starting to think your problem lies with the hard drive. You need to test it before restoring via True Image, or you'll be wasting your time and have more problems sooner or later.
What make is it?
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OK OK I can't go any faster! aaaaaaaaaaaagh!
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CheekyBoy
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 69
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Its a Seagate Barracuda.
I did have their Hard Disk checking software on my PC. It came up with no errors when I checked it a few weeks ago, but of course I can't access it now. I have run ChkDsk /r a few times!
Is there a tool that I can download onto a CD that I can test it with? (Assuming its a test that can run from boot up.)
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CheekyBoy
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 69
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Have just looked on the seagate website - have found the Seatools for DOS diagnostic tool. Have just burned to CDROM and its now checking my hard drive. Will let you know how I get on.
Thanks
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RichieP
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 4763
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chkdsk is limited in how thoroughly it can check.
Get Seatools for DOS
Download the iso and create a bootable CD.
Change the boot order and run the diagnostic.
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OK OK I can't go any faster! aaaaaaaaaaaagh!
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CheekyBoy
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 69
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OK.. have run Seatools for DOS. The Hard disk has passed!
So what is stopping my keyboard from working when I try to boot up??
(It worked fine to run the Seatools for DOS tool!)
Is there anything else to try or should I now turn to True Image?
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RichieP
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 4763
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Something's not loading properly to run the keyboard possibly.
You could run memtest to test the RAM. You'll need to run it for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
If that's OK, it looks like importing your image is the last option.
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OK OK I can't go any faster! aaaaaaaaaaaagh!
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CheekyBoy
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 69
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OK - am running memtest now.
What the the reasons for it having to run for 3 hrs minimum?
Is it running the same test again and again? (Have 5 passes & no errors so far!)
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RichieP
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 4763
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To give it a thorough test.
Read more here where it says How long does memtest run? How do I stop it?
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OK OK I can't go any faster! aaaaaaaaaaaagh!
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CheekyBoy
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 69
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Success - I'm now back up and running!!
I ran Memtest overnight... showed 35 passes and no errors!
I then carried out a recovery using the True Image Bootable disk... all has worked fine. All back ups now installed with no loss of data at all. Thanks so much for all the help and advice. My PC knowledge has improved no end. Thanks again...
CheekyBoy
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RichieP
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 4763
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You're welcome.
If nothing else, you now know how to do various bits of troubleshooting and fault finding.
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OK OK I can't go any faster! aaaaaaaaaaaagh!
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