Cannot boot into windows even in safe mode 3

[CTaylor1968]

My brother has a serious problem with his PC. He initially had problems having installed AV Personal and then he made the same mistake that i did a while ago - he downloaded Limewire. Now he can't boot into Windows at all. He has tried safe mode but that doesn't go in either. He bought the PC second hand and has no boot disk and no CD. Is the only way around this for him to make a boot disk from somebody else's computer or is there something else he can do?
Thanks - as always

 

[ArizonaGeek]

Well one of two things need to happen in order to get back into Windows. One, you will need to find a bootable antivirus disk to scan your PC and remove any harmful software. Second, which you should probably do anyway, is buy a copy of Windows. Your copy may not be legal or it might be a corporate version. You can Google search for "bootable antivirus" and find one that'll work for ya.

Either way you will probably need to reinstall Windows at some point (sooner than later would be better) and having the disk helps.

Cheers
Rob

 

[linney]

Try these boot disks and see if you can get into the Recovery Console or see if you can borrow a XP CD and load the Recovery Console normally.

HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console for Windows XP (Q307654)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q307/6/54.asp

310994 - Obtaining Windows XP Setup Boot Disks

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310994&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

You will have some access if you can load the XP Recovery Console onto the machine.

If you have to download files from Microsoft to put onto Floppies to achieve this make sure you obtain the right version to match your ServicePack level and version of XP.

http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/wxprcons.htm

310994 - Obtaining Windows XP Setup Boot Disks

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q310994

Once you have the Recovery Console loaded you may proceed with attempting to fix your error.

Try ChkDsk /r and also have a look at the FixMbr, FixBoot, and BootCfg commands.

An easy to follow recovery console description when unable to start computer due to corrupt registry.

http://www.digitalwebcast.com/2002/03_mar/tutorials/cw_boot_toot.htm

This is a layman's version of Q307545 in simple language.


You might like to try this first just in case it works?

How to Use System Files to Create a Boot Disk to Guard Against Being Unable to Start Windows XP (Q314079)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q314/0/79.asp

Q305595 - HOW TO: Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q305/5/95.asp

Replacement of CD or Product Keys.

To replace a CD or Product Key, you must contact PSS. To locate the appropriate phone number for your product, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

326246 - How to Replace Lost, Broken, or Missing Microsoft Software or Hardware

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;326246&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[CTaylor1968]

Thank you both for your replies. Before I had a chance to check this out my brother had taken his PC into a shop. They told him that he had an illegal version of Windows XP and that Microsoft had removed it during an upgrade to Media Player (can they do that?). The shop have charged him £168 to install Windows 98!! Now he's having more problems with PRB ATL.DLL not being compatible. I read on google that this is to do with Visual Studio 6 and he needs to rename dlls - he's not very good at this kind of thing - can Visual Studio just be removed.

He's not a happy man as he didn't know it was an illegal version and he hates Windows 98! I've suggested he buys a legal upgrade to XP.

Thanks

 

[ArizonaGeek]

I was looking Ebay UK and found a full version of XP Pro for £80 with free shipping, I saw an upgrade version for around £65. £168 to install Windows 98? That is over $300 USD ... he got screwed. Good luck.

Cheers
Rob

 

[firewolfrl]

you stated "They told him that he had an illegal version of Windows XP and that Microsoft had removed it during an upgrade to Media Player'

as far as I know the WGA check does not disable or remove windows xp...it is just very annoying and asks for info on who installed the illegal software.

I have to agree that your brother is being taken advantage of.
I have to question a shop that removes the OS (the shop removed XP not microsoft) then charges to install an obsolete OS...Then gives back the computer with errors on it.

I would contact law and file a lawsuit against the shop...
as your brother purchased the computer with the existing OS he is a victim of fraud (both the seller of the machine and the shop)

The shop knew that it was scamming your brother and took a decent advantage of him.... a machine that is upgraded from 98 is an older machine and your brother could have bought a nice machine for the price you are paying now to do all the running around for a legal copy of xp and the shop cost

I would suggest you find a shop that is reputible and tell them what happened then get an estimate as to what they would do in the situation before machine was changed by the crooked shop.

you can use their reccommendations in court


I wish you luck.

 

[CondorMan]

This is a coincidence - I have a similar problem of not being able to get into Windows XP or Safe Mode. When I reboot my laptop, it doesn't recognise the C: drive but it tells me to Ctrl-Alt-Delete to reboot (the 40GB hard drive is recognised correctly in BIOS setup). I've pressed F8 and still no luck. I've tried the Recovery Console and it reports an error when I try to access the root directory. I've even resorted to trying a live linux CD and still the C: drive (hda1) wasn't seen, nor was it when I tried a BartsPE disk.

I ran chkdsk /f /r (from the BartsPE) and it found many (>1000) errors. I've considered trying bootcfg, fixboot, and fixmbr but don't know if there's anything else I can try first. If I could, I thought about removing the hard drive and slaving it to see if I could read from it, but it's a laptop so I wouldn't dare to delve into the case.

Any ideas or is the hard drive dead?

 

[firewolfrl]

dead harddrive I would say Condorman

 

[G0AOZ]

Many laptop drives can be removed easily from the bottom or the side of the laptop case, without resorting to a complete dismantle job. However, bear in mind being a 2.5" drive it will require an adaptor to fit a conventional desktop IDE interface.

Good luck.

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[CondorMan]

Thank you for the confirmation that I was hoping that wouldn't be given! I've seen the adaptor to connect a 2.5" drive to a 40-pin IDE cable.

I think I'll get a laptop expert to replace the hard drive for me - I don't want to wreak havoc and end up damaging some vital expensive component.

 

[linney]

One thing still available to you just to confirm the worst. The hard drive manufacturer will have free diagnostic software that is bootable (from floppy and hopefully CD) that will thoroughly check your hard drive and disprove or confirm your self-diagnosis.

 

[CTaylor1968]

since they put W98 on it, everytime he boots up he gets a message about atl.dll being incompatible. any ideas pls?

 

[linney]

You may need Windows 98 drivers for the hardware that it is trying to run on your machine. You will have to check the manufacturers for correct drivers. Any Cd's that came with purchased hardware may have 9x and XP drivers included.

 

[CTaylor1968]

the shop haven't even given him the cd. I told him what you have all said and he's going to go back to the shop tomorrow. I think they saw him coming.

 

[linney]

My brother reckons thumping on the counter sometimes solves difficult problems. Some other people like to thump other things, but we cannot recommend that, can we?

 

[firewolfrl]

My mom was scammed by a shop and I live 160 miles from her. I went to the shop with a recorder and asked what they did and why...then I told them they had to fix what my mom paid for...they said they needed more money....I kinda have insider connections to law because I have done consultant work for multiple police agencies.
the shop was charged with fraud and they went out of business....then they filed bankruptcy.... so my mom never recovered money from them.


I wish your brother luck and hope he doesn't end in jail for doing some justified pounding

 

[CTaylor1968]

Just had another update from brother. He is still getting the atl.dll error, so he went back to the shop and they told him his antivirus is incompatible and if he wants them to remove it, they would charge £55 and said it isn't their fault. So he went home and removed the antivirus but is still getting the error. He also told the shop he needs the CD and they said "you don't have a cd with Win98" What on earth????

 

[ASG0856]

Protect others, post the name of the shop

 

[CTaylor1968]

We don't know the name of the shop I'm afraid but it's the only one in the Marlow Centre in Hemel Hempstead.

 

[ASG0856]

The only one that comes up on the Marlowes Shopping Centre Directory is Computer Centre (Shop No 30). If they are behaving as you suggest (and to not hand over an operating centre in some form is illegal), then I suggest your brother reports them to the local Trading Standards Office.