PC won't boot

[zouv]

Sorry to bother you guys, but I was hoping that you could give me some advice.

My home computer went on the blink the other day, I have turned it off and back on etc and it never gets past the page that displays the windows xp screen. I have tried pressing F10 and going through the various options there to re start it but no joy. One of the options is for a system scan which I selected but this failed and a message came up that a driver had failed (not sure what driver didn't write it down)

Any idea what I can do (apart from cry). I have the system restore discs, but if I do this it says that it will return the pc to factory settings and I will lose all my files on the computer and I really need a lot of those. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, and just to make it harder I truly am a computer moron

I have a Windows XP disc gave that a try but unfortunately when I select the repair XP option it asks for the administrator password, which believe it or not I don't have (a mate set the computer up for me, he doesn't have a clue and thinks that he wouldn't have used a password) I have tried all the passwords that I have used for other accounts etc and also password and just entering nothing and pressing enter, and no joy. Is there a default administrator password on Compaq PC's if you didn't select one?

It will seem to let me re install XP though, trouble is, will I lose everything on the PC if I select this option?


I could just run the recovery discs but I don't want to do that and lose everything on the PC so any repair would have to involve recovering my files etc.

Any advice gratefully received.

zouv

 

[BadBigBen]

1.) have you tried the System Restore option (F8 Boot last known working config) or even SafeMode?

2.) you say you have another XP CD, correct, how about a Repair Install, instead of the Repair Console?

"How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP (Q315341)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q315/3/41.asp

"

This will install XP over itself, and the only thing you loose are the HotFixes and any SP you had installed...



Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[zouv]

Ben,

Thanks for the reply.

I have tried the F8 Boot last known working config and also the safe mode and no joy.

With the XP disc I have tried to select the repair install option and it asks for administrator password which I don't have, so I can't proceed with that option? It will let me proceed with the install XP option, but I have no idea what would happen if I proceeded with that option, would I lose everything and cause other problems. Would it install XP over the original installation?

 

[Josse75]

Zouv

Let the computer start with the XP disk and then choose Install Win XP. When youve done that you get to choose if you want to repair the XP installation. Choose Repair. Then i guarantee it will work.

 

[zouv]

Josse75

Thanks a lot for the reply.

So let me get this straight, I select Install XP and let that run and I then select Repair after it has installed?

I had been told to select Repair, but as mentioned it wasn't allowing me to select this option due to not having the administrator password.

Also the XP disc I have is not the installed version which came pre installed from Compaq, is this likely to present a problem.

Many thanks for your help, zouv

 

[tauris]

Empty your prefech folder. That might help.

C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch.

That was my problem .My boot time got longer and longer.
I think about 30 minutes before I found the solution.

 

[Josse75]

Hi agaian!

When you have selected install XP you get another "menu", in that menu you have, Install WinXP or Repair WinXP. Choose repair XP and just let it work by itself. Leave the disk in your cd rom during repair and reeboot. But dont start on the disk again just let the computer boot and follow the instructions.

 

[captaincrunch00]

Josse, he can't repair because he doesn't have the admin password... I didn't realize it asked for the admin password during a repair but maybe it does.

Why not just ask the owner of the computer what the admin password is? That would be the easiest thing.

 

[zouv]

Guys, Thanks again for taking the time to try and help.

I am the owner of the pc, like I said a friend installed it at home for me. He seems to think that he wouldn't have submitted an administrator password or if he did he didn't write it down?

If I selected the Install XP option and completed that process, would I be buggered in terms of retrieving files etc. If so probably not worth doing, as I can just use the recovery disc's that came with pc, though obviously it does say with the literature with them that I will lose all files that were not part of the factory settings.

 

[BadBigBen]

The Repair Console needs the Admin Password... this he does not have...

The Repair Install does not need a Password... but a Valid Licsence Key, this could be where he will hang, as his KEY most likely will not work... but it could...

Suggestion, I try to do the REPAIR INSTALL, as instructed by the KB article of MS... if the Key does not work, at least your Data is still safe...

then you will need to 1.) get another Key, by contacting MS and explaining your situation... or 2.) get a hold of Bart's PE (working) and move your DATA to another Partition or Drive...

then do a Clean install, using the Recovery CD and your Licsence KEY...

This most likely will be the only option that you have left... as the installed OS has gone totally corrupted... seeing that even Safe Mode doesn't function...


Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[zouv]

Ben,

Thanks again.

So if I understand you correctly, you recommend that I try to Install XP and select the repair option once it has installed as detailed in the MS pages you directed me to.

Not sure about the key? what is this? Also what is Barts PE, I apologise for being thick, I'm out of my depth here.

How easy would it be to transfer my data prior to running the recovery discs? Also am I correct in saying that if I do re install XP from the disc that the recovery discs will no longer work. That is how I have read it from the MS pages.

Thanks
John

 

[wolluf]

zouv

the repair reinstall process referred to is described here:-

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341

It effectively installs XP on top of itself - leaving data, apps & (most) settings as were. As has been mentioned, you will need a valid XP key during this process (just as you would for clean install)

 

[BadBigBen]

Not sure about the key? what is this? Also what is Barts PE, I apologise for being thick, I'm out of my depth here.

1.) the Licsence Key, is the 25 digit code, usually found on the back of a PC (Compaq) or on the Media cover... it's printed on a MultiColor Microsoft label....

2.) BartPE - is a Bootable XP version on a CD, with basic functions, which allow you to access the Drives in order to copy the Data you need... you may also try Knoppix/SuSE LiveCD, this is Linux, and can access NTFS drives aswell... these can be downloaded from various sources on the Internet, and then be burned to a CD-R... or found on some magazines as cover CD's...

How easy would it be to transfer my data prior to running the recovery discs? Also am I correct in saying that if I do re install XP from the disc that the recovery discs will no longer work. That is how I have read it from the MS pages.

yes that is a possibility, that your Recovery CD's will not work at a later time... I am not sure about that though...

I usually told my clients to go ahead and Purchase a full version of XP... so that installing and reinstalling at a later time would be no problem...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[zouv]

Ben,

I reloaded XP last night, I did need the license number though luckily my friend who gave me the XP disc had the license number to hand. Anyway, everything is now sorted and it would seem that I didn't lose any files either. So many thanks to you and everyone else on here who offered advice, I certainly couldn't have sorted this out without your help.

Cheers everyone.

 

[BadBigBen]

Err... I did not hear that baout the KEY...



Glad you got it running... though...


Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."