............I do not care if I lose all of my personal data such as pictures, additional applications, etc. I just want my computer back.
Any help, please? Thank you in advance.
No need to lose your data. If nobody comes up with a better solution you can do a Windows Repair Install. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I'm quoting from: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
"1. Boot the computer using the XP CD. You may need to change the boot order in the system BIOS so the CD boots before the hard drive. Check your system documentation for steps to access the BIOS and change the boot order.
2. When you see the "Welcome To Setup" screen, you will see the options below
This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft
Windows XP to run on your computer:
To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.
To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R.
To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.
3. Press Enter to start the Windows Setup.
To setup Windows XP now and Repair Install , press ENTER. do not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press R", (you Do Not want to load Recovery Console). I repeat, do not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press R".
4. Accept the License Agreement and Windows will search for existing Windows installations.
5. Select the XP installation you want to repair from the list and press R to start the repair. If Repair is not one of the options, END setup. After the reboot read Warning#2!
6. Setup will copy the necessary files to the hard drive and reboot. Do not press any key to boot from CD when the message appears. Setup will continue as if it were doing a clean install, but your applications and settings will remain intact."
End of quote.
If you can spare a dollar or two, consider buying Acronis True Image to enable yourself to recover from this sort of disadter in future.
This is nothing to be concerned about. However, any major surgery always entails a certain risk. Corrupt Windows CD, lighting strikes, stray cosmic rays, little green men: who knows what disaster can strike.
So save your important data to backup discs before doing anything.
This is a reinstallation of Windows. The difference between this Repair operation and a clean installation is that it leaves all programs an data intact.
If it's any comfort, I restore my C:\ drive from an image at least once a month - too many untraceable rootkits around. I do a clean installation at least once every 6 months. I've been doing that for at least 10 years and had no problems.
I can't say the same for System Restore, which has left me in deep strife on several occasions.
How do I save my data from the logon? I can't get further than the loading Windows XP logo. That loads and when the login is supposed to show up the BSOD shows up instead. Also, what do you advise that I save? Do I save system files or things that I use that are hard to retrieve again just incase it's lost?
Let's go back a step. Have you tried starting in Safe Mode? If that works, you'll be able to save your documents.
Get into Safe Mode by tapping F8 repeatedly at boot time until you're presented with a menu of start options. Choose Safe Mode using your keyboard.
If you get into Safe Mode you can sort out many problems and save your data. It helps if you have an external disc - a pen drive for instance. But a rewritable CD or DVD will do. You use a Nero InCD disc (or Roxio or Dell equivalent).
Run all your diagnostic and malware programs whilst in Safe Mode. Also run System File Checker: Start/Run type - sfc /scannow - then click OK. You may need a windows CD for this. SFC checks all your Windows files and repairs those which are missing or corrupted.
If you can't get into Safe Mode, I'd go ahead and do the Repair.
Can't tell you what to save, depends what programs you have, but My Documents, emails, Favorites and/or bookmarks, Word dictionary (proof folder) and templates are a good starting point.
Check here on my website:
http://www.mistywindow.com/pc-care/housekeeping.htm
and here: http://www.mistywindow.com/pc-care/backup.htm
and also here: http://www.mistywindow.com/email/email-backup.htm
You need to record your internet access settings and your email account settings.
All these can be saved, if you have a suitable external drive, second HDD or partition or a Nero InCD disc or equivalent, using Start/All Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Files and Settings Transfer wizard.
Let me know if you have M$ Office and I'll tell you how to save those settings.
Unfortunately, Safe Mode is a no-no. Safe mode requires a logon and that's where the error is occuring. I tried, same error happened. Just go ahead and do the repair, then?
I would just do it Zero!
Your only other alternative that I can see is to boot from a Linux bootable CD, or the Ultimate Boot CD. And use either one to copy your data.
If you're not in a position to do that, do the Repair. I've done it dozens of times with no problems. You're not going to be any worse off than you are now!
Alan,
mistywindow.com
mistywindow
1 Rookie
•
26 Posts
0
June 24th, 2006 02:00
No need to lose your data. If nobody comes up with a better solution you can do a Windows Repair Install. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I'm quoting from: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
"1. Boot the computer using the XP CD. You may need to change the boot order in the system BIOS so the CD boots before the hard drive. Check your system documentation for steps to access the BIOS and change the boot order.
2. When you see the "Welcome To Setup" screen, you will see the options below
This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft
Windows XP to run on your computer:
To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.
To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R.
To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.
3. Press Enter to start the Windows Setup.
To setup Windows XP now and Repair Install , press ENTER. do not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press R", (you Do Not want to load Recovery Console). I repeat, do not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press R".
4. Accept the License Agreement and Windows will search for existing Windows installations.
5. Select the XP installation you want to repair from the list and press R to start the repair. If Repair is not one of the options, END setup. After the reboot read Warning#2!
6. Setup will copy the necessary files to the hard drive and reboot. Do not press any key to boot from CD when the message appears. Setup will continue as if it were doing a clean install, but your applications and settings will remain intact."
End of quote.
If you can spare a dollar or two, consider buying Acronis True Image to enable yourself to recover from this sort of disadter in future.
Zero1o0
4 Posts
0
June 24th, 2006 04:00
mistywindow
1 Rookie
•
26 Posts
0
June 24th, 2006 04:00
So save your important data to backup discs before doing anything.
This is a reinstallation of Windows. The difference between this Repair operation and a clean installation is that it leaves all programs an data intact.
If it's any comfort, I restore my C:\ drive from an image at least once a month - too many untraceable rootkits around. I do a clean installation at least once every 6 months. I've been doing that for at least 10 years and had no problems.
I can't say the same for System Restore, which has left me in deep strife on several occasions.
Zero1o0
4 Posts
0
June 24th, 2006 05:00
Message Edited by Zero1o0 on 06-24-200601:04 AM
mistywindow
1 Rookie
•
26 Posts
0
June 24th, 2006 07:00
Get into Safe Mode by tapping F8 repeatedly at boot time until you're presented with a menu of start options. Choose Safe Mode using your keyboard.
If you get into Safe Mode you can sort out many problems and save your data. It helps if you have an external disc - a pen drive for instance. But a rewritable CD or DVD will do. You use a Nero InCD disc (or Roxio or Dell equivalent).
Run all your diagnostic and malware programs whilst in Safe Mode. Also run System File Checker: Start/Run type - sfc /scannow - then click OK. You may need a windows CD for this. SFC checks all your Windows files and repairs those which are missing or corrupted.
If you can't get into Safe Mode, I'd go ahead and do the Repair.
Can't tell you what to save, depends what programs you have, but My Documents, emails, Favorites and/or bookmarks, Word dictionary (proof folder) and templates are a good starting point.
Check here on my website:
http://www.mistywindow.com/pc-care/housekeeping.htm
and here: http://www.mistywindow.com/pc-care/backup.htm
and also here: http://www.mistywindow.com/email/email-backup.htm
You need to record your internet access settings and your email account settings.
All these can be saved, if you have a suitable external drive, second HDD or partition or a Nero InCD disc or equivalent, using Start/All Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Files and Settings Transfer wizard.
Let me know if you have M$ Office and I'll tell you how to save those settings.
Zero1o0
4 Posts
0
June 24th, 2006 19:00
mistywindow
1 Rookie
•
26 Posts
0
June 25th, 2006 01:00
Your only other alternative that I can see is to boot from a Linux bootable CD, or the Ultimate Boot CD. And use either one to copy your data.
If you're not in a position to do that, do the Repair. I've done it dozens of times with no problems. You're not going to be any worse off than you are now!
Alan,
mistywindow.com