....b*stard thing won't boot

[Will Hay]

It gets as far as "....windows is starting up) and then just hangs.
The mouse moves around but no matter how long I leave the frigger it won't start.
It was fine when I left this morning and my wife closed it down after my capture had finished, and although I'm sure it has no bearing my wife unplugged the scanner from an extension lead and used the extension downstairs (a co-incidence, I'm sure).

I've tried booting in safe mode but still get the same hang "....windows is starting up".

Anyone any idea's?
Thanks,
Will

[Capmaster]

Do you have an old DOS floppy you can boot from that has scandisk on it?

Edit: That won't work with NTFS. Never mind.

Maybe boot from the Windows CD and let it reinstall over itself, saving your apps and settings?

[Will Hay]

Hey

Maybe boot from the Windows CD and let it reinstall over itself, saving your apps and settings?

I've tried this last time I had a problem and seem to remember it warning me I'd lose some of my shit.
Really pissed off, I purposely left my video editing machine free of any web access so I wouldn't suffer any virus or worm attacks, I wanted it perfectly clean, basic system and minimal software for capture and editing and this ******* happens
Will

[bazooka]

The repair option will do the same thing.

You will need to reinstall your programs though using either option.

[Will Hay]

..and what about any captures I have on drive, or any personal files?
I have some mpegs I created this weekend ready for burning.
I can't risk losing those, they took too long.
Will

[bazooka]

You will keep the data unless you format.

However, your programs would need to be reinstalled.

[makntraks]

..and what about any captures I have on drive, or any personal files?
I have some mpegs I created this weekend ready for burning.
I can't risk losing those, they took too long.
Will

Hopefully your drive was partitioned so that you will only have to format/reinstall on your C drive....
I recommend when putting a pc together to always ensure I have a partion strictly for data (D: or similar) so I don't have to worry (unless the MBR or something like that gets screwed) as data is most always safe...

Believe me, I feel for ya'

Peace,
makntraks

[Will Hay]

Okay, I'll try tonight and report back, bastard thing
I did try create a seperate partition makntraks (when I first installed everything) but ran into problems and gave up.
If I have to reformat I'll try again.
Thanks to all,
Will

[bazooka]

You can reinstall without formatting.

[JSB]

Hopefully your drive was partitioned so that you will only have to format/reinstall on your C drive....
I recommend when putting a pc together to always ensure I have a partion strictly for data (D: or similar) so I don't have to worry (unless the MBR or something like that gets screwed) as data is most always safe...

Believe me, I feel for ya'

Peace,
makntraks

My setup:

40 gig primary - OS and Programs
160 gig secondary - Data and Ghost image of OS drive

You get screwed once and you will learn to sperate your data and back it up ... everyone learns the hard way!

BTW Will Hay:
You could get a hold of another hard drive(don't bother with a huge drive cause you will not use it for data) and install it as you primary master. Do a fresh install of Windows then install your "old" HD as your secondary. Now you have a OS drive and a... messy... data drive. back up your data then format your data drive... re-install data from backups! Ghost your OS to the data drive.

Good luck
JSB

[bazooka]

You do not need the OS on your data drive.

If he is going to use 2 drives, then keep the OS on the OS drive.

[Ziffelpig]

Use the safe mode command prompt or change your boot order in the bios to boot from your XP CD and use the built in restore command.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=304449
The only other option is to install over XP without formatting, you will have to install most apps and games but will not lose any data.

[bazooka]

Or you could try instead of using safe mode, choose last known working configuration upon bootup and spare yourself the hassle of reinstalling/repairing.

[makntraks]

Or you could try instead of using safe mode, choose last known working configuration upon bootup and spare yourself the hassle of reinstalling/repairing.

IME, after a severe problem just as what Will is experiencing, I think best to reformat to ensure that the system install process starts from scratch. I've never been comfortable with a rebuild or even using the recovery console. Without a format/reinstall, there is ALWAYS junk left behind that could interfere with the rebuild....

Wipe the slate clean I say!
makntraks

[Will Hay]

....as I mentioned it still hangs in safe mode, and it still hangs when I try "last known config".
I'm thinking it's (the problem) hardware based, I'll play tonight and report back.
I can't format, I'll lose the family mpegs I've edited and created this weekend.
Will

[indolikaa]

I would recommend taking a cricket bat to the bloody thing.


Will,

If you have a spare hard drive, I would take your current drive out and set it aside. Try loading Windows on the spare drive first. That will likely tell you if you're dealing with hardware or not. If it loads Windows, you can work from that point by installing your 'data' drive as a slave, and see if it can read that one as a non-bootable drive.

It doesn't sound like a hardware failure to me...

[Cobra]

Whilst I am unsure as to whether this is me speaking or whisky, could you not try booting from Linux and copying the files across, then backing them up to CD or DVD, or even a UNIX partition on the same drive?

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=237206

This will also tell you if you have a hardware problem, or whether it is Windows having a fit.

Indo's suggestion seems to be a lot more sensible to me. I have found both Knoppix and Mandrake capable of copying from a Windows partition and backing up data for me - this has saved my neck before...

Anyway, best of luck!

Cobra

[Will Hay]

Four attempts to boot last night, all without success.
Re-installed windows with some trouble and a reset proved the same; a 'freeze'.
Removed promise controller card, all CD/DVD drives and rebooted, another freeze.
Another reset, booted fine.
Backed all my data to DVD's, connected all drives/cd-rom drives etc, been fine since.
******* thing

Whilst I am unsure as to whether this is me speaking or whisky, could you not try booting from Linux and copying the files across, then backing them up to CD or DVD, or even a UNIX partition on the same drive?

I have no idea.
Does the CD-based OS see files on an NTFS drive, and will I be able to see my two 160gb HDD's connected to my promise controller card, when the drivers are installed within Windows X?

I don't have a spare drive Indo, I'd have done this first
I have a 30gb IBM that I used to use for this purpose but this died.

.....I think best to reformat.......Without a format/reinstall, there is ALWAYS junk left behind that could interfere with the rebuild....

Windows media player will play avi's, but after the repair it won't play mpegs
Will

[makntraks]

Windows media player will play avi's, but after the repair it won't play mpegs
Will

Is it a codec issue?
Do mpegs play with this Media Player Classic?

It's always a pain in th ass trying to get things back in proper order...

Glad to help if I can,
makntraks

[Will Hay]

I'll post the error messages in a day or two, but if I remember correctly the report is that a couple of dll files are missing.
Bastard thing
Will

[bazooka]

How old is your motherboard?

The bios may need flashing.

[Craig Tucker]

Not if it was working before the reinstall.

[makntraks]

I think you should just make your wife BUY you a NEW PC...

makntraks

[Will Hay]

The clock is never ******* right, no matter how many times I change it.
Time for a new CMOS battery?
Will

[Craig Tucker]

Sounds like

[Will Hay]

Sounds like

Go on....

Sounds like what?
Will

[enstg8er]

i just went through the same thing. turned out the power supply was failing. it would power up but apparently not enough to drive the machine. by the time i figured it out i lost my windows and apps trying to fix windows. ended up re-formatting. it was time anyway. good luck.