My PC is dead

My pc is dead and I need help.

The pc will load up as usual but windows xp will not show. Instead it shows a black screen with a number of options i.e. safe mode, safe mode with prompt etc. There is also a timer running down from 30 secs for me to make my selection. However, I have tried all the options available to me and the computer just restarts and comes back to this menu.

I don't know what to do and I afraid I have some important information on the pc i.e. CV and pics which I do not want to lose.

Any help would be appreciated.
Danny :-)

You havent just installed service pack 2 have you?

this problem is common when the pc wasn't shut down properly.

it's more than likely to be the quiest way around by re-installing windows. don't format it or you will loose your work. but a reinstall should solve it.

There must be a reason for it rebooting itself though, phil. Might be something reletively simple (although not being able to get into safe mode wont help things).

What happens after you choose safe mode, for example? Just it just reboot straight away or does it flash up a blue screen quickly?

may of ran out of memory or conflicted on something and rebooted mine does this now and again when i've been thrashing it with downloads etc ;0)

also apparently (unsure if its true) but i heard xp will shut itself down/reboot every now and again if you dont do it manually

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Withnail

There must be a reason for it rebooting itself though, phil. Might be something reletively simple (although not being able to get into safe mode wont help things).

What happens after you choose safe mode, for example? Just it just reboot straight away or does it flash up a blue screen quickly?

---

Sometimes a blue screen will flash very very quickly, cant make out what it says. I dont know how i could reinstall windows without being able to command the pc to do so...i put the windows cd in but it wouldnt accept it automatically.
Why the fek did this happen and what can I do guys, ps i have not installed service pack 2.

Thanks for all your replys.
Danny

Dude, i would use a boot disk to get in and then run a virus check. Cant really say much more without being in kicking distance of it :wink:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 1999GT3

Sometimes a blue screen will flash very very quickly, cant make out what it says. I dont know how i could reinstall windows without being able to command the pc to do so...i put the windows cd in but it wouldnt accept it automatically.
Why the fek did this happen and what can I do guys, ps i have not installed service pack 2.

Thanks for all your replys.
Danny

---

A blue screen could indicate a driver issue. What was the last thing you did before you started having these problems? Did you install any hardware/software?

On the subject of reinstalling windows, you need to set your boot sequence in the bios to boot from the CD-Rom device first.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Withnail

A blue screen could indicate a driver issue. What was the last thing you did before you started having these problems? Did you install any hardware/software?

On the subject of reinstalling windows, you need to set your boot sequence in the bios to boot from the CD-Rom device first.

---

Thank you I will try this tonight. The first thing the comp states is driver not installed or something not recognised ive forgotton. The last thing that happened was that I was shutting down the pc but pressed restart by accident and couldnt be arsed waiting for the pc to load up again before shut down so i just pressed the button to turn the comp off (this has been done before with no probs!)

Also my brother was downloading music etc from Kazaa, thats why I was thinking virus or something.

Thanks for the above comments.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KAS

Dude, i would use a boot disk to get in and then run a virus check. Cant really say much more without being in kicking distance of it :wink:

---

Kas, gonna try all of what you guys have said and hopefully get in her, once in im gonna do a spyware and virus check and kazaa is being uninstalled.

This happened to me recently
prob a software issue.
The blue screen will have a error code and serial number.
I had to reinstall everything.
Get your boot cd and try that.

I lost everything m8 so be prepared to start over.


Antony

Dude, if worst comes to worst you can remove the harddrive and put it in another pc, and back up your files that way 8-)

now why the **** didnt i do that(INSERT SMILEY HITTING HEAD ON WALL ) dohhhhhhh

Antony

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by psxprince

now why the **** didnt i do that(INSERT SMILEY HITTING HEAD ON WALL ) dohhhhhhh

Antony

---

****

](*,)

Hardlines man

](*,) ](*,) ](*,)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KAS

Dude, if worst comes to worst you can remove the harddrive and put it in another pc, and back up your files that way 8-)

---

Kas, so will it not be the hardware in the hard drive thats corrupted?

Its probly just something fuct within windows xp, or a virus.

If you put the harddrive in another pc as a slave drive, you should still be able to access your files, back them up to DVD/CD etc and even run a virus check... but if it wont work as a slave (with the correct settings in the bios) then its probly the actuall drive that is screwed. :-x

Re-installing should be the last last last last last last option, even after gettin bummed by a computer shop to fix it.

Sounds like what happens when you swap your motherboard and try and get away with not re-installing windows XP.

XP doesnt like change, but if you havent added any new hardware, its quite possible it was just a random fudge up, remember this is a PC, anything can happen.

As the others have said, use the harddrive on another computer as a slave (just plug it into a secondary IDE connection) and browse the drive using explorer, back up what you need.

Then put the drive back and reinstall windows XP from the CD.

Job's a goodun as they say in Uzbekistan.

Flip and Kas are right, your drive will be fine. Go and sweet talk a mate into letting you connect it to his as a slave.

Oh, and if your brother's been downloading anything other than MP3s from kazaa, go and give him a slap.

the reason for the reboot is because windows cannot load the required file (of which the name escapes me) hence it keeps trying.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Withnail

Flip and Kas are right, your drive will be fine. Go and sweet talk a mate into letting you connect it to his as a slave.

Oh, and if your brother's been downloading anything other than MP3s from kazaa, go and give him a slap.

---

Im slightly confused, didnt you tell me earlier to reinstall windows and this could get me in with my files still saved? But now im being told re-installing windows should be the last resort? ;-)

Thanks again
ps. knowing my brother mp3's wont be the only thing saved thats why i would die if i took it to a computer repair shop. We call him little Gary Glitter :-)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 1999GT3

Im slightly confused, didnt you tell me earlier to reinstall windows and this could get me in with my files still saved? But now im being told re-installing windows should be the last resort? ;-)

Thanks again
ps. knowing my brother mp3's wont be the only thing saved thats why i would die if i took it to a computer repair shop. We call him little Gary Glitter :-)

---

OMG really? :|

Wasnt me that mentioned reinstalling windows would keep your files mate...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Withnail

OMG really? :|

Wasnt me that mentioned reinstalling windows would keep your files mate...

---

Sorry dude, cant remember who it was and dnt have time to track back, ur cleared unless further evidence shows otherwise, thanks for your comments guys, ill let you know how it goes.

Cya :-)

Carrying on where I left off yesterday I have some more information regarding the errors on my pc (dont know if this makes any difference at all).

Below is what loads up when the pc is first turned on!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Auto Detecting Pri Master - IDE Hard Disk
Auto Detecting Pri Slave - Not Detected
Auto Detecting Sec Master - ATAP1 CDROM
Auto Detecting Sec Slave - ATAP1 CDROM

Then the next page opens:-

REALTEK BOOT AGENT

Then:-

Press Shift & F10 to configure

Then the next page loads with 5 options with a 30 sec countdown:-

Safe Mode
Safe Mode Networking
Safe Mode with command prompt
Last Known good configuration
Start windows normally

If I choose the first 3 options the computer shows me a page full of jargon, something like this:-

Multi (O)disk(O)RDISK(O)partition(1)\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DR IVERS
Multi (O)disk(O)RDISK(O)partition(1)\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DR IVERS
Multi (O)disk(O)RDISK(O)partition(1)\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DR IVERS
Multi (O)disk(O)RDISK(O)partition(1)\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DR IVERS
Multi (O)disk(O)RDISK(O)partition(1)\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DR IVERS
Multi (O)disk(O)RDISK(O)partition(1)\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DR IVERS

If I choose the last 2 options the screen loads up in black then there is the flash of a blue screen then the pc restarts itself.

As per yesterdays conversation to clear matters up should I (bearing in mind I DO NOT WANT TO LOSE ANY INFORMATION ON MY PC)

1. Reinstall windows xp
2. Slave my hard disk to another computer
3. OR any other suggestions?

Thanks guys much appreciated. :-)

Danny

Quote:

---

Multi (O)disk(O)RDISK(O)partition(1)\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DR IVERS
Multi (O)disk(O)RDISK(O)partition(1)\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DR IVERS
Multi (O)disk(O)RDISK(O)partition(1)\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DR IVERS
Multi (O)disk(O)RDISK(O)partition(1)\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DR IVERS
Multi (O)disk(O)RDISK(O)partition(1)\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DR IVERS
Multi (O)disk(O)RDISK(O)partition(1)\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DR IVERS

---

You should see that when its booting into safe mode, they will all scroll quickly down the screen, but it should eventually boot windows up. What happens after all that stuff has appeared? Dont forget, it will take longer to boot up safe mode than it does booting windows normally.

As for your last questions, I'd opt for number two. Copy across everything you want to keep onto your mate's pc, wack it onto a CD and then format and reinstall XP on your hd.

this happend to me a few months back, just outta the blue!

f***ed me right off! 'format, re-instal' - SORTED :D

but i didnt have much on the hard drive any wayz

in the end i put it down to a virus

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Withnail

You should see that when its booting into safe mode, they will all scroll quickly down the screen, but it should eventually boot windows up. What happens after all that stuff has appeared? Dont forget, it will take longer to boot up safe mode than it does booting windows normally.

As for your last questions, I'd opt for number two. Copy across everything you want to keep onto your mate's pc, wack it onto a CD and then format and reinstall XP on your hd.

---

After the forumla appears the pc restarts itself again and again. Cos im pc illiterate how would i detach the hard drive and hook it up to another pc?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 1999GT3

Cos im pc illiterate how would i detach the hard drive and hook it up to another pc?

---

Get someone who knows what they are doin mate :wink:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 1999GT3

After the forumla appears the pc restarts itself again and again. Cos im pc illiterate how would i detach the hard drive and hook it up to another pc?

---

Piece of cake:

Take it out of yours. On the back of the hard disk, there are some pins in this formation: ::::: There will most likely be a little plastic jumper covering two of them, ie: ::I:: On top of the drive, there should be a diagram explaining which pins should be covered for it to be primary, slave, or cable select. Pop the jumper on in the slave position.

Open up your mates pc. You have two options here, depending on what you see when you open it. There may be one IDE cable (the long, 'flat' grey cables) that will go from the motherboard, to the hard disk and then onto the CDRom drive. If this is the case, disconnect the IDE cable on the CDRom and connect it to your disk (along with the power, of course). If this isn't possible, or he doesnt want you to do this (he shouldn't mind, you aren't going to damage anything) make sure you bring along the IDE cable that was attached to your hard drive in your pc. Connect this to your hard drive and then onto his second IDE port on his motherboard (if it is free).

Obviously, the first option is the simplest and the one I'd go for. Dont forget to touch the inside of the case once you've got the side off to ground yourself.

Hope all that makes sense...?

How many sticks of RAM have you got mate? If more than one, you could try booting with just one stick. If that doesn't work try the others on their own.

I doubt your memory is the issue as you say it was working fine before but definately worth a try - one stick of RAM may have died and your motherboard is not liking it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by waj787

How many sticks of RAM have you got mate? If more than one, you could try booting with just one stick. If that doesn't work try the others on their own.

I doubt your memory is the issue as you say it was working fine before but definately worth a try - one stick of RAM may have died and your motherboard is not liking it.

---

Probably wouldn't get past the post screen if that was the case or it would at least just report the incorrect amount of RAM.

Well I've had a problem like this before. It detects all the sticks fine but then falls over a few minutes into the Windows installation. I knew it was RAM related because the blue screen reported a paging error.

If you can find out what the blue screen says we can make a more informed diagnosis.