my computer will not boot at all -- help!

[theRealMacoy]

Help!

My computer will not boot up at all.

It shows the Dell screen initially and then a screen shows up saying that windows did not load properly and i can choose one of 4 options (start normally, safe mode, safe mode with networking, safe mode with config? screen, and finally the option saying choose the previous configuration that worked).

When i choose any of the safe modes it fills the screen with a list function lines and directories but does not get any further.

When i choose any other option (e.g., last configuration that worked or load windows normally) the windows loading screen with comes up and then it goes to black screen and nothing else happens.

I am running windows XP home edition.
I have one 30g hard drive, it had only 4-5 gigs free space the last time it worked.

I was playing poker the last time it worked and it seemed to be working normally. I had earlier downloaded and installed a program called e-mule (which may have been the problem) earlier in that computing session.

I have no idea what i should do from here?

I would love to be able to diagnose the problem myself as i am pretty strapped for cash (e.g. do i need a new hard drive? did i get a virus? do i need to reformat my hard-drive?)

Any help you folks could offer would be cool....how can i get back into my computer?

I don't have a rescue disk created that i can find at the moment.

Cheers and thanks,
Sean

[SheetWise]

Do you have your install disks for XP?

[theRealMacoy]

[ QUOTE ]
Do you have your install disks for XP?

[/ QUOTE ]

sure do...it is a dell system so i have the re-install discs.

....do i get it to boot from the cd?
if so, how?

When your pc boot repeatedly hit F2, this should boot into BIOS and then you can alter the boot order to boot the CDROM before the HDD.

[agar316]

Before reinstalling there's other options to try. First try disconnecting all external peripherals except the keyboard and the monitor. Anything connected could be causing the system to lock up. If at this point it does boot up then connect each peripheral one at a time rebooting each time to test. You also mentioned that when you enter Safe Mode it throws the list of files and directories across the screen but gets no further. This is important. The last file that it lists is generally where the system is locking up. Look to what that file is referring to and that may be a hint as to what is causing the problem.

[theRealMacoy]

[ QUOTE ]
When your pc boot repeatedly hit F2, this should boot into BIOS and then you can alter the boot order to boot the CDROM before the HDD.

[/ QUOTE ]

i will give it a try.
thanks for the suggestion...i will likely report back for further ideas.

much appreciated,
sean

[theRealMacoy]

[ QUOTE ]
Before reinstalling there's other options to try. First try disconnecting all external peripherals except the keyboard and the monitor. Anything connected could be causing the system to lock up. If at this point it does boot up then connect each peripheral one at a time rebooting each time to test. You also mentioned that when you enter Safe Mode it throws the list of files and directories across the screen but gets no further. This is important. The last file that it lists is generally where the system is locking up. Look to what that file is referring to and that may be a hint as to what is causing the problem.

[/ QUOTE ]

agar316,

i would really really like to save my data!
thank you for your advice.

perhaps you can help interpret the meaning of the last entry? ...when i get home i will try and access it...

thanks,
sean

ps...damn, i have been stressed all day...it is really stressful when your computer goes down!

[theRealMacoy]

[ QUOTE ]
You also mentioned that when you enter Safe Mode it throws the list of files and directories across the screen but gets no further. This is important. The last file that it lists is generally where the system is locking up. Look to what that file is referring to and that may be a hint as to what is causing the problem.

[/ QUOTE ]

Okay here is the last couple of files on the list that come up on my screen when i try to start in safe mode...these are the last 4 on the list:



multi(0)disc(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System 32\Drivers\Ntfs.sys
multi(0)disc(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System 32\Drivers\NDIS.sys
multi(0)disc(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System 32\Drivers\Mup.sys
multi(0)disc(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System 32\DRIVERS\agp440.sys

any ideas on what to do now, would be duly appreciated.

thanks,
sean

[MyMindIsGoing]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324764

[theRealMacoy]

as usual, thanks for the excellent link/help mymindisgoing.



...advice from one and all appreciated, i have never dealt with problems of this nature (i continue to google away but without previous know how....)..er, help?

ok, i have no idea what to do next.
here is a list of what i have done so far:

- (from the link above) i used the recovery console by booting XP from my cdrom...i then disabled the apg440 as per instructions.
- i then restarted and tried choosing - safe mode

the result was essentially the same...i got a list of files the same as before except ending on the 2nd to last file name (the one i disabled was not there).

the one it stops on now is (which was there before):
multi(0)disc(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System 32\Drivers\Mup.sys

should i keep disabling the last one on the list?

(it seems that the hard drive is firing up now though as i can hear it running and it did not before)

I also used the Recovery Console to repair the drive and did the following:
CHKDSK c: /P /R

Also I tried disconnecting the sound card and the network card and then booting.

So far the result is the same


So what can i try next?

Is there any way to get the computer to boot so i can run virus scans or registry mechanic?

... can i boot it up from the XP cd without losing my data on my c drive? if i can how do i do it and what should i do once i get access?

..what other diagnostics can i run? i have a dell diagnostics disc but have never used it.

...what are my options?
....can i set up a partition to install a temporary OS and not have to corrupt/reformat my HD?

I would very much appreciate any and all suggesions/solutions/encouragement/ect...

frustrated by the crash but thankful to be a part of this community,
sean

[MyMindIsGoing]

When it now stops on another file it is more likley that the files are corrupt (broken) rather than they were not working as they should. Me personaly would put the drive in another computer, boot from what ever drive was there beofre and then just copy all files you want to keep from the bad hard drive and then scan it and format it and try to install a fresh copy of windows on it.

*edit: you only need to format the partition windows is on of cource (witch can be done in the windows installer), not the whole drive.*

[theRealMacoy]

thanks for all the help! i very much appreciate it.

i will try and get the data off the HD by dropping it into another computer as you recommend.

then (sigh) i will wipe the drive and re-install XP, and all my poker programs.

question:
is there any way to make a back-up of little applications like star-spy i have installed (given i am able to access my HD)? ....allowing me to re-install them onto my newly wiped drive without needing an outside copy of the program).

cheers and i tip my hat in gratitude for the guidance,

sean