XP shafted itself

arty

arty

arty

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
6,868
Location
Stamford
My brother's installation of Windows XP has died suddenly, for no apparent reason. When booting up it gets stuck after the XP logo loading screen but before it actually boots into Windows. It won't boot up in Safe Mode either - it freezes at the same point every time.

I'm unable to get the XP installation CD to offer the option of repairing the installation, for some reason. I've tried rebuilding the boot configuration in the Recovery Console (i.e. bootcfg /rebuild) but it gives an error ('Failed to add selected boot entry to the boot list'). I've run fixboot and fixmbr with no luck; I still get no option to repair the installation.

In frustration, I've tried booting into Knoppix, but even that is freezing at a particular point. There are a fairly small number of files I need to keep on C: (basically the contents of Documents and Settings) but rather annoyingly the Recovery Console just gives me 'Access Denied' errors whenever I try to copy them to a backup folder, either on another partition or the same one.

Does anyone have any suggestions on ways I might be able to get this folder backed up? The obvious possibility would be to stick the hard disk into another computer and copy it on there, but I'm trying to avoid that for the sheer faff it requires. Surely there must be a way to back files up from the Recovery Console? :confused:

Any help gratefully received :)

arty
 
was going to suggest taking hd out before i read that you'd rather not

i always use this method, then format, saves fiddling about and i know it'll work!
 
If it's happening with Knoppix as well it sounds more like a hardware problem than Windows itself. Or to be more specific, a ram problem. Have you run Memtest to see if the ram is ok?
 
kitfit1 said:
If it's happening with Knoppix as well it sounds more like a hardware problem than Windows itself. Or to be more specific, a ram problem. Have you run Memtest to see if the ram is ok?
Click to expand...

That's what I was going to say, it is sounding like a memory problem or a hard drive. Get Memtest86, put it on a CD and let it run for atleast 5 hours. Or all night if possible. At least then you will know where the problem is. Failing that, just take the hard drive out and put it into another computer. know it's a hassel and a fafh ect, but believe me, the time you spend in trying to correct Windows XP, you might as well take the drive out and be over and done with it, finish and klar. ;)
 
Ice On Fire said:
That's what I was going to say, it is sounding like a memory problem or a hard drive. Get Memtest86, put it on a CD and let it run for atleast 5 hours. Or all night if possible. At least then you will know where the problem is. Failing that, just take the hard drive out and put it into another computer. know it's a hassel and a fafh ect, but believe me, the time you spend in trying to correct Windows XP, you might as well take the drive out and be over and done with it, finish and klar. ;)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice, and to bledd and kitfit1. I've ended up taking a backup of the Windows partition using an Icy Box external HDD enclosure with a view to reinstalling XP tomorrow. If that goes OK then fair enough, but if not then I think I'll start on the hardware tests, Memtest included.

As you said, probably saved time in the long run :p

arty
 
if it says access denied when you're trying to get into folders on the drive, then google "taking ownership of a folder" and use the microsoft link
 
Hi, I don't know if this will work for you but my desktop often stalls at the same point and to rectify it I unplug the two USB leads (one goes to a hub and the other to the modem). When Windows bootup advances, usually a couple of seconds I push the two leads back into the base unit.

It might work for you?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom