XP suddenly stopped booting (after maintenance?)

DB_SamX

DB_SamX

DB_SamX

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17 Feb 2006
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Fujitsu Amilo x1546 laptop with XP sp3 (2 years old)

Sunday:
I ran disc cleanup, deleted the odd unused app and deleted their folders from program files, as I have done for years. Only noteworthy thing is that disc cleanup didn't run the "compress files" bit (I see Windows are aware this can be a registry bug issue with a download app resolving it).

Monday:
First boot since the day before and once I go past post, I only get a black screen with a flashing underscore (top of screen, third along the way horizontally). It won't go past that, but I can type text and numbers.

During post, I can access BIOS via f2, and boot sequence via f12, but pressing f8 won't even the "safe mode" boot menu, so I am actually stuck. Various restarting procedures fail me.

Hardware seems ok with lights coming on as usual. Fan doesn't come on, but can't remember if it did usually anyway.


Can anyone suggest anything on what could have happenned or where to direct my troubleshooting?

I will be extracting my personal stuff from the hd before attempting anything, assuming it is still on there. My last backup was in Dec unfortunately.

XP CD does boot up with options to reinstall or repair XP. Would that be any good in this case? I'd rather not reformat and and reinstall but if I have to, I will. 2 years worth of stuff on there bloating the system I guess.

Thanks in advance.
 
google refresh install, that will keep your settings and replace your system files (if the issue is that) should fix it.
 
It could be an idea to download a linux live cd (slax is a good one) and get your data off and do a reinstall, sounds like the clean up somehow took some of the system files with it
 
ubuntu is good for a live CD (running on it now) and you can mount NTFS drives with it and backup your data.
 
Thanks. I'll get the data off the HD to another PC first as precaution, then try repairing it and last a fresh install if it's not quite sorted. Nothing against linux and so on, but gonna stick with XP's recovery for now.

Thanks all.
 
Got the data off, so that's one thing done.

Now, I cannot get the laptop to boot from neither my XP cd nor my Fujitsu recovery CD. DVD drive is first in boot sequence.

It did the first time I tried, but once XP got to the "What do you want to do - repair/setup", it told me there was no hard drive installed. It's when I tried again that I couldn't get the CDs to load at all i.e. it got worse/CD drive broke. I can hear the drive spinning though. How the hell could that happen!! Grrr.

Any ideas please on getting either CD to boot?


P.s. I could try a Linux boot disc - what's the best one in terms of simplicity or ease - Ubuntu/slax or something else? (I'll read up meanwhile)

P.p.s. I have no floppy disk drive.
 
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As I was getting issues installing XP as per above, I installed Vista on the 2nd partition of my hd (I read that Vista has SATA controller drivers built-in), which went smoothly, but lo and behold, that somehow also fixed my xp boot sequence! So, now I can dual boot. I won't bother repairing XP now unless it throws error messages or BSODs at me.

Is there an explanation on how that can happen - I'm curious?
 
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