Well I've had my computer unplugged for about a month, and finally I'm hooking it back up (but not without problems - my monitor wasn't working but that's another issue).

 

 

 

Anyways, since my monitor wasn't working I definately hit the restart/power button several times out of frustration. Now that I've gotten it working, I have an entirely different problem. My computer starts up, does the normal motherboard word thing, then says the following:

 

 

 

We apoligize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change may have caused this.

 

 

 

If your computer stopped responding, restarted unexpectantly or was automatically shut down to protect your files, use last known good configuration to recent to the most recent settings that worked.

 

 

 

If the previous startup attempt was interupted due to a power failure or because the power or reset button was pressed, or if you aren't sure what caused the problems, choose the strat windows normally.

 

-Safe Mode

 

-Safe Mode with Network

 

-Safe Mode with Command Prompts

 

-Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)

 

-Start Windows Normally

 

 

 

I have no idea what has happened. I didn't add any new hardware, the only thing that really changed is I'm not connected to the internet, I probably pressed the power button a few times.

 

 

 

So I made attempts to use safe mode, start windows normally and last known good configuration. All begin to open windows, then I get a blue screen with some writing, then it goes to the mobo screen again and repeats the same thing over.

 

 

 

So if anyone has any ideas, that would be great.

Stuck in a boot loop then. The next thing you should do is start up the recovery console and run a check disk, first to try is "chkdsk /p", if that doesn't work do a "chkdsk /r"

 

 

 

Let us know if you need help getting into the recovery console.

 

 

 

oober

Stuck in a boot loop then. The next thing you should do is start up the recovery console and run a check disk, first to try is "chkdsk /p", if that doesn't work do a "chkdsk /r"

 

 

 

Let us know if you need help getting into the recovery console.

 

 

 

oober

I do :? .

ok.

 

If the recovery console is already installed on your computer, you will see the option to boot into it on startup.

 

 

 

If not, you will have to put your windows disk into your cd/dvd drive and boot from that. If it's not set to boot from cd/dvd you will have to go into the bios and change the boot priority to boot from cd/dvd first.

 

 

 

So after you have booted from your windows disk, it will load the startup files and leave you at a screen asking you if you want to install windows or repair windows using the recovery console. Choose the recovery console option.

 

 

 

You will be asked what windows installation you want to log onto, there will probably only be one there, choose that, then you will be asked to enter the administartors password, unless you have set one, leave it blank.

 

 

 

You will be left at a command prompt, at the prompt, type "chkdsk /p" without the quotes. After it finishes, at the command prompt type "exit" and see if windows starts up.

 

 

 

If it doesn't start up, get back into the recovery console and at the c prompt type "chkdsk /r" then try to boot into windows again.

 

 

 

Let us know if you are unclear on anything.

 

 

 

Good luck

 

oober

If running the chkdsk from the recovery console doesn't work, then it's possible you have a corruption in your registry. You can manually restore an earlier registry by doing the following:

 

 

 

Boot the system off an XP CD and start the recovery console.

 

 

 

You need to restore the registry files from one of the recent restore points, first lets backup the old files by creating a backup folder and copying the old reg files there by doing the following:

 

 

 

CD C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG

 

MD BACKUP

 

COPY SYSTEM BACKUP

 

COPY DEFAULT BACKUP

 

COPY SAM BACKUP

 

COPY SECURITY BACKUP

 

COPY SOFTWARE BACKUP

 

 

 

Now lets copy the reg files from a one of the recent restore points. First we need to select a restore point:

 

Change the directory to the System Volume Information folder by running the following command (Include the double quotes):

 

 

 

CD "C:\SYSTEM VOLUME INFORMATION"

 

 

 

List this folders contents in order of date by running the command:

 

 

 

DIR /A /O

 

 

 

You're looking for a folder that starts with _restore, if there is more than one then select the 2nd newest and NOT the newest folder.

 

You will now need to change directory to that folder by typing CD and then the folder name. Here's an example:

 

 

CD _restore{C734E4CB-0141-429A-9AA0-AC0ED4F3C31E}

 

 

 

You need to type it exactly as it appears on your listing. It's not possible for me to tell you exactly what the folders name is as it is generated by XP and is different on all systems.

 

 

 

List this folders contents in order of date by running the command:

 

 

 

DIR /A /O

 

 

 

You're looking for a folder starting with RP and is the 2nd newest one. i.e. NOT the newest folder. Change directory to the snapshot folder within RP folder by running the following command (This example uses a folder called RP281):

 

 

 

CD RP281\snapshot

 

 

 

You can now copy the registry files required by executing the following commands:

 

 

 

COPY _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SAM

 

COPY _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SECURITY

 

COPY _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SOFTWARE

 

COPY _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

 

COPY _REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\DEFAULT

 

 

 

If this doesn't work, then repeat the above and select an older restore point.

 

 

 

One thing I must say is that you need to make sure you take note of the spaces in the all of the above commands.

 

 

 

Good luck.

 

Clare.

I didn't realise you could access the system volume information folder from the recovery console. I thought you had to boot into windows once youd copied the registry files that were created on initial installation.

 

 

 

oober

The sys vol folder can be accessed yes, even thought it is hidden and has the system attribute set.

 

 

 

Another alternative would be to connect the hard drive to another PC and then take ownership of the sys vol folder. Either way you can perform the same file copies.

 

 

 

Yet another alternative would be to use Windows PE or Bart PE. Both those would also allow you to manually restore registry restore points. Bart PE may be for those who are not too happy with the CLI as Bart PE has a WIMP front end.

Ok, I got it working 8-) .

 

 

 

All I needed to do was the chkdsk /p.

 

 

 

Thanks guys :).