I posted this also last week in XP General Discussion Group with no replies
so fa
http://www.microsoft.com/communities...7-a674518a96dc

this is the MS Windows UPDATE that seemed to have caused the problem and
crash as I outlined... if anyone else has run into this situation please
post... unable to access PC even thru Safe Mode screen
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925720

"Stakeout" wrote:

> running 6yr old Gateway Desktop Media Center Edition (Windows XP
> Professional)SP2... 2 gb RAM.. two 160gb hard drives..as a backup have all
> data and many pics backed up on external 320gb hard drive..this is used as
> Main PC in 3 PC Home Network..
>
> notified of Windows Update yesterday morning..high priority.. believe it
> said FS Card 170kb or close to that .. d/l and installed
>
> short while later I attempted to reboot.. Windows would NOT start.. black
> text screen appeared.. with 5 options for restarts... including 3 Safe Mode
> ones... none would work... all reverted back to same black text screen...
> tried and retried many many times.. no good... I have been advised that is
> regular Safe Start screen..
> only thing that is working is the DSL modem and the router that are hooked
> up to the Gateway PC so I am able to get online thru this laptop...
>
> can I use my original Gateway Windows XP disk to restart windows.. I have
> not so far .. thought it might affect the DSL and router shutting them down..
> but not sure.. don't want to lose access to online.. do I have to access the
> BIOS option window then use the start with CD
>
> if anyone has any info would appreciate any advice on best course of action
> to restart Windows..
>
> thanx

Stakeout wrote:

> I posted this also last week in XP General Discussion Group with no
> replies so far
> http://www.microsoft.com/communities...7-a674518a96dc
>
> this is the MS Windows UPDATE that seemed to have caused the problem and
> crash as I outlined... if anyone else has run into this situation please
> post... unable to access PC even thru Safe Mode screen
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925720

Sorry if you've tried this, but it's not clear to me that you have tried all
safe mode options.
see: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449/en-us
If you cannot boot into safe mode with command prompt, it think it may be
necessary either to restore the machine from a backup, or boot from the
windows disk and try a repair installation of the operating system.

--
Falcon:
fide, sed cui vide. (L)

"Stakeout" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:8BE6E308-5C85-4249-A143-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I posted this also last week in XP General Discussion Group with no
>replies
> so far
> http://www.microsoft.com/communities...7-a674518a96dc
>
> this is the MS Windows UPDATE that seemed to have caused the problem
> and
> crash as I outlined... if anyone else has run into this situation
> please
> post... unable to access PC even thru Safe Mode screen
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925720
>
> "Stakeout" wrote:
>
>> running 6yr old Gateway Desktop Media Center Edition (Windows XP
>> Professional)SP2... 2 gb RAM.. two 160gb hard drives..as a backup
>> have all
>> data and many pics backed up on external 320gb hard drive..this is
>> used as
>> Main PC in 3 PC Home Network..
>>
>> notified of Windows Update yesterday morning..high priority.. believe
>> it
>> said FS Card 170kb or close to that .. d/l and installed
>>
>> short while later I attempted to reboot.. Windows would NOT start..
>> black
>> text screen appeared.. with 5 options for restarts... including 3
>> Safe Mode
>> ones... none would work... all reverted back to same black text
>> screen...
>> tried and retried many many times.. no good... I have been advised
>> that is
>> regular Safe Start screen..
>> only thing that is working is the DSL modem and the router that are
>> hooked
>> up to the Gateway PC so I am able to get online thru this laptop...
>>
>> can I use my original Gateway Windows XP disk to restart windows.. I
>> have
>> not so far .. thought it might affect the DSL and router shutting
>> them down..
>> but not sure.. don't want to lose access to online.. do I have to
>> access the
>> BIOS option window then use the start with CD
>>
>> if anyone has any info would appreciate any advice on best course of
>> action
>> to restart Windows..

Sometimes it is necessary to select Last Known Good Configuration
instead of Safe Mode. If that doesn't work, check out:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545
How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from
starting