help, windows XP won't boot, not even safe mode

Help. windows XP will not start. Not even into safe mode. I was
installing a DVD writer and vidio software package and many driver
updates. I have a Retrospect Backup but it is a few months old. The
system will start with the Retrospect emergency backup CD, it install a
temp cmd line operating system in c:\drwinnt.tmp and starts from that.
The main windows XP system (c:\windows) only get to the install drivers
stage in safe mode commandline (that the mode that gets farthest). It
stops after listing several screens of drivers scoll by, the last line
is: windows\system32\driver\amdagp.sys ... I have renamed this file
and that did not help. It must be stopping at the next driver and I do
not know what that is. The \drwinnt.tmp system does not load that
driver. I changed the boot.ini to enable /bootlog, but I only get a
ntbtlog.txt file from the \drwinnt.tmp startup not the \windows startup
that fails. It seems this is a software driver problem of some sort as
the hardware supports starting from the temp system. I need help for
what to do next. Do I need to delete/change files in the driver
directory, or is there another type of logging? The backup data is on
an external USB drive that is not recongnised by the partial backup
system. To install a more complete (but still temp backup system with
explorer available) system the install asks for the windows XP license
key (I seem to have misplaced the piece of paper that came with the
system). Thanks for any help.

Hi

Have you tried a 'Repair' install:

"How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install"
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups


"Dale Sorenson" <dalefsorenson(remove this)@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:OxnkJxtVEHA.2508@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
| Help. windows XP will not start. Not even into safe mode. I was
| installing a DVD writer and vidio software package and many driver
| updates. I have a Retrospect Backup but it is a few months old. The
| system will start with the Retrospect emergency backup CD, it install a
| temp cmd line operating system in c:\drwinnt.tmp and starts from that.
| The main windows XP system (c:\windows) only get to the install drivers
| stage in safe mode commandline (that the mode that gets farthest). It
| stops after listing several screens of drivers scoll by, the last line
| is: windows\system32\driver\amdagp.sys ... I have renamed this file
| and that did not help. It must be stopping at the next driver and I do
| not know what that is. The \drwinnt.tmp system does not load that
| driver. I changed the boot.ini to enable /bootlog, but I only get a
| ntbtlog.txt file from the \drwinnt.tmp startup not the \windows startup
| that fails. It seems this is a software driver problem of some sort as
| the hardware supports starting from the temp system. I need help for
| what to do next. Do I need to delete/change files in the driver
| directory, or is there another type of logging? The backup data is on
| an external USB drive that is not recongnised by the partial backup
| system. To install a more complete (but still temp backup system with
| explorer available) system the install asks for the windows XP license
| key (I seem to have misplaced the piece of paper that came with the
| system). Thanks for any help.
|
|

The system was OEM installed so I do not have a windows XP cd to do the
repair install from.
The instructions for the manual "salvage mission" restore requie getting
back restore point files"
_registry_user_.default
_registry_machine_security
_registry_machine_software
_registry_machine_system
_registry_machine_sam
and these file names are not in my \system volume information\_restore{....
etc directory, lots of files are,
one is A0067541.ini, the others have the same first four characters in the
name.
"Will Denny" <willdenny@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:eZuXt3tVEHA.1656@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Hi
>
> Have you tried a 'Repair' install:
>
> "How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install"
> http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
>
> --
>
> Will Denny
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
> Please reply to the News Groups
>
>
> "Dale Sorenson" <dalefsorenson(remove this)@earthlink.net> wrote in
message
> news:OxnkJxtVEHA.2508@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> | Help. windows XP will not start. Not even into safe mode. I was
> | installing a DVD writer and vidio software package and many driver
> | updates. I have a Retrospect Backup but it is a few months old. The
> | system will start with the Retrospect emergency backup CD, it install a
> | temp cmd line operating system in c:\drwinnt.tmp and starts from that.
> | The main windows XP system (c:\windows) only get to the install drivers
> | stage in safe mode commandline (that the mode that gets farthest). It
> | stops after listing several screens of drivers scoll by, the last line
> | is: windows\system32\driver\amdagp.sys ... I have renamed this file
> | and that did not help. It must be stopping at the next driver and I do
> | not know what that is. The \drwinnt.tmp system does not load that
> | driver. I changed the boot.ini to enable /bootlog, but I only get a
> | ntbtlog.txt file from the \drwinnt.tmp startup not the \windows startup
> | that fails. It seems this is a software driver problem of some sort as
> | the hardware supports starting from the temp system. I need help for
> | what to do next. Do I need to delete/change files in the driver
> | directory, or is there another type of logging? The backup data is on
> | an external USB drive that is not recongnised by the partial backup
> | system. To install a more complete (but still temp backup system with
> | explorer available) system the install asks for the windows XP license
> | key (I seem to have misplaced the piece of paper that came with the
> | system). Thanks for any help.
> |
> |
>