XP Home/Compaq System Recovery problems

[Guest]

My Compaq (WinXP Home, SP2) computer was having fatal problems, so I ran the
Full System Recovery CDs. When the program asks for the 2nd CD, it opens the
DVD tray and the CD tray doesn't respond. Is there any way to fix this?

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Do you have access in Safe Mode?

I suggest whilst in Safe Mode you look at Warning and Error Reports
in the System and Application logs of Event Viewer at the time the
chkdsk problems occurred and post copies here.

You can access Event Viewer by selecting Start, Administrative Tools, and
Event Viewer. When researching the meaning of the error, information
regarding Event ID, Source and Description are important.

HOW TO: View and Manage Event Logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308427&sd=tech

Part of the Description of the error will include a link, which you should
double click for further information. You can copy using copy and paste.
Often the link will, however, say there is no further information.
http://go.microsoft.com/fw.link/events.asp
(Please note the hyperlink above is for illustration purposes only)

A tip for posting copies of Error Reports! Run Event Viewer and double click
on the error you want to copy. In the window, which appears is a button
resembling two pages. Double click the button and close Event Viewer. Now
start your message (email) and do a paste into the body of the message. This
will paste the info from the Event Viewer Error Report complete with links
into the message. Make sure this is the first paste after exiting from Event
Viewer.

Are there any yellow question marks in Device Manager? Right click on
the My Computer icon on your Desktop and select Properties. Hardware,
Device Manager. If yes what is the Device Error code?

Try Start, Run, type "sigverif.exe" without quotes and hit OK. What drivers
are listed as unsigned? Disregard those which are not checked.

--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Guest]

I can't access Safe Mode anymore. I believe Windows has already been removed
from the system. The error when booting without the system recovery CD says:"
-something- is missing, press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart". I assume that means
Windows is gone, but because the DVD tray opens up instead of the CD tray,
there's currently no way for me to continue restoring.

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Have you checked the BIOS regarding the CD and DVD drives
and compared the settings with the manual?

Do you have data files which need to be recovered?

Have you tried booting with only keyboard, mouse and monitor
connected?

--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~