XP Home will not start in safe mode and will not run check disk

[Guest]

This is a Toshiba notebook computer. With XP Home, SP2

For some reason, this computer will no longer go in to safe mode. I tried to
run Check Disk from the drive utilites window. It should run when the
computer is re started but it does not, just boots into windows. I then tried
to do F8 at boot to get into the start up menu but that will not work either.

Does anyone have some ideas on this?
Thanks!
Harvey

 

[Guest]

For safe mode,tap the F8 key as soon as you start up the pc,or before xp
restarts.As for disk chk,go to run,type:cmd In cmd type:CHKDSK C: /F
Agree to restart,type:EXIT Restart pc

 

[Guest]

All this has been tried several times. The problem is, the system ignores the
F8 request as well as the check disk request. It just keeps right on booting
to normal mode.

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

From the Start>Run box, run MSCONFIG. On the Boot.ini tab, check /SAFEBOOT.
Click OK and restart. When you don't need the menu anymore, go back and
uncheck the entry.

 

[Guest]

Gary, I know that would work, but what might be the cause of it not giving
the option menu? It has worked in the past, but not now.

Thanks,
Harvey

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

Problem with the keyboard? I dunno. Maybe someone else has the answer. Does
the menu show up when SAFEBOOT is enabled? I have seen it be ridiculously
easy to get to the menu using F8 and I've seen cases where it was next to
impossible. Maybe something changed in your system and it's booting so fast
you can't catch the moment when F8 works.

Or, maybe someone else knows something I don't and can tell you how to
re-enable the function, assuming that some setting in Windows boot sequence
got accidentally changed.

 

[Guest]

I never get the menu. The other thing that is a problem is when I try to run
check disk. When it is checked to do a "fix" it should run check disk when I
restart the computer, but it does not. Usually you will get a prompt saying
press any key to continue booting and not run the utility. This never happens
either.
Thanks for any additional help.
Harvey

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

And this is all recent? While, as I said, someone else may have direct
knowledge of what may be the problem, I have to fall back to possible damage
from a virus or something else that you installed. Very strange, sorry I
can't help more.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the information. Thought about a virus, but it scans clean, of
course that doesn't always mean much. Open to any other ideas. If any one has
a thought please let me know.

Thanks,
Harvey

 

[Bob I]

You have some Norton/Symantec products installed perhaps?

 

[Guest]

Bob,
I do have Norton System Works 2006 partially installed. I used the product
last year but since Norton has so many problems I have stopped selling it and
using it. I did keep the utilities installed (Uninstalled the AntiVirus). I
have CA Integrated Threat Management for Anti Spyware and Anti Virus
protection now.

I did try runing the Norton Disk Doctor, but it also did not run at startup
like it should have.

Thanks,
Harvey

 

[Bob I]

You wouldn't have Norton Goback or maybe an older ZA firewall?