boot issues

[traumajohn]

I have xp home on a Dell laptop. I downloaded an mp3 update and the laptop
went to the famous Microsoft blue screen. I tried to reboot and got the same.
I tried to go to safe mode almost logged all the way in and got the blue
screen. I tried to go to safemode command prompt and got the same and tried
last known good config and got the same. I tried to use the Windows cd and
boot into the repair utility and got there but when I got there it said drive
not valid. I went to the map utility and it shows...
? fat16 32mb partition 1
? 28576 partition 2
D cdrom.
What does this mean? Do I have to repait the registry? If so how and if not
please help.
Thanks,
John

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I have xp home on a Dell laptop. I downloaded an mp3 update and the laptop
went to the famous Microsoft blue screen. I tried to reboot and got the
same.
I tried to go to safe mode almost logged all the way in and got the blue
screen. I tried to go to safemode command prompt and got the same and
tried
last known good config and got the same. I tried to use the Windows cd and
boot into the repair utility and got there but when I got there it said
drive
not valid. I went to the map utility and it shows...
? fat16 32mb partition 1
? 28576 partition 2
D cdrom.
What does this mean? Do I have to repait the registry? If so how and if
not
please help.
Thanks,
John

If the MP3 update is responsible then it's time to perform a manual
System Restore: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545. However,
if your file system is damaged then you will have to reload Windows
or perhaps even replace the hard disk.

 

[traumajohn]

Thank you Pegasus.
I will give it a try right now and get back.
John

 

[traumajohn]

Okay I am back. I attempted to do the manual registry repair and when I
entered md tmp at teh c:\ prompt, I got the message "the path or file
specified is not valid". When I looked at the map of the pc in the repair
area I saw question marks for the c drive in stead of letters.
Thanks,
John

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Your report suggests that the file system is damaged. If this was my
machine then I would remove the hard disk, put it into a 2.5" USB
disk case and connect it to some other WinXP PC in order to
examine it.