Cannot boot even into safe mode after fresh install and updates

[rtaheri]

I installed XP Pro SP2 from the CD on an older computer (HP Pavilion
6465) with 192MB of memory. The drive had Win98 on it, so I opted for
an upgrade, keeping the existing files intact. Everything went fine.
I also installed Norton anti virus and anti spyware. The system went
through a few Windows updates and reboots. After the last update, it
doesn't reboot. I get the black screen with the Windows XP logo and
the scrolling blue lights, but after about 10 seconds, I hear the
display click off and on, and we are back at booting up.

Suspecting a bad drive, I bought a new one and installed XP on it from
scratch. I again installed Norton, and allowed all the system updates
to take place. It fails to boot up on this new disk, too.

To be clear, after both installs, the system booted up and stayed up
for a few days, long enough for me to purchase Norton online, install
it, and even run a full scan. Being an older, slow system, the updates
and installs were slow. So, I'd check it a couple of times a day,
agree to let updates get installed, and walk away. It all went well
until after the last set of updates, after which we can't boot up.
It looks like one of the last updates is the culprit.

I tried booting into safe mode, and it has the exact same symptoms. I
also tried several other options such as last known good config and
debugging, and they all fail the same way. I tried to boot into the
recovery console off the CD, and that works. But I am not sure what I
can/should do once in the recovery console.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Reza

 

[Guest]

Instead of booting into recovery console, select new install. Windows will
analyze your system and recommend "REPAIR". Select this so that all the
system files will be restored without altering the other programs. Once you
get into windows, remove norton from the startup (run > msconfig > startup >
disable Nav*, Syman*, etc....) In my opinion, 192 megs of ram is
insufficient. Try to get 512 or something.....

 

[Rich Barry]

Since your WinXP install is relatively new I would recommend a Repair
Install. Once you have your system back up and
running do not select auto update. Choose custom at MS Update site and
select Critical updates one at a time.
Avoid the last few so as not to get back into the same situation. If you
installed Optional Updates as well then go ahead
and install all critical updates. No optional ones. They maybe the cause
of your problems.
Go to Michaels site for more info on Repair Install.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

 

[rtaheri]

Since your WinXP install is relatively new I would recommend a Repair
Install. Once you have your system back up and
running do not select auto update. Choose custom at MS Update site and
select Critical updates one at a time.
Avoid the last few so as not to get back into the same situation. If you
installed Optional Updates as well then go ahead
and install all critical updates. No optional ones. They maybe the cause
of your problems.
Go to Michaels site for more info on Repair Install.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Thanks for the tips, folks. I used Repair Install, and got the system
back up. I then started installing updates. I got greedy, and told it
to install something like 20 patches at once. The result was the same
old failure mode. My guess was that installing a security patch
--which leaves the system in a funky state, requiring a reboot-- is a
tricky proposition. So, if you install 40 of them all at once, who
knows what state you end up in after the reboot? So, I re-installed
XP, then installed SP2. I told it to download updates, but not install
them. It downloaded 40 some patches. I then sat by the TV watching
the World Cup, and installed the patches 2 at a time. They all went
through, and now the system is happy.

Thanks,
Reza