cannot even get into safe mode

  • Thread starter Thread starter CharlieSomerset
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C

CharlieSomerset

Hello all:
Summary = disabled entries in start up menu, messed around with BIOS, cannot
get into safe mode now! Idiot.

Details = installed a new printer last week (Dell 1320cn) and PC then slowed
down. I therefore disabled the entries relating to Dell in my start up menu,
using CCleaner. Now the boot process gets as far as “4 devices IN – WIN
iAPP†then “Checking NVRAM†then goes to the “We apologise for the
inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully…†At that point it
offers me options of: Safe mode or Safe mode with networking or Safe mode
with command prompt or Last Known Good Configuration or Start windows
normally. The SWN is the one highlighted, and the arrows will not allow me
to move and select any other choice.

I’ve used F2 > Setup and adjusted boot preferences to start from a CD,
expecting to be able to use my slipstreamed XP + SP2 disc. PC tries to start
that way, displaying “Choose any key to boot from CD†but when I do hit any
key, it returns to the screen above with the options that I again cannot
choose. I’ve reset the BIOS to 1st choice boot = HDD

I cannot get past this screen, in order to reopen CCleaner and enable the
Dell entries.

BIOS is P4i656 P1.30. Machine is XP + SP3. AV is Trend Micro Internet
Security 2009 and I did a full scan only the other day. Just scheduled, not
because I suspected anything. Checked “Hijack this†at the same time – I’m
no expert on that at all but saw nothing untoward.

All help gratefully accepted!
 
CharlieSomerset said:
Hello all:
Summary = disabled entries in start up menu, messed around with BIOS,
cannot
get into safe mode now! Idiot.

Details = installed a new printer last week (Dell 1320cn) and PC then
slowed
down. I therefore disabled the entries relating to Dell in my start up
menu,
using CCleaner. Now the boot process gets as far as “4 devices IN – WIN
iAPP†then “Checking NVRAM†then goes to the “We apologise for the
inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully…†At that point it
offers me options of: Safe mode or Safe mode with networking or Safe mode
with command prompt or Last Known Good Configuration or Start windows
normally. The SWN is the one highlighted, and the arrows will not allow
me
to move and select any other choice.

I’ve used F2 > Setup and adjusted boot preferences to start from a CD,
expecting to be able to use my slipstreamed XP + SP2 disc. PC tries to
start
that way, displaying “Choose any key to boot from CD†but when I do hit
any
key, it returns to the screen above with the options that I again cannot
choose. I’ve reset the BIOS to 1st choice boot = HDD

I cannot get past this screen, in order to reopen CCleaner and enable the
Dell entries.

BIOS is P4i656 P1.30. Machine is XP + SP3. AV is Trend Micro Internet
Security 2009 and I did a full scan only the other day. Just scheduled,
not
because I suspected anything. Checked “Hijack this†at the same time – I’m
no expert on that at all but saw nothing untoward.

All help gratefully accepted!
Click to expand...

You might be yet another victim of the registry "cleaning" function of
CCleaner. A manual System Restore might help you - see here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545.
 
Thanks Pegasus - I can't get that far, I'm afraid. The clock starts ticking
on the "Start Windows Normally" option and when it runs down, the PC loops
right back to the initiual powerup mode, and then I come back to the "We
apologise for the inconvenience..." screen. I'd just like to get past that
screen, to be able to access sytem restore.
 
Thanks JohnJohn - I'll give that a go. Do I need to adjust the BIOS to
accept the CD as 1st choice in boot order preference ?
 
CharlieSomerset said:
Thanks JohnJohn - I'll give that a go. Do I need to adjust the BIOS to
accept the CD as 1st choice in boot order preference ?
Click to expand...

Not JohnJohn, but the answer is Yes.


MowGreen
================
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
================

banthecheck.com
"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked
 
Well, I’ve discovered that the reason I couldn’t move from the option “Start
Windows Normally†was a frozen USB keyboard, so that’s in the bin. I’m sure
that is linked to something, as I don’t believe in coincidences.

Using a new PS keyboard, none of the 5 options on the “we apologise…†screen
do anything other than send me round in a loop back to that screen. The 3
“Safe Mode†options will rapidly display a list of file names, the last of
which is always AGP440.sys. I know there are plenty on articles about this
but I cannot disable it as I cannot ever get into safe / normal mode to
access anything.

When I amend BIOS to use the CD drive as 1st choice boot, using my
slipstreamed XP2 disc, the drive spins up, message “press any key to boot
from CD..†appears. I do so and then, having done this several times now, I
get either:

“Set up is inspecting your hardware configuration†> blue screen with
“Windows setup†> Setup is loading files, then follows a long list of files
that take about 20 minutes or so, and which then reaches a stop with a range
of messages. For example: “CDBOOT couldn’t find NTLDR†or “ql1240.sys is
corrupted, Press any key to continue†or “file ntfs.sys caused an unexpected
error (4096) at line 5091 in \xpsprtm\base\boot\setup\setup.c.†press any keyâ€

I never get as far as the Recovery console or safe mode.

Sadly, I’m coming to the conclusion that the issue is a dead / dying hard
drive?
 
When you boot the machine with your Windows XP slipstreamed CD then you're
reading files off the CD, not off the hard disk. If you get error messages
then this would be the result of a marginal CD or a failing CD drive, not of
a failing hard disk.

If I was in your situation then I would forget about the Recovery Console
(which is IMHO a terrible environment to work in) and use one of these
alternatives:
a) A Bart PE boot CD
b) A Windows 7 Repair CD (yes, Windows 7!)

The Bart CD requires a fair effort to manufacture. The Windows 7 Repair CD
is available here:
http://neosmart.net/blog/2009/windows-7-system-repair-discs/. It takes some
time to download it but no great skills to burn it.

Both CDs give you full access to your hard disk. You can then restore your
registry files by manual means. Post again when you're ready!
 
CharlieSomerset said:
Well, I’ve discovered that the reason I couldn’t move from the option “Start
Windows Normally†was a frozen USB keyboard, so that’s in the bin. I’m sure
that is linked to something, as I don’t believe in coincidences.

Using a new PS keyboard, none of the 5 options on the “we apologise…†screen
do anything other than send me round in a loop back to that screen. The 3
“Safe Mode†options will rapidly display a list of file names, the last of
which is always AGP440.sys. I know there are plenty on articles about this
but I cannot disable it as I cannot ever get into safe / normal mode to
access anything.

When I amend BIOS to use the CD drive as 1st choice boot, using my
slipstreamed XP2 disc, the drive spins up, message “press any key to boot
from CD..†appears. I do so and then, having done this several times now, I
get either:

“Set up is inspecting your hardware configuration†> blue screen with
“Windows setup†> Setup is loading files, then follows a long list of files
that take about 20 minutes or so, and which then reaches a stop with a range
of messages. For example: “CDBOOT couldn’t find NTLDR†or “ql1240.sys is
corrupted, Press any key to continue†or “file ntfs.sys caused an unexpected
error (4096) at line 5091 in \xpsprtm\base\boot\setup\setup.c.†press any keyâ€

I never get as far as the Recovery console or safe mode.

Sadly, I’m coming to the conclusion that the issue is a dead / dying hard
drive?
Click to expand...

Depending on the brand of hard drive, you can download a diagnostic from the
company that makes the drive. I have a Seagate Seatools diskette for example,
which will test my Seagate drives.

You can also get a memory test program, to give the memory a test if you want.
A couple test passes of this, is sufficient for an initial check.

http://www.memtest.org

Another possibility, is the power supply. If you can still get into the
BIOS, is there a "hardware monitor" page, which lists voltages, fan
speeds, and temperatures ? You may be able to get a reading on 3.3V, 5V,
and 12V. Acceptable tolerance is +/- 5% of nominal value. Some power
supplies that come with pre-built computers, have been known to overvolt
when they fail. Perhaps that is what killed your keyboard.

Also, if the motherboard uses an ICH5, you might want to check for a
burn mark. I can't positively identify who makes a P4i656 (not getting a
lot of good hits in a search engine). A P4i65g might be made by Asrock,
and have an 865G/ICH5 chipset for example. I would not expect to see an
Asrock motherboard, in a Dell though. (You mentioned Dell.)

(ICH5 Southbridge has no heatsink, making it easy to check for this.
Intel part number 82801EB or 82801ER printed on top. In some cases,
all USB ports fail, without a burn mark on top being present. When they
burn like this, the computer will no longer boot.)

http://onfinite.com/libraries/179057/2ea.jpg

Any other symptoms to report ? Funny smell ? Smoke ? A strange sound that is
out of place ? Leaking capacitors perhaps ? There could be more to this
than a bad hard drive.

http://www.badcaps.net/images/caps/kt7/image004.png

Paul
 
message
Hello all:
Summary = disabled entries in start up menu, messed around with BIOS, cannot
get into safe mode now! Idiot.

Details = installed a new printer last week (Dell 1320cn) and PC then slowed
down. I therefore disabled the entries relating to Dell in my start up menu,
using CCleaner. Now the boot process gets as far as "4 devices IN - WIN
iAPP" then "Checking NVRAM" then goes to the "We apologise for the
inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully." At that point it
offers me options of: Safe mode or Safe mode with networking or Safe mode
with command prompt or Last Known Good Configuration or Start windows
normally. The SWN is the one highlighted, and the arrows will not allow me
to move and select any other choice.

I've used F2 > Setup and adjusted boot preferences to start from a CD,
expecting to be able to use my slipstreamed XP + SP2 disc. PC tries to
start
that way, displaying "Choose any key to boot from CD" but when I do hit any
key, it returns to the screen above with the options that I again cannot
choose. I've reset the BIOS to 1st choice boot = HDD

I cannot get past this screen, in order to reopen CCleaner and enable the
Dell entries.

BIOS is P4i656 P1.30. Machine is XP + SP3. AV is Trend Micro Internet
Security 2009 and I did a full scan only the other day. Just scheduled, not
because I suspected anything. Checked "Hijack this" at the same time - I'm
no expert on that at all but saw nothing untoward.

All help gratefully accepted!

Did you or the Dell printer install make a system restore point that you
could drop back to ?
.... have you tried disconnecting your new printer USB lead in case its'
pulling too much current from the USBport to which it is connected ?

....reminiscent of a Lexmark all-in-one printer/scanner (connected to an Asus
A7V8x-x with Via chipset), that was pulling 500ma - system would only boot
intermittently, or not at all, with printer USB connected.
....had to fit powered USB hub and connect Lexmark to that !

regards, Richard
 
Hello Pegasus - thanks, the Bart thing scares me but I'll look at the W7
repair option when I can get to a faster machine to download.

Hello Paul - the HD dignostic is where I'm going to go, initially, I think.
I take your comments about power as well. there is a Hw monitor page in my
BIOS, and it does give temperatures. I've no idea what is a good / bad temp
reading, it generally runs at 55 degrees. Yes, sorry for the typo it is a
P4i65g. Dell is the printer, the PC is from a now defunct UK company called
"Tiny". I'll check your other links as well.

Hello NJK - don't know about a sytem restore, tried that off the "sorry we
apologise" screen, just gets into the loop again. I've unplugged the
printer from the USB lead, but I've not, on reflection, actuially taken out
the lead from the PC.

I'll try all these later this evening

many thanks all, for your support
 
message
Hello all:
Summary = disabled entries in start up menu, messed around with BIOS, cannot
get intosafemodenow! Idiot.

Details = installed a new printer last week (Dell 1320cn) and PC then slowed
down. I therefore disabled the entries relating to Dell in my start up menu,
using CCleaner.  Now the boot process gets as far as "4 devices IN - WIN
iAPP" then "Checking NVRAM" then goes to the "We apologise for the
inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully."   At that pointit
offers me options of:SafemodeorSafemodewith networking orSafemode
with command prompt or Last Known Good Configuration or Start windows
normally.  The SWN is the one highlighted, and the arrows will not allow me
to move and select any other choice.

I've used F2 > Setup and adjusted boot preferences to start from a CD,
expecting to be able to use my slipstreamed XP + SP2 disc.  PC tries to
start
that way, displaying "Choose any key to boot from CD" but when I do hit any
key, it returns to the screen above with the options that I again cannot
choose.   I've reset the BIOS to 1st choice boot = HDD
Click to expand...

You have to be quick when pressing the key
 
Hello all - thanks for the many suggestions and expert guidance. I managed
to obtain an HDD test and the HD looked OK. Sadly, my slipstreamed XP disc,
which has certainly worked before elsewhere, was not working adequately in
this instance (would never get to anywhere other than well into "set up",
then told me it could not find NTLDR ) and so in the end I'm afraid I had to
take the whole PC to a doctor, who had to reload XP from scratch. All back
to normal now, and I've even done what I should have done yonks ago and
bought an external HD to back up EVERYTHING.

Thanks again to all who offered advice.

Charlie
 
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