Can't boot into safe mode

[Guest]

While trying to troubleshoot a non-working DVD ROM drive, I discovered I
can't get Windows XP home to boot into safe mode.
When I try, the sytem gets to a mostly blank screen, with some text on top
that tells me I'm using Windows XP home, build number 5.xx, SP2. There the
system hangs.
It doesn't matter if I try to boot as an administrator or myself; same result.
I can boot into XP normally.

I tried downloading the XP setup disks, and when I run them, it gets to the
5th of 6 disks and gives me an "error loading file" message.

Since neither of my CD drives were working, I couldn't run the XP
reinstallation CD that Dell provided - since this system came with an OEM
installation of XP, that's the only "Windows CD" I have.

Any suggestions?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Boot into Windows XP normally and try the following:

Go to Start > Run and type in: devmgmt.msc
and press the Enter key. After the Device Manager
window opens, scroll down to your DVD/CD-ROM
drive, click the "+" to expand, then right-click on
your DVD Drive and select Uninstall. You will
be prompted to reboot your computer, so reboot
and Windows XP will reinstall the DVD Drive.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| While trying to troubleshoot a non-working DVD ROM drive, I discovered I
| can't get Windows XP home to boot into safe mode.
| When I try, the sytem gets to a mostly blank screen, with some text on top
| that tells me I'm using Windows XP home, build number 5.xx, SP2. There the
| system hangs.
| It doesn't matter if I try to boot as an administrator or myself; same result.
| I can boot into XP normally.
|
| I tried downloading the XP setup disks, and when I run them, it gets to the
| 5th of 6 disks and gives me an "error loading file" message.
|
| Since neither of my CD drives were working, I couldn't run the XP
| reinstallation CD that Dell provided - since this system came with an OEM
| installation of XP, that's the only "Windows CD" I have.
|
| Any suggestions?
| --
| Jeff Cranford

 

[Guest]

Carey;
Thanks for the response; sadly, I have done this - the result is always the
same.
I've almost given up the drive for dead; I just don't like not being able to
boot into safe mode in case something else goes wrong.