expert advice needed

[Guest]

My business laptop running xp home will not boot. System gives boot options(safe mode,last known good configuration, etc...) but none of them work, it keeps bringing me back to the boot option screen. I dont want to have to reinstall as I will lose everything on my harddrive...there has to be a better way. Windows is running on a toshiba satellite laptop. There has to be a way!!!!!
-hopeful

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Pat;
Try a Repair Installation.
Repair Installation:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_repair_install.htm
Windows Updates will need to be reinstalled.
Data should be safe, back-up important data just in case.
Install Service Pack first and by itself.
Then install ALL Critical Updates no more than 4 at a time,

Disconnect the network/modem cable before starting repair and do NOT
reconnect the cable until repair is completed and firewall is
installed/enabled.
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=283673

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/setup.asp
http://dts-l.org/index.html

My business laptop running xp home will not boot. System gives boot

options(safe mode,last known good configuration, etc...) but none of
them work, it keeps bringing me back to the boot option screen. I dont
want to have to reinstall as I will lose everything on my
harddrive...there has to be a better way. Windows is running on a
toshiba satellite laptop. There has to be a way!!!!!

 

[Guest]

Can you boot the system with the XP disc in the drive? Put the disk in and then shutdown and restart and when asked to press any key to boot from CD do so. This should bring you back to your desktop or if given the option to go into the recovery console type in help and hit enter and look for the fixboot or fixmbr I can't remember which it is. This will write a new boot record or master boot record in case yours is corrupt. You can also do a chkdsk /r here and this will do a complete check disk and repair any errors it finds. I'm not sure how skilled you are but this is one of the hardest and most frustrating things to recover from in XP as it rarely acts or does what the MVPs say it will. e:mail me if you need more detailed instructions. Good luck.

 

[Guest]

I do not have the original windows xp cd's...only the recovery bundled cd that came with the computer(toshiba)...unfortunately, repair is not an option with that recovery cd...what should i do, any advice?