need some help

[Matt]

I have a Compaq computer with XP installed. It crashed the other night
and now when you boot up the system it goes strait to the "Windows was
not properly shut down... possibly due to a hardware failure or software
error... bla, bla bla" and no matter which option you choose (Safe
Mode, Safe Mode DOS, Last known Hardware setup, restart...) all it will
do is show the Windows splash screen (and I've tried hitting F8 here
with no results)for a couple of seconds and then reboot back to the
"Windows did not properly shut down" screen.

So the Compaq tech support agent told me that I would need to download
and create Windows XP setup disks from
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33290 . Now
comes my major problem... with a new set of formatted floppy disks, on
three different computers I've tried to run this utility to make XP
setup disks and it never seems to work. The first time I got an error
message on disk 3 (unable to read file) the second time (with 6 new
disks) I got an error message on disk 5 (unable to read file) and the
third time (with 6 new disks) I got an error message on disk 4. So on
the off chance that I got a bad batch of floppies, I took all the disks
that definitely did work and reformatted them and tried again and got an
error message on the first disk.

Is this program just bad? And if so is there something else I can try?

 

[Cerridwen]

I have a Compaq computer with XP installed. It crashed the other
night and now when you boot up the system it goes strait to the
"Windows was not properly shut down... possibly due to a hardware
failure or software error... bla, bla bla" and no matter which
option you choose (Safe Mode, Safe Mode DOS, Last known Hardware
setup, restart...) all it will do is show the Windows splash screen
(and I've tried hitting F8 here with no results)for a couple of
seconds and then reboot back to the "Windows did not properly shut
down" screen.

So the Compaq tech support agent told me that I would need to download
and create Windows XP setup disks from
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33290 . Now
comes my major problem... with a new set of formatted floppy disks, on
three different computers I've tried to run this utility to make XP
setup disks and it never seems to work. The first time I got an error
message on disk 3 (unable to read file) the second time (with 6 new
disks) I got an error message on disk 5 (unable to read file) and the
third time (with 6 new disks) I got an error message on disk 4. So on
the off chance that I got a bad batch of floppies, I took all the
disks that definitely did work and reformatted them and tried again
and got an error message on the first disk.

Is this program just bad? And if so is there something else I can
try?

Once again the 'TS' people at HP/Compaq display their chronic moronicness.
I've owned both Compaqs and HPs and their recovery discs have all been
bootable. CTS couldn't find their arses with a map, compass /and/ both hands
tied behind their backs!

 

[Matt]

Matt wrote:

Once again the 'TS' people at HP/Compaq display their chronic moronicness.
I've owned both Compaqs and HPs and their recovery discs have all been
bootable. CTS couldn't find their arses with a map, compass /and/ both hands
tied behind their backs!

Although I completely agree with you... the tech support guy actually
said that if I tried the recovery CD then it would wipe my system and
start again from scratch. But the option from Microsoft would just let
me in to "repair the Windows XP installation using recovery console"

 

[Cerridwen]

Although I completely agree with you... the tech support guy actually
said that if I tried the recovery CD then it would wipe my system and
start again from scratch. But the option from Microsoft would just
let me in to "repair the Windows XP installation using recovery
console"

Again, they demonstrate their complete ignorance. The 6-disk set are no more
than a set of boot disks and will no more allow you to repair your system
than a disk downloaded from www.bootdisk.com.

From the MS site:

"The Setup boot disks are available so that you can run Setup on computers
that do not support a bootable CD-ROM."

There is nothing on those disks that will allow you to run setup or access
the recovery console. You are still going to need a CD that will allow you
to perform a repair installation.

The primary function of the recovery console is to replace damaged or
missing files with good ones from the CD. It is /not/ there to allow you to
perform a repair installation.

It's all or nothing, I'm afraid. If you wish to perform a repair, then you
will need to purchase a retail disc. Please be aware, however, that
repairing with a retail disc, may cause problems with files that Compaq have
customised, and you may lose preinstalled applications. Please also be aware
that you may void your warranty.