Possible to Defrag From Boot Disk?

[Guest]

Hey everyone. I think I've left my machine too long without defragging. I say
this because I've been running it for a while now and rebooted it last night.
The machine has been stuck on an endless loop of reboots, and I know the hard
drive hasn't been defragged in a while, plus I've been pushing it a bit hard.

I can't even get into safe mode. So can I defrag or scandisk off a boot disk
or anything else? Is there any software that can do it without having to boot
into Windows at all? I'm running Windows XP Professional and I'm trying to
avoid a complete reload.

Thanks.

Kevin

 

[Maurice N ~ MVP]

Do hold off on doing defrag. Your system is in a questionable state at this point. You have to resolve the issue of endless reboots.

Why can't you get into Safe Mode? How far does it get into the process?

And is your HD making any unusual sound or clacking sound ?

bottom line: withhold idea of reformat. Definitely push back any idea of reloading the system (although a backup (if not too old, but very recent) *may* be an option for later restore).

 

[Guest]

It goes down the list of files and it stops after the NTFS.sys file. There's
a flicker and it hangs there for a while before rebooting.

Otherwise, there's no clacking or unusual sounds. Just the faint noise of it
data access that is associated with harddrives.

The drive isn't even a year old.

Kevin

 

[Anna]

Hey everyone. I think I've left my machine too long without defragging. I
say
this because I've been running it for a while now and rebooted it last
night.
The machine has been stuck on an endless loop of reboots, and I know the
hard
drive hasn't been defragged in a while, plus I've been pushing it a bit
hard.

I can't even get into safe mode. So can I defrag or scandisk off a boot
disk
or anything else? Is there any software that can do it without having to
boot
into Windows at all? I'm running Windows XP Professional and I'm trying to
avoid a complete reload.

Thanks.

Kevin

Kevin:
Most certainly your problem isn't the fact that you've "...left my machine
too long without defragging." If only that was your problem!

There's obviously something seriously amiss with your system that
defragmentation is not going to cure. So put that aside, at least for the
moment.

And I don't know what you mean when you say you've "been pushing (the hard
drive) a bit hard." How that has had an effect on your problem is impossible
to know.

It seems to me that your best option at this point is to try a Repair
install with your XP installation CD. The process is relatively simple to
undertake and usually will have no negative effect on your data contents. If
you don't know how to undertake this Repair install, do a Google search on
"xp repair install" and you'll be pointed to a number of websites that
contain background information on this process together with step-by-step
instructions. I assume you can access the net since you were able to post
your current message.
Anna

 

[Maurice N ~ MVP]

Kevin,

I suggest you Disable automatic restart on system failure. Just to see if you can get a STOP code, or if you can login to Safe mode, then
it's possible you can restart the system in normal mode later on.

When the pc is booting up (after the BIOS has done its POST test and
before Windows starts loading),
Tap F8 Function key to get bootup options. Tap & keep repeat tapping F8 !

You will actually see "Disable automatic restart on system failure" as an option .
Select that and give it a try. This option is available if you have XP service pack 2.

Once restart on failure is disabled, you should get a STOP error with
text --- at the next problem.
Write it all down, and then start searching for the final solution.
And post back here with the STOP code & text.

B) If no stop code, and still unable to login to Safe mode, reboot pc, repeat the F8 tap, select the option with "VGA mode".
See if you can login.

If still unable to get into any mode......
Last, C) I'd do F-8 Function-key selective bootup and try hard to use Last Known Good.

When the pc is booting up (after the BIOS has done its POST test and
before Windows starts loading),
Tap F8 Function key to get bootup options. Tap & keep repeat tapping F8 !

 

[Guest]

The stop code is C0000218 (registry file failure)
Any ideas?

Kevin

 

[Maurice N ~ MVP]

Kevin,

How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry that Prevents Windows XP from Starting
<http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;307545>

Read and carefully digest & use this MS article. This is the way to retrieve & restore the registry.

Review closely, go slow & careful. Before you start, be sure to determine whether your Windows folder is named \Windows or \WINNT.
If it is WINNT, then substitute WINNT for every reference in the article of 'Windows'.

 

[Guest]

I was just reading the instructions and step two looks like it's dependant on
being able to log in via safe mode. I can't get that far. How can these steps
works if the we can't even login to the appropriate areas?

Kevin

 

[Maurice N ~ MVP]

The results from step 1 (in the Recovery Console) leaves a workable set of registry files in place. So that in step2 you should be able to get into Safe mode. Steps 2 onward, you then do the remainder of recovery.
HTH

 

[Guest]

Thanks for all the help everyone. I was able to recover Windows and all is
good in the world again. Very much appreciated.

Kevin

 

[Maurice N ~ MVP]

Kevin,
Hearty congratulations !!