Problem Starting Windows XP Home SP2

[John Gudgin]

Can anyone help me?
Everytime I turn my PC on, instead of windows booting up, I get a black
screen tellig me that there was a problem starting Windows.
I get 4 choices: 1) Start in Safe Mode 2) Start in safe mode with
networking 3) Last known Good Configuration 4) Start windows normally.

At the bottom of the screen is a clock counting down.
At the end of the countdown windows will try to boot, but then the black
screen appears again.
If I leave the clock counting down, after about 5 cycles windows will boot.

I have noticed that during the failed boot up attempts, the monitor light
goes from green to orange for half a second (as if the tower unit was
switched off).

I have tried System Restore to an earlier time, but to no avail.

Ist there anything that anyone can suggest I do to cure this problem?

I am trying my hardest to avoid a reformat.

Many thanks,
John.

 

[Guest]

Wow you remind a lot about my worst nightmare..... Have you tried Windows
Repair? Are there any problems with your hardware? (check in Device Manager)
Scan for viruses or spywares.

Hope this helped a bit.... There aren't any quick appearances of a blue
screen now are there?

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Can anyone help me?
Everytime I turn my PC on, instead of windows booting up, I get a black
screen tellig me that there was a problem starting Windows.
I get 4 choices: 1) Start in Safe Mode 2) Start in safe mode with
networking 3) Last known Good Configuration 4) Start windows normally.

At the bottom of the screen is a clock counting down.
At the end of the countdown windows will try to boot, but then the black
screen appears again.
If I leave the clock counting down, after about 5 cycles windows will boot.

I have noticed that during the failed boot up attempts, the monitor light
goes from green to orange for half a second (as if the tower unit was
switched off).

I have tried System Restore to an earlier time, but to no avail.

Ist there anything that anyone can suggest I do to cure this problem?

I am trying my hardest to avoid a reformat.

Many thanks,
John.

Have you checked the Event Viewer or enabled boot logging?

Right-Click on My COmputer, choose Manage. Under System Tools, click on
Event Viewer, then System Log.

To set up logging, go to start, Run, type MSCONFIG. Under Boot Options,
check /BOOTLOG and choose Apply then OK. Shut the machine down and
restart. The Bootlog.txt file is in the root, it's plain text and can be
viewed following the next boot.

Either of these may give you clues as to what is causing the problems.

HTH
-pk

 

[Guest]

Hi i have got the same problem and i get quick flashes of blue screen have
you got any ideas for me thanks jo

 

[Guest]

Check your Event Viewer to see if there were any errors in particular to that
problem.

Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Event Viewer

Then double click on Applications or System too see if there are any errors.

If you can't even get in Windows to do all these, then when you are
rebooting press F8 until the long list comes out. Choose to Disable automatic
restart and this should show the blue screen without it restarting
immediately. Copy the message and post it here or you could search for the
definition of the message.