Recovery Console still won't load

[Norman]

I have recreated my SP3 compilation. The install disk, XP SP2, with SP3
using AutoStreamer.
And burned the ISO to CD.
I also reinstalled the Recovery Console.

Booting from the CD, choosing to install NVidia IDE and/or NVidia RAID
driver, or none gets as far as "Setup is starting Windows". There is a few
second pause, the Keyboard lights flash once and all go out. A few more
seconds and the screen goes black. A few more seconds and HDD activity
ceases.

Can someone please help me. For the last month I've searched and read
numerous internet posts and articles to the point I'm warn and likely
confused as to what to try next.
Norman

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I have recreated my SP3 compilation. The install disk, XP SP2, with SP3
using AutoStreamer.
And burned the ISO to CD.
I also reinstalled the Recovery Console.

Booting from the CD, choosing to install NVidia IDE and/or NVidia RAID
driver, or none gets as far as "Setup is starting Windows". There is a few
second pause, the Keyboard lights flash once and all go out. A few more
seconds and the screen goes black. A few more seconds and HDD activity
ceases.

Can someone please help me. For the last month I've searched and read
numerous internet posts and articles to the point I'm warn and likely
confused as to what to try next.
Norman

Why do you actually want the Recovery Console? There are several
alternatives you could use, depending on your needs.

Also: It appears that you're running at least two threads on the same
subject, and that you reported the issue as closed in the other thread.
Having several threads on the same subject leads to duplication of effort
and is unlikely to win you many friends.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

See http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=31844

 

[Norman]

#1 I thought I would have my issues cured once I discovered my compilation
in SP3 was bad.
#2 I had no responses on that thread.

I also see from other threads that you are not a fan of recovery console.
But, not being able to do something that seems quite simple raises concerns
about any type of recovery from a no boot situation. And so I persevere at
discovering the issue that seems to block me.
Norman

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

#1 I thought I would have my issues cured once I discovered my compilation
in SP3 was bad.
#2 I had no responses on that thread.

I also see from other threads that you are not a fan of recovery console.
But, not being able to do something that seems quite simple raises
concerns about any type of recovery from a no boot situation. And so I
persevere at discovering the issue that seems to block me.
Norman

I tend to be pragmatic: If something works, great. If it does not then I
look for a different tool. I think that the Recovery Console is rather
limited in its facilities and also quite restrictive in several ways, so I
won't spend a great deal of time in an attempt to fix it.

 

[Andrew E.]

If SP2 is installed on xp the boot-up option of the "recovery console" isnt
going to be installed,this is by default.One can boot to recovery thru
booting
to xp cd,press r for recovery at xp cd boot menu..So one must ask,with SP2
& SP3 installed,how do you think that you installed it,can't be done..As for
youre "windows is starting",set the BIOS for cdrom 1st boot device,hd
2nd,save
& exit BIOS,the option to boot to cd will show,press any key,press for F6
option,
install RAID drivers,continue on after the 2nd request for A: drive is
completed.
Also,make sure RAID or SATA are enabled in BIOS,by default they are not...
Read the owners manual.

 

[Norman]

Thanks PA Bear.
I had cruised that site during my looking for help, but had not tried that
combofix
method.
There is not a floppy boot set for SP3. Does that matter?
The file output was not of the name said in the link.
It did not change my boot.ini and it still did not allow getting to recovery
console.

The first part of that I did use to install recovery console to HDD. Neither
booting from CD or choosing recovery console in menu completes.
Norman

 

[Norman]

I installed per instructions at MS using the winnt32.exe /cmdcons from my
SP2 CD. Of course that was not good since I was already at SP3.
Then I ran it from a compilation that was part of some Bart PE instructions
I had, but later realized it was not complete.
I then slipstreamed SP3 against my CD and burned a new one.
The owners manual is very incomplete pertaining to SATA or RAID. And I have
ran it with both turned on, but of course not setting a RAID array since I
don't have one.
Norman

 

[Norman]

What route would you suggest?
Norman

I tend to be pragmatic: If something works, great. If it does not then I
look for a different tool. I think that the Recovery Console is rather
limited in its facilities and also quite restrictive in several ways, so I
won't spend a great deal of time in an attempt to fix it.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

The recovery console is unlikely to fix this type of problem, so I suggest
you stop focusing on it and try instead the other suggestions you received
in this thread. If other respondents have not already mentioned the basic
ones, here they are:
- Boot into Safe Mode
- Perform a Repair Installation

 

[Norman]

My reason for recovery console concerns were if I could not boot into safe
mode.
And the reason I likely can not get to it is the same that I can not
reinstall from the CD.
I now strongly suspect that it has something to do with Nvidia chipset.
Norman

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

The Recovery Console provides some very limited functions such as restoring
the boot environment. Since you can see the "Starting Windows" screen, your
boot environment is intact and the Recovery Console is unlikely to help you.

You do not need the Recovery Console to re-install Windows XP from the CD -
in fact you don't need anything! Here is the standard procedure:
1. Set your BIOS to use your CD drive as the primary boot device.
2. Boot off the CD.
3. Allow the disk to be partitioned/formatted.
4. Follow the prompts.
You will, of course, lose all existing data files. Have you backed them up
to a different medium?