Safe Mode, The unanswered

[Guest]

I went through MSCONFIG and select boot in safe mode option in Boot INI. Now
the pc boots only to the screen that has the safe mode, safemode with
network, regular mode and so on options.

No matter which one I choose, the boot starts to the Windows logo screen (as
if it was going to start), then restarts all over and then goes back to the
screen that has the safe mode, safemode with network, regular mode and so on
options.

I have read, more than one post where this will work but no post tells me
how to get out. In fact, the only posts I have found that have this same
problem, have not been addressed.
TIA for your assistance.
Luke

 

[Guest]

BTW I am using WinXP Pro Upgrade CD but it wont read from disk on start up.
Thanks for helping me get out.
Luke

 

[Bob I]

Is the BIOS set to boot from the CD?

BTW I am using WinXP Pro Upgrade CD but it wont read from disk on start up.
Thanks for helping me get out.
Luke

:

 

[Guest]

Bob,
I have minimal options in bios. The only option is the order of which to
start up, i.e. my pc is currently set to proccess the cd rom first, then hard
drive and then Iomega Zip. I set it that way to try and boot from the WinXP
CD. That didn't work because it couldn't find the NTLDR file.
luke

 

[David Candy]

You are crashing on bootup. You are in fact seeing the failed boot screen not the boot options screen (they are almost identical). It has nothing to do with MSConfig. Unless you know what you did to cause it there not much one can do to diagnose a computer that can't boot.

 

[Bob I]

Sounds like you may have a hardware problem if it won't boot from the CD
drive and the hard-drive is not responding correctly either.

 

[Guest]

Okay Thanks, I took out the drive and put it on another computer as a slave
to retrieve my files. With that done I formated the drive and placed it back
on the original mother board to see if I could do a clean install. I have
the original CD's that came with the PC (Compaq) but when I insert and reboot
I get the NTLDR (NT Loader) is missing screen. I doubt that the pc I used to
format (Win2k OS) has anything to do with it but welcome any thoughts you
might have.
Thank you
Luke

 

[ANONYMOUS]

Why not cut the crap and reboot from the CD by doing this:

1) Reset your bios so that the first boot drive is a CD;
2) Put the CD in the drive and reboot;
3) Watch the screen for instructions especially when you need to press a
key to boot from the CD. You don't normally have enough time so don't
go to the loo or make tea! You simply don't have the time;
4) Once it has booted, you need to format the disk completely (FULL
FORMAT) not Quick Format;

HTH

 

[Guest]

I have to say my original post "Missing Drive Letter" described what led to
the situation I am now in.. but not all is lost.
I have done some research and found what could easily be the problem and
hopefully this will help others that run across the safe mode blues as I
have. This link is blaming Nero software for not being able to run safe
mode. http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=107809

This next link has 14 threads about the issue and it is ultimately
determined that Nero's InCD is the reason for not getting access to safe
mode. It talks about testing pc without InCD installed and safe mode worked.
Install InCD and pc won't find safe mode anymore.
http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforums/thread17368.html

I have Nero and use InCD (nice feature to save directly to a CD). probably
will uninstall it once I get my pc back.

I want others to know that if you are not getting into safe mode with the F8
key at boot time you should start looking at your software. If F8 won't do
it, boot ini becomes a snare to be sure.

If you do get caught as I have you can slave the drive to another PC to get
your data just don't forget to change the boot priority in the bios. I put
the entire contents of C into a new folder on the same drive after I
formated. I have not figured out how to remove/delete/undo the right spot
within so that when I copy it back to its original location of C:\ it would
allow me to gain back the operating system or at least enough to get a
jumpstart from the emergency boot CD.

I have the original CD's that came with the PC but I get the missing NTLDR
at boot now (no matter which CD is in there) and if I hit enter twice I get
the black screen with a blinking curser in the upper left of the screen that
hangs indefinately.
I think I might have a problem with my CDrw but I am not sure. I will pull
one from another pc to find out.

If there is something I need to do to get the OS Back on a formated Hard
Drive, Do Tell. I hope I eventually articulate this well enough that others
can grasp what not to do.
Thanks
Luke

 

[Guest]

Believe me, I have done what you listed to a point;
1) Reset your bios so that the first boot drive is a CD; Check
2) Put the CD in the drive and reboot; Check
3) Watch the screen for instructions especially when you need to press a key
to boot from the CD; NTLDR Missing; Press Enter get blinking curser in upper
left of black screen.
I wish I could cut the crap but that is not an option at the moment. I
cannot get to Number 4 that you pointed out but I am trying.
Thanks for you help
Luke