Windows Boot/Logon

[Guest]

I tried to restore my system and after the computer reset itself, a black
screen was displayed with only the mouse cursor operatible. I called Dell to
try and help resolve my problem and they had me reboot Windows off of the
reinstall disk. Needless to say, this didn't work...the black screen still
displays. Here's what happens...I restart the system, the Dell logo screen
comes up, then a disk checking screen comes up (sometimes), followed by the
Windows XP loading screen (for about 5-10 seconds). The screen then goes
black, it flashes once, then back to black with the white mouse cursor in
center of the screen. Like I said, the mouse is operatible, but that's it.
I've tried rebooting Windows...which loads the entire program (39 minutes)
onto my computer, but still the same problem. I've used the Dell ResourceCD
with no results. I've tried to reboot in Safe Mode and Last Known
configuration...still nothing. Please help me.

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

Assuming the CD Dell supplied is the equivalent of a retail CD, you can try
a repair install as follows:

NOTE, while a repair install should leave your data files intact, if
something goes wrong during the repair install, you may be forced to start
over and do a clean install of XP. If you don't have your data backed up,
you would lose your data should that eventuality occur.

Assuming your system is set to boot from the CD-ROM drive and you have an
actual XP CD as opposed to a recovery CD, boot with the XP
CD in the drive and perform a repair install as outlined below. If the
system isn't set to boot from the CD or you are not sure, you need to enter
the system's BIOS. When you boot the system, the first screen usually has
instructions that if you wish to enter set press a specific key, when you
see that, do so. Then you will have to navigate to the boot sequence, if
the CD-ROM drive is not first line, set it first in the boot sequence. Save
your settings and exit with the XP CD in the drive. The system will reboot.

When the system boots, a few screens into the process you may see a message
instructing you
to hit any key in order to boot from the CD along with a countdown. When
you see this be sure to
hit a key on the keyboard, if you miss this instruction and the system fails
to boot from the CD, it's too
late, you'll need to reboot and try again.

Once you have pressed a key, setup should begin. You will see a reference
asking if you need to load special drivers and another notice that if you
wish to begin the ASR (Automatic Recovery Console) depress F2. Just let
setup run past all of that. It will continue to load files and drivers.

Then it will bring you to a screen. Eventually, you will come to a screen
with the option to (1) setup Windows or (2) Repair Windows Installation
using the Recovery console. ***The selection you want at this screen is
"Setup Windows,"
NOT "Repair Windows Installation.

The first option, to setup Windows is the one you want and requires you to
press enter. When asked, press F8 to accept the end user agreement. Setup
will then search for previous versions of Windows. Upon finding your
version, it will ask if you wish to Repair your current installation or
install fresh. Press R, that will run a repair installation. From there
on, follow the screens.

Note, in some cases, you won't receive the repair option, only an option to
reinstall. We have discovered that sometimes this is caused by damaged
boot.ini file that can be repaired as follows and also note, in the
instructions, "K" refers to the CD drive in which you have placed the XP CD,
replace that drive letter with the appropriate letter on your system, "K" is
simply an example.

Reboot, this time taking the immediate R option (this is the section I told
you to skip above. In this case, you will need to get to the Recovery
Console to perform the function below), and if the CD letter is say K: give
these commands

COPY K:\i386\ntldr C:
COPY K:\i386\ntdetect.com C:
(two other files needed - just in case)
ATTRIB -H -R -S C:\boot.ini
DEL C:\boot.ini
BootCfg /Rebuild

Once you've completed this function, reboot and see if you can access XP as
sometimes, the problem is the damaged boot.ini. If you still cannot access
XP, then reboot and re-run the repair install instructions at the beginning
of this message.

If Dell only supplied you with a customized OEM CD, they should have
supplied you with a recovery routine, you need to check your documentation
or check back with them.

 

[Guest]

Thank you, but I must tell you that I've done this "Then it will bring you to
a screen. Eventually, you will come to a screen
with the option to (1) setup Windows or (2) Repair Windows Installation
using the Recovery console. ***The selection you want at this screen is
"Setup Windows,"
NOT "Repair Windows Installation," and have gotten the same result...black
screen. I even tried the Repair Windows Installation with no result. It
still displays the "black screen" after the Windows XP loading screen. I've
even waited for 2 hours to see if something would happen...but still nothing.
Since I'm not at my computer presently, I can tell you that I had an option
to replace? Windows on a Partition? Should I do this? Would having you call
me help with the matter so that I may explain it fully?

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

As opposed to replacing Windows on the partition which will cost you all
your data unless your data files are backed up or are stored on another
partition is to install XP to a separate partition, then copy your data to
the new setup. If you don't have a separate partition, this will require
third party software such as Partition Magic or System Commander to resize
the current partition and create a new separate partition.

Note, as I understand it, if you select the option to replace your Windows
on the current partition, that will wipe the drive and start over and if it
doesn't solve the problem, you will have wiped the drive for nothing. At
least with the above scenario, you don't have to wipe the current drive, you
can still do a clean install to a separate partition and if that fails, you
can then look into potential hardware issues that might be at the source of
the problem.

 

[Guest]

I need to do exactly what you're talking about below. Are there instructions

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

If you have an available partition, assuming your system is set to boot from
the CD-ROM drive, boot with the XP CD in the drive. If it isn't or you are
not sure, you need to enter the system's BIOS. When you boot the system,
the first screen usually has
instructions that if you wish to enter setup press a specific key, when you
see that, do so. Then you will have to navigate to the boot sequence, if
the CD-ROM drive is not first line, set it first in the boot sequence. Save
your settings and exit with the XP CD in the drive. The system will reboot.

A few screens into the boot process, if you see the message on the boot
screen to "Press any key in order to boot from the CD," do so.

Then follow the screens, at some point you should reach a screen asking you
where you wish to install XP, choose the partition on which you wish to
install, some partition other than your current installation, then continue
with setup. If you don't have an available partition, this procedure will
require third party software such an XP compatible version of Partition
Magic or System Commander.

Once complete, in Windows Explorer, navigate to the other partition and
copy your files to the new setup. You may have problems accessing your
files either in the old setup and/or possibly the new setup. If that is the
case, you need to take ownership of the files as follows:

Note, file ownership and permissions supersede administrator rights. How
you resolve it depends upon which version of XP you are running.

XP-Home

Unfortunately, XP Home using NTFS is essentially hard wired for "Simple File
Sharing" at system level.

However, you can set XP Home permissions in Safe Mode. Reboot, and start
hitting F8, a menu should eventually appear and one of the
options is Safe Mode. Select it. Note, it will ask for the administrator's
password. This is not your administrator account, rather it is the
machine's administrator account for which users are asked to create a
password during setup.

If you created no such password, when requested, leave blank and press
enter.

Open Explorer, go to Tools and Folder Options, on the view tab, scroll to
the bottom of the list, if it shows "Enable Simple File Sharing" deselect it
and click apply and ok. If it shows nothing or won't let you make a change,
move on to the next step.

Navigate to the files, right click, select properties, go to the Security
tab, click advanced, go to the Owner tab and select the user that was logged
on when you were refused permission to access the files. Click apply and
ok. Close the properties box, reopen it, click add and type in the name of
the user you just enabled. If you wish to set ownership for everything in
the folder, at the bottom of the Owner tab is the following selection:
"Replace owner on subcontainers and objects," select it as well.

Once complete, you should be able to do what you wish with these files when
you log back on as that user.

XP-Pro

If you have XP Pro, temporarily change the limited account to
administrative. First, go to Windows Explorer, go to Tools, select Folder
Options, go to the View tab and be sure "Use Simple File Sharing" is not
selected. If it is, deselect it and click apply and ok.

If you wish everything in a specific folder to be accessible to a user,
right click the folder, select properties, go to the Security tab, click
Advanced, go to the Owner tab,
select the user you wish to have access, at the bottom of the box, you
should see a check box for "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects,"
place a check in the box and click apply and ok.

The user should now be able to perform necessary functions on files in the
folder even as a limited account. If not, make it an admin account again,
right click the folder, select Properties, go to the Security tab and be
sure the user is listed in the user list. If not, click add and type the
user name in the appropriate box, be sure the user has all the necessary
permissions checked in the permission list below the user list, click apply
and ok.

That should do it and allow whatever access you desire for that folder even
in a limited account.

 

[Guest]

Thanks very much for these instructions! Just a couple of quick questions.
With my computer in the state that is, how do I tell how many partitions I
have? If I never created additional ones, is it safe to assume that there's
probably only one and that I'll need to create another one? Also, with my
computer the way that it is right now, will it be possible to even load and
use third-party software in order to create the new partition? Thanks.

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

You're welcome.

If you never created additional partitions, it is safe to assume you only
have one though some manufacturer's create a hidden partition on which they
put the setup files. Generally, this only applies to systems where they
don't provide setup disks to the users.

I can't speak for the other utilities, however, you can run Partition Magic
from the CD. since you can't install it, you can boot from their CD and it
will offer you various options. I don't have the most current version but
in the past, you would use the CD to create an emergency floppy set which
allowed you to boot from one of the floppies and then run the application
from their. This is provided for the purpose of letting a user run
Partition Magic on a system that for one reason or another had become
unbootable.

Their manual provides instructions for this and you may find documentation
on their CD as well that explains how all this is done.

Once you run the utility, you'll need to resize the current partition, make
it smaller though no smaller than the amount of data currently housed within
it. This will create free space on your hard drive and it is from this
newly created free space that you create any additional partitions.

 

[Guest]

Hi Michael -- I just wanted to say thanks so much for all your advice!! I
went out and bought Partition Commander and have successfully retrieved all
my data. Now I'm working on piecing things back together, and things are
looking up. So, thanks again!

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

You're welcome, sds, glad it worked for you.