Windows Update - Now Won't Boot

[Guest]

Hello,

I ran windows update (on a machine running SP2) yesterday, and when I came
back last night, it had frozen. A manual reboot brought me to the screen
saying "We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start
successfully..." However, I can't actually select/choose any of the options.
If I pick one (safe/normal/etc.) and press enter, nothing happens...

Since this is my mother's computer and she has (unbacked-up) data, I really
hope I don't have to wipe the HD. Is there anything I can try? IBM support
said "it's Windows update, there's nothing you can do save restoring to HD to
factory contents.

Any help would be *greatly* appreciated!

 

[Guest]

If you can start Recovery Console (perhaps from the downloadable floopy boot
disks, or a CD like BartPE found on the internet) you might be able to
restore an original registry, then run SFC /SCANNOW to restore original
files. (or perhaps try a system restore)

307545 - How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry that Prevents Windows XP
from Starting system:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q307545

Obtaining Windows XP Setup Boot Disks (Q310994):
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q310/9/94.asp?ID=310994
(BartPE) bootable live windows CD-DVD: http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

 

[WTC]

Hello,

I ran windows update (on a machine running SP2) yesterday, and when I
came back last night, it had frozen. A manual reboot brought me to
the screen saying "We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows
did not start successfully..." However, I can't actually
select/choose any of the options. If I pick one (safe/normal/etc.)
and press enter, nothing happens...

Hi matt2015,

Try removing the Windows Update hotfix from the recovery console using
Ramesh's article.

How to uninstall a hotfix or Service Pack via the Recovery Console ?
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/spuninst.htm

[Courtesy of Ramesh Srinivasan, MVP]