Windows won't start after Windows UPDATE

[Stakeout]

running 6yr old Gateway Desktop Media Center Edition (Windows XP
Professional)SP2... 2 gb RAM.. two 160gb hard drives..as a backup have all
data and many pics backed up on external 320gb hard drive..this is used as
Main PC in 3 PC Home Network..

notified of Windows Update yesterday morning..high priority.. believe it
said FS Card 170kb or close to that .. d/l and installed

short while later I attempted to reboot.. Windows would NOT start.. black
text screen appeared.. with 5 options for restarts... including 3 Safe Mode
ones... none would work... all reverted back to same black text screen...
tried and retried many many times.. no good... I have been advised that is
regular Safe Start screen..
only thing that is working is the DSL modem and the router that are hooked
up to the Gateway PC so I am able to get online thru this laptop...

can I use my original Gateway Windows XP disk to restart windows.. I have
not so far .. thought it might affect the DSL and router shutting them down..
but not sure.. don't want to lose access to online.. do I have to access the
BIOS option window then use the start with CD

if anyone has any info would appreciate any advice on best course of action
to restart Windows..

thanx

 

[Stakeout]

this is the MS Windows UPDATE that seemed to have caused the problem and
crash as I outlined... if anyone else has run into this situation please
post...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925720

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Did you recently also install KB951847?

Best to always reply to your primary thread without changing the subject,
please; cf.
http://groups.google.com/group/micr..._frm/thread/e57725a422055f22/aa348de1bc885eea

 

[Stakeout]

sorry bout that.. I just wanted to let everyone know what the Update was
just before the crash...

so far nothing has w*rked..

I guess it could be a physically damaged hard drive--it's the 6 yr old
original from gateway... it was clicking loudly over a period of time after
I would d/l any software or install from a CD...

.... just that..... is this a coincidence that right after that Windows
Update I rebooted and it crashed.. went into a black Safe Mode Options screen
( 5 options) that no matter which one is chosen it gets up to the Windows
logo screen and immediately reverts back to that black Safe Mode Screen..

 

[Stakeout]

yes I'm pretty sure I did install that update about a week before in another
High Priority Update... I just did a search and there seems to be some
problems with it... like I'm having with an endless loop to nowhere...

is there a way to repair what was done by this update...

thanx

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Snipping your replies isn't helping here, Stakeout. Not everyone is
accessing this newsgroup via the clunky web-interface you're using.

If you can boot into Safe Mode, see if uninstalling the updates (one at a
time, most-recently install first, & rebooting after each uninstall)
resolves your issues. Do NOT use System Restore!

As neither of these updates were security-related, you do not qualify for
free support for any issues encountered.

 

[Stakeout]

right now I'm running on a my Vista laptop that I only use when I'm
traveling..... so again very sorry for not keeping to protocol

not sure what you mean by 'snipping my replies'... I posted them on the
Microsoft Communities Website for this Newsgroup rather than on the
Newsgroup directly which I am now doing

cannot in any way get into SAFE mode.. as I said I tried ALL the Safe
mode options on that black text screen ..totally blocked out...any
option keeps on reverting back to that screen never getting passed the
Windows logo screen..

cannot access into Windows at all.. whatever happened killed my ability
to access my PC... to me this is a security problem of Microsoft.. and
their improperly utilizing High Priority Updates in this fashion knowing
there is a problem generated by these updates.. from what I've been
reading there are a lot of folks in my position or close to it that have
d/l these updates and caused major problems..

Microsoft should step up to the plate and at the least should give some
kind of support for the problems they have caused with these totally
unnecessary updates for the average home user.... I would not have done
the Updates if they didn't notify me to do so while they knew no such
notification was necessary as a High Priority update to begin with...
the consumer places trust in the company--Microsoft-- to give proper
updates .. and not to give out as High Priority updates useless ones
that should at the least be 'optional'

I just got notified today on my wife's XP Laptop to do those same two
updates.. needless to say I discarded the notification .. terrible...
absolutely terrible

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Snipping is when you delete any of the previous message being quoted in your
replies.

I highly doubt that installing KB925720 caused your problem (and why an
update from 2007 or earlier was just offered is anyone's guess unless you'd
just installed other new software & hardware). I suspect that the culprit
could be one or more Optional Hardware Updates (e.g., updated
driver/drivers) you chose to install (never a good idea).

If you can't even boot into Safe Mode, you'd best consider a format & clean
install. Or take the machine to a local, reputable, and independent shop
(i.e., not BigBoxStore or Geek Squad) and let a good tech have at it.

Good luck.