Windows won't start I need to repair

[Don Begezda]

Hello,

I had Windows XP Pro SP2 on the machine with no problems. I have plenty of
memory and HD space.

Now, I am having a problem with repairing Windows, it does not open.

I got a blackscreen with white writing giving me an apology and numerous
options to start Windows. There was Start in Safe Mode, Start in Safe Mode
with Command prompt, Start in Safe Mode with networking, Start in last known
good configuration, and finally start Windows normally.

None of those worked. Nothing happened.

I have an upgrade to XP Pro CD that I placed in the CD-Rom drive and
re-booted.. It ran through loading some files. Then came to a Windows XP
Professional Set-up window. With a welcome to set up message and 3 options:

1.Set up Windows XP press enter.

2.To repair Windows XP installation using Recovery Console

3.Quit set-up

When I go with the first option I get to another blue screen that says
set-up cannot find a previous version of Windows, and that I need to put in
a Full Version of one of their Windows products.

I had Windows ME on the machine before I upgraded to XP Pro a while back,
and things have been working fine. I have a vendor (HP) restore CD's that
came with the machine and went ahead and placed that in the drive and
pressed enter. Nothing happened, it came back to the screen that asked me to
insert a full version of Windows.

So I place the restore CD back in and re-booted with that in the drive so I
could re-install Windows ME on the drive.. It ran through the whole long
process of restoring all my files, extracting, inflating,etc. and had me go
to the 2nd CD, etc.. But after it was all finished it said it was successful
and to restart the computer so I restarted and I'm back to square one with
the black screen and all the start options that don't work. No Windows.

I assume I will need to try Repair Console next, but since I've never used
that I need help. Is this what I have to do or are there any other ways to
reload my OS? Also, what about Automated System Recovery? I haven't created
an Automated System Recovery disk on the bad computer, but I have a laptop
with XP Pro. Can I create it on the good laptop and use it on the bad
desktop? I'd like to try other options besides reformatting the hard drive
but I also need to know how to do that in case it comes to that.

Lots of problems!

TIA

Don

P.S. Is this the right newsgroup or is there another I could also post to
that is more appropriate?

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

Didn't you get the option to press 'R' on the next screen after pressing
Enter? Have a look at the following article by Michael Stevens regarding
'Repair' install:

"How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install"
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

 

[Don Begezda]

Yes, option 2 I listed, allowed me to press R. I haven't gone there yet.
I'll check out the web site.
Don

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

Sorry - not that 'R' - it takes you into the Recovery Console, where you
can't Repair Windows from. Press Enter at the first screen, then you should
be given the option to press 'R' on the next screen - to Repair Windows.
What kind of XP CD do you have?

 

[Don Begezda]

The first window I get when I boot have the choices of
safe mode
safe mode with networking
safe mode with command prompt
last known good configuration
and
start windows normally


When I press any of them nothing really happens. The safe mode options
scroll through some lines, then the machine reboots to the same screen with
the same choices.

I've not seen the repair option other than the recovery console.

My CD is an XP Pro upgrade that I used to upgrade from Windows ME.
I also have the original vendors restore CD. Maybe I can get to a repair
option from that??
Don

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

You can use the XP Upgrade CD to perform a 'Repair' install following the
directions in the following article. You don't have to enter the Recovery
Console for a 'Repair' install:

"How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install"
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

 

[Michael Stevens]

Hello,

I had Windows XP Pro SP2 on the machine with no problems. I have
plenty of memory and HD space.

Now, I am having a problem with repairing Windows, it does not open.

I got a blackscreen with white writing giving me an apology and
numerous options to start Windows. There was Start in Safe Mode,
Start in Safe Mode with Command prompt, Start in Safe Mode with
networking, Start in last known good configuration, and finally start
Windows normally.
None of those worked. Nothing happened.

I have an upgrade to XP Pro CD that I placed in the CD-Rom drive and
re-booted.. It ran through loading some files. Then came to a Windows
XP Professional Set-up window. With a welcome to set up message and 3
options:
1.Set up Windows XP press enter.

2.To repair Windows XP installation using Recovery Console

3.Quit set-up

When I go with the first option I get to another blue screen that says
set-up cannot find a previous version of Windows, and that I need to
put in a Full Version of one of their Windows products.

I had Windows ME on the machine before I upgraded to XP Pro a while
back, and things have been working fine. I have a vendor (HP) restore
CD's that came with the machine and went ahead and placed that in the
drive and pressed enter. Nothing happened, it came back to the screen
that asked me to insert a full version of Windows.

The restore CD will not work for a qualifier, you will need a Win 95/98/Me
CD to insert when asked during the setup.
Post back with exactly the wording on the "apology" screen. Perhaps it can
be fixed from Recovery Console, if not your options since you cannot boot
into Windows a are limited to restoring back to the original shipped state
with Me and then upgrading to XP, or you could get a full retail XP and then
run the repair install.

--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Don Begezda]

It's a long one:

"We apologize for the inconvenience but Windows did not start sucessfully. A
recent hardware or software change might have cause this.

If your computer stopped responding, restarted unexpectedly, or was
automatically shut down to protect your files and folders, choose :Last
Known Good Configuration to revert to the most recent settings that worked.

If a previous startup attempt was interrupted due to power failure or
because Power or Reset button was pressed, or if you aren't sure what caused
the problem, choose Start Windows Normally"

It then shows the choices I mentioned.
Don

 

[Don Begezda]

I get to a Welcome to Setup screen with the Upgrade CD, but when I press "To
setup Windows XP now press enter." It takes me to a screen that says:

"Setup cannot find a previous version of Windows on your computer. To
continue, Setup needs to verify that you qualify to use this upgrade
product.

Please insert one of the following Windows product CD's into the CD-ROM
drive: Windows XP Home Edition (Full Version), Windows XP Professional (full
version), Windows 2000 Professional, Windows Millenium, Windows 98, Windows
NT workstation 4.0,
Windows 95,
or Windows NT workstation 3.51.

When the CD is in the drive press enter.
To Quit setup press F3"


I have my vendors Recover CD that I inserted and it did not verify anything.
It just went on to try to restore my Windows ME, but even that was
unsuccessful.
Don