Windows XP PRO Boot up problem

[Guest]

Hello,
I am in desperate condition and need help.

I have bought this used laptop yesterday. When I brought it home, it worked
fine, meaning it was booting ok and I was able to go in and all that. Since
the person I have bought it from has wiped all the software and drivers, I
have inserted the drivers CD and installed drivers for audio and installed
ATI Controller, CD RW software and IIS. After that I powered it off
completely.

By the way the OS is Windows XP PRO.

This morning I tried to boot it up, first it showed the BIOS welcome screen
where it asked me to press F2 to take me to settings which I didn't, after
that WINDOWS XP PROFESSIONAL LOGO flashed and the bar below was moving, after
few seconds it went back to BIOS welcome screen, then to windows logo and
that loop is continuing forever.

I went into BIOS, changed the setting to boot from CD and inserted windows
XP cd, but it didn't work.

Later tried to start in windows safe mode, also in "old configuration
setting that has worked" . None of them have worked. The loop explained above
continues no matter what I do.

I have taken it to a tech. He took a quick look. He has taken out the hard
drive from my machine and inserted into another computer, copied some system
files (not completely sure what he did) and brought it back to my machine and
tried booting. This time also it didn't work.

Stumped. Have asked another tech. He said probably the xp pro version I have
does not include SP2. Because of this when I went online last night, he
thought probably some virus has landed in my computer. I don't know if he is
right or wrong.

I am completely stumped and need some expert advice. Otherwise my money will
be thrown in the toilet.

The configuration of the computer is
Pentium 4 3.06 GHZ
1 GB RAM
80 GB Hard Drive
Windows XP Pro

Thanks very much in advance,
Ram

 

[Guest]

Since it's new, I'd attempt to reinstall XP from scratch again. Ensure that
you get all Windows Updates (to include SP2) as soon as possible. Also
ensure that you put the correct drivers and most updated drivers on the
system.

If it keeps crashing after that, then it's probably time to take a hard look
at the hardware. But that's easier to do in Windows than it is from outside
of Windows.

- John

 

[Rock]

Hello,
I am in desperate condition and need help.

I have bought this used laptop yesterday. When I brought it home, it
worked
fine, meaning it was booting ok and I was able to go in and all that.
Since
the person I have bought it from has wiped all the software and drivers, I
have inserted the drivers CD and installed drivers for audio and installed
ATI Controller, CD RW software and IIS. After that I powered it off
completely.

By the way the OS is Windows XP PRO.

This morning I tried to boot it up, first it showed the BIOS welcome
screen
where it asked me to press F2 to take me to settings which I didn't, after
that WINDOWS XP PROFESSIONAL LOGO flashed and the bar below was moving,
after
few seconds it went back to BIOS welcome screen, then to windows logo and
that loop is continuing forever.

I went into BIOS, changed the setting to boot from CD and inserted windows
XP cd, but it didn't work.

Later tried to start in windows safe mode, also in "old configuration
setting that has worked" . None of them have worked. The loop explained
above
continues no matter what I do.

I have taken it to a tech. He took a quick look. He has taken out the hard
drive from my machine and inserted into another computer, copied some
system
files (not completely sure what he did) and brought it back to my machine
and
tried booting. This time also it didn't work.

Stumped. Have asked another tech. He said probably the xp pro version I
have
does not include SP2. Because of this when I went online last night, he
thought probably some virus has landed in my computer. I don't know if he
is
right or wrong.

I am completely stumped and need some expert advice. Otherwise my money
will
be thrown in the toilet.

The configuration of the computer is
Pentium 4 3.06 GHZ
1 GB RAM
80 GB Hard Drive
Windows XP Pro

Resources for troubleshooting startup problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=308041

Windows XP logon screen does not appear and the computer continuously
restarts
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=310396

Once you get the computer to boot from the installation CD, I recommend you
do a clean install of the OS.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

 

[Guest]

Thanks very much to both usasma and Rock for the quick reply.

However whatever I do, for example, inserting xp cd in the CD rom and
changing in BIOS to boot from CD, windows is not booting from CD! It is
continuosly in that loop only. Even though the bulb on the CD-ROM drive glows
after inserting a CD, no prompt is coming on the screen to install OS from
the CD.

I don't know how to force the computer to boot from the CD? Once I can do it
then I can do clean install or recover from old configuration whatever?
Getting there is the big problem now.

Please help.

Ram

 

[Brian A.]

Hello,
I am in desperate condition and need help.

I have bought this used laptop yesterday. When I brought it home, it worked
fine, meaning it was booting ok and I was able to go in and all that. Since
the person I have bought it from has wiped all the software and drivers, I
have inserted the drivers CD and installed drivers for audio and installed
ATI Controller, CD RW software and IIS. After that I powered it off
completely.

By the way the OS is Windows XP PRO.

This morning I tried to boot it up, first it showed the BIOS welcome screen
where it asked me to press F2 to take me to settings which I didn't, after
that WINDOWS XP PROFESSIONAL LOGO flashed and the bar below was moving, after
few seconds it went back to BIOS welcome screen, then to windows logo and
that loop is continuing forever.

I went into BIOS, changed the setting to boot from CD and inserted windows
XP cd, but it didn't work.

Later tried to start in windows safe mode, also in "old configuration
setting that has worked" . None of them have worked. The loop explained above
continues no matter what I do.

I have taken it to a tech. He took a quick look. He has taken out the hard
drive from my machine and inserted into another computer, copied some system
files (not completely sure what he did) and brought it back to my machine and
tried booting. This time also it didn't work.

Stumped. Have asked another tech. He said probably the xp pro version I have
does not include SP2. Because of this when I went online last night, he
thought probably some virus has landed in my computer. I don't know if he is
right or wrong.

I am completely stumped and need some expert advice. Otherwise my money will
be thrown in the toilet.

The configuration of the computer is
Pentium 4 3.06 GHZ
1 GB RAM
80 GB Hard Drive
Windows XP Pro

Thanks very much in advance,
Ram

First thought is a bad battery unless you are plugging into an outlet.

Second thought, sounds like some of your installed devices/drivers are battling it
out with the BIOS. When you are prompted to press F2 to enter setup it means one
thing, the BIOS configuration has a problem. So press F2 when prompted and make sure
the date/time are set correctly, aside from that if the "drivers CD" you used to
install the drivers is not the one that was supplied with the machine, you're
hardware will be in conflict. If the disk you used is a proper one, the next step
would be to uninstall all of the drivers, remove any devices that you can and
reinstall them one at a time rebooting after each until the issues re-appears.

Third thought, yes, your system has been compromised and you need to clean it up.
For now I'll leave it for Pa Bear, Glen or someone else to direct you, they'll
provide less to read here yet as much or more to read where they direct you too.
This does not include PCR ( Prolific Chronic Reporter ) who has Master Posts that
could circle the globe 10 times.

My last thought is a variant of sugar in the gas tank or sawdust in the
transmission.

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Brian A.]

Thanks very much to both usasma and Rock for the quick reply.

However whatever I do, for example, inserting xp cd in the CD rom and
changing in BIOS to boot from CD, windows is not booting from CD! It is
continuosly in that loop only. Even though the bulb on the CD-ROM drive glows
after inserting a CD, no prompt is coming on the screen to install OS from
the CD.

I don't know how to force the computer to boot from the CD? Once I can do it
then I can do clean install or recover from old configuration whatever?
Getting there is the big problem now.

Please help.

Ram

Try shutting down for about 15 seconds with the disk in the drive before booting
again.
Get a drive lens cleaner from your nearest electronic/computer retailer to see if it
helps.

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Anna]

Hello,
I am in desperate condition and need help.

I have bought this used laptop yesterday. When I brought it home, it
worked
fine, meaning it was booting ok and I was able to go in and all that.
Since
the person I have bought it from has wiped all the software and drivers, I
have inserted the drivers CD and installed drivers for audio and installed
ATI Controller, CD RW software and IIS. After that I powered it off
completely.

By the way the OS is Windows XP PRO.

This morning I tried to boot it up, first it showed the BIOS welcome
screen
where it asked me to press F2 to take me to settings which I didn't, after
that WINDOWS XP PROFESSIONAL LOGO flashed and the bar below was moving,
after
few seconds it went back to BIOS welcome screen, then to windows logo and
that loop is continuing forever.

I went into BIOS, changed the setting to boot from CD and inserted windows
XP cd, but it didn't work.

Later tried to start in windows safe mode, also in "old configuration
setting that has worked" . None of them have worked. The loop explained
above
continues no matter what I do.

I have taken it to a tech. He took a quick look. He has taken out the hard
drive from my machine and inserted into another computer, copied some
system
files (not completely sure what he did) and brought it back to my machine
and
tried booting. This time also it didn't work.

Stumped. Have asked another tech. He said probably the xp pro version I
have
does not include SP2. Because of this when I went online last night, he
thought probably some virus has landed in my computer. I don't know if he
is
right or wrong.

I am completely stumped and need some expert advice. Otherwise my money
will
be thrown in the toilet.

The configuration of the computer is
Pentium 4 3.06 GHZ
1 GB RAM
80 GB Hard Drive
Windows XP Pro

Thanks very much in advance,
Ram

Ram:
The first issue that has to be addressed is why are you unable to boot to a
XP installation CD. We're assuming that the CD itself is not defective.
You're pretty sure it isn't defective, right?

Just to make sure we understand what happened...

After you installed the motherboard drivers (I assume that's what you're
referring to when you say "drivers CD", right?) and whatever other auxiliary
drivers you installed together with any software, the laptop booted up and
functioned just fine. Is that right? And you installed those
drivers/software after you got the machine home, right? It was only after
you shut down the machine and powered up the following morning that the
trouble began.

Again, is the scenario that I've described above exactly what occurred? The
laptop booted without incident and functioned without any problems AFTER you
installed the drivers/software, at least initially, but failed to boot with
the problems you've mentioned only the following day. Right?

Do you have another bootable CD that you can try? Doesn't matter whether
it's a XP installation CD, as long you know it to be bootable.

Is the laptop equipped with a floppy drive? If so, do you have a bootable
floppy disk (Win9x/Me startup disk) you can try? If so, any problem getting
to an A:\ prompt?

When you say "I went into BIOS, changed the setting to boot from CD and
inserted windows XP cd, but it didn't work.", what exactly do you mean by it
"didn't work"? A black screen? No error message(s)? What?

We can go on from here if you want but please respond to the above and
provide any additional details you think significant.
Anna

 

[Guest]

Thanks Anna and Brian.

Yes Anna. What you have said is absolutely correct. The machine was working
when I brought it home. The person I bought it from said he used the CDs he
handed over to me for installing the drivers and OS.

If I insert the same ones again, machine does not prompt to install from the
CD. Light on the CD drive blinks for few seconds then goes off.

In the BIOS, I changed to install from the CD and pressed F10 for saving the
settings. But when I come back from BIOS, still the same problem. It wouldn't
install from the CD and the loop of windows logo and the system info page
continues forever.

I have tried with another XP CD from my work which I have used it before for
installing windows components. This one also couldn't make any difference.

The laptop does not have a floppy drive.

I don't know a whole lot about PCs. I am not sure what can I do from here.

I appreciate all of your help,
Ram

 

[Anna]

Thanks Anna and Brian.

Yes Anna. What you have said is absolutely correct. The machine was
working
when I brought it home. The person I bought it from said he used the CDs
he
handed over to me for installing the drivers and OS.

If I insert the same ones again, machine does not prompt to install from
the
CD. Light on the CD drive blinks for few seconds then goes off.

In the BIOS, I changed to install from the CD and pressed F10 for saving
the
settings. But when I come back from BIOS, still the same problem. It
wouldn't
install from the CD and the loop of windows logo and the system info page
continues forever.

I have tried with another XP CD from my work which I have used it before
for
installing windows components. This one also couldn't make any difference.

The laptop does not have a floppy drive.

I don't know a whole lot about PCs. I am not sure what can I do from here.

I appreciate all of your help,
Ram

Ram:
You did indicate that you were able to install drivers from the
motherboard's installation CD, correct? So that's an indication there's
nothing wrong with the drive, right?

When you say you accessed the BIOS so that you "changed to install from the
CD", you're referring to the boot priority order (or whatever that element
is called in your motherboard's BIOS), right? So that instead of the
"normal" boot to a HDD, the system should look first to a bootable CD.
That's what you mean, right?

I ask you again...
When you say "I went into BIOS, changed the setting to boot from CD and
inserted windows XP cd, but it didn't work.", what exactly do you mean by it
"didn't work"? A black screen? No error message(s)? What?

You must be specific. Descriptions like "it didn't work" mean nothing.
Please explain exactly what happens.
Anna

 

[peter]

Normally at this point when you boot from the CD and the CD is set 1st in
the boot order you should be getting a message on your screen on boot up
that says "press any key to boot from CD"
are you getting that message??.........sometimes it comes up real quick.
peter