XP DOES NOT START UP - HELP

[Guest]

When I try to start Microsoft Windows XP, the computer may appear to stop
responding (hang) with an empty, black screen immediately after the power-on
self test (POST) is complete and before the Windows XP logo typically appears
on the screen.

Then there are several options to startup (normal startup, safe mode, etc).
But nothing works. On the web it tells me to start the recovery console,
which I did. But then I DON NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO.

Hint/suggestions are welcome, please help.

Thanks,
Joost

 

[Kelly]

Fifth post within two hours. When did this behavior begin? After doing:
an update from MS, an update from an anti-virus program, from..........

--
Happy Mardi Gras,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

 

[Morituri-|-Max]

When I try to start Microsoft Windows XP, the computer may appear to
stop responding (hang) with an empty, black screen immediately after
the power-on self test (POST) is complete and before the Windows XP
logo typically appears on the screen.

Then there are several options to startup (normal startup, safe mode,
etc). But nothing works. On the web it tells me to start the recovery
console, which I did. But then I DON NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO.

Hint/suggestions are welcome, please help.

Don't select the FIRST repair option.. you have to pick INSTALL WINDOWS and
THEN pick the following REPAIR option.. heh.. I had the same exact problem
until one of the MVP people pointed that out..

...again, boot to windows XP disk, choose INSTALL windows, then on the next
screen do a REPAIR..

or if you have another working hard drive with windows... hook the drive
that won't boot right as a slave to that other drive, when it boots up to
the other drive it will do a chkdsk on the slave...

Have a good one.. bad drive behavior sucks!

 

[Guest]

Yes i did an update SP1 online - appearantly not a very good idea. Beacsue
system was running fine. I guess that during installation I lost ASDL
connection with the server, resulting in the PC to hang up. I could only do a
full reboot with the results below.

Any hints..?

 

[Guest]

Don't select the FIRST repair option.. you have to pick INSTALL WINDOWS and
THEN pick the following REPAIR option.. heh.. I had the same exact problem
until one of the MVP people pointed that out..

...again, boot to windows XP disk, choose INSTALL windows, then on the next
screen do a REPAIR..

or if you have another working hard drive with windows... hook the drive
that won't boot right as a slave to that other drive, when it boots up to
the other drive it will do a chkdsk on the slave...

Have a good one.. bad drive behavior sucks!

Thanks for your advice - but I have still some dump and silly questions
(Next time I will read the 'Windows XP for idiots guide' first).

If I do the install option I get the a screen were I have to choose on which
partition I would like to install XP. I am affraid that if I choose the
existing one, XP installation starts and overwrites my existing version and
files. True/false...?

thanks,
Joost

 

[Guest]

Stop. If you did not get a repair option when you booted the CD and windows
wants to install itself on a new partition you could wipe out your previous
install. I always note the size of my partitions beforehand so I don't wipe
out the wrong one.

 

[Morituri-|-Max]

Thanks for your advice - but I have still some dump and silly
questions (Next time I will read the 'Windows XP for idiots guide'
first).

If I do the install option I get the a screen were I have to choose
on which partition I would like to install XP. I am affraid that if I
choose the existing one, XP installation starts and overwrites my
existing version and files. True/false...?

If you get to that screen you should have the repair option available in
*addition* to any repair option.. just going to the install screen won't
start anything irreversible.

 

[Morituri-|-Max]

Stop. If you did not get a repair option when you booted the CD and
windows wants to install itself on a new partition you could wipe out
your previous install. I always note the size of my partitions
beforehand so I don't wipe out the wrong one.

THAT repair option comes later in the sequence.. he won't ACCIDENTALLY
reformat as the format thing takes a couple of specific responses to make
sure he doesn't accidentally do it.

Besides... installation of windows and which partition you want to install
TOO are seperate things, not the same single thing.

 

[Guest]

I was talking about the screen after you choose to install. If the repair
option does not show up there then you can (potentially) choose a fresh
install where on the next screen you are presented with a partition table and
are promted for the partition you want to install to.

Quote: "If I do the install option I get the a screen were I have to choose

 

[Guest]

Ok we're getting into a very grey and dark area for me, you are all very
helfull, but this need some clarification - please remember I still haven't
red the 'Idiots guide for XP'.

1. I startup from original XP install disk
2. choose install XP (not repair which brings me to recovery)
3. I accept the licence agreement
4. Then I got the parttion table with the following:

E: Partition 1 (inactive OS/2 boot man 6150 MB <3 316 MB avail>)
C: Partition 2 (HDD [NFTS] 31997 MB <22557 MB avail>)

questions
1. what is partion on E: (can't remember I have created it)
2. what would be next step to recover/repair original
3. is it possible to create another(3rd) partition where I install XP,
remaining all the original installation/files which I could access when
starting up from the new partition

Lot of questions - hope you could help me

Many thanks,
Joost

 

[Guest]

Just to be clear. There is only one (physical) hard drive, right? Partition 1
looks like a boot-manager partition but that's quite a huge partition for a
stand-alone boot manager, so it was probably installed in an active primary
partition that was made inactive by your install of WinXP (no 2 active
primary partitions on same disk, usually). Partition 2 is probably the
partition you definitely don't want to wipe out with a new install (it's
flagged as C. I'm still worried though. That 6 gig partition could be it
since you don't know the size of your WinXP partition even though there's
quite a difference in sizes. I would follow Morituri-|-Max's advice about
disconnecting the drive and installing WinXP again on a new drive if someone
will lend you one for a day and then explore from there to see what exactly
you've got. It's probably overly-cautious but I've wiped out the wrong
partition before and the pain is excruciating.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Homer,

I am pretty sure that Partition 2 (C is where XP originally was installed.
Some I am tempted to delete Parttion 1 (E

But could I also create a 3rd partition and install XP, without deleting
anything. Would it then still possible to access partition C:

thanks,
Joost

 

[Guest]

Soory, I should've added this option. If you know anyone with a recent
version of PartitionMagic boot (floppy) disks that will lend them to you or
create some for you (not sure about legality) then you can resize them
(existing partitions) to create unallocated space to install WinXP again.
Note the size of the space you created and make sure that it shows up in the
Partition table screen and install it there. Hope all of this helps.