Re: Massive problem with Windows 2000 and my computer

From: KWW (kwalker_at_nospamaircooled.net)
Date: 02/25/04 

Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 07:42:08 -0600

As an emergency measure.... find a friend with Win2k on his/her computer
that has a spare "slave" position (and either a CD burner or some other
removable storage setup). Set the jumper on your hard drive to "slave" and
connect it in. You can then get to your important files, copy them off to
the removable media and have them to work with/on. This way, if you do mess
things up and/or have to reformat, you won't lose all that data.
KWW
The opinions expressed are my own, based on my own experience.... utilize at
your own risk.

"David Berch" <dberch@brandeis.edu> wrote in message
news:12ea301c3f6ab$12bd1d10$a601280a@phx.gbl...
> It all started when I bought a copy of Civilization 3:
> Conquests. The game wouldn't work so I e-mailed the makers
> (Atari) about it hoping they could fix my problem. What
> they suggested what I do was this:
>
> "Attached to this email is w2kmscfg.zip which contains an
> executable (msconfig.exe) for system setup. Unzip this
> file to a safe location on your computer and double-click
> it. In the System Configuration Utility, change the system
> to Selective Startup and uncheck Load Startup Items.
> Switch to the Services tab and check the Hide All
> Microsoft Services box. Uncheck any services left in the
> list and Apply the changes. Reboot your system when
> prompted.
>
> Go to www.windowsupdate.com and download the latest
> critical fixes for your machine. After doing so, download
> and install the latest drivers for your video and sound
> card from your computer manufacturer (the video and sound
> card drivers from www.windowsupdate.com will not suffice.
> Once that's done download and install the latest version
> of DirectX from www.microsoft.com/directx/ and reboot as
> necessary."
>
> So I did what they said to do and then rebooted my
> computer. However, upon restart, I was greeted with a
> screen of vertical colored lines. I rebooted my computer
> again and again the same problem occurred. I figured that
> maybe it had been the windows updates I just downloaded so
> I went into safe mode and removed all of the "Windows Hot
> Fixes" with the add/remove software program on the control
> pannel. I rebooted again, but the vertical colored lines
> remained. I then went into safe mode again thinking it
> might be the msconfig.exe but I couldn't even reach safe
> mode because now I was getting .dll and explorer.exe
> errors, presumably because I touched the windows updates.
>
> The problem is now I can't even access my computer right
> now. I tried different options like one of the debugging
> restoration modes and even a "load from last saved setup",
> neither of which worked. The debugging restoration mode
> led to a screen with horizontal blue lines. I have no idea
> what I should do now, I frantically searched for my
> windows 2000 disc but couldn't find it anywhere. I have a
> lot of important files on this computer for school and I'd
> like to be able to access my hard drive again without
> completely reformatting. Does anyone have any advice or
> solutions for me? Thank you.
>