Re: XP Boot Issues ...

On Nov 26, 11:21 pm, "Dave" <da...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"Stefan Patric" <n...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

news:icpa2q$hae$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



On Fri, 26 Nov 2010 04:37:55 -0800, Dave wrote:

hi folks,

problems lately, booting into XP pro.  got all the latest updates, SP3,
etc.

for the last 3 months or so, gradual increase of problems booting XP.
Sometimes the computer hangs while window is loading (black screen);
sometimes it hangs, freezing my desktop wallpaper (no icons appear).  I
used to be able to re-start by a forced shutdown (holding in the power
button), lately I seem to have to boot once in SAFE MODE, then a 2nd
time in "last known good" config to get back in.   Then I'll have a
series of a few good boots, and it's back to the same again.

I figure it's either a corrupt C drive, or a corrupt windows
installation (or registry).  Trouble is, when I run CHKDSK, windows
always gives me an error message, something to the effect that the drive
cannot be accessed.

any hints, clues or advice will be appreciated..

Before doing anything, back up your all data and/or your user directory
to an external source--hard drive, CD, etc.  I use a bootable LiveCD to
do this.

Do virus/malware scans.  I use one of the many bootable "repair" CDs
available on the 'Net. That way, you won't have to depend on a "sick"
system booting off a possibly "bad" hard drive.

After the scans--do multiples with a few different utilities--run CHKDSK
or whatever disk diagnostic utils that's on the CD.  CHKDSK isn't all
that good.  Run a SMART hard disk check, too.  If SMART indicates the
drive is on its last legs, buy a new drive, do a clean OS install, and
resort your data/settings.

If the problem(s) persists, and the drive checks "good", and you have a
Windows XP Pro install CD, do a Repair install to find and replace any
bad system files.  If this works, you'll probably have to update the
system to SP3, etc.  The Repair install shouldn't affect your settings or
data, but you backed them up anyway, right?

If the Repair install doesn't  work, bite the bullet and do a clean, from
"scratch" install.

If you don't have a Windows Install CD, see if you can do a Restore
install.  Hopefully, you have a hidden Restore partition.  If this works,
update the system, clone it as a back up, restore your data/settings.

Stef

Thanks to all for replies on this issue.  To clarify about CHKDSK, I would
'command' it - either from the drive's properties dialogue or from a CMD
screen issued from RUN.  On my next boot, and often many others (meaning,
the command got 'stuck'), I would get an error that said something like
"Drive C is inaccessible... etc". On and on for many boots.  There were no
options given.

As an aside, I did get virus alert from AVG on a site I visited (perhaps a
year ago), and I remember sometime after that, I recall hearing a "beep" at
the tail end of the BIOS boot process, which was never there before.  I
wondered about a possible MBR virus, but I didn't have the technology or
time to address it.  AVG's computer scan showed nothing.  So, there may
still be something lurking in the "pre-windows" boot sequence which is
unfriendly.  I don't really have the technical smarts to address MBR stuff,
unless a clean install of XP would do the trick.

Stefan, your reply had some good suggestions, but where would I find a
"bootable repair CD" on the internet, something capable of checking the
Master Boot Record?  Could you elaborate on "Smart Disk check"?  Is this a
utility, or is it a windows command?

thanks to all for your responses..

Dave
UBCD4WIN sure comes up a lot, but there is usually one important tip
missing in the suggestions to build one:

You will not build a UBCD4WIN if you do not already have a genuine
bootable XP installation CD.

UBCD4Win recommends that the CD you use to build it has the same
Service Pack as your installation. Hopefully, most systems are
running SP3, but if you have not built by hand a slipstreamed XP
installation CD with SP3 on, you will miss that too.

I would say that most people don't have a genuine bootable XP
installation CD or they are not sure what they have. If they had a
genuine bootable XP installation CD, they would usually boot the XP
Recovery Console from that (they would be using it).

Any System Recovery type CDs that may have come with your system will
not be of use to you to build a UBCD4WIN CD.

Since most people don't have a genuine bootable XP installation CD,
you need to learn how to fix these things without one.

You can build a bootable XP Recovery Console CD and run chkdsk /r,
fixmbr, etc from there there with no XP media required (I would do
that first).

You could also build a Hiren's BootCD and use its dozens of tools with
no XP media required (I would do that for fun after your system is
running).

If your system boots sometimes and only gets to the wallpaper, there
is nothing wrong with your MBR or you would not get that far.

If you system boots as as far as the wallpaper and that is all you see
(no desktop icons, no Taskbar, etc), then you need to say that... and
we can fix that long enough for you to get running and run some scans
for malicious software (that is a classic "is now or was infected"
symptom).

One short beep on a reboot after the BIOS POST (Power On Self Test) is
generally a good sign that the system is happy.

If you can boot okay sometimes, you should run some scans for
malicious software first. It does not make sense to try to start
fixing things on a system that is infected with malicious software:

Download, install, update and do a full scan with these free malware
detection programs:

Malwarebytes (MBAM): http://malwarebytes.org/
SUPERAntiSpyware: (SAS): http://www.superantispyware.com/

They can be uninstalled later if desired.

When the scans run clean, then troubleshoot any remaining issues.

If you think there is some problem with your chkdsk, boot into the XP
Recovery Console and run chkdsk /r from there and you can see what is
happening and then decide what to do next. When the Recovery Console
chkdsk runs clean, then fix whatever other problems you have trying to
run chkdsk from your running Windows. First, you need to see what is
going on.

If you have no bootable XP media (or are not sure what you have)
create a bootable XP Recovery Console CD and be sure.

This is not the same as any recovery disks that might have come a
store bought system.

You can make a bootable Recovery Console CD by downloading an ISO file
and burning it to a CD.

The bootable ISO image file you need to download is called:

xp_rec_con.iso

Download the ISO file from here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?ueyyzfymmig

Use a new CD and this free and easy program to burn your ISO file and
create your bootable CD:

http://www.imgburn.com/

Here are some instructions for ImgBurn:

http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=61

It would be a good idea to test your bootable CD on a computer that is
working.

You may need to adjust the computer BIOS settings to use the CD ROM
drive as the first boot device instead of the hard disk. These
adjustments are made before Windows tries to load. If you miss it,
you will have to reboot the system again.

When you boot on the CD, follow the prompts:

Press any key to boot from CD...

The Windows Setup... will proceed.

Press 'R' to enter the Recovery Console.

Select the installation you want to access (usually 1: C:\WINDOWS)

You may be asked to enter the Administrator password (usually empty).

You should be in the C:\WINDOWS folder. This is the same as the

C:\WINDOWS folder you see in explorer.

The Recovery Console allows basic file commands like: copy, rename,
replace, delete, cd, chkdsk, fixboot, fixmbr, etc.

For a list of Recovery Console commands, enter help at the prompt.

First verify the integrity of your file system using the chkdsk
command.

From the command prompt window run the chkdsk command on the drive
where Windows is installed to try to repair any problems on the
afflicted drive.

Running chkdsk is fine even if it doesn't find any problems. It will
not hurt anything to run it.

Assuming your boot drive is C, run the following command:

chkdsk C: /r

Let chkdsk finish and correct any problems it might find. It may take
a long time for chkdsk to complete or it may appear to be 'stuck'. Be
patient. If the HDD light is still flashing, chkdsk is doing
something. Keep an eye on the percentage amount to be sure it is
still making progress. It may even appear to go backwards sometimes.

You should run chkdsk /r again until it finds no errors to correct.

Remove the CD and type 'exit' to leave the RC and restart the
computer.

You do not have to adjust the BIOS again to boot on the HDD since the
CD will not be present.
.

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