Re: can't load windows or safe mode (please help)

Contact the PC manufacturer about getting a restore disk/disk set. Other than that, find a friend with a fully installable OEM copy of Media Center and use that along with your valid CD Key.

--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

"DerekP" <DerekP@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:5CC0BD0E-1477-4AAD-9603-18AFCD86D3A4@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Getting the owner's installation cd is not an option. Neither is buying a new
copy of Windows. I do have the Windows installation code though. Any other
ideas?

"CSM1" wrote:

"DerekP" <DerekP@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:07BE6B88-9C39-4B3D-A3A8-409FCFD106F5@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> I'm fixing a computer for someone else and I've run into some problems.
>
> Original problem:
> The owner of the computer ridded it of its viruses. After that, it > would
> only boot into safe mode. When trying to start it normally, it would > show
> the
> Windows XP loading page...and then it would go black. I couldn't hear > the
> hard drive starting up the startup programs or anything so I'm assuming > it
> wouldn't even load windows all the way. Also, in safe mode, the device
> manager would be blank.
>
> I tried using the recovery console (from MY XP disc) to repair windows > but
> it said I needed an administrator password. Such a password doesn't > exist.
> I
> tried the recovery console again but when I pressed the 'R' button
> (commanding it to launch the recovery console) it began to setup a new
> copy
> of Windows. Before all this I tried other things like selecting Last > Known
> Good Config but nothing changed.
>
> New problem:
> The computer will load the new copy of Windows and even though the > other
> copy's settings aren't in place, I can still access the files on the > hard
> drive. The problem is...that new copy is from my XP disc, therefore I
> can't
> register it...so it'll only last for 30 days. Also, when I try to load
> safe
> mode, it goes to a black screen with text in all the corners saying > it's
> in
> safe mode but there is no toolbar or icons or anything functionable.
>
> So I need to know how to get rid of the new copy of Windows...and to > get
> the
> original copy working. I'm afraid I've really screwed things up and I > want
> to
> make things right with this person's computer. Please let me know if > you
> can
> help.
>
> So to recap: new 30-day copy of Windows needs to be deleted, hard drive
> cannot be formatted (so I can keep their files), and I can't load safe
> mode
> or normal mode.
>
> Do you think a viable solution would be to run file and settings > transfer
> wizard through the new copy of Windows...therefore saving all of their
> files
> and settings on my flash drive? i guess that wouldn't work since all i
> have
> is MY XP disc.
>
> Please let me know if you have any idea how to fix all this. I'm in > quite
> a
> pickle with this problem.

You reformat the Hard drive and install a new copy of Windows XP.

You must have the owners Installation CD and the Product ID.

If the owner can not provide the CD and the product ID,
you may have to purchase a legal copy of Windows XP.

Here is a good how to instruction:
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

By The Way this a Windows Media Center Newsgroup.

--
CSM1
http://www.carlmcmillan.com
--



.