Please help, Computer / XP won't load, continuous restart.

[Sethiroth]

This is another desktop, In which I was trying to help solve the original problem, and now they're both the same way and I feel horrible about it.

The original computer kept restarting, and eventuallywith the help of members here, I assumed it was a bad video card or video drivers. SO, I took the DVD-ROM and the Hard drive out to allow they to continue using the DVD drive for work programs, and to try to get some files from the hard drive.

I installed the DVD Rom, and remembered that it would sometimes not open and it would spin very fast and read slowly, but it "worked". I put it in and installed some drivers for it.

The Hard drive froze the computer, so i immediately took it out and didn't try again.

The computer worked fine for about 2 dsays, then I was called, and they said now the 2nd machine is doing the same thing.

Now, instead of stoping on something about ivpmon, this machine freezes and restarts at "XXXXXX\System32\Config\System"

I am comepletely clueless now, and like I said I feel so bad about this, i thought i under stood and obviously did not.

 

[Dan O]

I think the simplest method to fix the problem is to do an in-place repair of Windows, which will re-setup the video, see: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm Also see John Will's Guide to Reinstall of Windows, listed above.

 

[Sethiroth]

Thanks for the reply. I can get an XP disk by Next week. I'll follow the guide to see if I can save all the files, which is crucial. I don't have access to Widnows or a command prompt at all for these machines. So you don't recommend trying to connect either of these hard drives to another PC in the meantime?

 

[Dan O]

The problems spread to a second PCs, so I don't recommend involving another PC. The in place re-install of Windows XP will not affect your data, but it is always best to have a backup of it, just it case things go wrong. To do that I recommend using a bootable CD, which you can obtain from: http://www.bootdisk.com/ Then copy the data to a CD or USB drive.

 

[Sethiroth]

Ok, i will post again as soon as I get the XP disk. I'll attempt the boot disk data rec, later on today.

 

[Dan O]

Any luck fixing the problem?

 

[Sethiroth]

'm just now receiving the XP disk. Now i have to read all these posts to make sure I do it right. It is so vital to keep their personal data, if not, I'm sure no one will even care what happens to the machines.

Wish me luck, and any additional suggestions?

 

[Sethiroth]

Ok, i have the disk and it has SP2 on it already. So, that eliminates the need for a Slipstream disk with the updates . I have tried several times, and I cannot get repair to become an option (Which i think was posted as meaning it requires a XP re-install) I have after everything else, tries to use the recovery console from the XP disk to get rid of the damaged boot.ini files as mentioned in the re-installation guide.


The Machine still continuously reboots still. The only think i didn't understant is the process where you use the boot configuration (Bootcfg) /Rebuild. After scanning, it asks questions, like :

Add installation to boot list?
Enter Load identifier
Enter OS Load options.

In my heart of hearts, i know the answer, but is there anything else i can do before a full install?

Edit - I don't seem to be able to access windows , right? So there's no need for those boot disks, that i would love to use.

 

[Sethiroth]

I won't make another move, yet. I'll wait for a reply to this before I play "IT Guy" again. Btw, thanks yet again, Dan!

 

[Sethiroth]

Just looking for any update, before erasing all their data

 

[Dan O]

I cannot believe no one else responded. I am sorry the XP repair did not work. I would go to www.bootdisk.com and down a boot disk and copy the user's data to a CD or USB drive. Then perform a clean install to start fresh, see: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

 

[Sethiroth]

My god I feel so sick... I already re-installed Xp, just last night. Somehow I got under the impression from reading everything , that If we could not access windows, or get the repair option, we couldn't get to the data. I don't want to misquote anyone, so I'll just say I was wrong. But now I have to confess this.

Just to clearify , and prevent future failures, i "could" have retrieved their data? With the boot disk? And now after the reinstall, it's all lost? I can't even describe this disgust, because I actually put this off for so long, then just up and decided to do it.

And the 2nd PC, i think the Hard Drive has been fried. It's not reading on boot up, and I don't know if it's from the data cables, power supply or even the jumpers, but I assumed the drive was shot. That I won't get a chance to see until Monday, and I'll update.

 

[Sethiroth]

Just checking back, for future ref.

 

[minoruhackerguy]

Ahh.... It is as you've feared. You could have recovered all the data.

There are two disks that you should think about download. The first I concider a MUST HAVE because it has 100 tools for various tasks.. That would be the Ultimate Bood CD. You could have, not only backed up the informations, but could have ran a few virus scans to see if it was a malicious virus or something. You also could have ran several diagnostic tools..

Now the second disk is something that I would recommend because it's very user friendly, is small, AND let's you access NTFS(Windows) filesystems. It's a Puppy Linux Live CD. With it, you wouldn't have had any problems mounting the hard drive and copying the files off it. I would recommend 'Puppy linux 2.15 community addition' because it has so many tools.

Oh, and, next time you need to ask a question this big, feel free to send me an private message. I understand needing to get something done and not being able to get help. :-/

Have you wiped Both computers clean, or just the one?

 

[Sethiroth]

I REALLY appreciate this. At the moment,I only wiped one PC clean. I didn't do the second, because i had trouble re-mounting the hard drive, and I suspect that it isn't working. I think someone may have removed or attached it while the pc was running.

However, someone else (unrelated) is experiencing a BSOD, after major virus removal, and need my "help". I'll spend the rest of this day working with the utilities you suggested and attempt recovery tonight if I can get this.

I try not to feel bad anymore, but everytime i come here it's right there in the back of my mind. I'll take you up on your offer, because I can't expect instant answers when thousands of posts are generated her on a regular basis.

I'll let you know how things work out