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Tri-ZNate
04-10-2006, 05:29 PM
Ok here is my problem. My friend caused a pretty good error in his system startup files somehow so now it will only boot to the windows screen with the little green bar at the bottom then show the blue screen of death for a second then restart (goes far to fast to make out what the file is. Well it wont let me start the computer in any safe mode or even the last known good configuration, its that bad. Well being a laptop he doesnt have a floppy drive so that leaves the floppy boot disk out and I dont have an external floppy drive to plug into it, or an ethernet cable to connect them so i can access the c: on the laptop. Basically I am trying to format the drive so he can start over.


So far I have tried starting in other boot modes and burning the boot disk to a cd and nothing wants to work. And there is nothing in the setup that helps. So what options do i even have at this point?

MyMistress86R
04-10-2006, 05:41 PM
What OS was on the machine when it failed?

Tri-ZNate
04-10-2006, 05:46 PM
Xp........

ScottZJ
04-10-2006, 05:55 PM
I do have a bootable CD of XP if that would help. Heck send the sucker here and I will load it up nicely.;)

Tri-ZNate
04-10-2006, 05:57 PM
tried that to, you go to either A. repair or B. clean install it and it just restarts. i told him to get a new HD but hey what do i know :rolleyes: .

MyMistress86R
04-10-2006, 06:39 PM
The only other tip I could tell you is to try tapping the F8 key during bootup to access the bootable CD. You might have to check the bios for proper boot order/capability.

With the symptoms you were describing and knowing you have XP, it truly sounds like a format and reload is unquestionably your only solution.

Billy Golightly
04-10-2006, 06:44 PM
I've had this happen before, let me see if I can remember the process...

insert bootable XP CD

hit F8, go to boot CD, and then the recovery console

run the chkdsk command, wait for it to run though the hd (This will probably take an hour or better depending on the size of the hard disk and its speed) Theres a flag for a complete or quick one. Do the complete one.

After that, it'll probably say errors were found and repaired, try restarting and see if that works.

If not, go back to the recovery console and do the command to fix the master boot record, I believe its like fxmbr or something to that effect. I think you can pull up a total list of commands at the recovery console with "help" or maybe even get them on the net. I'd definetly run chkdsk first though.

MyMistress86R
04-10-2006, 06:49 PM
The only problem with that, Billy, is if it's the OS and not the HD. CheckDisk won't fix a corrupt OS. I've seen too many systems caught in the BSOD loop that were only repaired via a format. 1 in 50 survive that kind of error. Ask Derrick, I had to do it to his brand-new Sony desktop a while back...lol.

Tri-ZNate
04-10-2006, 06:55 PM
I cant even run the recovery consol to fix any bad files though. The moment I hit R it reboots.

MyMistress86R
04-10-2006, 07:08 PM
Worst case scenario 250sx...let me know, I can email you the XP boot floppy images. It's either that or use a Windows98 boot floppy to format the thing so the nasty crap is out of the way for a fresh XP install.

Tri-ZNate
04-10-2006, 07:23 PM
I need to find my 98 boot disk. Its around here somewhere

Billy Golightly
04-10-2006, 07:26 PM
I dunno. I've fixed a half a dozen HP computers with the BSOD and my own system had that one time and chkdsk always seemed to fix it. I think theres a way to check the integrity of system files from the recovery console also, I dont remember the command though.

ScottZJ
04-10-2006, 11:16 PM
Can you get into BIOS? If so, you need to change the boot sequence to boot to CD and reload XP from start. Or if you need I have a program that will whip the hard drive in an hr and all you need to be able to do is boot to CD rom..........peace

Tri-ZNate
04-10-2006, 11:19 PM
that would work. I can get it into BIOS just fine and it'll boot the cd just fine, simply doesnt want to repair or format the drive. If you could send me the file it would be of great help. NNB1@epix.net

bigredhead
04-10-2006, 11:43 PM
Laptops are a PITA !!!!!! i hate them with a passion.

You don't need the floppy drive.. but i hope you got all your drivers and know what you have in that rig.. as Plug-and-play don't always work on laptops and you have to install the specific drivers for everything.... did i say i hated them.... !!!!

Is you copy of XP an original or a " backup " ? lol.. Some CD-Rom drives have a hard time with copies.

The darn BSOD ( Blue screen of death ) almost always result in a format and a re-install.... on the many systems i've had to work on. Unless it's got some data that you REALLY want keep. Format it.

If you can get into CMOS and set the boot sequence.. and boot from the CD.. when you get to the Partition information.. remove all partitions.. create a new one and do a full format.

What model laptop ?

Newer models sometimes have a " Recovery " option that restores it to factory default.. spare partition built in..

Tri-ZNate
04-10-2006, 11:49 PM
It is a HP pavilion ZV5000. Looks good for being two years old. The CD is the original and I cant even get into the partition screen. When the cd loads up to the very first screen where it says

Hit enter to install a clean copy of XP
Hit R to go into recovery mode or whatever
or hit this button to quit

If I hit enter it restarts or if i hit R it restarts. No way to get past it. And I have taken computer repair and advanced comp repair so its not like leading a blind dog to a bowl of water. I'm gonna borrow a friend's external floppy drive tomorrow and see if I cant fix it once and for all

bigredhead
04-11-2006, 08:44 AM
The hard drive may be toast..

When you hit Q for quit to dos prompt.. will it do that at least ?

Tri-ZNate
04-11-2006, 11:15 PM
Ok got a ms-dos 6.0 boot disk and this is what I've found. According to this machine 3 drives exist, A: B: and R:. B: and A: are intercangable since they go to the same exact floppy and R: is apparently a network drive :rolleyes:. When i go to format r: it says CDR101: Not Ready Ready Drive R, abort retry, fail?

So I am about to assume that the HD is done for. I cant even run FDISK!!!!

monster 84r
04-12-2006, 12:16 AM
sounds like what happened to my hp ze4525. corrupted boot sector. i had a guy load up the bootable cd and i kept all my music, documents, etc.

bigredhead
04-12-2006, 08:47 AM
If you go into CMOS can you see the hard drive ? Can you do an " Auto-Detect " thing in there ?

Tri-ZNate
04-12-2006, 03:57 PM
Yep I see a ST94019A-(PM) HD there. But in dos It doesnt show anything.

bigredhead
04-12-2006, 03:59 PM
forget DOS..

Go back to the xp bootable cd.. if that sucker was partitioned and formatted with NTFS or FAT32 DOS won't like it.

Tri-ZNate
04-12-2006, 04:15 PM
I tried the bootable cd but when the screen comes up to show partitions it reboots.

bigredhead
04-12-2006, 04:21 PM
Try again with the CD.. get it to boot.. then exit to dos, create a folder on the hard drive and copy the entire CD to it if you can...

Then in the x:\I386 folder type WINNT and try the install from there.

I have a feeling that the hard drive is toast tho..... does it click or clack... etc.. ?

Tri-ZNate
04-12-2006, 04:29 PM
The problem with copying it to the HD is it wont reconize the HD via a drive letter. And it doesnt make noise. I'm pretty sure its toast.

350Xhilaration
04-12-2006, 07:58 PM
Ship it to me. 15931I gurantee I can fix it.

There are too many options/variables associated with rocovering a system to get into over a message board. You put it in my hands and it doesn't stand a chance of staying broken. ;)

Like Scott said...when you get it back it will be hooked up nicely.

That's a serious offer.

bigredhead
04-12-2006, 08:11 PM
Hey... if anyone out there has a laptop hard drive for sale.. hit me up with a PM.... been looking for a smaller and cheap one.. 10 gig or less type thing.

Tri-ZNate
04-12-2006, 08:44 PM
350x I'll talk to the owner and find out.

Pistonhead
04-12-2006, 09:35 PM
This happened to my PC, you need to check for shorts, I had a short in my floppy drive and because of it my computer wouldn't boot and if it did it would shut off randomly.