PC Startup Probs..

[JohnP]

My son's desktop (which also has loads of my astro raw files on... & all my astro processing software) has developed a startup problem.... basically it wont boot up. I turn system on & it does ram checks then goes to menu screen where you get option to start normally, in safe mode etc. etc.... If I for example choose Normally it goes to loading WinXP Pro but after about 2-3 secs it totally reboots PC & it all starts again... same thing with other options... Whatever I choose PC eventually just reboots...

Does this sound like a virus... I had MCAfee running with daily updates....

Any help please - I don't want to use recovery CD ROM that came with PC as I am guessing I will wipe all the files off hard drive....

Many thanks in advance for any suggestions, John

[Ian]

I've seen this with broken device drivers. What kit or software has recently been installed?

[MarkS]

Have you tried the "last known good" menu option?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307852

[JohnP]

Thks Ian, Mark... Yes I have tried Last known Good startup with no success.... So far as I am aware no new software or hardware has been installed but you never know with kids.... Mesh want to charge me £1/ min for technical s/w support - STUFF THAT!!!!!

John

[Ian]

what's not so good news, is when I did it, the device drivers were not sorted by reinstalling over the old OS.

I think you might have to dig the recovery CD and do an OS repair in the first instance. I would also get a usb drive big enough to take all of the HDD contents and use something like RIP Linux to get in and back up the data.

[Ian]

unless anyone else has anything less severe to try first...

[JohnP]

Thks Ian - Would it be feasible to remove the HDD & install onto another PC & backup files somehow before reinstalling operating system?

[Ian]

that'd work too...

[Mac]

boot in to safe mode,
Select the option to boot with a log file.
When it reboots, select the safe mode with command prompt.
when (if) it reboots, copy over the logfile which should be on the root folder c:\ and have a look through
with a text reader, the last entry is the problem,

as for it being a virus, it could be,

If you want to access the disk either take the hard disk out and install it in to another pc.

Or get hold of either BartPE (get this first if you can) or WinPE.
and create a start up CD.
use either of these to boot your pc into windows, then you can access your NTFS folders and copy over your astro work.
they both come with other utilities that you can use to check and fix your pc.

plus the fact they dont use your hard disk so any viruses that might be installed wont get run.

PS, just got your e-mail.

[Mike]

Try setting your BIOS settings to SAFE or DEFAULT. Write down your existing settings first so you can reinstate them if it doesn't work.

[MarkS]

Here's a suggestion: send "Time Traveller Luke" back into the past to make proper backups of your all data before the PC failure happens.

Mark

[JohnP]

Yes Yes... OK Mark I get the message Thks.... You know what it's like though.. need to clear camera memory card or laptop HDD & all the files get dumped on the desktop with it's 500GB Hard drive... Yes I always have good intentions of doing backups but there is always something else to do like opening a bottle of beer or trying to solve that damn room puzzle that Ian put up... (I'm so close I can smell the fresh air.... ) Anyway I must be more regimental with it once I get it up & running again.

Thks for all suggestions etc. I will try downloading prog that Mac suggests & see how I get on....

John

[JohnP]

UPDATE.... Now fixed....

No lost data or progs. Mac you are a genius - thks for the loan of the WinPE disc... enabled me to do a ChkDsk on CDrive.... took about 3 hours to do but found a few issues & fixed them. Hey presto WinXP now boots OK. Data now backed up so all's well.

Once again Mac many thanks mate - I owe you one or two (again.....)


John