Windows XP problem, need help

[Bustem' Down]

My desktop machine will not finish booting up. It seems that the kernel loads, but the OS won't. (I troubleshoot unix machines so forgive me if I don't use the proper terms) The machine gets all the way to the blue screen with the windows symbol that says "Windows is starting up..." but just sits there. I was wondering if there was a way to make a boot disk from my laptop to get the desktop machine to boot up.

 

[itsbob]

My desktop machine will not finish booting up. It seems that the kernel loads, but the OS won't. (I troubleshoot unix machines so forgive me if I don't use the proper terms) The machine gets all the way to the blue screen with the windows symbol that says "Windows is starting up..." but just sits there. I was wondering if there was a way to make a boot disk from my laptop to get the desktop machine to boot up.

my work computer does that now and then.. I unplug my external USB harddrive and it usually boots. Dump all the peripherals and re-try.

When my computer at home did that, it was a corrupted file, and had to re-install windows.

 

[mainman]

My desktop machine will not finish booting up. It seems that the kernel loads, but the OS won't. (I troubleshoot unix machines so forgive me if I don't use the proper terms) The machine gets all the way to the blue screen with the windows symbol that says "Windows is starting up..." but just sits there. I was wondering if there was a way to make a boot disk from my laptop to get the desktop machine to boot up.

If you have a windows installation disk you can do a repair,

or one of the boot options is

"Load last known good configuration"

 

[2ndAmendment]

My desktop machine will not finish booting up. It seems that the kernel loads, but the OS won't. (I troubleshoot unix machines so forgive me if I don't use the proper terms) The machine gets all the way to the blue screen with the windows symbol that says "Windows is starting up..." but just sits there. I was wondering if there was a way to make a boot disk from my laptop to get the desktop machine to boot up.

That sounds like the USB compatibility problem.

Two ways around it.:
1 )Turn off all USB devices or unplug them before booting.
2) Go into the BIOS setup and disable USB legacy compatibility which will allow you to boot with USB devices attached.

 

[Bustem' Down]

That sounds like the USB compatibility problem.

Two ways around it.:
1 )Turn off all USB devices or unplug them before booting.
2) Go into the BIOS setup and disable USB legacy compatibility which will allow you to boot with USB devices attached.

Disabling the USB controller in the BIOS did the trick. Now to see if I can turn it off and back on. :crossingfingers:

 

[2ndAmendment]

Disabling the USB controller in the BIOS did the trick. Now to see if I can turn it off and back on. :crossingfingers:

Don't disable the controller. Disable USB legacy compatibility. They are different. If you disable the controller, you will not be able to use any USB devices.

 

[Bustem' Down]

Don't disable the controller. Disable USB legacy compatibility. They are different. If you disable the controller, you will not be able to use any USB devices.

hmmm, well, i turned the computer off, then back on. All was good. Turned it off, restarted and turned the controller back on, and the computer wouldn't boot again. Rebooted again and turned the controller back off, it still won't boot. what is USB legacy compatability. I didn't see it in the menu.

 

[mrweb]

hmmm, well, i turned the computer off, then back on. All was good. Turned it off, restarted and turned the controller back on, and the computer wouldn't boot again. Rebooted again and turned the controller back off, it still won't boot. what is USB legacy compatability. I didn't see it in the menu.

Try rebooting in safe mode. That way you boot w/o loading drivers. If it boots, then you know it is a driver issue, possibly USB or other peripherial, and not a corrupted OS.

 

[Bustem' Down]

Try rebooting in safe mode. That way you boot w/o loading drivers. If it boots, then you know it is a driver issue, possibly USB or other peripherial, and not a corrupted OS.

Won't boot in safe mode, so i guess when it came up it was a fluke.

I need to get it back up on more time to get my files before I rebuild it

 

[mrweb]

Won't boot in safe mode, so i guess when it came up it was a fluke.

I need to get it back up on more time to get my files before I rebuild it

Too bad. Good luck.

 

[2ndAmendment]

hmmm, well, i turned the computer off, then back on. All was good. Turned it off, restarted and turned the controller back on, and the computer wouldn't boot again. Rebooted again and turned the controller back off, it still won't boot. what is USB legacy compatability. I didn't see it in the menu.

How old is the BIOS? Might need to update.

USB legacy compatibility is a setting to allow new USB controllers to interface with older USB devices.

Did you save the BIOS settings the last time? The alternative is to turn off or disconnect all USB devices during boot.

Here is the tech bulletin from Microsoft. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/282195

 

[2ndAmendment]

Try rebooting in safe mode. That way you boot w/o loading drivers. If it boots, then you know it is a driver issue, possibly USB or other peripherial, and not a corrupted OS.

The USB legacy problem will not let XP boot in any mode as long as any USB devices are connected and powered.

 

[Bustem' Down]

All Disconnected. BIOS is from '04. Version A03 I think. It comes up intermittantly when it wants to. It's weird. It's like I've corrupted one file that the OS only uses sometimes, so, it will work only until it tries to access that file. I got it up again last night anf I think I now have all of my files saved to CD. I'm going to try and get it up one more time today and double check, then probably take it to Best Buy and let Geek Squad slick it and rebuild it. I'm tired of dealing with it. At least with a Unix machine, I have some rudimetary capability in working on it, with Windows, none.

 

[Lamini]

reinstall the OS. who knows, your puter might have caught something. nice format saves so many headaches. geek squad / easy tech will charge arm+leg, dont let them take advantage of you.

 

[Bustem' Down]

reinstall the OS. who knows, your puter might have caught something. nice format saves so many headaches. geek squad / easy tech will charge arm+leg, dont let them take advantage of you.

Well, I know enought not to get screwed. I have all of my other programs, so all I need is the OS and I don't have a copy of that.

 

[Lamini]

i get customers who somehow lost their "get out of jail card", ie windows disc quite often. whatever you do, dont get Vista (more headaches). staples sells xp pro for $199 (full) which is ripoff. not sure what best buy/walmart and others sell it for, probably best online. good luck

 

[Bustem' Down]

i get customers who somehow lost their "get out of jail card", ie windows disc quite often. whatever you do, dont get Vista (more headaches). staples sells xp pro for $199 (full) which is ripoff. not sure what best buy/walmart and others sell it for, probably best online. good luck

I'm pretty sure I never recieved one with my computer, I would have kept it.

 

[2ndAmendment]

I'm pretty sure I never recieved one with my computer, I would have kept it.

Look for a directory in C:\ that is named "restore" or "install" or something you know is not one you made and not part of the OS like "Windows" or "Documents and Settings" or "Program Files." Dell puts on a directory called Dell sometimes. It may contain the image of the OS you need.

Is it a brand name computer or a put together clone? Dell gives the option when you order of getting the system without media, bad idea. Always get the media. The OS disc from an OEM like Dell or Gateway will not look like a standard Microsoft disc and most of them will only install on the same manufacturer's computers.

Does your computer have a Microsoft license sticker on it? If not and it is a clone, you probably don't have a legal copy of the OS.

Something else you can try is seeing if there is an update to the BIOS and flashing it. You will need a bootable floppy or CD for that and your computer much be set up to boot from the floppy or CD before the hard drive.

 

[Bustem' Down]

Look for a directory in C:\ that is named "restore" or "install" or something you know is not one you made and not part of the OS like "Windows" or "Documents and Settings" or "Program Files." Dell puts on a directory called Dell sometimes. It may contain the image of the OS you need.

Is it a brand name computer or a put together clone? Dell gives the option when you order of getting the system without media, bad idea. Always get the media. The OS disc from an OEM like Dell or Gateway will not look like a standard Microsoft disc and most of them will only install on the same manufacturer's computers.

Does your computer have a Microsoft license sticker on it? If not and it is a clone, you probably don't have a legal copy of the OS.

Something else you can try is seeing if there is an update to the BIOS and flashing it. You will need a bootable floppy or CD for that and your computer much be set up to boot from the floppy or CD before the hard drive.

I'm at work right now, but I'll give it a look when I get home. It's a Dell, and I know I've kept all the software, but just can't find an OS disk.

 

[2ndAmendment]

I'm at work right now, but I'll give it a look when I get home. It's a Dell, and I know I've kept all the software, but just can't find an OS disk.

My Dell OS disk is blue with a white strip at the top that says "OPERATING SYSTEM" and below that in the blue area "Reinstallation CD" with "W2K + SP1" below that.

If you can't find the CD, Dell may be able to hook you up if you bought it directly from them, but I am not sure about that. You will need your Dell Service Tag and they may ask for the Microsoft installation number. Then again, they may say they can't help you, but it is worth a shot if you can't find it.