start up probs

[apt138]

Help.... my desktop froze yesterday and will not start up again...i pulled the plug and all that happens now is it keeps going back to the page where it say "start windows normally"... any advice would be welcome...thank god for my laptop.....

[Jelly Bean]

Hello and welcome to he forum.

 

Have you tried restarting the machine and repeatedly tapping F8 and choose last known good config or safe mode?

[apt138]

the only way the m/c will restart is by pulling the plug....have tried last known config and safe mode and they both end up back where i started......

[Jelly Bean]

Apt do you get the post screen?

 

If yes does it appear to freeze at any point of reading your hardware?

 

Are you able to get into BIOS?

 

Try powering off and disconnect from mains then open her up.Touch PSU for a few seconds then remove BIOS battery for two minutes replace reboot.

 

What is make and model of your computer as some models is press a diffrent key to get boot list such as safe mode etc.

 

Does your hard drive show on the post screen or in BIOS?

 

Do you have the operating system install disk?

[zinglebarb]

Jelly it finds the OS just does not boot as the OP has been offered safe mode and start windows normally means it does post

 

@ The op so the restart switch does not work? how about holding the off switch for 5-10 seconds? this should shut the system down.

 

What was the system doing when it first froze? might be worth running memtest there is now a sticky there about how to do this in the article section

Edited June 10, 2009 by zinglebarb

[apt138]

thanks for the help guys...but..im a complete beginner to problem solving etc etc..by tapping the f8 button i get a blue screen come up.. select first boot device...

ummm what is a post screen......

how do i get to BIOS and what is it....

i done the battery bit...didnt change anything..

packard bell media 5064..XP

i apologise for being thick....

THANKS

[Tootech]

by tapping the f8 button i get a blue screen come up.. select first boot device...

 

You are presising F8 just that little bit too early.

 

Wait until you can see the first screen of writing when you power up, then as that goes off press F8 immediately. That should do it.

[RandyL]

Hi apt;

 

Early on you said you tried safe mode and last known good configuration. The options you saw there is what the tapping of the F8 or F10 keys at startup would bring up depending on what computer you have.

 

What is the make, model and number of your PC by the way?

 

It sounds like your startup files are corrupted. There are many causes for that including a hard drive that is failing. Not being able to even start up in safe mode is not a good sign.

 

A startup repair is an option based on your model of computer or whether or not you have a full retail version of Vista as opposed to just a set of recovery disks. I doubt that you will have the Vista Recovery Environment available to you in order to do a Repair.

 

Either way we need to know:

 

1. Make, Model, Number of your PC.

2. What does it say on your Windows disks?

3. Do you have any Windows Disks?

4. Do you have any data you need to save such as pictures or documents?

 

For the time being don't worry about the BIOS or POST screen since you appear to have got past that since you tried safemode and last known good configuration.

[RandyL]

Sorry Tootech. It looks like we cross posted.

[apt138]

im on the verge of throwing the bloody thing out...

ive tried hitting f8 at different times and all i get is the same blue box coming up..

aarrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[apt138]

Packard Bell...I Media 5064

Windows XP

I have a red floppy recovery disc and 2 cd's i had to copy when i first purchased pc..

I hav many pictures i dont want to lose if possible...

[RandyL]

If you want to be SURE to save your files you should back them up NOW.

 

Since you can't boot into Windows you will need to pull your hard drive and slave it to another computer or get a ide usb caddy so you can get your files off of it. I know this may not be so easy for you.

 

The next step is to try to repair Windows. If that does not work reinstall. But if you reinstall your files will be lost unless they are backed up.

 

The two CD's you have are likely what you need for a complete reinstallation.

 

There is one other thing you can try to repair your Windows. I however can not check it as it is for your computer only.

 

Recovery - Recovery Boot Disk Creator - 6945490100 - Downloads - I MEDIA 5064 - P700401801 - iMedia VL - platform_clipper_imediaVL - Desktop

 

However it is likely that it will only reinstall Windows from a partition on your drive. Not repair it. Therefore your files will be lost if they are not backed up.