windows xp will not start!

[josh_brown10]

Hello! I really hope someone can help me as I am pretty green @ pc repair! Ok, my son turned my pc off without shutting down windows and it just never came back. I've tried to start from last good save or whatever and all other manner of futile attempts. I decided to just start all over and reinstall windows xp as an error message kept coming up saying windows could not start because a file, system>root32\ntoskrnl..that is as close as i can get from memory. So I reinstall successfully and it works for a day, sometimes 2, then crashes and I have to repeat the whole process. Everytime the message is the same as above. I'm at wits end here and know virtually nothing about pc repair. It took me 4 hours to install a new power pack in it a couple years ago so I'm no expert here. I would appreciate any help I can get!

[maynardvdm]

Hello and Welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help

Did you do a clean install or repair install?

[josh_brown10]

Hi and thank you for your response and my apologies for my delayed answer. I tried to do a repair the first tiime but the same message came up so every time after that I've done a clean install. I have even tried reformatting but nothing seems to work. Thanks again!

[Jelly Bean]

Here this may help:

 

Possible cause of your error message.

1. Keyboard issue

 

Try a diffrent keyboard.

 

2. Miscellaneous corruption

 

It is recommend that you attempt to load the last known good configuration.

 

3. Corrupt boot.ini file.

 

This issue often arises after a user has recently added or removed an operating system on the computer or added or removed hard disk drives in the computer.

Make sure the line pointing to the operating system and it's drive and partition is properly configured in the [boot loader] and [operating systems] section.

 

 

4. Missing boot.ini file.

 

Try a repair install using full install disk not recovery disk.

 

5. Missing or corrupt ntoskrnl.exe file.

 

1. Insert the Microsoft Windows XP CD. Note: If you have a recovery CD or a restore CD and not a Microsoft Windows XP CD it is likely the below steps will not resolve your issue.
   
2. Reboot the computer, as the computer is starting you should see a message to press any key to boot from the CD. When you see this message press any key.
   
3. In the Microsoft Windows XP setup menu press the R key to enter the recovery console.
   
4. Select the operating system you wish to fix, and then enter the administrator password.
   
5. Type expand d:\i386\ntoskrnl.ex_ c:\windows\system32
   
6. You will then be prompted if you wish to overwrite the file type Y and press enter to overwrite the file.
   
7. Type exit to reboot the computer.
   

6. Corrupted hard disk drive or severely corrupted Windows.

 

1. Insert the Microsoft Windows XP CD. Note: If you have a recovery CD or a restore CD and not a Microsoft Windows XP CD it is likely the below steps will not resolve your issue.
   
2. Reboot the computer, as the computer is starting you should see a message to press any key to boot from the CD. When you see this message press any key.
   
3. In the Microsoft Windows XP setup menu press the R key to enter the recovery console.
   
4. Select the operating system you wish to fix, and then enter the administrator password.
   
5. Once at the recovery console type chkdsk /r
   
6. Once completed type exit and see if issue is resolved.
   

If the above fails.

Final item is your hard drive has errors that are unable to be fixed,replace your hard drive.

[josh_brown10]

Many, many thanks for your response. When I try to select the operating system to fix nothing happens. And I don't think there is an administrator password...although I'm fairly pc illiterate.

[Plastic Nev]

Hi Josh and welcome from me too,

JellyBean has covered most angles there but some are quite complex to do, by all means have a go, but do also read my comments as well.

 

You say in your first post that your son turned the computer off without shutting down Windows. Did he just turn off the power at the switch, or socket?

 

I am afraid this can sometimes damage the hard drive and is one of the reasons why it is never recommended. The sudden loss of power can make the read head physically crash into the disk if it is spinning at the time and do damage.

 

You can do what is known as a "Check disk" which will search the disk for damaged sectors and then isolate them, but you do need to do it at a time while Windows is still working.

 

Here is how to do it, click "My Computer" then right click on the hard drive, typically "C" drive. Next click "Properties" then the tab "Tools", you will see in the top section marked "Error checking" then click "Check now" put a tick in both boxes for "Automatically fix file system errors, and also "Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors" then click start. It may then tell you it will do the check next time the system boots up, so close down and restart the machine to let it do so. It will take some time but let us know the results if any.

Nev.

[josh_brown10]

Hello Plastic Nev and thank your for your suggestion! My son turned off the power at the switch I think, it has been several months. After windows didn't work with the first install I left my pc for dead and bought a blackberry...but turns out I still need a pc. I did actually do a scan disk the first time i reinstalled windows just to make sure something like that hadn't happened and it showed no damaged sectors. I'm beginning to toy with the idea of getting a new hard drive or just a whole new tower as the pc is fairly old and the cd-rom drive is beginning to act screwy too. Thank you and thank everyone for the warm welcome and friendly advice!

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Please don't buy one from PC World if you do decide to get a new box Josh if you don't mind me saying.

 

In my opinion their expertise in fixing tech issues is less than adequate.

[josh_brown10]

Where would you suggest I buy one from? I was thinking I'd like to avoid the box stores if at all possible. I don't want to walk out of there less $1000 and up a bunch of crap I don't need.

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Buy online with Dell or HP

 

Excellent support is provided from both companies.