Problem from the start with the computer

[Guest aliv25]

I have been asked to fix a friend's computer.

 

The problem is that when I switch the computer on, Im always at the screen that has the following options:

 

Safe Mode

Safe Mode with Networking

Safe Mode with Command Prompt

 

Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)

 

Start Windows Normally

 

When I select any of the options, a loading bar appears at the bottom and then I am sent back to the same screen again.

 

I noticed the following was left hanging:

 

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS\AppPatch\drvmain.sdb

 

All I want to do is be able to backup any files there are in my friend's documents and to reboot the whole computer again, so that it has the feeling it has just come out of the factory.

 

Its a Qtech machine and has XP Home Edition

[PeterW]

It might be worth just removing the hard drive and plugging it into another machine so that you can back up all thier data then put it back in the pc and do a clean install of XP Home.

[Guest aliv25]

That sounds simple but is there no way of getting through this barrier of the safety screen?

[CheeseDog]

Have you tried putting an XP CD in and going for the repair option?

[Guest aliv25]

no not yet but again that sounds like another good way, any more options before i carry out any procedures?

[OutToLunch]

Use a BartPE or Knoppix live CD, get your backups onto external USB HD/CD/pen/whatever and just do a format/reinstall for that factory fresh feeling...

[Guest aliv25]

dont think i have that cd but i think im going to use my friends hard drive as a slave in another computer to get the files out

[plexer]

Make yourself a BartPE disk you can include cd burning support with it or just plug in a usb drive to copy his files from it.

 

Ben

[Guest aliv25]

nice-one, ill try with the resources i have

[enjay]

That sounds simple but is there no way of getting through this barrier of the safety screen?

Not sure you'd want to - it's stuck in this reboot loop for a reason; trying to "get through the barrier of the safety screen" is similar to putting your fingers in your ears and going "problem? what problem? lalala!". You need to address the underlying problem so a fresh install of Windows would be a good place to start (it could be duff hardware, though).

[Guest aliv25]

i would freshly install windows but i want to get files stored in the hard disk before i do anything so i know its backed up

[VGeek]

Sad to see you got problems with friends computer Alastair. I tried the server the video card is not working properly hoping its just he hard drives but monitor showing no signal. Still need that ac adaptor for viglen monitor may pass by tomoz morning to collect it sometime next week. Enjoy the placement year I will be on here much more don't you worry.

[mattx]

Boot to an IP disk, net use to a share somewhere and then copy the files over....

[Guest aliv25]

no need for the sympathy andre 3000, ive got the boss (with a new haircut) to help me out. sorry about the no show last friday, ive been SO unbeliveably busy but check your facebook later tonight. oh and pop by whenever, some honeys about lol

[EduTech]

you could try just put a fresh copy of windows, and then using this peice of software called POWER DATA RECOVERY 3.1.1 you can then get all the files from the hard drive i.e images, music, documents back

 

Remeber even though you have formatted the harddrive the stuff that was on there previously is still there and that software will get back the stuff that was on there that you need to recover.

 

Hope that helps

 

James

[Guest aliv25]

ive already booted the pc and installed a fresh version of windows xp. it done the job although all her files were lost. it didnt matter anyway, her hard drive was 20gig - ancient considering the memory in pc's these days.