Problem with Laptop at safe mode screen

Mars Bar

So my friends have a laptop that is stuck on a screen like this



It loads the boot screen and goes straight to this. No matter what option I chose, it goes to the boot screen and back to the safe mode screen.
It's a Windows XP.

Anybody have any ideas?

chin_grin

If you select 'last known good' does that work?

Failing that it could be one of those xp reboot loops.

See here on how to fix it.

http://saveme.danfischbach.com/

JonathanAnon

Mars Bar wrote: »

So my friends have a laptop that is stuck on a screen like this

It's usually on the personal forum that OPs are prefaced with that phrase..



My normal procedure for this is to try the options in the following order:
- Start Windows Normally.
- Safe Mode.
- Last Known Good Config.

If none of these work then it's something that needs addressing, and it usually something Windows cant sort out on it's own..

Have you added any new hardware or software recently, or did the machine crashed or suffer a power cut.

riclad

TRY directory service restore mode,fixes windows boot up files,from backup files on drive c
if that doesnt work theres R Repair option,
acess via booting ,boot from cd, windows os cd,setup, choose repair option.press R .

Allyall

Try This, it should work. It usually saves a sh!t load of time.


Repair Windows XP in Eight Commands

old_aussie

HDD failure

Mars Bar

JonathanAnon wrote: »

My normal procedure for this is to try the options in the following order:
- Start Windows Normally.
- Safe Mode.
- Last Known Good Config.

If none of these work then it's something that needs addressing, and it usually something Windows cant sort out on it's own..

Have you added any new hardware or software recently, or did the machine crashed or suffer a power cut.

I tried them all. The only thing I did with it was update Java on it. That was yesterday week ago. It went kaput on Monday!
Hoping I didn't break it on them coz then I'm in a lot of trouble. They are more my "bosses" than my friends to be honest!

Mars Bar

riclad wrote: »

TRY directory service restore mode,fixes windows boot up files,from backup files on drive c
if that doesnt work theres R Repair option,
acess via booting ,boot from cd, windows os cd,setup, choose repair option.press R .

I'm afraid to ask them where the CD is because the laptop is old and it would be likely they tossed it out.

Plonkers didn't back up stuff either!

Allyall

Did you try the 8 commands from post above?
Usually works for me, saves a load of time diagnosing, and if any other errors start appearing during, then, like old_aussie said, it could be the Hard Drive.

* C: CD ..
* C: ATTRIB -H C:\\boot.ini
* C: ATTRIB -S C:\\boot.ini
* C: ATTRIB -R C:\\boot.ini
* C: del boot.ini
* C: BOOTCFG /Rebuild
* C: CHKDSK /R /F
* C: FIXBOOT

Not necessarily failed though.
Try hirens?

Mars Bar

Allyall wrote: »

Did you try the 8 commands from post above?
Usually works for me, saves a load of time diagnosing, and if any other errors start appearing during, then, like old_aussie said, it could be the Hard Drive.



Not necessarily failed though.
Try hirens?

I don't have access to the laptop at the moment.
What's hirens?

I'm not windows savvy what so ever so any troubleshooting for windows tends to have me bricking myself!

riclad

hirens boot cd, has various utilitys on it ,for fixing pcs,
http://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd
livecd, boot cd rom hirens cd, use say say,dos command centre to get to dos prompt, carry out 8 commands.above.
Use a pc to download it,use program imgburn ,burn image file to cd.

http://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/
you may need to go to bios, set boot from cd, cd=1st boot,device 0=cdrom.

riclad

SAY it s got windows xp pro, borrow a winxp pro disc off someone,
you can use r option ,or install ,use option use existing file format,
do not FORMAT DISK,
iNSTALL to c:\windows, ask owner first,will i do a windows reinstall.
There should be a label, windows version,eg xp pro,license key no ,
on the underside of the laptop.
even if the windows install files are damaged,the documents, mp3,s ,user docs are still there,
by downloading,burning a livecd, eg linux, mint,
that loads os into memory, you can still copy, backup,acess any file you want.
do full backup,or just valuable docs,files.

riclad

http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php
if you wanna try it,get cdr ,burn image,
boot from cd,
download 32bit version.
http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_lisa_whatsnew.php
it,ll run from cd,
click mint install icon from desktop, ,to install on drive c, needs 7gig free space approx.
ask owners permission before install, or just run from cd,
you,ll need a usb external; drive to backup files to.
ie install just means you can boot from drive c, no need to leave mint cdr in cdrive.
livecd= os ,or utilitys run from cd,no hd install is required to do backups.
mint has all pc drivers,full net acess,browser,firefox built in.

zenno

All you have to do to fix this is...Put in your windows xp disc and when you are in safe-mode like your picture shows then scroll down and pick safe-mode with command prompt and hit enter key. Type in chkdsk and hit enter and it should solve the minor problem. If you don't have the xp disc then you can download it legally online, I'll look for the website that you can download the xp operating system disc if I can find the link. Anyway without an operating disc chkdsk could still fix the problem so give it a try if you have not already

Strange...I thought windows xp can be downloaded legally but you have to put your own seriel activation key in, looks like i was wrong..... There are many places online to download Windows XP but none of them are legal. Windows XP is not distributed online so there is no legitimate way to download Windows XP, even from Microsoft.

yoyo

zenno wrote: »

All you have to do to fix this is...Put in your windows xp disc and when you are in safe-mode like your picture shows then scroll down and pick safe-mode with command prompt and hit enter key. Type in chkdsk and hit enter and it should solve the minor problem. If you don't have the xp disc then you can download it legally online, I'll look for the website that you can download the xp operating system disc if I can find the link. Anyway without an operating disc chkdsk could still fix the problem so give it a try if you have not already

Strange...I thought windows xp can be downloaded legally but you have to put your own seriel activation key in, looks like i was wrong..... There are many places online to download Windows XP but none of them are legal. Windows XP is not distributed online so there is no legitimate way to download Windows XP, even from Microsoft.

Only Windows 7 isos can be downloaded legally online. OP this sounds like a hard disk issue, do try chkdsk and also I would run a diagnostics scan with Vivard/Seatools for DOS as well. You may need to replace the hard disk!

Nick

Allyall

Mars Bar wrote: »

I don't have access to the laptop at the moment.
What's hirens?

I'm not windows savvy what so ever so any troubleshooting for windows tends to have me bricking myself!

Hiren's Boot CD and can be downloaded HERE

You can boot into a miniature windows from the CD, and backup your files, also check the hard drive for any problems, using the tools on the CD, which work from inside Mini windows XP.

Also allows you to enter a command prompt, to try those 8 commands, which is a lot easier then it may look, that link, has a lot of text in it, but it's not as daunting as it seems.

Mars Bar

Does the hirens have to go on a CD? Can I use it from my USB key?

riclad

http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/
boot linux from cd,
http://www.ntfs.com/
mini version of vista bootable from usb,
its much easier to make a cdr livecd,
http://www.ntfs.com/quest22.htm
needs a 1gig or larger, usb key .
hirens cd can be used to make a backup of files from laptop.

riclad

http://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd-on-usb-disk
u can copy hirens cd from cd to usb drive,you have to format the usb key as in the link,when cd is copy,ed then,
you,ll have to go to bios, advanced ,options,boot options,
BOOT FROM usb,
first boot device = usb =drive 0.

Allyall

Just Noticed answered above ^^^

Mars Bar wrote: »

Does the hirens have to go on a CD? Can I use it from my USB key?

Yep, USB or CD, Instructions for USB (As above) are HERE

Make sure to change your startup in BIOS to boot from USB.