Need help BAD! Windows XP not starting!

[nam]

HELP!

I am getting the "we apologize for the invonvenience, but Windows did not start successfully............" error.

I really need the data and because my cd was giving me problems don't really have a saved copy of my hard drive data! I know.......stupid!! But, I am in a continuous loop and anything i do it goes back to the screen. I hooked up a working CD ROM and have tried to get to a command prompt, using the restore disk an It will only go to an A: prompt. On startup, it does say the hard drive exists but won't give me a C: prompt.

I don't think I installed anything or had a recent hardware change that might have caused this, but the kids were playing with the computer and it happened right after that. Any ideas? Thanks so much!

Nam

[Murray S.]

Howdy:

Try pressing F8 during the bootup and then select "Last Known Good Configuration" and see what happens..

If that doesn't work, try booting into Safe Mode..

Murray

[nam]

Hi Murray-

Thanks for the response. I have tried both your suggestions and it just goes back to the the same screen that says "Sorry for the inconvenience......"

It tries, I can see the Windows XP screen and then the E-machine logo thing but then stops at that screen again! ARGHHHHHH!

Any other suggestions?

Thanks again

nam

[nam]

ohhh....Murray...when I did do the safe mode it gave me a bunch of lines, really quick!.... something like---- multi(0) disk(0) partition (0) and that is all I could read.

thanks

[Murray S.]

Originally Posted by nam

ohhh....Murray...when I did do the safe mode it gave me a bunch of lines, really quick!.... something like---- multi(0) disk(0) partition (0) and that is all I could read.

thanks

It should give you a whole lot more than that..

Do you have your XP cd handy??

Murray

[nam]

yes, it did give me: Windows Advanced options menu-please seledt an option: Safe mode
Safe mode with networking
Safe mode with command prompt
etc....

so, i highlighted Safe Mode and hit enter

it said

Please select the operating system to start:

Microsoft Windows XP home Edition

and on the bottom of the screen in blue it said SAFE MODE

The Microsoft Windows XP home Edition was highlighted so I hit enter and then it gave me the multi{1} disk{1}rdisk{1}partition{1} THEN A DIRECTORY, which IS TO FAST TO READ


ok.....yes, I do have the XP recovery disk rright here

Sorry, I wasn't very specific before....NEWBIE but learning from you guys!!!

thanks again

[Murray S.]

That's what it should do.. but, once it finished with loading the system, did it start Windows or what did it do??

Murray

[nam]

it went right back to the "sorry for the inconvenience....." screen. It then counts down and starts the loop over again.

[Murray S.]

Boot to the Recovery Console and run the fixmbr command..

If that doesn't work, you may have to to a repair install.. That won't affect any of your files as it just overwrites the XP operating system files..

Murray

[nam]

k, not quite sure how to do that? with the XP recovery disk?

[Murray S.]

Do you have a normal XP cd or one of those HP, etc OEM Recovery/Restore cd's??

Murray

[nam]

I have the one that came with the machine. It says RESTORE cd VER 1.1 with the model number of the computer. It says "The resotre CD is provided by eMachines and gives a complete backup of the software that was preinstalled on the PC at the factory. Should the software ever need to be reinstalled, the Restore CD will copy the necessary files onto the hard drive. Restore CD will copy the necessary files onto the hard drive. THE CD WILL ONLY WORK WITH AN EMACHINES PC. Keept eh Restore CD and eMachines computer documentation in a safe place."

[Murray S.]

Boot with it and see if you get an option to go into the Recovery Console..

Murray

[nam]

I get this:

Microsoft Windows Startup Menu

1. RESTORE WINDOWS XP
2. BOOT TO COMMAND PROMPT FROM CD-ROM

Enter a choice:

on the bottom of the screen it shows

F5= Safe Mode Shirt+F5= Command Prompt Shift+F8= Step by step confirmation [N]

[Murray S.]

Right about now I would suggest slaving your hdd to another system.. pull off all the files, etc you need.

Once done, put your hdd back into your system and use Option 1 on the Restore CD..

Murray