Can´t boot, how to repair

[pilo]

Hello,

I have windows xp sp2 installed and I have this problem.

The boot starts, I see the bios boot, the windows logo but then no desktop or cursor appears, the screen is black (this is a working monitor and not the one I mentioned that fails),

I used F8 and selected protected mode an last working session but failed.

I could boot from a secondary HD and can read the files in the other, so it seems it is not a hardware problem.

I googled and found some recomendatios to repair but I am not sure which is better.

EDIT: what about using fdisk /mbr ?

There is no boot.ini file in windows directory but yes in the root. Can this be the problem?

[pcs365_13]

Do you have a windows XP bootable CD? If, Yes; try the following steps.

1. Boot your computer with Windows XP bootable CD.

2. Press F8 key to accept the license aggreement.

3. Press 'R' Key to enter into the recovery console mode. Which will be like a command prompt window.

4. Here type the command

BootCfg /Rebuild
Fixboot

5. It will it will create a new boot.ini files .

That's it. Hope it helps, if not than repeat the steps again as mentioned above and type other commands "sfc /scannow" (without quotes) in recovery console. This will fix any corrupted or missing system files in the root folder of Windows XP.

[pilo]

Thanks pcs365_13

Yes I have a windows xp CD. It used to boot, but not it does not (the mobo allows to boot from 2 HD I have, floppy and CD). It starts to load windows and then black screen.

I have a secondary HD with win xp installed and I am booting from it. I can explore files in the failed windows installed in the primary HD. The boot.ini seems ok. It is in the root directory, not in windows

The content of boot.ini is this:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

Can I repair copying files from the working HD or opening the windows CD from windows?

edit: in the filei treads windows not window s liek here, I am not sure why it pasted like this.

[Murf]

1st the boot.ini belongs in the root directory, not windows.
2nd yours appears to be OK

Since you can boot from the 2nd drive, run a repair on the C: drive

Right click "My Computer" then to "Manage", left pane disk management.

Select the C: drive and run repair, see if that helps. Otherwise one of the system files may be corrupted, therefore, if you have the windows xp cd you can either run sfc /scannow as suggested or do a reinstall/repair which will not destroy any data.

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[pilo]

Thanks Murf.

I don´t see the repair option in the menu or with right click on the drive.

[pcs365_13]

Pilo,

Open the disk manager and right click and select Properites

Under tab tools select check now under error-checking

check 'Automatic fix file system error' click on start.

Do this for the hard disk that is having the startup error. It might fix the error too.

Let us know if any.

[pilo]

I did the disk error check and found noting.

What surprised me now is that I tried to boot from the failed HD and after the windows logo I got the black screen but I heard the sound of an incoming messenger message. Like the windows was loaded but I see a black window without even the cursor. Strange.

Can I do anything else from the working HD?

Thanks

[oneit]

Sounds to me like your screen resolution is outside that of your monitors capabilities. Is your monitor an LCD if so when the windows logo goes away does the monitor go into sleep mode i.e. the power light changes colour? Have you been playing around with multiple monitors or the resolution?

[pilo]

Oneit, yes as I posted in another thread I have a problem with one monitor and I switched to an older one.

It worked, but now it does not.

How can I set the monitor resolution from the working sec HD in the primary windows HD?

Thanks

[oneit]

Ok my suggestion would be to download a program called QRes from here http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multime...ols/QRes.shtml
Then place this file in the root of the C Drive of the Non Working Drive.
Then open notepad and type this into it.
c:\qres.exe /x:640 /r:0
Assumming C: is the drive letter of your non working drive.
Save the file into your Username\startmenu\programs\startup folder as qres.bat
and make sure you change the save as type to all files in notepad.
let me know how you get on.

[pilo]

qres seems to be working! The first time I got the black screen but by chance pressed ctrl+esc and saw the desktop. Now I rebooted with no problems.

I hope it keeps working.

Can you make what qres does by editing anything without installing qres?

Thanks Oneit, pcs365_13. Murf

[oneit]

Yes all you need to do is change the resolution on your monitor by right clicking the desktop and selecting properties then going to the last tab and selecting a suitable resolution by moving the slider. Maybe something like 1024x768 or 1280x1024 if its a normal monitor or 1280x768 if its widescreen. Also check under advanced and monitor tab to make sure your refresh rate is set at 60hz I think this is probably your problem.

[pilo]

I mean editing by hand any setting, from the working HD in the one with problems (which is still working ok thanks to your tip).

[oneit]

No I don't think the resolution is stored anywhere on the hard drive. The only way to do it is boot on the broken (but now fixed) drive and set the resolution through the display properties.