Help! New Windows XP Problem..

[Martoch]

Happy Thanksgiving!!!


I'm on the computer that I just built for my sister because my computer is experiencing it's first Win XP Problem and I'm very frustrated with it. Here's the basic scenario with my computer's problem...no new software loaded/hardware installed.

I turn the computer on, it goes through normal bios post/drive detection and even makes it to the Windows XP Logo screen with the little blue progress bar doing it's thing. However, when it is supposed to be at the user login screen, the screen is just black and I can hear my hard drive spinning in cycles. What I've tried so far (with my 5 yr old here pushing every button you can think of)

Cursing NO HELP
Rebooting 100 times NO HELP
"Last Known Good Configuration" NO HELP
"Safe Mode" Won't boot into safe mode either, I get a screen full of .sys files (see attachment) and it freezes there.
Tried the Automated Recovery, but the system did not detect any drives (I have my HD on the RAID port, does that matter?)

Basically, this is VERY difficult to troubleshoot because my son is jumping all over the place, pushing buttons, yelling "Block cars" because he wants to play Lego Racers2, etc.

Any ideas here folks? I can't think straight right now...

Thanks!
Mike

Sorry I couldn't make the image smaller in file size, tihs is a fresh Win XP load with no other software loaded. (not my problem system, my sister's)

EDIT: Just ran across this:

How to Repair Install:
Sometimes the only way to repair XP is to reinstall. You do not have to wipe your partition and start over. Just as with previous versions of Windows you can install over top of an existing setup. This has the advantage of retaining your installed applications, data and settings.

Maybe a good idea?

[Kuasimodem]

Your pic is of the first part of a safemode boot. Does it boot completely into safemode, to the desktop?

Try temporarily moving the drive to one of the main IDE contollers, and doing the automated recovery that way. The recovery program may not be able to detect drives on a RAID controller.

[Martoch]

Well I found the problem after switching drives around a few times.

I have 3 hard drives installed:
2 x 60GB Maxtor
1 x 10GB Maxtor

When I have my 2nd Maxtor HD installed ANYWHERE on my hard drive...RAID port, IDE 1 or 2...my system will hang after the Windows XP Logo and will never boot up!

I disconnect that drive and all is well. Strange problem if you ask me, I guess my drive is dying/dead?

I'll have to work on getting my files off of that drive later...I have over 40GB of files there, including 6,000 mp3's and 20GB of applications...including the Lego game my son wants to play.


Wish me luck!

[Kuasimodem]

Good Luck!

Sorry to hear about the coming demise of your drive

Freezing the drive may work to recover the data, especially that music library!

[Martoch]

GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!

I have discovered that my 2nd drive was, in fact, the INfamous 60GB IBM DEATHSTAR!!!!!
NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!





I just plugged it into another computer and guess what? No booting and the drives spins over and over and over...damn clicker!

Question though...why would a backup drive problem prevent Windows from booting properly?

Now about this freezing technique...how do I go about it?

[rekless]

Hey Martoch,

Sounds like an error on the drive. I had a Maxtor do the same thing and was able to fix it with powermax! Provided you can boot to prompt with a startup disk. I don't know whether IBM has a similar program or not. What about ghost2k3 for getting your files?

I wouldn't count that hd out yet!
good luck and Happy Thanksgiving!

rek

[Martoch]

Well I froze that sucker for about 3 hours, plugged it up ASAP, booted to the scandisk screen...every freakin' segment of that drive is unreadable. Win XP booted up (slowly, mind you) and when I clicked on that drive it said, "Drive G is not formatted, would you like to format it now?"



I'm not counting that drive out yet, but I'm not familiar with Powermax. I would love to try ghosting my files, but Windows doesn't see any. I installed a WD 40GB drive just for the occasion.

[Mortis]

Martoch... you have PM

[Martoch]

Right back at ya!

[Mortis]

Aack! Sorry Man... didnt think about your drive being NTFS. I dont have any other ideas, but hope you get it worked out!

Happy ThanksGiving, despite the Turkey Drive.

Mortis