PC won't start

botheredbothered Manchester UK
edited December 2003 in Hardware
I went to my PC. It had no internet so I rebooted it. This usually fixs it. It got to the windows log in screen and the Aye shutdown box popped up saying the PC was shutting down. (Aye shutdown is a prog that shuts the PC down at midnight) The clock in the task bar said it was midnight though it was around 10pm and the clock was correct earlier in the day. Now when I try to reboot it gets to the xp screen with the blue bar then the screen goes black and nothing more happens. I have started in safe mode and reset the time and stopped Aye shutdown from loading. It will only start in safe mode. Last known good config won't start and system restore won't run. In anything other than safe mode it goes to a blck screen and sits there.
Help guys, what can I try?

Comments

  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited December 2003
    I've ran chkdsk and it says it's found errors but won't fix them without the /F<fix> perameter but whatever I type it won't fix it. What exactly do I type?
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    chkdsk X: /f /x /r
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited December 2003
    I take it x is the disk I want to check? Tried it with spaces and exactly as shown, nothing happens.
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    yeah, so it would be

    chkdsk C: /f /x /r

    for Drive C:

    What do you mean nothing happens? After doing those settings it should say that it couldn't do it under windows, would you like to shedule a check on the next boot.
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited December 2003
    That's what I got it to do then rebooted. It ran the check and found four things, all incorrect 'time stamps' 2 for Aye shutdown and 2 for windows. It still only starts in safe mode though. Any ideas?
    Thanks for your help.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited December 2003
    Try booting to Safe Mode and disabling all non-essential services (even stuff you'll eventually want; just use the things Windows MUST have to boot). See if you can get it to boot normally that way.

    Might be time for a drive fitness check... :grumble:
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited December 2003
    Cheers guys, I'm doing another chkdsk and it's taking a lot longer. Maybe it'll fix something this time. I'll do as you say prof and post back in the morning, I'll have to get to bed soon. Any other ideas would be aprieciated.
    See you tomorrow guys.
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Just out of interest, try starting it in "Directory Services Restore Mode". It's on the F8 menu.
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Download the drive maintenance program for your make of Hard-Drive, and it will make a bootable floppy, use that and run the tests on your Hard-Drive (if you still want to check your drive).

    Shortcuts - http://www.disk-utility.com/hard-disk-low-level-format.html
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited December 2003
    It's looking grim. It won't even start in safe mode this morning. Gets to a screen full of system32 drivers and sits there. Thought I'd reinstall windows. Have made 3 startup discs and tried to reboot off them to give me a command prompt, Each one comes up I\O error, replace disc and press any key! My XP disc isn't bootable so I need a command prompt, Help.
    What can I do?
    Spinner, You live local, eh? mate?
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    I could mail you a spare bootable XP disc....
    (just noticed that peoples locations have dissapeared)
  • GobblesGobbles Ventura California
    edited December 2003
    Your cron shutdown program thing is just a coincidence. You got some other issues at hand... You can download a boot image and burn it to cd if you have a burner... Sounds like some serious coruption.. Once you get the drive back to working order, id watch it closely...

    Gobbles
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Actually, if you have a computer with a floppy drive, it's easy to install windows XP.

    You need only boot to a win98 floppy, then navigate to your CDROM, go into the I386 directory on the cd-rom and run either install.exe or setup.exe.

    It's one of the few working EXEs in the folder; if I'm wrong on either of those names, just find an exe along those lines and launch it.. It's the DOS launcher for the XP install.

    Or you could get the XP boot disks. :)
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited December 2003
    I've tried a couple of boot discs, even made a new one, when it tries to boot from them it says I\O error replacxe disc and press a key. Is there no other way to get a command prompt?
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    bothered wrote:
    I've tried a couple of boot discs, even made a new one, when it tries to boot from them it says I\O error replacxe disc and press a key. Is there no other way to get a command prompt?

    Boot CD's or Floppys are the only way (Flash drives sometimes work depending on the motherboard). Do you have any boot disc/ks that you know actually work?
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited December 2003
    I've been putting them on floppys all morning, ME, 98 etc all of them come up as invalid system disc, replace the disc.......... The XP one is over 4M and won't go on the floppy. I've always used the ME or 98 ones before. I have one that will give me a command prompt but no CD drive. This is driving me nuts!
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Sounds like a bad floppy drive..

    Disconnect it, and disable the FDD controller in the BIOS, see what windows thinks about that.

    //EDIT:

    Whilst you're at it, make sure the BIOS time isn't off by more than a few minutes (3...) from where you first set it. If it is, try putting a BIOS battery into it from another computer. See what Windows thinks about that too.
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited December 2003
    The floppy is now working, It seems I had a whole batch of duff discs, all new!!!!
    It looks like I now have a chance as I'm reinstalling the OS now. Thanks to all for your help and special thanks to Enverex and Neo, uk for their extra assistance. What a place.
    Thanks guys.
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Just come off the phone to Mr Bothered Esq. (He is such a gent.. you wouldn't believe it)... and he's going to format C:

    Good luck matey, call if you need!
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited December 2003
    Well, back on my own PC at last. S-M is the first back in my new favourites. Nice to speak to Mr Shorty at last, Now that's service. The rest is installing software again, lenghty but it needed clearing out anyway really.
    Many thanks to you all for your help, I wish I knew more than I do so I could be more help around here but thank God those of you that do share your knowledge so readily and freely.
    Thanks S-M, you rock.
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    What OS do you currently have installed now?
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited December 2003
    Back on xp pro. Almost everything is back now but..... I have a third HDD on the HPT which I can't see in windows explorer anymore. I've had this before but can't remember how to get it back.
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    You need to load the drivers for it Mr B :)

    What model HPT is it?? 370/372 series?
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Have you installed the Highpoint Drivers? - http://www.highpoint-tech.com/USA/bios.htm
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited December 2003
    Hoorah! Got my E drive back and Zone alarm running. Going sweet guys. Thanks.
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    I recommend Kerio Personal Firewall over Zone Alarm anyday, more professional and more options - http://www.kerio.com/us/kpf_download.html
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited December 2003
    well since you have done it now i don't care from your son
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited December 2003
    lots of love dad
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited December 2003
    Hmm, little bothered has been watching me on S-M during the day, I'll have a word.
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