I am trying to contact Tex directly or someone who can help
Hi - 14 year old boy desperately trying to help my mom fix a rebooting loop problem (xp keeps automatically trying to reboot but with no success) - I got to part where I figured out how to change bios to boot from a cd, but then we get stuck since my mom (and myself) are terrified we might install a completely new system and delete all her files/pics, etc. We read hours of texts all day long and after a zillion sites and hours of calls to Gateway (no help at all since mom's warranty expired), we found that "Tex" on this site seemed to help someone else with a similar problem or at least maybe he can offer help on how we can try to simply reboot from a disc. My mom said she is willing to call long distance if someone can help, but she has a brand new computer sitting in a box and doesn't wish to spend a lot of money on fixing old one - she would just like it to work enough that she could easily transfer files and pics to new computer and so that it will reboot properly. If Tex is reading, can you PLEASE help me and my mom? If not, is there anyone who is willing to speak to either my mom or me on the phone to help us step by step -- just reading people's steps online isn't helping because we aren't sure exactly which xp disc to use, and when we tried an ME installation disc, it asked questions that didn't match the exact steps we read online. Thanks. Please answer as soon as possible. My name is David.
0
Comments
Your best bet sounds like doing a repair install. To do that you need a Windows XP cd. If you just have the repair CD's that came with your computer they will wipe out everything on it and reinstall it to it's factory state. You don't want to do that.
If you have a windows XP cd you can boot up the computer with the disk in the drive and start going through the prompts. The first screen will ask you if you want to try and repair the computer by going into the repair console. You don't want to do that. Go into the install screen and if all goes well it will detect that you have windows already installed and ask if you wish to repair it. That is the option you want.
If you don't get that option and it just asks where you want to install windows, don't continue.
Just because you don't like an answer doesn't mean it's wrong. The fact that you've had it for 4 years and nothing's ever happened before, pretty much means your do.
BUT I can't get into my "start" area if I can't reboot! mmm...:( I need more help, pls! I also just found some odd purple discs from Gateway (my computer brand) that says "companion cds - 2 discs for reinstalling drivers and programs -- so again, should I should the xp home edition upgrade disc or one of the others? And then can someone give me step by step directions to try to reboot? Do I try to reboot in safe mode - or will I not even be able to do that when rebooting with a disc? Sorry for so many questions!
Full install - you wipe the hard drive and loose everything
Repair install - it leaves the disk formatting in place and fixes what's wrong
So kryst is telling you to do a repair because, by definition, that leaves everything in place.........99% of the time. The CD you need is the one for the exact same operating system you have. If you have XP Home, you need an install disk for XP Home to do a repair install.
If all I wanted to do was pull Mom's files off the drive, I'd spend $25 on this device. You take out the old drive, plug it into this, then plug it all into the USB on the new computer. After you wait for it all to install (it installs automatically like a flash drive), then you can find all the files on the hard drive. It's must less risky than a repair install, and will take less time.
Tex
Tex, I would like to try to fix tonight, but I won't be home till after 9:30 Eastern time, but if I try and get into trouble, HOW do I PM you? I mean, I clicked on your name but didn't see an email popup or anything. Please let me know. Thanks, we appreciate your help (and everyone else's too!)
Also, if a device could do what you say for just 25 bucks, my mom said she'd be thrilled - but question - since we only have basic technological knowledge, will she have to hire someone for a lot of money to help her USE the device or if she buys, can someone like yourself help - like, give us step by step instructions how to use?, and most importantly, do you know if this device can be used on our computer without the ability to "reboot it" correctly, in the state it's in with this dumb reboot loop? Also, it can only be used on a harddrive that is still "working though" right? not an old one that may have crashed? (just wondered, as we have one or two of those too!!
I offered to recover the data for you for free and send you a DVD/CD if your going to get a new computer as an option if you dont feel comfortable hooking the old drive to the new computer since it looks like your leaning towards getting a new computer.
I bet some of the old timers here remember me and will vouch for my tech abilities regarding recovering data from the current drive for ya.
Just let me know how I can help.
Tex
I'll vouch for him, and there are longer-timers that would, too.
Good to see you again, Tex!
He can do that while surfing ebay, polishing his snakeskin boots, cooking some awesome ribs, rewriting Oracle queries and generally getting a tan
Tex