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PC looping
May 24, 2010
6:10 AM
6:10 AM
ebony
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I have a PC that is looping in back to the safe mode screen.
I have several utility programs that I got based on recommendation here.
My problem is, I do not know which program to run because of my limited knowledge of techie.
But before I toss the computer I wanted to try and see if it was worth saving.
Any suggestions. I am not looking for a quick fix. Just a starting point so that I can get it to come up so I can MAYBE clean up some the junk on it and let it run a couple of days ….and go from there.
Ebony
May 24, 2010
9:35 AM
9:35 AM
Gioneo
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If by looping back you mean every time the pc restarts you get the safe mode, try this:
XP
- Click Start – Run and type " msconfig " – Enter
- Click on the Boot tab and under Boot Options, uncheck Safe Boot
- Click Apply – Ok and it will ask you to restart, choose yes.
For Vista:
* Click Start and type msconfig in the search box.
If that doesn't work, Do a scandisk to check you disc for errors.
Go to My Computer – Right click you c: drive and Properties
Under tools click on check now and click on Start.
It will tell you the scan will be scheduled on the next system reboot. Click Ok and reboot your pc.
Hope this helps.
May 24, 2010
11:13 AM
11:13 AM
ebony
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Thanks!!
Exactly what I needed, a starting point.
One question?
I should try to get it to start in safe mode and then follow you other steps?
I should tell you for future reference, it is XP.
I am sure I will run into other issues (maybe not) but for now this surely helps.
Ebony
May 24, 2010
11:39 AM
11:39 AM
Gioneo
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The first step mostly applies to the situation where your machine always boots on safe mode, so you will have no choice but using safe mode.
The scandisk part you can do it either in normal or safe mode.
May 24, 2010
2:31 PM
2:31 PM
ebony
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Here is what is happpening
It ask to boot in safe mode
I hit the key to enter safe
It appears to be going into safe mode
BUT it comes right back and ask me again
Does this sound like a virus??
Ebony
May 24, 2010
2:47 PM
2:47 PM
Gioneo
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Sounds like corrupted system files that may or may not be caused by a virus or might be a problem with the HD itself… Usually I would recommend re-installing the OS since you can't access it at all. If you don't have any files on there you're trying to salvage, do a fresh install.
If not, have you tried the other options in the boot menu such as:
Last known Good Configuration – Safe mode with Command prompt only?
One other recourse would be to "emulate" the windows environment and do some troubleshooting, using a tool such as BartPE
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-create-your-own-custom-windows-live-cd/
* If it looks complicated, it's not!
This will allow you to boot windows in a standalone environment and you can fix some problems with the system.
May 24, 2010
3:03 PM
3:03 PM
amnesia
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Ebony, did you run jv16 Powertools on this computer? You may have deleted something from the registry you shouldn't have.
May 24, 2010
3:24 PM
3:24 PM
ebony
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"did you run jv16 Powertools on this computer?"
No, have not run jv16
This is a computer that I have been putting off looking at for a while simply because I knew that it might be a PIB.
@Gioneo
doing fresh install sound like the path of least resistance. 
Even if files are lost.
"Safe mode with Command prompt only?"
How can I get there if it keeps coming back to the same screen.
Sorry for so many question.
May 24, 2010
4:29 PM
4:29 PM
karen
Washington, DC Metro Area
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@ebony – usually the same place that gives you a choice to boot into safe mode also gives another choice of safe mode with command prompt.
It does sound like you have some missing/corrupted system files. If you have the original install disk, you can try booting off of it and selecting the option to repair Windows.
If you do decide to reinstall and have files that you want to get off, try the suggestion above about booting with BartPE or download a Linux Live CD (I've used Knoppix, but there are lots of them. To use, you just download an iso file and burn it to a CD/DVD and then use that to boot from). Either the Live CD or BartPE will allow you access to the hard drive and you should be able to copy files you want to keep to a USB drive. And then you can reinstall the OS.
May 24, 2010
5:16 PM
5:16 PM
calebstein
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Might I suggest my topic on FreeBSD here: /forums/reviewstutorials/freebsd. It will teach you how to get a quality system up and running. But if you want to keep Windows, you should reinstall.
It's me
May 25, 2010
12:07 AM
12:07 AM
Adrian
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@Ebony: You could try an XP recovery disk, or use Paragon/Easeus/Gparted's Live CDs to try to do a recovery.
May 25, 2010
3:51 AM
3:51 AM
ebony
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Adrian said:
@Ebony: You could try an XP recovery disk, or use Paragon/Easeus/Gparted's Live CDs to try to do a recovery.
Morning Adrain
Thanks for the suggestion.
I am going to try all of suggestions here until I find the cause of the problem.
All of the suggestions are just what I needed because I had no idea where to start.
Once I find out the prob, then the question IS how much time do I want to spend on a approx 3 year old machine.
Repair or replace, that is the question.
Ebony
May 25, 2010
4:36 AM
4:36 AM
Gvape
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Not really a question anyone here can answer for you, but if it's only three years old, I wouldn't replace it quite yet 
Guh-vah-pay
May 25, 2010
6:56 AM
6:56 AM
ebony
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Gvape said:
it's only three years old, I wouldn't replace it quite yet
You just answered it or swayed my thinking without even knowing it. Thank you very much.
I guess you could say, I am not sure what is considered an OLD PC.
Ebony
May 25, 2010
2:51 PM
2:51 PM
ebony
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I have tried suggested solutions and here is where I am
I can get to the boot screen BUT I do not have a boot disk soooo
I have an older laptop also running XP soooo I am going to be brave and attempt to make a boot disk.
Seriously, I will do some research first. Lots of research, maybe even call a friend.
Ebony
May 25, 2010
3:30 PM
3:30 PM
Gioneo
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Does not having a Boot Disk mean that you don't have an XP Disk?
May 25, 2010
4:55 PM
4:55 PM
Grantwhy
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ebony said:
Here is what is happpening
It ask to boot in safe mode
I hit the key to enter safe
It appears to be going into safe mode
BUT it comes right back and ask me again
Does this sound like a virus??
Ebony
actually, that sounds like something that happened to a computer where I work.
Long story short, not a virus, not the memeory playing up – the computer ended up getting a new motherboard, memory, harddrive and the shop we took it to was not able to ghost the old harddrive to the new one . The old HD seems to still work? (don't know if it would boot, but now it is a 2nd HD in the computer but isn't really used – looks like most of the data/programs are still there). ps: there is a chance the old HD was ok (apart from the no-ghosting bit), but that the shop didn't trust it to keep working and put a new one in.
never really found out what the problem was, but I think it was motherboard related.
offhand, I can't name the motherboard brand/model, but if I might be able to find out if anyone wants to know.
as a CareBear Anarchist I believe in the destruction and overthrow of the perils of society through random and senseless acts of consideration and kindness
May 25, 2010
5:29 PM
5:29 PM
Gioneo
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Usually if it's a faulty board, the syptoms will be different (not even getting to the boot menu or blue screen… the former most often). Best way to find out in those cases is to load a different HD on the board. I hope the shop did that before they had you guys change everything.
May 25, 2010
5:35 PM
5:35 PM
ebony
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Gioneo said:
Does not having a Boot Disk mean that you don't have an XP Disk?
Yes I have the XP disk, you mean the installation disk right? Can you boot from it?
Ebony
May 25, 2010
6:21 PM
6:21 PM
karen
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Yes, you can boot from the install disk. In fact, after booting from it, you'll probably have an option to attempt a 'repair'. Give it a try. If for some reason you are missing some system files, it should be able to replace them.
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