This morning I went to upgrade Spy Sweeper, and an error message popped up.
So I decide to go into Safe Mode via the boot.ini file you modify by checking the box in the sys config tool.

Rebooted, and now my PC will not go into XP Pro.
I have the choices of the 3 safe modes, last good config from system restore, and normal mode.

Nothing will work.
I am afraid I will have to format, and I have not backed up in ages do to being a poor son of a bitch and not buying DVDs for this purpose.

I will lose everything when I format, and this means any Tech articles that have been submitted to me over the past few weeks.
Sorry, but crap happens.

Can not work on the PC today, the Fall Colors run is in an hour.
Please do not expect pics and vids from me like I normally get up withing an hour after getting home from a run.

The worst part is I have lots of proggys I have paid for, and now have lost the unlock codes after I format later.
The first thing I am doing when and if I get recalled to Boeing is buy a nice HUGE external USB hard drive just for this purpose.

 

Ouch, sorry Corey. I updated Spy Sweeper yesterday with no problems. Hope you had a good time on the Fall Colors run.

 

Corey..I'm willing to bet your data is still there. I'd personally try popping your drive in somebody else's box to retrieve the data. Can you not re-install XP without formatting? I think you can. I'd personally try that as a temp fix to get things back and running a little bit.


Ahh. Winblows.

 

CORY DONT FORMAT.. if you can get into the OS via safe mode run XP's System File Checker. SFC in the run box

Use the command sfc /scannow and sfc /scanboot

type sfc /? at the command directory for other options.

This usally fixes these types of problems

 

If all fails this always works for me when windows acts up granted you have the CD and the product Key
http://support.microsoft.com/default...&Product=winxp
I always use option 2, boot from teh cd and do the repair according to directions.
I have fixed many machines and I have yet to loose any data or applications, you just have to repatch to get current on the OS, so don't go formating yet...
Good Luck

 

Just got back from the run.
Rob suspects I may have picked up a boot sector virus, not sure.

No, as stated I can not get into any of the safe modes at all, so I can not get to a command prompt.

I did pop in the XP CD before leaving and saw the two options to either format and reinstall XP or so a system repair.
I tried the repair but it asked me for an admin password.
I put in my password which I know is good, but no luck, it said bogus.

I am going to pull the drive on Sunday and stick it in the PIII 500 I am on now as the D drive, after I take out the current D drive.
Then I will attempt to retrieve my files, then put it back in the new PC and format.

I will still lose stuff.
Been there done that many a time.
I should have backed up my PC via my network to this 500 I am on, but I have been so busy as of late here and at work, no time

 

Corey, you can do a "new" install of XP, but at the screen where it asks you to format you leave the current filesystem intact. I found if you then use a different username then before and a different directory to install XP in, the WINNT directory and your "Documents and Settings\original username" will be left alone and at least your data is still there. I am pretty sure winxp also gives you the option to select a directory to install itself in (for example "WINXP" instead of "WINNT")
You will be spending a fair bit of time reinstalling all the programs you used to have, but you also start with a clean registry which is always a good thing.

Hope this gives some insight,
Arjan

 

Got up at 4 am and put the hard drive into the old PC.
BIOS would not reconize it for some reason, and I do know what I am doing
Been building PCs for several years.

Put the HD back in the new PC and started up with the Win CD in.
I was able to get to a command prompt by not entering an admin password where it asks for it at system recovery.
However it would not let me out of the Windows directory.

I was able to do a chkdsk command, and it said the volume was find & dandy.
I can not get out of the Win dir. though, so I was not able to perform the commands in a few posts above.

The PC had been doing a few strange things starting in a few days ago such as hanging at the blue Welcome into Window screen while the startup aps loaded in the background.
Normally it only shows that welcome screen for about 1 to 2 seconds then jumps right to the desktop.

I scanned with Mcafee 8, then I pulled off it and put on version 7 of AVG's virus scanner.
I am willing to bet I have a boot sector virus, and I am waiting on some files form a source to put on a floppy and try and boot from it and do a scan.

I may end up formatting in the end, and it is sad.
I preach to others to always backup, but I have not in a long time.
This forum just kicks my butt, and takes up so much of my time I never got around to doing a fresh one.

That will change after the format.

 

Greetings,
Did you try to get to WinXP by hitting the F8 key after bios but before boot? If you did'nt, you should be able to get to a Safe mode and work from there.

 

F8 on my Asus borad takes you to the screen where you select which drive priority you want to boot off of.

I was able to get the CD to do the repair job after some more playing with it.

It started to load the OS again and I got as far as the screen where the bars move back and forth, then it took me to a blue screen saying the OS has problems.

I am going to suck it up and format after breakfast and see what happens.
I have some files backed to a few DVDs, but not everything.

 

I installed XP on the same partition as XP, just named a new folder.
Set my network up, and I am backing up around 20 gigs of info to my PIII 500 PC.
I will get about all my files back now excpet for my email and IE faves.
Some of the above two are on an old DVD I can at least recoup some from.

After I get it all backed up, I will format it again and put XP on.
Also running a virus scanner as I type, but I do not think now it was a virus.
I think something got corrupt in that installation.

Oh well, it has been since August of '03 when I built it, and it is time for a format.
It will run much better after I get done with it.

 

Good news Corey!! This is a good reminder for me to back up today...

 

Thanks Mike.
And now I WILL have a backup on my old PC.

This is taking forever.
For example my vids, midi, and wav file folder is around 2 gigs.
The download box says it will take about 30 minutes to move it from one PC to another.

Then after I am done, all this will have to be copied to the new PC again.
I figure I will not be up and running all the way until mid week or after.
I have tons of files

The best thing to get for a backup is another hard drive for my new PC, or an external USB one.
Networking is fine, but it is sooooooooo much slower to transfer files this way.

 

Why will you lose your favorites and e-mail? You don't have to export them from the specific programs to save them off.

 

I was able to find them, and have them backed up now on DVD.
Getting ready to format as soon as I get my website files for the forum here and my personal site backed up to DVD.

Then the fun begins putting all the crap back on again
It will run better I am sure.

 

Greetings,
If you are going to reformat the disk, create two drives, and keep your Data on the one that does not have your OS. IE: create a C drive for your OS and a Logical D: drive for your data.
In the event of a crash, you rebuild C and the D still has the Data. You can een re-format C and have no effect on D.

Just some thoughts. You could also put in another drive and create a Mirror on RAID, which always works well.

My 2 cents

 

The Two ASUS Boards I have are:
Board: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. P4P800S Rev 1.xx
Bus Clock: 200 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 080009 08/05/2003

Board: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. P4P800-E Rev 1.xx
Bus Clock: 200 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 1002.002 02/25/2004

If you like check out Belarc.com and download the Belarc Advisor. Gives you some insite into what actually on your machine.

 

P4P800 boards just got a new BIOS update at www.asus.com

I don't think it was a virus. I am voting for a full drive or currupted files from fragmentation.

Corey good choice on picking AVG 7.0 .... it's a dog gone good virus killer program. It found worms and viruses that others (norton & mcafee) missed. If push comes to shove I have an ATA-100 40 gig drive I can let you have for ... FREE!

Got to keep Yotatech Admins happy and healthy. If not, I am left with Pirate scum *(meant in a good way) to get my Yota fix.

 

[QUOTE=amusement]P4P800 boards just got a new BIOS update at www.asus.com

[QUOTE]

Greetings,

Whats your thoughts on BIOS updates? Mine has always been, no problems....leave it be.

 

Thanks Amusement, that would come in handy.
I am outting on SP2 right now, and then after that my ATI vid card Catalyst files.

Mycrash, I always go for the newest BIOS files for my board.
You do use the cool Windows install interface to update the BIOS do you not?
It is called Asus Updater program, and you can find it on their site.
I had a direct URL to it, but lost that.
But it is easy to update by it, but you must check or uncheck one box so it does not set your BIOS settings to default.
You just want to update them only.

Yeah, something got corrupt allright, and I have a suspect.
All my program files were still in the Prog folder except for Cute FTP which is in the GlobalScape folder, it was gone.
Perhaps it got corrupted and took my system down?

Can anyone recommend a good free FTP proggy?
I do not like using Explorer to do it.