PC in windows start up loop

bert1

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Using PC this morning when first the mouse cursor disappared and then screen froze......

On restart Im now getting a screen that acknowledges the pc was shut down unexpectedly an gives 5 options

start windows normally
start windows with last known working config
start in safe mode
start in safe mode with networking
start in safe mode with command prompt....

Ive tried all5 and Im just going round in a loop.........

Any suggestions how to fix would be greatly appreciated......Might something in my start up tray have gone a bit mad praps ?
thanks
Bert
 
Sound like an HDD (Hard Disk) failure unfortunately?

If you have a windows CD, try and boot from that and run repair? (In case its a software issue)

Failing that, try booting right into Safe Mode by pressing F8 on start up.

If it boots try the following:

start.. run.. type "chkdsk /f /r"
press enter.
reboot

It will take a while to check the HDD.
 
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thanks guys-

no new updates (as far as i know) but i remember a liitle flag on the
exit restart screen yesterday or day b4........may not have clicked on the exit without updates button ....


so its possible.......

will try safe mode now....
 
Trying safe mode bu its still going round in a loop......


ie power on / hold in f8/ select safe mode......

pc powers off / restarts showing same selections as b4 ie an option to select safe mode......

Have got it to show a blue screen saying...
Problem detected & windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer...

UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME
 
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sound like you have updated the graphics driver and causes it to get stuck in an infinaty loop i think thats what it is called normaly happens if you are using a cracked vista if you have a system restore disc then you will have to restore it to a time when you can remember it working if not you will have to do a clean install
 
Using Windows XP Home...will that make a difference ?

Can I recover some word and excel files from the desktop before reinstall ?
 
"Unmountable boot volume" suggests that your hard disk is on the fritz. Trying doing an OS repair from your XP disc but if it fails during then it may be a no go. If that is the case, I would buy a new hard disk, put Windows on it and then connect your current/old drive as a slave and try to grab all your data before the disk goes completely up the spout.
 
thanks TM.........it gives a short beep on start up and there is some unusual noise coming from hardware inside the unit....not much but unusual......will get the hdd looked over......cheers again...
 
Unusual noise you say? Like ticking/grinding almost? If so, your hard drive is on its last legs and I would leave it off until youy can get a new drive in there otherwise it might fail and you'll be left with no drive and no data!
 
I do have the disk.....but there is some stuff I need and cant get access to, to back up....

Fortunately i backed up to Tuesday this week....but theres stuff i want to recover rather than start from scratch....on the basis that theres a chance i could lose all data and aint got the faintest clue what to do from here to get it....ive taken it to my local pc shop....

Ive fudged my way thru situations via safe mode before but never experienced this type of thing......

Many thanks for all your suggestions......It gave good insight for the pc man bulling me or not,,,,

Cheers
Bert
 
I've had the exact same problem and it happened powering it off during a crash too.

With me, a system file became corrupted and a reinstall of Windows sorted it out straight away.
 
I have just loaded win xp on the brother in laws computer I had downloaded the updates including sp3 and after about an hour the sreen went blank reboot = choices start from last good config etc this did not work - at one point I thought the graphcs card had gone I think it is Microsoft zapping it with sp3 I was using a cracked copy I am now reloading win xp and computer working fine.
 
Definitely some issues surrounding these sp3 updates had a few little gremlins myself has others have said i would get a new HDD reinstall then transfer files, data from one to the other.
 
i am having exactly the same problem as bert 1,started yesterday ,can you set a sata hd up as a slave because as long as i can get the data off the disk i am quite happy to reformat it but i need all my music and films whichare all on there ,,,thanx
 
markez, check you motherboard manuals and you might find that your SATA chipset is hot pluggable, mine is. This means you can connect the disk as a "slave" once you're in Windows already.
 
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