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BleepingComputer.com _ Windows XP Home and Professional _ Xp Boot "fixes"

Posted by: usasma Mar 28 2008, 10:09 AM

How to Use This:
1) Read the first 3 pararaphs (don't need to do anything yet)
2) Scroll through the bolded items and locate your error message
3) Do the stuff after the -'s just below your error message.

Disk diagnostic and CHKDSK /F /R are common to all in order to rule out:
- physical disk problems and
- file system problems PRIOR to trying the fix.

You can download a disk diagnostic tool from the website of the hard drive manufacturer. If necessary you can download a bootable version of the diagnostic from there and boot from it to test your hard drive.

Recovery Console tutorial located here: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial117.html
This is for the chkdsk, fixmbr, fixboot, and bootcfg commands if you can't get into Windows

Here's a link to an ISO of the XP Recovery Console if you don't have an XP CD. Search Google for "burn an ISO" (without the quotes) for tools and instructions on how to make a bootable CD. http://www.thecomputerparamedic.com/files/rc.iso

Common to several fixes
Black Screen Hang (before splash screen shows)
- Disk Diagnostic
- CHKDSK /F /R (try to boot)
- fixmbr (try to boot)
- fixboot (try to boot)
- Safe Mode (try to boot)

MBR
Invalid Partition Table
Missing Operating System
Error Loading Operating System
- Disk Diagnostic
- CHKDSK /F /R
- fixmbr (try to boot)

BOOT SECTOR
Disk Read Error occurred
NTLDR missing/compressed ( http://tinyempire.com/notes/ntldrismissing.htm )
- Disk Diagnostic
- CHKDSK /F /R
- fixboot (try to boot)

NTLDR
Boot Device is Inaccesible (boot.ini)
- Disk Diagnostic
- CHKDSK /F /R
- bootcfg /rebuild

System Hive is Corrupt
- Disk Diagnostic
- CHKDSK /F /R
- restore System Hive from backup

other File missing or corrupt
- Disk Diagnostic
- CHKDSK /F /R
- restore copy from backup

NOTE: I got a missing HAL.DLL error when I messed up rewriting a boot.ini file (in the default section) - so I'd suggest checking boot.ini for missing file errors (bootcfg /rebuild would attempt to fix this when in the Recovery Console)

NTOSKRNL.EXE
Black Screen Hang (after splash screen appears) (usually video driver)
- Last Known Good Configuration
- Safe Mode
- install/reinstall latest version of video drivers.

Please feel free to add recommendations for additions and deletions. Consider this a work in progress.
Please do not post your problems/issues on this thread. It'll cause more work when I have to split your topic out of this thread and will delay receiving an answer.

Posted by: Layback Bear Apr 12 2008, 11:57 AM

THANK YOU JOHN. I saved this page and printed.

Posted by: usasma Apr 14 2008, 11:55 AM

Thanks! I've just added a link to the Recovery Console tutorial near the top of the first post.

Posted by: DaChew Apr 14 2008, 12:34 PM

I hope you can dummie this down even more

wookies

and what about people who don't have

QUOTE

Insert the Windows XP CD into your CD-ROM drive

Posted by: usasma Apr 15 2008, 07:06 AM

Thanks DaChew! I sometimes loose sight of the KISS principle.

As for the case of the mssing installation CD, then I'll have to refer people to the link to download the XP Recovery Console ISO. Arrgghhh!!! More work to do! Any suggestions on how to reorganize it so it's more understandable to a person with a specifc problem (the bolded stuff in the initial post)?

Added the link to the Recovery Console ISO to the first post.

EDIT: This is getting out of hand for a post in the XP forum - so I'll have to expand it even more and will place it in the Mini Guides forum here: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum92.html

Posted by: DaChew Apr 15 2008, 07:25 AM

The one thing the community needs is something like this blended with other advanced techniques to help someone after malware and possible fixes gone astray render their computer unbootable.

I realize this is a near impossible task but this thread is a step in the right direction.

I wouldn't reorganize it, just elaborate a little more, that's why I gave up on the recovery console years ago, I never could figure out what it did, hopefully that will change.