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I have an XP machine that goes to a black screen with a blinking cursor at the top after it boots up. Doesn't even boot the OS at all. When I press the F8 button during the post screen it will only go to the Boot configuration screen. I have tried using my disc to repair Xp but that doesn't even accept my Admin password.
Cant get into safe mode
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#2
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Posted 23 March 2011 - 06:51 AM
What is new or different since the last time everything worked properly (ie, new hw, new sw, virus, error, etc)?
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#3
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Posted 23 March 2011 - 07:48 AM
The only thing that my wife was doing was running Malwarebytes on the machine. Let it run then when she came back. The problems started there.
#4
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Posted 23 March 2011 - 08:01 AM
You said F8 takes you to the advanced boot options screen (as it's supposed to). Do any of those options work (safe mode, last known good)?
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#5
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Posted 23 March 2011 - 08:14 AM
No F8 takes me to the boot sequence screen only. Not the boot options screen. Sorry I wasnt clear on my first post. I cant get to safe mode at all.
This post has been edited by kmayes: 23 March 2011 - 08:15 AM
#6
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Posted 23 March 2011 - 08:37 AM
Sorry - what do you see on the boot sequence screen?
This post has been edited by Allan: 23 March 2011 - 09:04 AM
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#7
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Posted 23 March 2011 - 08:52 AM
When the boot sequence screen shows up, have one finger poised over F8.
Hit the Esc key, then IMMEDIATELY hit F8.
That might get you to where you can choose Safe Mode.
Hit the Esc key, then IMMEDIATELY hit F8.
That might get you to where you can choose Safe Mode.
#8
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Posted 23 March 2011 - 09:24 AM
Boot sequence screen shows the hard drive and the 2 dvd/cd players in order. Hitting ESC then F8 didn't work. Tried several times.
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Posted 23 March 2011 - 09:31 AM
Do you have an original XP CD?
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#10
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Posted 23 March 2011 - 09:33 AM
Yes I do. Tried using it last night to repair and when i got to the recovery screen it wouldn't accept my password.
#11
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Posted 23 March 2011 - 09:37 AM
You can also...just hold the F8 key down when the system first starts to boot...this is the method that works on one of my systems.
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/chsafe.htm
Louis
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/chsafe.htm
Louis
#12
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Posted 23 March 2011 - 09:43 AM
You may be relegated to a repair installation. Boot to the XP CD and choose the SECOND repair option, allowing XP to install on top of itself. After completion you'll need to go to Windows Update and download & install all updates (except for hardware & driver related updates, which should never be downloaded from Windows Update - only from the OEM websites). Here is a clear tutorial on how to perform a repair install: http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/topic/138-how-to-repair-windows-xp/
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#13
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Posted 23 March 2011 - 10:04 AM
Well all the screen is showing after following the instructions is a partitioned space and a unpartitioned space. Doesn't show a installation at all.
#14
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Posted 23 March 2011 - 10:12 AM
I was afraid of that from your description of what you see in your first post. I'm not sure what you or your wife may have done, but it appears there may be no OS installed.
This post has been edited by Allan: 23 March 2011 - 10:12 AM
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#15
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Posted 23 March 2011 - 10:14 AM
Thats what i was thinking when I saw that too. There has to be some files there. Last night i used ALT F2 and got the the flash bios screen. This showed all the files as being there.
This post has been edited by kmayes: 23 March 2011 - 10:18 AM
