Win XP Pro MAJOR crash?

Question

Left it to install updates 11 PM last night. Woke this morning comp appeared to be sleeping. No amount of jiggling mouse or hitting keys would wake it. Hard shut down was done.

Now, it won't even boot in safe mode. It won't boot using last known good configuration. Nothing.

This is my husband's computer used for school and I would rather not have to wipe it out and start over if I can get around it. Luckily at least he has no assignments on it that weren't already sent in.

Any ideas on what can be done?

Answer 1

Alright, first of all, you MIGHT not be mega-screwed. Will you have to re-install the OS?---Probably. BUT, if you have stuff on the hard drive you really need to get off, say for example, in My Documents, you can probably do the following to save it (of course, this is all dependent on if you have another computer):

Remove the hard drive from the dead computer. On spare computer, disconnect the CD-Rom and use the cable and power-cable from it and connect them to the hard drive from the dead computer. Boot it up and see if it will recognize the hard drive as an additional drive in the My Computer section (may take a minute or two for it to find it. Hit refresh under View a few times if your still not seeing and see if it comes up). If it does, you should be able to go to wherever those documents are and save them over to the spare computer, and then reinstall the OS on the dead computer. Then move everything back over via the same method, or through a USB cable, or on a CD-R/CD-RW.

Let me know if that helps.

Answer 2

so does it reach the loading screen then crash? sounds like it installed a bad driver, but it should still get into safe mode...

Edit: if you have the xp cd you can do a repair installation, that SHOULD leave all documents in place, but programs may need reinstalled and accounts remade.

Edit: yea sounds like a bad driver, i would just do a repair install... i know its not what you want to hear, but if you cant access the system not much else to do.

Answer 3

Is there any un registry protection software running in your system?

ok then wht ever it is

if your pc is running in safe mode do the following steps to reactive ..

See whether you can restore back your PC to a date when your pc was working perfectly.

go to programs-->accessories-->system tools-->system restore.

there u find bold letters with date..click any one of the date and go to next next..up to restart

if not reactive

do this

goto os settings and select first boot devise as a dvd/cd rom and run it... if  it runs successfully go with repair option..

if not..

your pc os has crashed..you should try to reinstall ..