PC refuses to start up (persists after using safe mode)

Software & Apps
#1

It’s not like I’m terribly new to this issue: the original cause was SPTD.sys, the loading of which I aborted during safe mode installation. Original method of solving was simply to remove said driver from the WINDOWS\system32\drivers folder and it worked out fine, although this time it didn’t. Starting up normally still caused it to loop and I found myself damning Windows XP to hell :a for not showing what exactly is going on inside the computer at these times. I let it load until it restarted on its own, after which I got the message ‘DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER’. So naturally I wtf’ed and pushed the on/off button two times to restart in safe mode again. This time I wanted to wipe out the entire DAEMON Tools directory, hoping that that was the cause. The DAEMON Tools Uninstall did not work and it didn’t occur to me yet to use Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel.

The situation is unchanged. Still times out at startup.

So please. What the hell should I do? :stuck_out_tongue:

#2

If you can get the system running (and im not sure you can or not from your post) go to system internals and use Filemon. This will show most everything that is going on inside the system.

http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/Filemon.html

if all else fails have the xp system cd check for changed files and it will replace them with know good ones. I know a pain in the butt but if you can’t get in at all it may be your only option. If you can get in there is also a command line utility that will do something like this. I don’t remember what the name was but others here should know. I think it grabs files out of the i386 cab file directory.

#3

Yeah, I can get the system running in Safe Mode, but I don’t have access to the Windows Installer in Safe Mode so installing this Filemon thing will be difficult. I can’t get my PC to start up normally, which is what this whole problem is about.

Another problem was that during the Windows startup, there’s no way to see what the hell is going on in the system. All you see is the Windows XP logo and a good for nothing beam in which you see three blue boxes move back an forth, probably to appease users who get all crazy when they see nothing moving at all… Now, in safe mode, at least you see drivers being loaded, but at any rate it’s been proven that whatever problem still haunts that damned PC of mine when I try to start it up normally isn’t part of the systems needed to start up in safe mode. Problem is, there’s a whole damn lot not necessary to start up in safe more and I have no damn way of finding out what exactly is going on other than trying to use Add or Remove Programs to uninstall stuff. And even then stuff like games can’t get removed because they require Windows installer at any rate, which is locked out in safe mode. It’s bloody useless, I tell you.

#4

in safe mode do the start / run / msconfig thing and turn off everything you think should not be trying to load. it should them load a mininum system that you can work with. I never tried installing a program in safe mode but dont see why it would not work. Filemon does not install but is a stand alone program working within it’s self.

“It’s bloody useless” This is why we love computers so much :iagree:

#5

Oh, yeah, I’ve been in msconfig, too… I checked out Daemon Tools. Then I went to regedit and searched for ‘DAEMON’, killing the remaining keys. But otherwise I could go back to msconfig at any rate to try and see what’s causing the big problem… Thanks for your advice

#6

Oh bloody hell. I’ve tried everything with msconfig, even as far as using the Diagnostic Startup function (no SYSTEM.INI, no WIN.INI, no System Services and no Startup Items). It… Still… Doesn’t… Start up Normally! :a What possible options do I have left? I so not want to reinstall ><.

Still, if with all these programs and drivers and whatever else out of the way it still doesn’t load, I don’t think there’s a lot left that can be the problem.

At least here I get to think that the problem has to be something that is loaded in Diagnostic Startup, which obviously is not loaded in Safe Mode.

So. Is there something left to do? Anything? Is there anyone who knows of items that fit this category of evildoers?

#7

did you try filemon as it does not install. it’s a stand alone program.
Hopefully someone will chime in with that command line that will rebuild the core files without actually doing a full reinstall. Keep you chin up :slight_smile:

#8

Alright. I’ll try :stuck_out_tongue:

Error Loading FILEMON701: Could not find the file specified.

Do you ever have the feeling as if your computer is doing literally EVERYTHING to work against you? big fat sigh of frustration

#9

I give up. This girl is going to reinstall.

#10

I hear you. I hope it all works for you in the end. Bk :flower: