My main system that I normally use is a P4 2.6ghz 2 x 512meg DDR400 with an Asus P4C800-E motherboard. I have 2 Deskstar 160gig SATA drives setup as RAID and Windows XP.

When starting my machine. XP told me that it was doing an error checking on the main drive. I had just got back from a night out so left it to run whilst I had a sleep. 5 hours later came back... still going... looked like it had been looping over and over and restarting. So on the next restart I cancelled and tried to boot up Windows. Gets to the XP Bootscreen then bluescreens. No time to read what it says. Booting into safe mode didnt work either - gets to the loading drivers text and stops there.

Any idea how I can fix this? I got so many projects, edits, mp3 and recorded vinyl wavs on there that losing it all is going to set me back a hell of a lot.

help!

did post this in the geek section... but didn't think it'd get much airtime.

My main system that I normally use is a P4 2.6ghz 2 x 512meg DDR400 with an Asus P4C800-E motherboard. I have 2 Deskstar 160gig SATA drives setup as RAID and Windows XP.

When starting my machine. XP told me that it was doing an error checking on the main drive. I had just got back from a night out so left it to run whilst I had a sleep. 5 hours later came back... still going... looked like it had been looping over and over and restarting. So on the next restart I cancelled and tried to boot up Windows. Gets to the XP Bootscreen then bluescreens. No time to read what it says. Booting into safe mode didnt work either - gets to the loading drivers text and stops there.

Any idea how I can fix this? I got so many projects, edits, mp3 and recorded vinyl wavs on there that losing it all is going to set me back a hell of a lot.

ta!

Re: help!

what is the error on the bluescreen?

Re: help!

Have no fear, the beanz basher is here!

... and he's bringing you EBCD (Emergency Boot CD)!

[URL="http://ebcd.pcministry.com/"]http://ebcd.pcministry.com/[/URL]

EBCD is a bootable CD, intended for system recovery in the case of software or hardware faults. It is able to create backup copies of normally working system and restore system to saved state. It contains the best system software ever created, properly compiled and configured for the maximum efficient use. You may download image builder utility which creates image of bootable CD-ROM (.ISO file), plus basic set of system tools. When the image is ready, write it to CD-R or CD-RW, and then everytime you'll need convenient and powerful system tools they'll be just at hand. It is easy to customize the disk for your needs. You can include to CD any program you like, or remake the structure of CD completely. All you need is to change a few lines in configuration XML files.

Download, burn, shove it in your player, change boot sequence to the CD and have phun with the tools on it. Worked fine when I had a serious XP crash a year ago.

Re: help!

[quote=speciale]what is the error on the bluescreen?[/quote]

No idea. It pops up for a split second and restarts.

Re: help!

You can repair windows if you have the windows xp installation cd. Follow these [B][COLOR=red]steps[/COLOR][/B]:

1] Boot the computer using the xp cd. You may need to change the boot order in the system bios so the cd boots before the hard drive. Check your system documentation for steps to access the [COLOR=red]bios[/COLOR] and change the boot order.

2] When you see the "[B][COLOR=red]Welcome To Setup[/COLOR][/B]" screen, you will see the options below[FONT=Verdana].[/FONT] This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft Windows XP to run on your computer: -->[FONT=Arial][COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana] [/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][COLOR=red][B]To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER[/B][/COLOR] --> [B][COLOR=red]To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R[/COLOR][/B] --> [B][COLOR=red]To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3[/COLOR][/B]

3] Press [B][COLOR=red]Enter[/COLOR][/B][SIZE=+0][SIZE=2]to start the Windows Setup[/SIZE]. [/SIZE] To [B][COLOR=red]Repair Install[/COLOR][/B], press [B][COLOR=red]ENTER[/COLOR][/B][COLOR=red] [/COLOR] [B][COLOR=red]Do not[/COLOR][/B] choose "[I]To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console'', [B][COLOR=red]press[/COLOR][/B][/I][COLOR=red] [B]R[/B][/COLOR],

4] Accept the License Agreement and Windows will search for existing Windows installations

5] Setup will copy the necessary files to the hard drive and reboot.[I][B][COLOR=red]Do not press any key to boot from CD when the message appears[/COLOR].[/B][/I] Setup will continue as if it were doing a clean install, but your applications and settings will remain intact. [FONT=Verdana][COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]

[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT]

Re: help!

[quote=LoUiS]You can repair windows if you have the windows xp installation cd.[/quote]

Yeah I was thinking about that but does it work for RAID setups? Would I have to load the driver off floppy again? Cos I don't think I have one of those anymore. :lol:

Re: help!

dude, just download EBCD and quit fucking around

Re: help!

Yeah, I'm having a look at that now cheers. Just not too sure about having an unknown program messing with my system.

Re: help!

[quote=Simon Preston]Yeah, I'm having a look at that now cheers. Just not too sure about having an unknown program messing with my system.[/quote] Felt about the same way when an IT engineer passed me the CDROM, but trust me it's one fine mutha ;)

Re: Help!!!

Well i know for a fact that you don't have to lose all your data...you can use a program like Norton Ghost, or whichever one you have recommended to you, to copy all the data off your hard drives.

As for knowing what the heck is going on with you hardrives/boot up, i can't help you there. I know quite a bit about pc's but not enough to know that. Sorry buddy, I'm sure somebody will reply with an answer.

Re: help!

So did you fix it yet? :p

Re: help!

Haven't actually tried yet.:lol: I might get round to it tomorrow.

Re: help!

^ ^ Lazy bastard. :p

Re: help!

priorities eh

Re: help!

When the choices are fixing a computer or boning the missus I go for the latter everytime.

Re: help!

You guys are gonna piss yourself at this. I had that all the tools ready to tackle my problem computer. XP disc at the ready. Plug everything in. Switch on. The Windows Startup thingy comes along saying there was a problem with the startup last time.

So I select "Last Known Good Configuration"

Machine boots up first time.

:CrackUp:

Re: help!

[quote=Simon Preston]When the choices are fixing a computer or boning the missus I go for the latter everytime.[/quote]Be like me and do both. Fuck sleep. Fuck the wife, slap her around, get on the computer, bring her out and fuck her while you're on the system. I do that quite often actually. Wireless keyboards make it all possible. :RockOn:

Re: help!

I suppose. I'm not all that great at multitasking.