Xp wont start

[SmithyJD]

I have a friends computer that when you start it just sits on the main screen (ie loading windows) with the famous blue band moving across the screen and never getting to the select user screen.

If I boot up with F8 I can get in to the system with safe mode. Have tried restoring the system via the supplied recover disks (yuck.

But still no luck any ideas?

 

[stduc]

Try selecting a logged boot. Leave it to 'fail' for a while and then re-boot into safe mode and take a look at the c:\bootlog.log (or .txt (I forget)) file. It may give you a clue. If not, post the end of that file back here.

 

[WB33]

Boot into Safe Mode and run 'msconfig'. In the System Configuration Utility, click on the General Tab. Remove the check mark from the 'Load Startup Items' check box. Click, OK and then reboot. This might help isolate which app or process is causing the system to hang.

 

[linney]

From Safe Mode try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right-click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking. Select both boxes.

308041 - Resources for troubleshooting startup problems in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308041

http://labmice.techtarget.com/windowsxp/TroubleshootingXP/startup.htm

310353 - How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310353&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

316434 - HOW TO: Perform Advanced Clean-Boot Troubleshooting in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316434&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

310560 - How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310560&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[wolluf]

What happened when you tried the restore?

When in safe mode, did you look in the event log (run eventvwr.msc) to see if any clues as to why its not booting?

Any history - anything changed shortly before this problem arose?

Have you tried the 'last known good config' from the safe mode menu?