My pc will not go past windows xp page...Help Please!!!

Hello....My pc will not go past the blue windows xp page .
I have no start button, no desktop, no anything....just a blue screen with
windows xp on it. Can someone tell me what to do to get my pc working.
I have tried the pressing of the F8 button to get to the Dos Prompt , but
there is nothing there where I can type scanreg/restore and when I
select one of the other options, nothing happens. Help Please!!!!

So none of the options from the Safe Mode menu work?

Did you try Last known good configuration?

Safe Mode with command prompt would be the closest thing to a DOS prompt that XP has. Also scanreg/restore in XP is called System Restore and would be available by choosing Safe Mode proper.

If none of these options work you will need to boot your XP CD.



If you cannot boot into any aspect of Safe Mode options then you will need a boot disk.

If you have a retail version of XP CD then:

If you cannot boot into Windows I would suggest first trying the Recovery Console:

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;307654

To try to fix the boot:

Assuming that your XP is on C: then:

Type:

FIXMBR C:

then enter. After that completes type:

FIXBOOT C:

then enter. After that completes type:

BOOTCFG /rebuild

then enter. After that completes type:

EXIT

then reboot.

If in the process you are asked to run chkdsk say YES.

Also after the BOOTCFG /rebuild you will be prompted to:

C:\Windows
1. Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All):
2. Enter Load Identifier: (Custom description for an operating system loading from the Boot menu)
3. Enter Operating System Load Options: (that is: /fastdetect)

Reply:
1. Yes
2. XP
3. /fastdetect

If this fails you can run a Repair Install that will leave your data intact:

http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

If your XP was OEM (pre installed) you will need to check with your manufacturer or manual for their specific Recovery Options.

Do you have Recovery CDs? What is the exact make and model of the computer? The manufacturer's web site will have their process.

Well...this is what I did...I tried to start in safe mode...nothing...I tried safe mode with command prompt only...nothing....I tried last known good config....nothing...when I hit enter after safe mode and safe with command prompt, I only get 1 option and that is Microsoft XP Professional...then when I hit enter again I get get a bunch of these scrolling the screen.....multi(o)disk(o)rdisk(o)partition(1)\win dows\sys32\drivers\acpi.sys...or drivers\isapnc.sys...or drivers\pxhelp20.sys ect ect ect (about 20 of them were on the screen) . The c drive nor the cd drive will read any disk ....so after a lot of calling around...I was told that my hard drive was dead and I needed to bury it and get another 1....lol ....but thank you for your help anyway.

multi(o)disk(o)rdisk(o)partition(1)\win dows\sys32\drivers etc. ...

When starting in Safe Mode this is what you see. Every driver is enumerated. But then Safe Mode should start.

I don't get the connection of the failing CD drive tho. This has nothing to do with your hard drive. Did you try an XP boot disk? Is the CD drive set to boot prior to the hard drive?

There are hard drive diagnostics if you want to check the hard drive.

OK, so after all those things show up after safe mode....does it take a good minute for the pc to start , because after all that stuff showed up, it just set there....but then again after a few seconds, I shut the pc down and restarted it because it just set there.

As far as the cd drive, it will read nothing...no boot disk, no cleaner disk, no any kind of disk. Now, how do I find out if the CD drive is set to boot prior to the hard drive and if it is, is that the way it's supposed to be and if not, how do I fix it (maybe I need one of those books for dummies....lol )

Last but not least, what are the hard drive diagnostics to check the hard drive or where can I find them?

You are such a big help....THANK YOU

The screen will fill up with:

multi(o)disk(o)rdisk(o)partition(1)\win dows\sys32\drivers etc. ...
multi(o)disk(o)rdisk(o)partition(1)\win dows\sys32\drivers etc. ...
multi(o)disk(o)rdisk(o)partition(1)\win dows\sys32\drivers etc. ...
multi(o)disk(o)rdisk(o)partition(1)\win dows\sys32\drivers etc. ...
multi(o)disk(o)rdisk(o)partition(1)\win dows\sys32\drivers etc. ...

etc.

Let it run for several minutes.

Did the CD drive work previously? You set the Boot Menu in the BIOS Setup. You usually get there by pressing the Delete key right after you power on the computer. Some older computers use F2 or F10. Look on the first logo screen for Press Delete for Setup etc.

What is the make and model of the computer?

Once in the BIOS Setup you will see a Boot tab and then a Boot Menu. It should be set to:
1. Floppy
2. CD ROM
3. HDD


Do you know the manufacturer of your hard drive?

You will find the major brand diagnostics listed here:

http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287

With a few others listed here:

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/


If you do not know and cannot boot into Safe Mode you will have to open the case and look at the hard drive. There will be a label on it.

The diagnostics will boot from a floppy disk and test your hard drive.

Thanks for the thanks! I like to help. At least try

I just came from up there trying everything. The pc still sits at that blue windows xp page and goes no further. I did the F2 (yes it's an older model pc upstairs) and they were not in the order that you said, so I put them in the order of
Floppy
Cd Rom
HDD
saved it and still nothing but the blue xp page.

That computer upstairs is a Dell OptiPlex GX300 ( it's my son's pc)

As far as any disks...I bought the pc from a computer store and it was used, so everything that was on the pc, they put on it....and I did not receive any disks. I asked about reboot disks and everything (I knew that much from buying this pc new...lol)....they told me all they had was a universal disk that they used on all their pc's and they could not give me that, but if something happens to it, I need to bring it back to them, but they want to charge me $200.00 just to do a reboot...uuuggghhhhhh, I think not. I wonder if Dell will sell me a disk. Plus I want to get that IE SP2 off that pc....I have went to add/remove and it is not on there anywhere, but it is something that they installed b4 I bought the pc.

Oh...yes the cd drive worked fine b4 all this crap started

You can get SP2 on line for free. IE SP2 is part of XP SP2. (ignore the IT what have you).

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en


OptiPlex GX300

http://support.dell.com/support/down...&os=WW1&osl=EN

Microsoft® Windows® XP Reinstall Guide [ All Desktops and Portables ]


http://support.dell.com/support/topi...30030ABD62041A

If the above link does not go direct just follow the path from here: http://support.dell.com/

Troubleshooting and FAQs > How Do I Install the Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system on My Dell Computer?

Dell does sell Recovery disks and they are less than $200. You can get a full version of XP for less than that. The computer store in question is ridiculous to say the least.

I also realized that the BIOS Setup will ID your hard drive. Go back to the Boot Menu and click on HDD and it should show you what is in there. e.g. WD... (Western Digital); ST... (Seagate); Maxtor (Maxtor)

Dell buys from all five desktop drive makers (Seagate, WD, Samsung, Hitachi and Maxtor)

Also you can download on your working computer the 6 floppy boot disks for XP which should get you to the Recovery Console:

How to obtain Windows XP Setup boot disks

Note that you need the proper version of XP. e.g. XP Home SP2... or XP Pro SP2 etc.