Major Major PC Problem!!

[at.morris]

My computer is seriously broken. It is running Windows XP Home Addition, with all the serious windows updates. Here is what happened.
'HP Record Now' stopped working, so ran the HP System Recovery (NOT windows system restore), which promises to fix problems with any HP programs that came with the computer. The system rebooted into the system recovery and i selected to restore the defaults.
The computer then rebooted, but this time just showed the HP splash screen, then came up:
"NTLDR is compressed
Press Ctrl+alt+del to restart"
Pressing Ctrl alt del just makes the same thing happen again.
Over the phone, my brother told me that it has something to do with 'NT file storing' or some such name. He recommended i made a boot disk from another computer, then from DOS, type
"sdisk /mbr"
So i followed these instructions.
Typing "sdisk /mbr" when on the a: prompt (floppy drive), gave the message 'Bad command and file name'. the hard drive (C:) could not be accessed at all ("Invalid drive specification")
Calling my brother again, he said that the sdisk command was probably removed on XP, and suggested turning to the internet.
Ive searched google for answers, but they suggest the system recovery cd, but the cd-rom can not be accessed.
Please Help!

[Theinfamousone]

Wow, well, I don't really know what's going on, but ever since I dropped my Windows 95 computer, I've never gotten DOS to do anything even in "real DOS mode" or whatever it's called. I'd recommend just reinstalling Record Now in the future instead of letting some automatic restore thing try to solve the problem.

So, let me get this straight, your computer is an HP correct? You get to the HP splash screen which is displayed when the BIOS are booting up, right? And then it goes beserk?

Also, get rid of RecordNow, that's junk, there's lots of better CD burning software out there, try Nero, or Easy CD/VD Creator 6.

[nasrules]

OK, first off, wait for Krell or someone to turn up and give a GOOD answer. Second, if none of those work, try this.

Get yourself a Windows ME boot disk from somewhere (you can download them from various sites). It has DOS CD-Drive support. Boot into DOS with CD-Drive support, and stick in your Windows XP CD. Get into the "System Recovery Console". It will re-install Windows without formatting or wiping any of your settings.

[CCSDUDE]

You're stuck between a rock an ah' hard place....

XP Home Edition is part of your HP restore disc(s), correct?

As soon as you pop that disc in...it usually just formats and installs again. Now if you had a copy of XP Pro/Home that was 'real' you may be able to repair just by popping the disc in and selecting repair from the setup options...

You're, more likely then not, SOL.....sorry dude...blame it on XP's activation features and HP being fulla shit....

Edit: If it came with your HP computer...it's not a true OS install disc...it has HP's bootloader and HP's restore system, which means you're SOL....unless you don't mind formatting.

[at.morris]

Thanks Nas, i'll give that a go if Krell doesnt come up with anything. will a windows ME boot disk really work on XP?

I found some information at the microsft website, but it only provides support for computers with no drive partition. I need a boot.ini with a partition!

[at.morris]

My XP is the real thing - it came with the computer. What happened to the CD is a different question! I borrowed a CD from a friend, but it is a different make. Hopefully that will make no difference, but since my computer doesnt recognise the CD drive, im still stuck. I need a boot disk that will get the CD-ROM working - hopefully Nas has answered that...

[nasrules]

Oh shit, scrap what I just said unless you have an actual Windows XP CD. If it's just an HP one you're stuffed, unless you can *ahem* get one from somewhere (don't forget that this is a file-sharing site).

A Windows ME Boot Disk will work, because you'll need to boot into DOS, so put it in and switch your 'puter on. You'll be in DOS, not Windows. I recommend a Windows ME one because I know it has CD support, but if you have an actual Windows XP CD, you can probably just boot from that.

[at.morris]

The CD that i have came from a 'Medion' PC. It is a product recovery CD-ROM for Windows XP Home edition. It says all the software on it has been pre-installed on the hard drive at the factory.
FOR DISTRIBUTION WITH A NEW MEDION PC ONLY
Is this any good? By what Nas was saying, it is no different to just a HP CD.
Sorry infamous one - i didnt mean to ignore you - you are spot on with what you said.

[Rickio]

If I have read correctly your 'HP Record Now' is not working?
Is that all that is wrong?
If that is your only problem I would just delete that application and get a copy of Nero.

Or if I am mistaken as to your troubles let me know.

Plenty of folks here can help you with Nero, its a better cd burning application. And if you want one similar to HP Record Now there is a freeware application called Sony CD Extreme that you can download for free and is freeware. It has the same recording engine as Record Now built in.

Also if your burning application is not working, you might have damaged of lost your aspi layer. You should check that by going to adaptecs website and downloading the aspi check tool.

[at.morris]

UPDATE:
Went to the Microsoft Website to find some information, this page struck me as being the answer:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;305595
I tried both making a boot disk with and without an XP system. i used the default boot.ini, as i know no better. Here are the results of the non-XP system boot disk:
the following screen comes up
"Please select the operating system to start
Windows (default)
Windows (default)
Use the up and down arrow to move the highlight to your choice
Press enter to choose

For trouble shooting and advance startup options for windows, press F8"

By selecting to start either of the Windows (default), the following screen appears:

"Windows could not start because the following file is missing/ or corrupt
<windows root>\system32\hal.dll
Please re-install the above file"

By selecting the F8 option, a list of further options appear. it does not matter which are selected, the same screen appears.

The result of the the boot disk made from an XP system had little effect.

[at.morris]

No Rickio, the problem only started with HP Record now. After using the HP software to fix the problem, when i start my computer, i get only two screens. The first is a splash screen for HP, the second is a black screen with white writing (like in DOS) that says
"NTLDR is compressed
Press Ctrl+alt+del to restart"

[Rickio]

damn that's messed up. So your HP recovery actually messed you up even more huh?

Does your boot disc have drivers for the cd-rom drive?

You may need to re-install if you cannot decipher what is wrong?

Do you not have a recovery point for your windows XP?

[at.morris]

I dont have a boot disk, so had to make one as instructed by the microsoft website (see one before last post). I cant re-install, as the only drive that my computer will recognise is the floppy disk drive.
I cant get into Windows to find a recovery point. One of the options in 'F8' of my reboot disk is to find last working restore point, but i just get the same hal.dll error message.

[Rickio]

go here: http://www.startdisk.com/Web1/ubd/ubd.htm

These bootdiscs have generic cd-rom drivers.

[zaphodiv]

>"sdisk /mbr"

That would be fdisk /mbr
not sdisk
worth a try but it probably won't help since it sounds like it
is dieing later in the process of starting up windows.

At this point you will probably end up reinstalling windows so
start thinking about how up to date your backups are and what you
want to scrape off the HD while you can.

A boot floppy made with 98SE will also provide a DOS prompt
with CD support.

[Ea$y_E]

sounds like the entire drive is compressed.
have you tried to set the drive as slave and uncompress it?
windows wont recognise compressed system files.

wierd thing is. is that hp recovery disc should have formatted the drive and uncompressed it.

[at.morris]

Thanks Rickio - im just checking it out now, downloading the Win98SE boot disk.

Probably misheard my brother on the phone with the f/s mistake!

My computer doesnt get as far as loading windows, let alone allowing me to make any back-ups!

[Mitsugi]

if you have your winxp cd, then it should boot.. now to get it to boot, you may have to change bios.

if your drive using NTFS, then win9x, winme boot disk is useless.

[at.morris]

The computer will not boot off any recovery CDs, they are not recognised. i cant change the the bios, the only thing i could do before using the boot disk with microsoft instructions is to prees ctrl at del, which takes me straight back to the crtl alt del option...

[Mitsugi]

Originally posted by at.morris
The computer will not boot off any recovery CDs, they are not recognised. i cant change the the bios, the only thing i could do before using the boot disk with microsoft instructions is to prees ctrl at del, which takes me straight back to the crtl alt del option...
when booting winxp cd, it would wait a couple second for you to press any key to load from cd.. i think, but that's only if it's set to load cd-rom before hard drive in your bios.

[Kyle06]

Hello I had the same problem and this is what I did......... First off start your computer and keep hiting f10 I think(if that is not it tell me) then when you get to the recovery area you need to hit advanced and click start from there what this will do is completely wipe out the hard drive and reinstall windows xp....

We both have HP and I have used this method before and just to tell you when you first enter the recovery area what that will do is just reinstall and keep all your files on there but you need to completely reinstall.............................Please Tell me if it works

[isus]

Originally posted by zaphodiv
>"sdisk /mbr"

That would be fdisk /mbr
not sdisk
worth a try but it probably won't help since it sounds like it
is dieing later in the process of starting up windows.

At this point you will probably end up reinstalling windows so
start thinking about how up to date your backups are and what you
want to scrape off the HD while you can.

A boot floppy made with 98SE will also provide a DOS prompt
with CD support.

yes, i agree with zaphodiv... he probably made a minor error, and in dos, an error = an error... try fdisk /mbr.

it will fix the master boot record, which might be a problem. you might also try using a windows xp cd to reinstall just the windows system files.

NOT FDISK ALONE! you WILL lose everything if you continue through the whole process.

[at.morris]

Hey Kyle 06, i think you are on to something. I pressed F1 during the few short seconds to it crashed. I went to 'advance' like you said, but there is no 'start' option. However, 'reset configuration data' looks hopeful. Do you think that is it?

[vipp]

You haven't said what brand of computer you have (that I noticed anyway). Can't you call them for support?

[at.morris]

lol@vipp, ive made it quite clear from the start that it is HP, but they dont open until tuesday and the support line costs £1/min!

[vipp]

Originally posted by at.morris
lol@vipp, ive made it quite clear from the start that it is HP, but they dont open until tuesday and the support line costs £1/min!

Ohhh, please laugh at my stupidy. I wasn't connecting that with the actual brand of computer.

I have a Dell, and it came with 3 years of 24/7 phone support.

Sorry. :wings

[nasrules]

If you don't mind losing all your data, it should be quite simple. But I'm guessing you don't want to do that (grrrr @ Kyle06 j/k). Correct?

[at.morris]

Yeah, i want to keep all my data.

[nasrules]

OK, a few questions:

Do you have access (by ANY means) to a normal Windows XP CD?

Have you tried the "fdisk /mbr" command? (Make sure you DO NOT use just "fdisk" as it will wipe all the data from your hard-drive).


vipp: Yeah, that's the one good thing I have to say about Dell. The only problem is that they've now moved there call-centres from Ireland (hard to understand) to somewhere where all the employees are either asian or have asian accents (I'm not being racist, but it is IMPOSSIBLE to understand them!).

[at.morris]

To fdisk /mbr do i need to first change to c:\ prompt, because i cant do that, it wont recognise any drives except the floppy drive..

[nasrules]

Originally posted by at.morris
To fdisk /mbr do i need to first change to c:\ prompt, because i cant do that, it wont recognise any drives except the floppy drive..

Er......yes. That's not good at all. If it won't recognise the other drives, you may have a hardware problem. For now, we'll assume otherwise.

How are you getting to the C:\ drive? Use this command:

cd c:\

[at.morris]

I just tried fdisk /mbr on the a:\ prompt, but it replies 'bad command or file name'.
The only way to get to the a:\ prompt that i have found so far is using the standard windows XP boot disk (using the format option)

[nasrules]

It won't work on the A:\ drive unfortunately. Have you tried using "cd c:\"?

[vipp]

Do you have chat programs at.morris? Maybe nasrules could help you faster that way.

Not that I mind reading this mind you. I rather enjoy it. But if it was me, I'd prefer chat, one on one, to this.

Either way, good luck.

[nasrules]

Originally posted by vipp
Do you have chat programs at.morris? Maybe nasrules could help you faster that way.

Not that I mind reading this mind you. I rather enjoy it. But if it was me, I'd prefer chat, one on one, to this.

Either way, good luck.

LOL!!! nasrules' knowledge will run out once we get past my own experiences!!!

I agree with you though, this is how ZP used to be and should be. It gets better by the day!

[at.morris]

Thanks for all your help this evening people, slowly but surely i am making progress, but the time has come for me to drown my PC sorrows. Good idea VIPP - Perhaps i could talk to Nasrules on msn tommorrow.

Thanks again

[vipp]

Originally posted by nasrules
LOL!!! nasrules' knowledge will run out once we get past my own experiences!!!

I agree with you though, this is how ZP used to be and should be. It gets better by the day!

Btw, funny thing happened this morning. I was chatting with my buddy, as usual, and I commented on how I was at zeropaid, and nasrules was NOT THERE!!! Heh, I believe that's the first time I signed on, and you weren't here.

Musta been something serious, eh? :angel

[nasrules]

Originally posted by at.morris
Thanks for all your help this evening people, slowly but surely i am making progress, but the time has come for me to drown my PC sorrows. Good idea VIPP - Perhaps i could talk to Nasrules on msn tommorrow.

Thanks again

OK at.morris. I'll have to go in a minute anyway, but I think I'll be sleeping! PM me if you want help via MSN.

Originally posted by vipp
Btw, funny thing happened this morning. I was chatting with my buddy, as usual, and I commented on how I was at zeropaid, and nasrules was NOT THERE!!! Heh, I believe that's the first time I signed on, and you weren't here.

Musta been something serious, eh? :angel

Heheheh........................if it was before about 1pm BST, I was sleeping! It's weird, I'm on here like all the free time I have, yet I'm not at 2000 posts yet. Strange things happen...............

[Kyle06]

Originally posted by at.morris
Hey Kyle 06, i think you are on to something. I pressed F1 during the few short seconds to it crashed. I went to 'advance' like you said, but there is no 'start' option. However, 'reset configuration data' looks hopeful. Do you think that is it?

NO do not do that if you hold on one minute I will restart my computer and find the right way it was been a few weeks lol

[Kyle06]

Ok I restarted my computer this is what you need to do.....................Restart computer...After hitting the on button keep hiting F10 untill it says Hp System Restore.... Once that is started down where it says start go all the way to the left of that diolog...and click on the button that says "advanced Options" click that and then hit start


Keep in mind that all of your files that you have installed that is not backed up WILL be deleted please PM me if you need any more help....

[Borgster]

damn dude sounds like your in deep shit there. i was thinking before i wrote this that using the system recovery command line that it would help, but since you don't have an actual copy of windows xp, you can't access it because it runs from the cd.

is your hp still under warranty? you could send it to the factory, and have them look at it, and see what they can do. tuesday will be here before you know it.

id also think you can get into safe mode, but you said you couldnt get past the splash screen. since i have never formatted my (or anyone elses) harddrive in the past, i really don't know shit about reformatting, i just let my brother do it cause he knows much more about formatting than i do.

sorry i can't be more of help though. since our pc was built, i don't have anyone i can call except my brother cause he built it for us, so im not used to tech support for brand name computers.

[nasrules]

HOLD EVERYTHING!!!

I've just remembered, I've had a similar problem myself with not being able to get past the splash screen. Remove ALL components apart from your monitor, and see if it boots up. Chances are it won't, but it is possible.

[nasrules]

Originally posted by Dealie
This is not the time to point out xp is a pile of crap and you should use 98se...

You are one of a tiny minority who think that Dealie! All the NT-based Windows are more stable than the 9x ones. I've used all the 9x ones, NT4 and XP and have found XP to be the best and most stable by far!

[ekaz]

This has happened to me. Here is the solution. Boot with the Windows XP CD. When you are asked goto the recovery console (something like DOS prompt). Use the following command FIXMBR .
I strongly believe that your problem will be solved. Please let me know if this worked.

Good Luck!!!!

[nasrules]

Originally posted by ekaz
This has happened to me. Here is the solution. Boot with the Windows XP CD. When you are asked goto the recovery console (something like DOS prompt). Use the following command FIXMBR .
I strongly believe that your problem will be solved. Please let me know if this worked.

Good Luck!!!!

Thanks for your post, but it helps if you read the thread first. We've already ascertained that he doesn't actually have a proper Windows XP CD, and have given him instructions to fix his MBR, although it seems unlikely that this is the problem.

[vipp]

I'm living proof that reading the whole thread doesn't always help. I read the whole thing, then STILL asked him what brand of computer he had. :blah

[nasrules]

Originally posted by vipp
I'm living proof that reading the whole thread doesn't always help. I read the whole thing, then STILL asked him what brand of computer he had. :blah

LOL!!! Helping through MSN now, doesn't look too bad...

[vipp]

Cool. Let us know how it goes. :gj