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!
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.
People on my "cool list" in no particular order.
Krell, Phalkon30, Ken17625, Triniti, Kyle06, Potato429, wessman, Winphuk, Woflie, MoonMan, All the mods, CCSDUDE, Lamourlady, Nasrules, Alannah777, vipp, foreverboard, NDGAARONDI, metale, isus, Endersgame21, Reg0232, notbob, Janett999, and uhh you!
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.
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.
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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!
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...
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.
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.
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.
UPDATE:
Went to the Microsoft Website to find some information, this page struck me as being the answer:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;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.
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"
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?
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.
go here: http://www.startdisk.com/Web1/ubd/ubd.htm
These bootdiscs have generic cd-rom drivers.
>"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.
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