Cant open Windows XP

slw · 07-13-2007, 06:00 PM

I have a Dell Laptop and when I turn it on I get this blue screen saying that windows detects a problem and will not open. I tried to a restore from an earlier date and open in safe mode , but still wont open.

Advice please?
Thanks!

PC Hobbyist · 07-13-2007, 06:23 PM

does it give you any more information about what problem it is?

Did it do this out of the "blue" (no pun intended - sorry) or did something weird happen the last time you used xp?

How many partitions do you have and how full are they?

slw · 07-13-2007, 06:30 PM

It says there is a problem with newly installed software or hardware. I havent installed anything , but I kept getting spyware popping for a few days before hand. sorry , dont know what partitions are

PC Hobbyist · 07-13-2007, 06:37 PM

partitions are divisions of your harddrive. Each partition has a letter assigned to it and you often refer them as drives (for example drive C: or drive D: etc.).

Do you have the original xp cd? Or did your computer come with xp already installed and maybe with a restore cd?

slw · 07-13-2007, 06:43 PM

I think the hardrive had plenty of space left,and it came with XP installed , I dont have a restore CD.

slw · 07-14-2007, 09:11 PM

It says UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME. What does this mean?

PC Hobbyist · 07-15-2007, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slw

It says UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME. What does this mean?

This is a known problem. Some say it is due to normal wear-and-tear of your hardware, others say it is an xp glitch, and others say it is both. It might be that your boot.ini file got messed up somehow. That file contains some instructions for when windows starts up.

I found this information online. I don't know if it will help you, but give it a try. Read everything (it is pretty short). For those without an xp cd, there are instructions toward the end of the article.

http://www.techtips4u.com/kb/sw/SW00014.htm

Here are links with similar information. All you need is most likely available in the link above, but I'll still posts other links I found, because they each might contain information that the other one doesn't:

How to obtain restore floppy disks from Microsoft
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310994

Similar info as first link:
http://www.tipmonkies.com/2005/08/30...-volume-error/
OR
http://www.rm.com/Support/TechnicalA...?cref=TEC71448

I found everything on this google search (in case you want to look more into it yourself):
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...=Google+Search

Let me know if it works. Hopefully it does.

slw · 07-24-2007, 10:41 PM

Thanks,I tried a disc in there and it didnt make any differnce. Its like the computer doesnt even reconize their is a disc in there

meanman · 07-25-2007, 01:39 AM

you might have to go into bios and set first boot device to cdrom.

slw · 07-26-2007, 02:29 AM

Now i get "media test failure check cable" what cable its a laptop?

07-13-2007, 06:00 PM	#1 (permalink)
slw New Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 11	Cant open Windows XP I have a Dell Laptop and when I turn it on I get this blue screen saying that windows detects a problem and will not open. I tried to a restore from an earlier date and open in safe mode , but still wont open. Advice please? Thanks!

07-13-2007, 06:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
PC Hobbyist Platinum Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 589	does it give you any more information about what problem it is? Did it do this out of the "blue" (no pun intended - sorry) or did something weird happen the last time you used xp? How many partitions do you have and how full are they? __________________

07-13-2007, 06:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
slw New Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 11	It says there is a problem with newly installed software or hardware. I havent installed anything , but I kept getting spyware popping for a few days before hand. sorry , dont know what partitions are Last edited by slw; 07-13-2007 at 06:33 PM.

07-13-2007, 06:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
PC Hobbyist Platinum Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 589	partitions are divisions of your harddrive. Each partition has a letter assigned to it and you often refer them as drives (for example drive C: or drive D: etc.). Do you have the original xp cd? Or did your computer come with xp already installed and maybe with a restore cd? __________________

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07-13-2007, 06:43 PM	#5 (permalink)
slw New Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 11	I think the hardrive had plenty of space left,and it came with XP installed , I dont have a restore CD.

07-14-2007, 09:11 PM	#6 (permalink)
slw New Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 11	It says UNMOUNTABLE BOOT VOLUME. What does this mean?

07-24-2007, 10:41 PM	#8 (permalink)
slw New Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 11	Thanks,I tried a disc in there and it didnt make any differnce. Its like the computer doesnt even reconize their is a disc in there

07-25-2007, 01:39 AM	#9 (permalink)
meanman Diamond Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: england Posts: 1,788	you might have to go into bios and set first boot device to cdrom.

07-26-2007, 02:29 AM	#10 (permalink)
slw New Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 11	Now i get "media test failure check cable" what cable its a laptop?

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