Booting loop, boots in safe mode

B

brent12223

New Member
I'm having a HUGE problem with me HP Pavilion a1919h...

I'm running XP Media Center and I think an automatic update messed up my computer... I've managed to be able to boot in safe mode (and safe mode with networking) and run the computer restore thing, but when it tries to boot normally (or with 'last known good setting') it just keeps getting to the black XP screen and then re-boots again... I can only boot in safe mode... Does anyone have any idea how this could happen or how to fi it?

When it booted in safe mode after I did the system restore the successfull system restore window came up... But it won't boot normally!!!

PLEASE HELP!!

-Brent
 
If you can get it up into the safe mode desktop try removing the update in the add/remove progams if it is still seen. You may be seeing a corrupted registry or some how managed to get infected with a malware. There are a few things where you may be forced into a repair install in order to get Windows running again long enough to sweep the system for bugs. Do you have a recovery or full install disk available?
 
I had that problem twice with my Compaq..... (which BTW, is owned by HP) Back then, the only way I was apply to fix it both times was to do a system recovery, which, hopefully, you have either have or made discs for.....

Try other options in safe mode..... Try different variations of a system restore.... It might be helpful to post your specs up if you had upgraded or added any components.... Probably the main thing you need to worry about is saving all your files, music and documents that you don't want to lose.....

Edit: I think it was an update that screwed up my compy too..... both times. Sorry, PC eye's idea is better..... Although I doubt it's infect with malware as the second time it happened to me, the system was completely clean of any malware......
 
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The most likely cause there does point strongly at a bad install of something like the update mentioned. While in safe mode try using the msconfig utility to disable the list of startups that load along with Windows. With the system restore used the system should have been back clocked before the update was downloaded.

Another thing you could try is the system file checker may also be another tool to try out at this point if you have the XP Media Center installation or recovery disk onhand. You simply type "sfc /scannow" at the Run prompt and hit the enter key to sttart that up. That will correct any system files corrupted.
 
Boot Safe Mode with Networking. Log on to the Windows Update site and see what updates were installed to screw it up. Then go into the Control Panel > Add/Remove programs and unininstall the applicable updates. That should get it back up and running. Then you can go from there.
 
If that doesn't work there are some commands you can run from the recovery console to help rebuild your system. let us know what happens from the safe mode fix.
 
Ok, thanks guys, I'm going to try some of this today when I get off work... It actually booted up once, but, of course, when it restarted it was doing the same thing again... Damnit. I had the HP automatic (not windows) update mess up my vid card too, and I think it made my fan spin faster (the computer is a little louder)? but I did a recovery point thing and it was fixed... Just a day before this happened too...

On another note, does the RegFix program (or something like that) really work?
 
There are different programs out like Registry Mechanic for a retail price while some freewares like RegClean and RegCleaner do an adequate job. Once you have removed the problem update and Windows is running you can try a few different tools to clean up any orphaned registry values still lingering.
 
Ok, I've tried all of that stuff... To no avail... The windows update site won't let me view my prior updates... Some kind of error... It won't even let me view available updates (maybe b/c of safe mode?)... I looked in the Add/Remove programs, but none of them are new enough to have caused it I don't think, the newest one is from about 2 weeks from when this all went down...

I know when I try and do the recovery console thing when windows starts up it just goes to C:/Windows> and stays there... Is there something I should do with that? Is that like having the install disk? (I don't have any disks, not even HP drivers)... I bought the comp from Geeks.com and they said it was Genuine XP, but there's not even a product key on the comp or anything, and none of the documentation has one... Any more help would be awesome! Oh yeah, System Restore does nothing for me...
 
are there multiple partitions on the drive? Some systems have recovery partitions and do not come with restore cds
 
Yeah, it has a recovery partition, I think that's what the screen is before windows boots, I can see the recovery console thing... I go to it, then enter admin password, then it just goes to C:/Windows> and has the little blinking rectangle... Don't know what kind of command to use...
 
Another thing:
When I get into my recovery console, it gives me these 3 options:
D:/I386
D:/MiniNI
C:/Windows

What should I do with that? I got into the C:/Windows and did sfc /scannow and it was an unknown command...
 
Were you were in safe mode when trying to run the system file checker? You would have to run that while at a normal desktop. Once you get to the recovery console you are at a manual command prompt. The I386 folder on the installation disk contains all of the essential system files compressed into cab files there. To see a file copied to the hard drive you would use the expand command to see it decompressed and copied. How is that done?

"Ahww crap my browser.dll file needs to be replaced/overwritten!" How to perform this task? "D:>expand I386\browser.dll C:\Windows\system32\" and press the enter key. By default the recovery console prompt is seen at the C:\Windows> prompt. Only manual commands can be used there. For the list of commands available you simply type "help" at the prompt and hit enter.
 
Forget SFC nonsense or expanding anything. Logon to your C:\Windows partition, enter your password (make sure you logon with neworkign so you can get online) and follow the instructions I gave you earlier in this thread.
 
SirKenin, I'm not entirely sure it's the Windows update anymore, since when I saw the newest ones there wasn't one new enough to do this...
BREAK
PC eye- I don't know if I have that option or now, in the recovery console it only gives me those 3 options... I've done that 'help' command but I have no idea what most of those do... My experience from CMD was just looking in directories and playing solitare at work :)
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I don't know exactally how the systems boots, but it gets to the black XP screen then the screen flickers and restarts again, so in the boot process (the boot.ini and stuff) it gets somewhere then hits a driver or something that's corrupted (I think?) do any of you know which part of the startup it used after that black screen? I'm thinking I can use the recovery to restore all of those drivers one at a time...

Kind of a weird thing, maybe it will help, I was messing with the msconfig and changing the boot options on the first tab (selective startup and those things) it didn't work. But one time I was in safe mode and looked at it and the last one was checked (the one at the bottom, don't know what it was) so I just changed it back to normal and IT WORKED, XP boted normaly, but then I restarted adn it was no more... Have no idea how it happened, but I thought I'd just tell you guys in case it rings a bell....
 
Here is how to completely rebuild the boot sector on your ocmputer, this will fix and replace and rebuild lots of files related to the boot strap process of windows. This is not a guaranteed fix though.

Boot into the recovery console and choose your c:\windows installation and type in your admin password.

Once at the command prompt type in these commands

Code: 
     C: CD ..
     C: ATTRIB –H C:\boot.ini
     C: ATTRIB –S C:\boot.ini
     C: ATRIB –R C:\boot.ini
     C: del boot.ini
     C: BOOTCFG /Rebuild
     C: CHKDSK /R /F
     C: FIXBOOT
     C: exit

If this doesn't fix your problem, I would probably suggest a wipe and reload. ALso make sure you back up what you can, if you can before doing this. I can't guarantee this will save your HD, you are running the risk of losing all your data.
 
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Yeah, it's loading a TSR that's crashing it. If you have patience, go into Safe Mode and check off one at a time until it works. Then you found the one causing the glitch and you can fix it. Time consuming, but better than reinstalling everything.
 
I'm going to try that stuff from tlarkin tonight... Also, found out my comp is still under warranty (from geeks.com) for another couple of days (close call) so I shot them an e-mail to see if this kind of thing is covered (probably not) so I'll check that when I get home as well...
 
If you can get upto the desktop in safe mode and open the msconfig utility the place to go is the last section on the right called the Startup Group. Once in there you can the "disable all" option and see if Windows will start loading normally.

If the system comes up normal upon the next restart then you have some type of driver clash or registry glitch. Here you would have to look over the last things added or removed from the system. With everything on the disabled list you can run a free registry cleaner along with the "sfc /scannow" command with the recovery disk in the drive.

Every once in awhile something will crosslink itself with a default system startup. With the startup group cleared try a run of RegCleaner to remove any leftovers found in the registry. You probably are seeing orphan drivers being loaded causing Windows to stall.

You can grab RegCleaner free at http://www.majorgeeks.com/RegCleaner_d460.html I've even run this after a fresh installation of Windows and other softwares to it find loose items then. :eek:

"How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry that prevents Windows XP from Starting. in 10 minutes or less." http://www.aade.com/XPhint/XPrecovery.htm
 
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