Stumped!

djcon

djcon

New Member
My Sisters Boyfriends Laptop, a Gateway MX6453 T64 x2 1.6/2GB/160/DVDRW/XPMC, Will not go past the first gateway logo screen.

a diff screen pops up and says exactly this:

"We apologize for any inconvenience, but windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this.

If you computer stopped responding, restarted unexoectedly, or was automatically shut down to protect your files and folders, choose Last Known Good Configuration to revert to the most recent settings that worked.

If a previous startup attempt was interrupted due to a power failure or because the Power or Reset button was pressed, or if you aren't sure what caused problem, choose Start Windows Normally.

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)

Start Windows Normally

Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice."

Him and I have tried every single option, with no success...

even holding down F8 at startup and getting a different list of options and trying them all, still no success.

I am completely stumped... the only other thing and a last resort would be to reinstall windows... but then he looses all his files.

is their anything else i could try? Or is a reformat and install the only way?

Thanks.
 
There are two things in particular to try before seeing a full system recovery with a fresh copy of Windows installed. The first is to use the manual method of starting the system restore feature at the F8 menu's "Safe Mode/Command Prompt Only" option by simply typing in the following command and pressing the enter/return key. "
%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe" (without the quotes.)

What the system restire feature can do is bring Windows back to an earlier date as far as the system registry is concerned and bail you out of something like a bad install of any program or update. The "sfc /scannow" command is another thought to start up the system file checker from that same prompt with the installation disk in the optical drive. That will often repair or replace damaged or missing system files.

Those two things are options to try out before using a last resort of performing a repair install of Windows with a method outlined in the article at the link in order to preserve the present software environment along with not seeing files and folders deleted during a full reinstall. http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Something like a now bad set of video drivers usually cause Windows to lock at boot. With Windows reaching the desktop if successful prior to using the repair install method the best idea would be to reduce the things set to load up along with Windows seen in the startup group of the msconfig utility. By using the disable all option you can usually re-enable one thing at a time to isolate the offending item and see it corrected or removed.
 
after going to the "Safe Mode/Command Prompt Only" option, it will show the XP logo, and the loading bar, and then restart again... safe mode dosnt work, and i cant get to any point like a DOS setting.
 
If you are seeing the system restart when trying to get to the manual prompt you may be looking at a hardware not OS problem so much there. Have you tried just paying a qiuck visit into the bios setup? If you try to get in there and the system restarts you are likely looking at bad ram or a possible board or memory problem.

The thing to do there rather then voiding any warranty would be to bring back to the dealer or send in to the vendor. A laptop with a voided warranty is a nice and expensive paper weight if you follow the meaning there. Don't make yourself liable if it is under some service plan. This would be the best recommendation. The things here are simply tools for OS problems in order to save the current installation of Windows.

A full restoration with the disks that should have come along with the unit might help but not for any factory defects seen in hardwares. Without those for a preinstalled OS and possible hardware problems return to dealer is the best thing there. Without the recovery disks a full install copy of that version of Windows would have to be bought in order to see a clean install correct all software problems.
 
ya i can get in bios easy. just not windoes starting, thats why i thought it was a software problem.

the warranty isnt up, so we'll try that. thanks alot. i appreciate it.
 
With any prebuild system or laptop you want to look at that first. If you void a warranty you won't like the outcome when owner finds out it's voided. :eek: :confused:

It probably is some simple item like corrupted drivers or some recent download that went on wrong. But when a warranty is still good let the dealer have the headache! :P He's the one making the money on it.
 
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