Help, major computer problems

[Bradford]

Hi, i'm new to computer hope and my computer is having a real problem, this is what i wrote up on yahoo anbswers, but i didn't get much help, so i was wondering if any of you could help me.


Hi, my computer is having real problems and i'd be really grateful if anybody could help me.

Basically here is what happened:

I was just about done on my com, it was 2am and i had just shut down msn, Norton kept telling me it needed to restart, to which i had kept delaying by one hour( Remind me in One Hour Option) so i restarted as it said as i was finished anyway. As i restarted, the programmes and start menu began to slowly dissapear as per usual, but as it got to just the background, the computer froze, usually the background would then dissapear and i would either see a 'who to log into' screen or it would say that it was shutting down. But it just stayed on this background. I eventually held down the power button to turn the computer system off. I then turned it back on again, everything seemed to be going fine until i again reached the log on screen, i chose my profile, the background loaded up, but that was all, i shut down and turnedd on the computer numerous times trying dfferent profiles, but i always got the same result, the desktop background screen. This resumed for about 36 hours. I went to bed, sometime the next day, i turned on the computer and left it, i was shocked to hear  a beepinbg sound. I went over to discpover the compuyter was loading up, then restarting, over and over again. I let it do this for a while before deciding to act. I agasin, held down the power button, to which the system shut down. Upon loading up i was greeted by the following screen, which gave me several options.

We apologize for the conveniance, but windows didn't start succesfully.A recent hardware or software change might have caused this.

Options:

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Last Known Good Configuration

Start Windows normally



It's be great if anyone could help me and possibily explain why this happened, i really appreciate all your help as i am pretty scared atm if i won't be able to use my computer again, as i don't have enough money for another and am currently borrowing my sisters.

I really, really appreciate all your help

[Broni]

What does happen, if you try any of listed options?

[Bradford]

I havn't tried any yet, i'm not sure what would happen, i don't really know what safe mode is, so don't know which would be the best choice.

[Broni]

Try Safe Mode first.
If that doesn't work, try Last Known Good Configuration

[Bradford]

okay will try, ty.

[Bradford]

Okay well, when i tried safe mode,  a long list below formedm i think they were fiolders of some kind, then they stopped and i could do nothing. Whilst on last known it just keeps restarting, like before.

[Broni]

then they stopped and i could do nothing

Can you try again and tell me at what file the whole process stops?

[Bradford]

Sorry, whilst doing it, the com automatically moved on for some reason and now keeps doing the restarting thing all over againn. I know it has multi (0) and /system32 if that helps, all of the files seemed to haver those two in.

[Broni]

OK. Let's try something...
You may want to print it out, since it may look complicated at the first look.
However, if you can follow clear steps, you should be able to do it....

If you have Windows XP CD... (if you don't have Windows CD, scroll down)

1. Boot from the CD.
2. When the text-based part of Setup begins, follow the prompts. Select the repair or recover option by pressing R:



3. You'll find yourself at this screen:



4. Once you are at the Recovery Console you will be given at least one choice of Windows installations. Normally the choice you want is the number 1 choice. Click the number 1 key at the "top" of the keyboard and click enter.

NOTE: at this point your numbers to the right of your keyboard are turned off. If you insist on using these keys for your numbers remember to hit the Numbers Lock key before clicking a number over there or your computer will automatically reboot and you will have to wait through the previous steps to get back to the console.

5. You will be given a message asking for the administrator password. Unless someone or something has messed with your computer there is no password so you just click the Enter key.

6. This will bring you to a prompt that says:

 C:\WINDOWS>

7. Type:
 
cd \
 
Press Enter

Note: between "cd" and "\" there should be a "blank space" otherwise  the command won't work

8. The prompt should now say:

C:\>

9. Type:

cd system~1\_resto~1

Press Enter.

===============================================================================

Note: If it gives an error "Access Denied" while accessing the folder, follow the method below

            Type: cd \

            Press Enter

            Type: cd windows\system32\config

            Press Enter

            Type: ren system system.bak

            Press Enter

            (note the spaces between ren and system, and then between system and system.bak)

            Type: exit

            Press Enter

             now the computer should restart, then follow steps 1-9

===============================================================================

10. Type:

dir

Press Enter

NOTE: When you hit enter it will list all the restore points folders like "rp1", "rp2" we have to see the last restore point to copy the file from a recent backup. If the restore points have more than one page then you have keep on hitting the key to view the last restore point folder.

NOTE: It is a good rule of thumb to choose the files from the restore point folder which the second to the last one.

11. Type:

cd rp{with the second to the last restore point number }

Press Enter

Example: cd rp9. if rp10 is the last restore point

12. Type:

cd snapshot

Press Enter.

NOTICE: Now the command prompt will look like this:

c:\system~1\resto~1\rp9\snapshot

Note : restore point 9 assumed for clarity of the content.


13. Type:

copy _registry_machine_system  c:\windows\system32\config\system

Press Enter

14. Type:

Exit

Press Enter.

Final note : If the above procedure won't solve the problem, repeat all steps, but in step 13 type:

copy _registry_machine_software c:\windows\system32\config\software

Alternatively, select different restore point.



If you don't have Windows CD...

Download Windows Recovery Console: http://www.thecomputerparamedic.com/files/rc.iso
Download, and install free Imgburn: http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download
Using Imgburn, burn rc.iso to a CD.
Boot to the CD...let it finish loading.
When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the Recovery Console.

Follow steps 3 - 14.

[Bradford]

Okay, thanks alot, i don't have a CD so i'll do the second method anbd report back what happened, thanks

[Broni]

Cool