Windows XP will not start

[1two3]

Got a call from my nan, her computer is not working. Went to see what happens.

• Press on switch
• Black screen, error:

"We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this." My options are:

Start in safe mode.
Safe mode with networking.
Safe mode with command prompt.
Last known good configuration setting (most recent setting that worked).
Start Windows normally.

Tried all 5 of them and all that happens on each is the Windows XP Loading screen comes up, about 30 seconds pass and the cycle resets. I think I see the BSOD but it flashes for a fraction of a second; there is no way I'll be able to read what is on it. The computer goes through the loading phase again and the black screen error message comes up.

I've asked my nan if she's knocked the computer at all and she said no. I also asked her what websites she's visited. She says she's only visited normal websites (i.e. Gumtree, Google, etc.) but as with all old people, I get the feeling that she's clicked on a link and unknowingly contracted some extreme computer-killing, World Eater virus.

Any advice?

Unsure of the specs as it isn't my computer (and I can't check), but I believe it's something like:

• 512MB Ram
• Windows XP
• Service Pack 3

That's actually all I can think of.

Oh yeah, and she doesn't have an XP CD, and I don't have one either.

[Salmon Trout]

If the computer has 512 MB it must be pretty old, in which case some hardware such as the hard drive or RAM might have died. Or it could be a virus. It sounds like she'd better take it to a repair shop, since you can't actually get to the machine.
 

[1two3]

Bit of an update. My nan has decided that she doesn't want to fork out the umpteen quid that it will cost to repair the PC, so she's going to get a tablet instead as that's "all she needs" (her money, not mine, so I don't care that much).

Anyway, new question. How do I ensure that all data on the inaccessable PC is destroyed? I'm assuming that my hammer won't do the job 100% efficiently, but if I am wrong, do tell.

[Salmon Trout]

Anyway, new question. How do I ensure that all data on the inaccessable PC is destroyed? I'm assuming that my hammer won't do the job 100% efficiently, but if I am wrong, do tell.

You could see if anything is recoverable from the hard drive by removing it and using either a USB enclosure or a USB-to-IDE adapter to make it into an external drive and plugging it into another computer and seeing what you can copy off it. If the drive proves to be dead or if you don't want to bother, I don't see why you shouldn't just smash it up with a hammer and put the bits in the rubbish, not necessarily all at the same time. If it contained the Al-Qaeda battle plans maybe the CIA would be willing to try (with no guarantee of success) to put it back together but if it's just Granny's recipe collection why would anybody bother?  If you disassemble it enough to get at the platters, these are made of glass, and once they are shattered the data on them will be beyond economic recovery. In fact giving them a good scratching with a file or sharp point ought to be enough.

[patio]

Keep the HDD...sell it as is.

That's what i always do with my used PC's to insure my data is goin nowhere,

[1two3]

Keep the HDD...sell it as is.

That's what i always do with my used PC's to insure my data is goin nowhere,

With the computer being pretty much stuffed is there any point selling it at all?

[Salmon Trout]

With the computer being pretty much stuffed is there any point selling it at all?

We don't know what the specs are, but if it has 512 MB of RAM it is probably quite old in PC terms and is likely to have a smallish and old hard drive and a (possibly by now very dim and blurry) CRT monitor, and if that is so, prices of the cheapest new and recent used PCs being what they are, you would probably have difficulty in giving it away even if it was in full working order. For example charities that accept donations to send to third world countries have to refuse a lot of offers because they simply can't use older stuff.

[1two3]

We don't know what the specs are, but if it has 512 MB of RAM it is probably quite old in PC terms and is likely to have a smallish and old hard drive and a (possibly by now very dim and blurry) CRT monitor, and if that is so, prices of the cheapest new and recent used PCs being what they are, you would probably have difficulty in giving it away even if it was in full working order. For example charities that accept donations to send to third world countries have to refuse a lot of offers because they simply can't use older stuff.

Was given to my nan by her son when he got a new one. I believe you think it's older than it actually is. It's a MESH, cost him about £2,000 new.  It has a nice 19" LCD monitor. The tower is quite nice, but like I said though, it's pretty much stuffed (isn't it?), so I doubt it could be shifted.

[Salmon Trout]

MESH TOWER 2200+ AMD ATHLON PROCESSOR, 512Mb RAM, 80Gb HD

£85 at Computer Junction in Southsea near Portsmouth, but that's working and with an XP Home licence. I don't know what the warranty is. 3 months possibly, and you pay to send it back. If not working it would be worth very little.  It could be 8 to 10 years old, which is prehistoric in PC terms. Decent PCs have had 1 GB for at least 7 or 8 years. The LCD monitor would have bumped up the new price.

[1two3]

Just a quick note:

Took my nan to PC World the other day to look at tablets and a guy there asked us if we needed any help. We got into talking about why she wanted the tablet and I explained what happened with her PC. He immediately told me that over the past few days he's had about 6 XP computers in with the exact same error. Weird. Something happened with Microsoft at all?

[Salmon Trout]

A  PC World salesman would say that, wouldn't he? Windows XP came out 11 years ago, there are a lot of old computers running it and they are flaking out. That's all.

[patio]

Do you and Nan a favor...ignore the PC world guy and get her what she wants...

[1two3]

He recommended a 32gb iPad after I told him all she needed was something to check websites and emails on, and after I explicitly told him she was not going to have music, movies or apps. Told him where to stick his iPad and let her try the Nexus 7 and Galaxy. Screw salesmen, all the care about is making the biggest sale. I really shouldn't be surprised.

Anyway, thanks everyone.

[hartbeatmr]

Good afternoon 1two3

I would like to give you my 2 cents.

For tablets the first one we got was a nextbook called the next2 neither one of us really liked it the unit would freeze up and did not like some apps etc and my better half wanted a kindle fire so I figured hat the heck and it was about 200 bucks.

So I did my normal and looked at all tablets, ipad, Samsung galaxy, nook etc etc. Checked spec's and reviews from allover the WWW and  All of them but the Ipad are around 200 - 250 but I decided on the galaxy tablet 7.0 (7" inch version) because of the reviews of the new OS and boy they are right

The Galaxy is VERY fast, it will go to sleep in seconds and wake back up just as fast.

The galaxy can get ebooks from any company that sells ebooks, web surf and be used as a remote control etc. Plus it has the droid ICE OS (ice cream sandwich). I have never been happier, well she is happy so that makes me happy

Hopefully this helps you in your shopping spree.

Take care and good luck, Mike 

[1two3]

She really liked the Galaxy but she noticed that the Motorola Xoom 2 was on offer at £179 which is roughly £100-£150 lower than its usual price. She liked it so she decided on that instead. Whatever makes her happy, ehy?

[patio]

Definitely the way to go...specially with Nan's...