Has My Computer Crashed?

[fullbug]

I'm freaking out, my desktop computer is a Windows XP Pro, SP2, when I reboot the computer it gives me a black screen, and says 'Error Loading Operating Sysyem' and it wont boot up, when I try booting in Safe Mode it says the same thing, what can I do about this?
I still have my install disc, but if I use that I wll lose everything on the computer right?
Do I have any other option?
Has the system crashed?

[fullbug]

About the only thing I can do is get into a system menu (F2) but I dont know what to do there.....
I cant even get it to read the Windows install disc.....

[flipflopjd]

I still have my install disc, but if I use that I wll lose everything on the computer right?

Wrong if you do a system repair you wont lose it

[fullbug]

Wrong if you do a system repair you wont lose it

How do I do that if I cant get the system to read the disc??

[fullbug]

I ran a IDE Hard Drive Diagnostics test, would posting the results be helpfull?

[fullbug]

I found some general info on this problem.....

The Solution (I):
Go to the BIOS settings of your machine and change the translation method used to access the hard drive from the default setting “Auto” to “Large” (not LBA, not CHS!). Reboot and with some luck installation will pick up at the point where it aborted before. If it doesn’t continue with the second part of the installation, you have to start over and do a fresh install. Leave the BIOS setting at “Large” for that task!

---------------
Could someone tell me how to get into the Bio's settings?
I cant figure it out....

[Broni]

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

[fullbug]

I can get into the boot menu, but for the life of me a cant figure out where to change the setting from 'auto' to large, what catagory to get to that point, help!

[fullbug]

I'm still stuck on this, have no idea what to do....

[patio]

I'm freaking out,

Panic is not good right now. Take a deep breath.

Repair Install of XP

Read the entire instructions thru to get familiar with the process.
Print out a copy for reference paying special attention to the warnings.
Assemble ALL drivers needed for that machine especially MBoard; video and sound and network.

If you do everything correct your XP install will be repaired and your programs and data will be intact...
If you don't follow these or His instructions properly you may lose all your data...

Good Luck.

[fullbug]

Patio, when I go into boot menu, I have these choices....
1- IDE CD-ROM Device
2- Diskette Drive
3- Hard Disc Drive C
4- Integrated NIC
No matter what combination I use with '3' turned off, it ends up saying 'Strike F1 to retry boot, F2 for setup utility'
You can see the CD drive is running, but my windows disc still wont run....
Suggestions?

[fullbug]

Never mind, got the windows cd going....

[fullbug]

OK, I followed the directions, and after the repair option was not offered, I ended setup and read the warning #2, since I dont have the option to try and save the data on another drive, do you think I should just go ahead and use this advice?

Possible Fix by reconfiguring boot.ini using Recovery Console.

 1.Boot with XP CD or 6 floppy boot disk set.

 2. Press R to load the Recovery Console. 

 3. Type bootcfg. 

 4. This should fix any boot.ini errors causing setup not to see the  XP OS
      install. 

 5. Try the repair install.

[patio]

Instead of doing the Repair Install listed now that you know how to get into the Recovery Console do that instead....
At the prompt type fixboot and hit Enter...
Remove the XP CD and re-boot.

If this does not work do the same thing and this time type fixmbr and hit Enter...
Again remove the XP CD and re-boot.

Let us know...

[fullbug]

Instead of doing the Repair Install listed now that you know how to get into the Recovery Console do that instead....
At the prompt type fixboot and hit Enter...
Remove the XP CD and re-boot.

If this does not work do the same thing and this time type fixmbr and hit Enter...
Again remove the XP CD and re-boot.

Let us know...

I'm trying the fixboot thing, its asking if 'I'm sure I want to write a new boot section to the partition C', is it safe to say yes? Just want to be sure....