can anyone help me through this PLEASE?

[hopeless_tech]

hi guys,
i've previously posted here, but my semester ended recently and i've finally gotten my pc hooked up to try starting it in Safe Mode.  here's the situation, and how it all started out (copy n paste from old post):

first time i turned my computer on since i got back, it was doing something with a light blue background, i noted it had to do something with 'CHKDSK', maybe it said something about restoring some files or something.  it might have mentioned the C drive, not sure though.
    then, it went to the loading screen and after that, nothing comes up on the screen.  tried restarting it, and it keeps asking me if to choose from Safe Mode, Start Windows Normally, a couple other choices with Safe Mode, and something about Starting with the last configuration that worked.  I tried all 3 of 'em, but after the loading screen where there's a bar underneathe 'Microsoft Windows XP' NOTHING happens.  

Computer specs from old post too:

at startup, my pc would display the Gateway logo.  It was slightly over 800 mhz i think (cpu) with 384 mb RAM, maybe slightly over.  Harddrive was slightly over 120GB and another one that was 20 GB (2 harddrives, the 120 GB was on sale...).  

sorry i can't be too specific.  i don't notice such things and with so many upgrades etc., i lost track.  hope it helps.

Ok, here's the Update:

I've finally hooked the pc up and just started it, chose Safe Mode strictly.  As soon as I did that, it started listing these kinds of things (last 5 lines that appear on bottom of screen):

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System32\
Drivers\KSecDD.sys

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System32\
Drivers\Ntfs.sys

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System32\
Drivers\NDIS.sys

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System32\
Drivers\Mup.sys

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System32\
DRIVERS\agp440.sys

and on that last listing, that's where it's been stuck for, i'd say, at least 15 min's.

I'm not a computer techie, so please be as simplistic as you can.  Reason I can attempt to do anything now is that I got a copy of the win xp from a friend.  (go ahead n laugh, but what is the diff. between the OS disk and the boot disk?  plus, it's gotta be an OS disk if it has these letters and #s on it (some sort of key i'm guessin'??)  

Sorry if i've left anything out.  i'll leave the pc on and let me know what i can try...

[hopeless_tech]

last time pcdoc4christ posted this in reply to my earlier post:

Another option is to borrow a Windows XP installation CD from a friend and do a repair installation.  If it works, you will be able to boot to your current XP OS.  The only hitch is that the OS will then ask you for the product key.  If you do not enter a valid key for the installation, you will be locked out of the OS.  You will, however, be able to boot to Safe Mode and then copy small files onto floppy disks.
[/over]

Ok, well if i'm locked out (granted i punch in the wrong key...), i don't get a chance to retry??  isn't that a bit harsh, in case someone accidentally types in the wrong letter/#?  

[dl65]

hopeless_tech......What's the differance ....??

A boot disk is disk intended to start up a pc that hasn't any operating system installed ......... ( It contains several generic drivers to allow the cd -rom to function ) as well as a Format and Fdisk function ....

An Operating system ...is just that ....ie  Win 95, Win 98 , Win 98SE , Win 2K , Win ME , Win XP Home or XP Pro .....   These cd's will be supplied with a product serial code ...... which is a combination of  25  letters and numbers .

Hope this helps you

dl65  

[hopeless_tech]

so uh since it had xp on it, and now it's stuck, won't take me to desktop, do i just stick this xp cd (w/ key) in it, turn pc off, turn it back on, and let it do its thing?

what should i expect?

thanks for clarifying, dl65.

[dl65]

hopeless_tech...... LOL .....if you enter the wrong serial ,
you will be told that the number is invalid and please enter the correct one .........

"Ok, well if i'm locked out (granted i punch in the wrong key...), i don't get a chance to retry??  isn't that a bit harsh, in case someone accidentally types in the wrong letter/#?   "

......And most important , draw all the drapes, shut the blinds and dont answer the door or the phone.

dl65  

[dl65]

hopeless_tech ....... Win Xp is bootable ...so if you put the cd in the drive ....then reboot it will begin to load and offer you several option .........  you want to install ...so choose that and then let it go .. you will be prompted for the serial code in the course of installation .........Make sure you select the NTFS  option .
or if you just want to repair ...choose that option .
cheers
***Change the boot sequence in the bios ....to 1st boot from the cd rom ***
dl65  

[hopeless_tech]

hopeless_tech ....... Win Xp is bootable ...so if you put the cd in the drive ....then reboot it will begin to load and offer you several option .........  you want to install ...so choose that and then let it go .. you will be prompted for the serial code in the course of installation .........Make sure you select the NTFS  option .
or if you just want to repair ...choose that option .
cheers

dl65

my main thing was to save stuff i had on my D drive (the smaller 20 gig one).  will this wipe out all the stuff i had on my c and d drives?  if it gives me repair option, of course i'll choose that, as it seems my drives might be ok then.  

any way i can salvage stuff on my 2 drives?  plus... since i have two drives, i'm not familiar with master/slave drives or whatever, and partitioning.  will repairing or re-installing ask me about partition or master/slave drives?  if so, what should i choose?  (c drive: about 120 gig, d drive: 20 gigs).

dl65, thanks so much for help.  your replies are making sense to me and this seems doable.  any way i can put you on my aim buddy list for when i tackle this? (it's ok if you say no).  please keep replying and tackling my messy ?s  

[dl65]

hopeless_tech....  If you have two separate hard drives.......The  first is C and will contain the operating system and programs ....... ( should be set as the master ) ........ the other drive is D and is set as the slave ........ you shouldnt have to change anything as they are already set .   If you do a new install ....all data on drive C will be lost .     I use msn messeger .........

cheers

dl65  

[hopeless_tech]

so, if just repairing, i shouldn't have to deal with master/slave thingy.  

if new install, d drive will stay ok, but c will be wiped clean.  do i have to tell it that c is master and d is slave?  or you said it's already been set?

sorry if ?s are repetitive, just trying to learn.  and i really appreciate your detailed responses.  

[dl65]

 hopeless_tech......Once the hard drives are installed ( with the jumpers set to master and slave. ) thats it..... it isnt necessary to reset them when or if you reformat ........
The slave drive ( D) will not be effected when you reinstall or repair ........ the operating system on Drive C


dl65  

[hopeless_tech]

hey dl65,
i got advice from another person as well (doesn't hurt right?) and he said the last command that i typed out that the comp. is getting stuck on something that has to do with the video card.  then he asked if i had a video card in the agp slot on the motherboard (i'm clueless as to what this is).

and i replied saying if i reinstalled/repaired the C drive, would this video card problem keep popping up?  

anyone have any suggestions here?

(to make matters worse, i can't remember what video card is in it!)  

[hopeless_tech]

God, i k now, my ?s never stop, but could it be that the drivers of the video card got erased/deleted?  since the last thing to appear on the screen was:

mult(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System32\
DRIVERS\agp440.sys

but if that was the case and the video card's drivers were deleted somehow, would that prevent you from getting to the desktop?    

man... i dunno what the first step here should be  :-/