Author Topic: Xp cd won't let me access any recovery options (Read 8740 times)

Spatzi · « **on:** November 14, 2009, 08:00:18 AM »

First issue: Internet dropping. Only reboot fixed but would eventually go out again hours later. All other computers on my router network did not lose connection.
2) interrupt spikes start at 8 in a row every second, then continually until completely freezing system
3) I cold reboot as I could not shut down normally.
4) won't boot, not even safe mode. Tries to load drivers and stops at gagp30kx.sys
5) tried to use recovery from xp cd but only get blue screen with 'windows set up' top left and no options to do anything.

Help!

Allan · « **Reply #1 on:** November 14, 2009, 08:11:22 AM »

First thing you want to try is to boot to the Recovery Console and run chkdsk /r

Spatzi · « **Reply #2 on:** November 14, 2009, 08:38:35 AM »

But I can't get to recovery as my xp cd doesn't give the option.

Allan · « **Reply #3 on:** November 14, 2009, 08:40:53 AM »

Download a recovery console .iso and burn it to a disc, then boot to that disc http://forums.pcpitstop.com/index.php?showtopic=150212

Spatzi · « **Reply #4 on:** November 15, 2009, 02:35:16 PM »

I burned that iso to disc. This also does not work. It gives me the same blue screen as when loading my xp disc. All I get is 'Windows set up' in the upper left corner, with no options to do anything.

Allan · « **Reply #5 on:** November 15, 2009, 02:38:11 PM »

You need to boot to the cd

Spatzi · « **Reply #6 on:** November 15, 2009, 03:03:22 PM »

What do you mean 'boot to the cd'? I turn on the computer, hit f8 to go to boot options. When I choose from my boot options list, I selected the dvd drive where the cd is located. This is what I did with the xp cd. Same result.

Allan · « **Reply #7 on:** November 15, 2009, 03:16:00 PM »

The cd should be bootable. Go to the bios and change the boot order so the cd drive is at the top of the boot order and then reboot to the cd.

Spatzi · « **Reply #8 on:** November 15, 2009, 03:41:08 PM »

Thanks. I got in and hit r for recovery console. But now I found this info in regards to what to do next:

Press Enter to start the Windows Setup. do not choose "To repair a
Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press R", (you Do Not want to load Recovery Console). I repeat, do not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press R".
Accept the License Agreement and Windows will search for existing Windows installations.
Select the XP installation you want to repair from the list and press R to start the repair. If Repair is not one of the options, END setup. After the reboot read Warning#2!
Setup will copy the necessary files to the hard drive and reboot. Do not press any key to boot from CD when the message appears. Setup will continue as if it were doing a clean install, but your applications and settings will remain intact.

Is this true? I don't want to be in recovery console? What do I do next?

I'm now at the recovery console with option to hit exit to reboot computer.

Allan · « **Reply #9 on:** November 15, 2009, 03:49:03 PM »

Quote from: Allan on November 14, 2009, 08:11:22 AM

First thing you want to try is to boot to the Recovery Console and run chkdsk /r

Spatzi · « **Reply #10 on:** November 15, 2009, 04:23:48 PM »

Okay. But now it's stuck at 50% for the last half hour. Is this normal?

Allan · « **Reply #11 on:** November 15, 2009, 04:26:06 PM »

Is the hd light flashing? If so, leave it alone.

Spatzi · « **Reply #12 on:** November 15, 2009, 04:29:08 PM »

No, it's not flashing.

Allan · « **Reply #13 on:** November 15, 2009, 04:35:00 PM »

Not a good sign. Try the repair install (this time choose the SECOND repair option, allowing XP to install on top of itself). Let's see if that helps. If it does complete properly and you can boot to the OS you'll have to download and install all MS updates. Everything else should be good (all apps and preferences).

Spatzi · « **Reply #14 on:** November 15, 2009, 04:40:49 PM »

So I need to shut down the computer now? Or type in a command while it's sitting at 50%?

What if I use the original xp disc and try to run chkdsk again? Will that be better than using the iso copy disc I'm currently using?

Allan · « **Reply #15 on:** November 15, 2009, 04:44:16 PM »

Doesn't matter. The recovery console is the recovery console. Go ahead and try if you like, can't hurt. Switch discs and reboot to the recovery console and run chkdsk /r again. If it still freezes reboot and try the repair install. And yes, after switching discs you can press CTRL-ALT-DEL to reboot and if that doesn't work press the power switch for the reboot. But I really don't like that checkdisk will not run / complete. Did it run any part of the check or did it only get to 50% in the first pass?

Spatzi · « **Reply #16 on:** November 15, 2009, 04:53:33 PM »

I just noticed I don't have a flashing hd light. I rebooted with the xp disc and got into recovery. Running chkdsk again and it is progressing, but there is never a flashing light.

Spatzi · « **Reply #17 on:** November 15, 2009, 04:55:27 PM »

Same thing again with the xp disc. Went to 25% in a few seconds, a couple minutes to hit 50% and now stalled again.

Spatzi · « **Reply #18 on:** November 15, 2009, 05:05:40 PM »

So which option do I use?

1) to set up windows xp press enter
2) to repair windows xp with recovery console.

Spatzi · « **Reply #19 on:** November 15, 2009, 05:21:44 PM »

I went into windows setup and it shows only one drive but two drives are installed on the computer. Does this mean one is corrupted?

My options are to

1) set up windows xp on the selected item, hit enter
2) install windows on the unpartioned space of the selected item, press c
3) to delete the partition press d

there is only 4000 mb of free space.

Spatzi · « **Reply #20 on:** November 15, 2009, 05:40:03 PM »

The drive that is showing with option to install windows is actually an external drive hooked up by usb. It doesn't show the two drives that are in the computer. Why would that be?

Allan · « **Reply #21 on:** November 16, 2009, 05:53:43 AM »

Do you actually have two hard drives in the system or one drive with two partitions?

patio · « **Reply #22 on:** November 16, 2009, 06:49:13 AM »

I would disconnect the external for now...just in case you accidentally format it...don't laugh...dozens of people here have done it.
Then i'd power down and re-seat all connections to the internal HDD and power up and enter Setup to detect the drive.
If the BIOS does not detect it after this i'm afraid it's dead.

Allan · « **Reply #23 on:** November 16, 2009, 06:55:23 AM »

Patio - I was also about to tell him his hd is dead until his post above, which says the system does not detect the two drives in the computer.

patio · « **Reply #24 on:** November 16, 2009, 07:32:00 AM »

Gotcha....
As you mentioned before though i suspect 1 drive w/2 partitions...

We'll see i guess.

Spatzi · « **Reply #25 on:** November 16, 2009, 08:22:51 AM »

There were 3 drives in the computer. I removed one, put it in an external case, then copied all files off to my other computer. There were no xp files on that drive.

That leaves 2 seperate drives still in the computer, and the external. I will disconnect the external drive and see if I can get at the data, then I'll do the same with the two drives that don't show up.

Reseat the drives? What is that exactly?

Spatzi · « **Reply #26 on:** November 16, 2009, 08:28:40 AM »

When I was changing the boot priority in bios to go to cd drive first, I removed the other drives that were showing up because I could not change their priority numbers. I disabled them. Could this be why they don't show during windows setup? I had about five boot choices originally.

patio · « **Reply #27 on:** November 16, 2009, 08:40:47 AM »

Yes...most definitely.

Remove all but the drive that you boot to...the one that contains the OS.
That 1 should be jumpered master.
Once that's up and running set the boot priority to floppy (if applicable ) CD; then the 1st HDD.
Re-boot a few times.
Then add the 2nd external and jumper it slave...
Again check to see it's recognised and do a few re-boots.
Finally add thew external and make sure it is picked up as well.

What you've managed to do with all the consecutive changes is thoroughly confuse the BIOS,,,easily done and easily fixed.

Allan · « **Reply #28 on:** November 16, 2009, 08:47:51 AM »

If you disable something in the bios, as far as the system is concerned it no longer exists.

Spatzi · « **Reply #29 on:** November 16, 2009, 08:51:52 AM »

Okay. That's something at least. Still wonder why it stopped scanning my external drive at 50%. There is nothing wrong with that drive. I just checked all the files on my other system.

Questions: As far as the hd that I booted from, can that be done ONLY from a HD that contains the OS?

2) What's jumper master? I've never done that.

Allan · « **Reply #30 on:** November 16, 2009, 08:53:53 AM »

Quote from: Spatzi on November 16, 2009, 08:51:52 AM

Okay. That's something at least. Still wonder why it stopped scanning my external drive at 50%. There is nothing wrong with that drive.

BECAUSE YOU DISABLED IT IN BIOS. THE SYSTEM DIDN'T SEE IT

Spatzi · « **Reply #31 on:** November 16, 2009, 09:00:38 AM »

But it will still scan up to 50% when it can't see it?

Allan · « **Reply #32 on:** November 16, 2009, 09:07:08 AM »

It's not scanning, it's looking for files in the MFT during the first phase of checkdisk. It counts up as though it's checking, but the actual check begins sometime after it appears the process has begun. I'm not 100% certain of what it does from 0-50, but I'm guessing it's looking for the MFT and when it can't find it, everything stops.

patio · « **Reply #33 on:** November 16, 2009, 09:44:52 AM »

Please follow the last instructions i gave you or we'll get nowhere fast...
The only drive you can boot to is the one with the OS...

This is not that difficult if you take it step by step...otherwise you risk losing all your data or worse.

NOTE: all drive manuf. have different pin settings...the illustration is to serve as an example only...

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Author Topic: Xp cd won't let me access any recovery options (Read 8740 times)

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