Can't get past Windows welcome screen or reload windows XP

[wexfordalty]

Hi,

I know this topic has beeb discussed before, but there are a few issues here that I have not seen in any of the other topics relating to this issue.

My friend has a Dell (dinosaurus) Dimension 2400 that was running Windows XP SP1 (mainly due to a dial up connection never being on long enough to peform any updates). The machine was working fine (if a little slow), but they wanted to try out mobile broadband. So they got a Vodafone dongle on a 1 week trial basis. Unfortunately, it would not load due to the PC not having a minimum of XP SP2. So I used an XP SP2 CD to load SP2. It took an inordinate amount of time before fnially failing to install with one of those "Unrecognized error, sorry for your inconvenience" (yeah, right) messages.

Shut down the PC as was out of time. Came back to it the next morning and on startup it presented me with the setting up Automatic Updates screen that you get when configuring SP2, fine I thought and ticked it to use automatic updates. Left the room to get a drink, when I returned I was surprisd to see that it was at the login screen with several users listed. So, I attempted to log in, but the keyboard would not work. So, I rebooted and this time the machine hung at the Welcome to Windows screen. I tried safe mode and got the same thing, I tried Last known Good configuration and got the same thing.

So feeling rather sick that I was heading for a complete disk wipe and re-install (they have valuable data in an application on the drive that I am not all sure I can retrieve even using the drive in another machine), I put a XP system disk in the drive to attempt a repair install. I pressed F12 to change the boot order to boot from the CD, which it did and brought me to the options screen for Install, Repair or Cancel. Unfortunately, the keyboard does not work at this opint either so I can get no further.

I have a feeling of dread that I will have to take out the drive and wipe it before doing a clean install.

Is there please anybody out there who can offer me some hope of another solution?

Many thanks in advance.

[Allan]

If the keyboard is USB you can either switch to PS2 or look in bios for a setting to recognize USB on boot. See if that works.

[wexfordalty]

Thanks for the reply. Keyboard is PS2 and it works at other points, like when selecting from boot options. Don't have a usb keyboard to hand, but can probably get hold of one. This is still leading me towards a re-install though I fear (I do realise there may be no escaping that particular outcome).

Just to clarify my earlier post (and apologise for the typos), the screen upon which it hangs is actually the "windows is starting up" screen and not welcome screen as I originally stated.

[Allan]

If there is enough room on the drive, I'd suggest a parallel install. That is, boot to the XP CD and do a new install (DO NOT overwrite the existing installation, choose a new Windows folder). You can then boot to the new install, take ownership of the folders in the old install, copy the data you need and then either delete the old install or format and do a brand new, clean install if you choose.

One thing I suggest first though - the system seems to be hanging at the "Starting Up" screen which is why the keyboard isn't working. No harm in doing a full check/repair of the hd before doing anything else. Boot to the XP CD and choose the FIRST repair option. That will take you to the Recovery Console. Run chkdsk /r - it will take a while to run, let it finish. Then do the parallel install.

[wexfordalty]

Thanks again for the prompt replies Allan.

Unfortunately, there is not enough room for a parallel install and the problem with the data is that it is inside an application (I will research this further as I'm sure there must be files relating to it I can copy and then re-insert after I re-install the application).

Initially and it seems occasionally on restart it does get to the Login screen with the various usernames listed and it is at this point that the keyboard does not work (I realise it will not work when it hangs at the "starting up" screen.

My other problem was that when booting from the O/S disk, I get to the option screen to install, repair or cancel and the keyboard does not work so I can't select an option. Will try with USB keyboard when I get the chance to get hold of one.

Thanks again.....I will advise of any further progress (or indeed lack of).

[Allan]

I was not suggesting a usb keyboard, quite the opposite. From your first post it seemed your system was not recognizing the keyboard early on, which would suggest a ps2 connection might help. But now I see that's not the case. Switching to usb will almost certainly not help.

[wexfordalty]

OK, thanks Allan.

Any further suggestions would be most welcome. I have a sledgehammer on standby.

[Allan]

At this point, if you can't do a parallel install and a repair install isn't working you'll have to slave the drive to retrieve the data needed and then format and reinstall from scratch.

[wexfordalty]

At this point, if you can't do a parallel install and a repair install isn't working you'll have to slave the drive to retrieve the data needed and then format and reinstall from scratch.

Yeah, that's what I feared all along. I was vainly hoping that there may be a miracle cure I hadn't heard of. Ahh well, bite the bullet and now to gen up on that application of theirs to see how I can extract the correct files containing the data (has to be a simple database of some sort as it stores records on pedigree cattle).

Thanks for your time and thoughts Allan.

[Allan]

Yep. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

[wexfordalty]

Yep. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Not at all, your thoughts were appreciated and it confirmed what I thought. Thanks again.