XP start up stuck

[wizzy]

Hi,
I wonder if anyone can help me, i have a very old Tiny pc that has worked well for years, it's running XP home i think. When i tried to start it up it gets stuck in a loop, it offers the choice of SafeMode etc... but none of them work, it justs restarts and goes back to the same screen and i can't find any recovery disks?
Can anyone suggest anything i can try ?
I haven't got XP disc either.

Thanks

Sara

 

[kimsland]

XP Home Disc: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116511

Then a Repair

 

[wizzy]

Thanks for your reply.
Is there any way i can check that it is finding my cd-rom before buying this ?
I've tried a xp disk in it before and it said it couldn't boot from disk !!!

 

[kimsland]

Well firstly check in CMOS settings to confirm CD is the first bootable device
To get to cmos (or bios, or setup) you should notice a prompt like DEL or F2 (or some other key) when you first turn on the computer (it usually displays for about 3 secs somewhere on screen)
Once in CMOS settings, locate the Boot Sequence, and adjust accordingly

Otherwise it could either be a faulty CD drive, or faulty CD

 

[wizzy]

Thanks. Did do that before but it didn't work so dont no if it cd drive or disk.
Any other ideas ?

 

[nickc]

take u're Windows disk and clean it with alcohol and a cotton ball, and see if it will boot then. if it is dirty this will help, dirty can mean having lots of winger prints on it or any thing else.

 

[Jerk]

Normally when this happend is becasue files whre
corructed in the C:\WINDOWS\System32 directory.

i recoment all user that while their computers are ok
use then for a good and be prepare with tools so when
things like these happend you can be preapre for the worse.

 

[kimsland]

Actually corruption in Windows (or even no Windows) won't stop a bootCD

But you did raise a good point, try another BootCD, this will elliminate the actual CD as the fault

 

[wizzy]

ok thanks, will try suggestions

 

[LookinAround]

it's running XP home i think.

Is a good idea to know for certain and know it matches whatever CD;s you're using

Start->Run enter msinfo32

 

[kimsland]

A quicker one
Start->Run-> sysdm.cpl

If it doesn't work, run this:
Start->Run-> %WINDIR%\system32\sysdm.cpl

Here's another nifty command

Windows Install Date

Start-->Run-->CMD-->enter
systeminfo | find /i "install date" -->enter

Edit

Or run this: http://www.donationcoder.com/Forums...l1&action=dlattach;topic=10571.0;attach=23037