Black screen on boot

[awl19]

Well it's been a long day of experimentation with my computer, attempting to have 3 OS's installed on my computer, WINXP,
UBUNTU, and Vista, with no luck, I decided to restart my computer and see what changes might had been made. When I did I got
an error along the lines of "Grub error 17" something of the sort on a black screen after my hardware loaded up and
everything. Well after hours of researching I found that GRUB was related to Ubuntu to manage multi-os's on boot.
So I saw some forums explaining that if I got installation discs for Ubuntu and loaded them on the boot of my computer that
I could re-install GRUB and hopefully my problems would be over...well after I download the latest version of Ubuntu I tried
to burn it to a disc...with about 6 programs to no avail. So finally I started messing around with the BIOS trying to see
if anything was wrong with that, couldn't find anything so I decided I could try re-installing windows and using the
tool that reverts back to you know like earlier that day or a week ago w/e that I could just try that....so now after
re-installing windows xp pro sp2 I just get a black screen at startup with a blinking line, prompt if you will. Oh yah
I forgot to say that I reverted my BIOS to default as well. So then I tried using the Recovery tool trying to, from there,
revert my computer to an earlier date since I couldn't get past the black screen. Well basically here is my problem now.
I have followed tutorials telling me to make my root in recovery tool "C:\windows\system32\config" and then using commands
to rename system files so that I can have my boot settings changed to default. Well for just about all those commands I get
a response saying "The system cannot find the file specified." including the command "fixboot" which I have only used in the
root directory. So anyways I'm pretty much screwed cause I never really knew what I was doing in the first place and I have
a BUNCH of files on here that I actually needed and now I don't know what to do. So I am posting, on about 20 different
forums, looking for answers, hoping that someone...ANYONE, can please please help me revert my computer back to a time
before I tried having 3 OS's.

Thanks in advance,
Andrew L.

 

[kimsland]

Microsoft's Windows XP Professional Repair Install step by step
http://www.windowsxpprofessional.windowsreinstall.com/installxpcdrepair/part3.htm

Microsoft's Windows XP Home Repair Install step by step
http://www.windowsxphome.windowsreinstall.com/installxpcdrepair/part3.htm

 

[awl19]

Thanks for links Kimsland. Although I found something strange when following the installation steps for XP Pro. On part 2 it says: "Now select the operating system you wish to repair, if as in most occasions there is only one, the just press "R" to continue." and they have a selection with the phrase: "C:\WINDOWS 'Microsoft Windows XP Professional'". Yet on my computer it says "C: Partition1 [NTFS]"
Somewhere along the line I believe I reformatted my C: drive...does that mean that I can't revert back to a couple days ago after this installation and have all the programs and files I had before?

 

[awl19]

Ok so basically here is the deal, I have tried your all your solutions BUT for w/e reason my
laptop is NOT burning ISO's///muchless anything. So I tried to re-install windows yet again
but when I finished and it prompted me that the computer would be restarting to accomodate the
changes it had made, it restart and the install disc prompts me again for the installation of
windows again...So I took out the installation disc and tried to restart yet again to see what
would happen. Yet again, a black blank screen. So I restart AGAIN and go into the BIOS
because I remembered I hadn't changed my HD to the 1st boot device. So I changed that and
restarted AGAIN. This time it loads my HD startup screen which wasn't my usual startup screen
anyways, normally it just showed a black screen with my hardware and then loaded GRUB where I
would choose windows. But now I just keeps restarting my computer and loading the HD and
repeating over and over and over. So I'm thinking that possibly I can't regain any of my
old software or data that I previously had considering I can't use any Partition tools
because I can't burn any ISO's.....so how can someone help me with that? Also I decided I don't
want a duel-boot comp. I just want Windows XP Pro...that's it.

Thanks in advance,
Andrew L.

 

[kimsland]

Yes it does seem as though your Data is not there any longer. Note the Repairing steps do not harm your data <-- so that wasn't it.

If you are concerned for your data, you are best to remove the HardDrive and mount it in another computer as a slave (like where the CD/DVD Drive plugs in) Then try to recover your data.

But, if you want to continue without trying to recover your data:
Put the Windows Setup CD in, and boot from it
Once all the normal load of initial files, you will get to a screen that asks you if you want to remove the Partition.
Select each Partition and remove them
Continue until all Partitions have been removed
Then just continue Windows Setup (Windows will automatically create the correct Partition and format the drive (if it has no Partition on it at all)

 

[awl19]

Kimsland thank you so much for your help, out of the several forums I posted on your information was definitely the most helpful, straightforward, and right on course with what I wanted to do.

Best regards,
Andrew L.

 

[BorisandBailey]

I will put in my cheers for Kimsland. Kimsland has a terrific way of delivering the most concise and clear suggestions and answers I've seen.

 

[awl19]

Ok so now I'm past the BOOT blackscreen phase because I decided to get one of our spare copies of windows xp pro, erase all partitions, and start anew. BUT! I am having a problem with windows xp pro after the installation!! Ok so here's what happens, my computer boots fine at first, shows hardware etc that it has loaded, then it goes into windows loading..as it should; yet it only loads for about 2 seconds and then the screen goes pitch black! No curser and no typing line either. Hope you guys can help me out! Thanks for previous help as well kimsland /love

(EDIT: I should probably also state that Windows Safe Mode DOES work.)

Thanks in advance,
Andrew L.

 

[kimsland]

Thanks guys

Now try this:

Boot to Safe Mode
Go to Device Manager (Start-->Run--> devmgmt.msc )
Click to expand + your Display Adaptor
Right click on your Display Adaptor that shows
Select "Uninstall" or remove
Restart

In normal mode, locate your updated Video drivers (ideally download from the web)
Install the drivers fully

By the way, pretty sure I have the flu (no not a cold) so hopefully this works, because I don't know when I can get back on.

 

[awl19]

Thanks for the help,
Andrew L.