Installing XP: Shutdowns and mystery passwords

Discussion in 'Software' started by anabellita, Jun 1, 2008.

  1. anabellita

    anabellita Private E-2

    Hello again! as promised, new chapter!

    I'm re-installing XP because a month ago, when I brought it back form the tech center, the PC was working fine, but the whole OS was in Italian (I'm living in Italy) and I want it in Spanish. I finally found the energy and the time to go through this. So, since I had a small partition of 7GB, I decided to do a test and backup install first, just in case, before going into the C drive.

    That installation was already a nightmare, with the computer simply shutting down on me in the middle of the process numerous times... But eventually I managed. Weird, though, isn't it, that it would shut down? Why would that be?

    When it was finally installed, I went on to do the same (with the same disc) on the C drive. Again, at different times in the process, the computer would shut down, and randomly either asking me to put back the CD or not... (I'm starting to get concerned that there may be a hardware issue? but it's fresh out of the tech center! and,to be honest, it was working just fine for over a month). Eventually, it goes through.

    However... ta-da! when I re-start the system, I get taken to the welcome screen with the usernames to pick from. Mind you, I didn't create any user account other than the administrator (It's just my husband and myself on this computer), and I didn't get the screen with the previous installation in the small partition. To make matters worse, I can't access the OS because it requires me to enter a password, which obviously I don't have because I never created one!!

    What's even more frustrating is that I can't even opt to shut down, because that button appears greyed out.

    I read somewhere that malware can do this sort of thing, but in all honesty, I don't see how any malware could have ever got in there as it's a clean install.

    I'm wondering...
    • Since I have the dual boot, perhaps I can start from the OS in the small partition and go in the C drive to change any settings? What would I need to do in that case?
    • Would it be better to re-install? (please say this isn't necessary! I don't know that I could go through that hassle again!)
    • Can I re-use the Italian XP CD for a clean install and then in some way change the OS's language with a language pack or something?

    thanks as usual!
     
  2. anabellita

    anabellita Private E-2

    :cry I got impatient.. so I went down that road again... :banghead I mean to say, I reformatted drive C and tried to install XP again. Stupid me!!:crybaby Once again, I'm stuck with the computer shutting down everytime it reaches the installing-something-or-other process, typically when 39 or 34 minutes are left for installation, and systematically before I am asked about where I am, input languages, etc. So I don't get asked about the user accounts, or to insert my key, or anything.

    strange thing is, the other XP install in drive D is working beautifully :confused. Shame I have so little space in that partition...

    so here's another idea: what if I create an image of drive D, with acronis or similar, and then install that image in drive C? do you think that would work??
     
  3. Clark_Kent

    Clark_Kent MajorGeek

    and then install that image in drive C? do you think that would work??

    Yes, But i suspect there something wrong with your C drive !!!
     
  4. anabellita

    anabellita Private E-2

    it's a brand new smansung spinpoint t166...:(
     
  5. anabellita

    anabellita Private E-2

    I tried installing the italian version back... played with various CDs... tried opening up the computer in case there was an issue of the my passively-cooled cpu (using mini-ninja heatsink) heating up too much, since I noticed that there is often a lot of CD-drive noise before it shuts down... I'm starting to suspect it's the dvd drive that is making the computer shut down... could this be possible?

    PS I can no longer boot into the perfectly functioning XP in drive D, because the system automatically tries to re-start the installation of drive C:confused
     
  6. anabellita

    anabellita Private E-2

    nope! not a dvd-drive issue! I found an old XP CD from a previous computer, and installed it perfectly well on the C drive. ...too bad it's an english version, and I need to install the spanish one.

    in the meantime, though, the system seems to have forgotten I have XP installed in drive D. No matter what HDD drive I boot from, I always boot into the english version of XP. And the screen where I used to be able to choose what system I wanted to boot into has disappeared. The boot.ini file also shows just one boot option. this is driving me nuts! and to think I chose not to go to the beach today because I wanted to work, and I've been stuck all day with the OS issue!
     
  7. anabellita

    anabellita Private E-2

    nobody?:(

    Just to confirm: still no dual boot... I tried backing up with acronis, but got an error message saying something about not being able to get exclusive access. wasn't sure what that was about, so I decided not to touch anything.

    Instead, I went for digital dolly, as suggested in another thread. when I booted from the DD cd, I was asked about configuring unconfigured hardware. I accepted, and after 2 restarts, I have completely lost mouse and keyboard. I can't input anything to the system, can't even access the bios, or "hit any key" to boot from cd.

    I'm in a dangerouse situation now, I think. I read, I try, and I dig my whole deeper and deeper. can somebody please give me a hand? thanks!
     
  8. plodr

    plodr Major Geek Super Extraordinaire

    If you wish to boot your computer, drive D:\ would be the one to use. Remove drive C:\ (actually you can just remove the power and the cable connection, you don't have to take the drive out of the computer. Make sure that D is set up as master and make sure it is on the correct connection on the ribbon cable.

    As far a C:\ I've lost track of all the problems on that drive: an Italian version of windows instead of Spanish and using some software caused you to lose mouse and keyboard so in effect you have no input. That drive would be better off as a slave drive where it can't do any harm.
     
  9. anabellita

    anabellita Private E-2

    thanks! :)

    I'm convinced this is all just magic... not technical, magical...

    Got some sleep, and woke up remembering I have a USB-PS/2 converter. Both mouse and keyboard are now working perfectly.

    Read the post, and disconnected both drives, tried to set the old D drive to master, failed to do so, and put it back in. No boot. Put back in the newer drive and, ta-da! all went back to normal.

    Took a deep breath, fished out the CD once more, and re-installed XP in the D drive. No problems.

    Took another deep breath, put the CD back in, and re-installed XP in the C drive. It works! Everything seems fine, though I will of course have to wait a few days and see if all continues ok, perhaps run a few tests to ensure all is stable, but hey! I'm writing from an OS that is running from drive C!:dancer

    For those who may interested: the only difference with previous installations is that this time I went for the "quick" NTFS format, rather than the regular NTFS format, and that both drives were unplugged and plugged back in.

    wish me luck! and do highlight any risks you think I may be running.

    Oh! And don't sit back quite yet, I've already got a whole bunch of other questions to continue bugging you all over the next few days ;)


    thanks again to all!!
     
  10. Dan Penny

    Dan Penny Specialist

    This is a little late for this posting, but if you run into this type of scenario again;
    Try the bootcfg /rebuild command;
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291980/en-us
     
  11. anabellita

    anabellita Private E-2

    thanks, though ;)
     

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