Can't get to safe mode at all in XP Prof

I've followed through the thread about MrvGINA.dll elsewhere in this forum and I know that I have to reinstate that file into Windows/System32 WHEN I can sign on again.

However, my problem is that I cannot get the PC to boot up past:

1. the MrvGINA error msg, or
2. the 'Press any key to reboot from CD...' msg.

The one thing I can think of is that in the BIOS setup, the brand name of the CD drive is not the same as the actual unit installed, but it does seem to be reading from that (and has been used many times before all this problem started). The CD I'm trying to boot from is the original WinXP Professional CD.

Is there something else I should be looking at here, or some other way to get it to boot into SAFE mode? I've tried hitting F8 so many times, and all it brings up is a small box asking me which media I want to install from.

I've also tried booting from a floppy disk, but all I get is:

Starting...
A:\>
A:\>

and cannot input anything.

Any advice would be appreciated. After 10 months of trying to get the Netgear wireless to work on my son's PC, I finally got it going last night, only to have this happen with MrvGINA.dll. It's totally infuriating. :cry

 

Hello julianer, welcome to Major Geeks.

If you can't start XP at all, you will need to install a second copy, without formatting) .
From this copy you can replace the faulty GINA module and edit the original registry using regedit32.

 

I'm thinking that your motherboard has an F8 boot device menu, so when you press F8, you get this menu instead of the XP boot options menu. If this is the case, the menu you see should list various boot device like the CD drive(s), floppy drive, hard drive (drive C: ), etc. What you'll need to do is to select drive C: as your boot device, but before you confirm your selection (usually by pressing Enter), put a finger on the F8 key; don't press it, just keep a finger on it. Now press Enter to boot to drive C:, wait maybe 1 second or a half-second, then start pressing the F8 key repeatedly. The boot options menu should come up with Safe Mode, Last known good configuration, etc....
Good Luck!

If you're using a USB (or wireless) keyboard, this could be the reason. Also you seem to suggest that when the PC says "Press any key to boot from CD...." that pressing any key doesn't work. Is this correct? If so, it may be due to a USB keyboard, a faulty keyboard (PS2 or USB), or a flakey keyboard controller on the motherboard....

 

Thanks studiot, but if I can't get it to recognise the hard disk, the CD drive, or the floppy disk drive, how do I install a second copy?

 

Thanks dlb, I've tried all the above (nearly worn the ink off the F8 key), including replacing the USB keyboard with a PS2 one that I had here already, but that keyboard may be faulty too, so I'll get another one from somewhere and give it another go.

It's getting to the point where I'll take the advice of someone on another thread somewhere who said, "Put the sucker in the nearest dumpster and buy a new one!" Sucker is right!

 

You can also try booting to a PE CD. Two examples would the UBCD4Win or BartsPE. These are bootable CD's that are more or less like running Windows from a CD. If you have a floppy drive, 2nd CD drive or an external/USB Flash drive, you can put the file you need to replace on the external or on CD/floppy, then boot to the PE/UBCD4Win, and replace the file that way. You'll have full access to drive C: and you'll be able to add or delete any files needed. You can download them from here-
UBCD4Win (Ultimate Boot CD 4 Windows) http://www.majorgeeks.com/download5710.html
BartsPE http://www.majorgeeks.com/Barts_PE_Builder_d4007.html
UBCD4Win How-To (XP CD required) http://www.ubcd4win.com/howto.htm (print the instructions if possible)
Barts How-To (XP CD required) http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

 

Don't know if this could work or not, but if your computer is a desktop, could you take the hard drive out, place it in another computer as a slave and then edit the needed files from there? Of course this all depends on the fact that you have another computer or a friend that could help you with this.

I had to do this for a problem I had, not the same as yours but it did help get the problem worked out.

Just an idea, have a good day,
BeenThereDoneThat

 

Many thanks. I'll try that asap and let you know.

 

I think we have some mixed up messages here since any system that gives a GINA error message not only recognises the hard drive but also has made a start on loading Windows. You are also likely to get a keyboard error before the bios starts windows if there is a problem with it.

I suggest we go right back to the start.
Is you pc a laptop or desktop?
Presumably you are having trouble because you have fitted a Netgear or Marvel wireless adapter?
There are at least 10 threads about this (known) problem at Major Geeks.
Which one were you following?
The solution depends upon your implementation of XP pro. Simply deleting MRVgina.dll can make matters better or worse.

Most of the posters who had this problem eventually managed to get to the screen F8. Dlb may be correct and you may have to do it a second time. I have a Carrerra pc set up like this.
Or you may simply not be quick enough at boot. Several posters found this problem.

Yes you can also sort the problem from another OS, by installing one on your drive or by installing your drive to another one.

You can make sure your basic system is sound by disconnecting the hard drive and entering the bios at boot. This will prove your keyboard, CD, floppy etc.

 

Thanks for all that studiot. I've now taken it to a friend of mine who has some spare parts and he thinks it might also be a keyboard-related problem. He's pulling it apart for me, so we'll see...