Have a Laptop problem

I have a Compaq its about four years old, and it has Windows XP Pro. When the computer boots up you see the Compaq screen, then it goes black(this screen asks me how would I like to boot up the laptop? (safe, normal etc), then the blue screen appears then it just reboots again and as much as i would like to do a write erase I can't because i have very important information it any help would be appreciated.

 

It sounds like possible corruption on the Hard Drive causing the reboots. If I were repairing it, I would first boot a Knoppix CD and transfer all of the important data across a network to another computer. Then after the data is safe I would attempt a repair or do a reinstall depending on the cause of the problem.

Knoppix can be downloaded here: http://www.knoppix.net and then burned to a CD.

 

I wouldn't reccomend a repair without knowing more about whats going on. Repairs have their own issues.

Read this: http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showpost.php?p=768073&postcount=5

Do you have SP2? If so, you should have an option under the advanced startup options you are seeing, to disable automatic restarts. See if you do, and disable it if you can. Then post what the errors says, verbatim.

 

How would I go about doing this?

 

I go the linux to run but its in german, how can i change it to english. Another thing how can i send the data via the internet.

 

If you go to this site you can get an english version of Knoppix from one of the US mirrors. I usualy download from the Univ. of Wisconsin FTP site.
http://knopper.net/knoppix-mirrors/index-en.html
Then to copy your data you would use the Samba Network Neighborhood to find another machine on your network and copy the data to whatever directory is shared. You refered to copying across the internet and that is possible but more complicated. Copying to a local machine is easier and generaly faster.

 

But, knowing what the blue screen error could point to an easier fix. So, following, Adrynalyne suggestion, is a plus.

Using knoppix can be quite confusing, if you are not really familiar with the linux lifestyle. Also, if you don't have another machine to copy to on a network.

 

Thank you

 

I would generaly agree with Adrynalyne and theefool except in this case aleem has said "i have very important information it". That having been said, if this machine were in my shop the first thing I would do is secure a data backup with the least amount of effort on the part of the HD. For me, thats Knoppix and a network. If it turns out that the drive is ok and repairable, all the better. However, if the drive is faulty and you use what little life it had left trying to fix it then you may not be able to recover the data as easily. In my shop the customers data is always the first consideration.

I have a great deal of respect for Adrynalyne and theefool and I've learned from both of them but I can't ignore the importance of the customes data.

 

i tried the repair, it still does not work.

 

Type in lang=us at the boot prompt.

Knoppix contains CD and maybe DVD burning tools. Back them up to disc.

I also would suggest you try booting into safe mode before running a repair install.

This is good advice. He worked for MS and knows what he's talking about.