PC Crashed

I think that I have broken my desktop PC and I think that I have broken it through my own stupidity. I had been away from it for a few minutes. When I came back to it the screensaver was on. So, I moved the mouse and the screensaver did not go away. I then turned off the power button on the reverse of the tower to power the machine off. I then powered it back on. Then I pressed the restart button on the front of the tower and it went through start up until it came to the screen where the two user accounts appear. I moved the mouse to get the cursor over my username to click on it. The mouse would not respond. Then, and only then, did I look for the most obvious problem. My mouse is wireless. The gadget (I don't know its name) that receives the signals from the mouse is connected to a USB hub. The hub is the connected to a USB port on my tower. The USB hub had become disconnected from the USB port. I know, all I had to do was plug it back into the USB port. I don't know why I didn't. I could almost weep with anger and frustration with myself. I didn't just plug the USB back in. I powered it down again.

Now my PC won't start. It brings up a screen that says:

"We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this.

If your computer stopped responding, restarted unexpectedly, or was automatically shutdown to protect your files an folders, choose Last Known Good Configuration to revert to the most recent settings that worked.

If a previous start up attempt was interupted due to a power failure or because the Power or Reset button was pressed, or if you aren't sure what caused the problem, choose Start Windows Normally."

I've tried all the options on the same screen: 'Safe Mode', 'Safe Mode with Networking', 'Safe Mode with Command Prompt', 'Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)', and 'Start Windows Normally'. It won't start whichever of these options I press. It just keeps going through an attempt to start up but just keeps going back to the screen that I have just described above.

As it attempts to restart a blue screen flashes up but it goes away in less than a second and I cannot read it.

In desperation, I have also tried the option of starting up with Microsoft Windows Recovery Console instead of Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition. That process started but then a blue screen came up with the following message:

"A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

If this is the first time you’ve seen this stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps:

Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed. If this is a new installation, ask your hardware or software manufacturer for any windows updates you might need.

If problems continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or software. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. If you need to use safe mode to remove or disable components, restart your computer, press F8 to select Advanced Startup options, and then select Safe Mode.

Technical information:

*** STOP: 0x000000ED (0x89726E30, 0x0000006, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)"

Have I completely broken my PC or is there anything that can be done to save it.

 

No you haven't damaged the hardware.

You need to run checkdisk to correct some file errors that will have happened on the hard drive when you terminated the power.

You can do this by booting from a windos xp cd (any one will do for this) to the recovery console and issuing the command

chkdsk /r

But use a standard non wireless keyboard.

Boot from the CD - watch carefully at the initial boot
press space bar to boot from CD
f8 to accept licence
press r to go to recovery console
The operating systems will be listed by number
enter number (eg 1) for your windows xp press enter
enter the administrator password or just enter if there is no password

 

My cd drive has not been working. I have another drive which is CD-RW which does play CDs. Would I be able to get the windows xp cd to run from this drive?

 

CD-RW should be fine if it is not a usb external.

 

Thanks for answering these questions. I wish I didn't need to ask them. First, because I would like to have the knowledge not to ask. Second, wish I hadn't been so stupid as to cause the problem in the first place. So grateful this forum exists.

Anyway need to ask another question: how do I make sure that the windows xp cd runs from this CD-RW drive when the PC attempts to start up. Do I have to go into BIOS and change the order of the drives the PC attempts to boot from?

 

You are correct in knowing that the BIOS must be set so that it will look to boot from the CD before the hard drive. This is known as the boot order or priority or similar.

Most are already set this way by default.

Since the BIOS can tell the difference between a CD drive and a hard drive it does not matter which one, it will check them all, so long as they are internally connected to the pc. Some more modern BIOS have options such as 'first CD, second CD, first Hard Drive and so on.

When you boot from a CD, some are configured to just carry on booting to whatever operating system they have. Linux is normally like this.
Some, however, like the Windows one, start booting then wait a while at a prompt asking if you want to boot from the CD and you have to answer yes by tapping a key.

You do not get very long to do this and if you miss this the system will assume you do not want to boot from CD and return boot control to the next device on the list.

You learn by doing and seem to be getting on OK with this. Your questions are logical not silly. So I am trying to provide (hopefully) helpful explanations along with instructions.

 

Thanks for that. I will hopefully be attempting to do this tomorrow.

(Not relevant but I had an accident last November and temporarily disabled due to back and arm injuries so these things need planning and take time - might explain why I'm not rushing to get this done)

 

G'luck

 

It would appear that the Fates are conspiring against me at the moment. I decided today to attempt the fix of my desktop. I managed to pull the computer table away from the wall, I had already found my old standard non-wireless keyboard. I plugged it into the back of the desktop. Then I went for my Windows XP CD and it was not there. I have no idea where it's gone. Ergo, I cannot fix my desktop.

Are there any alternative fixes to my problem? Will anywhere sell XP CDs now it is two versions ou-of-date? Is it possible to download, as freeware, a Windows XP CD from the Net which I could then burn to a CD with my laptop?:cry

 

If you have a friend with an XP disk this should do.

Alternatively, dare I suggest this might be a suitable occasion to get a professional in. It should not be a costly job if that is all it is.

 

I'll ask around to see if any one I know has an XP disc.

I know ultimately it will be my choice but would you recommend PC World (I cannot think of an alternative in terms of a chain of stores) or an independent store.

 

Heck no! GeekSquad in this situation would be worse than a parachute drop of a box of ice at the north pole. Take it to an independent store.

 

Thanks! I'm not sure I completely follow your intriguing language but I get the message, loud and clear. I'll go to an independent.

 

A decent independant should charge no more than £30 for running Check disk. A large chain might charge £150.

 

I have borrowed someone's Windows XP CD and loaded it in the CD Drive. Then I restarted the PC. It just keeps going through the process it was going through before. I get no option to start the PC from the CD.

Any suggestions? Or, am I going to have to go and pay one someone to fix this for me?

 

It is possible that your pc is not set to boot from CD initially.

You should be able to change this in ths BIOS - also called setup.

The BIOS is the hardware control program that runs at a lower level than Windows.

To enter the BIOS look at the screen immediately after switch on - not restart.
press the appropriate key usually del or F2 - I just press the power switch and immediately keep tapping del/F2 alternately on a strange pc.

You have to be quick with this.

Look for Boot options or Boot order. The presentation will not be as slick as Windows BIOS is a small program.

Set the first one to CD.

 

I have aleady been into BIOS and changed the boot order so that the CD drive is where the PC first tries to boot from. It has not changed the situation.

 

I believe my answer is no. I do not know what a linux live CD is. Please enlighten me. Thanks!

 

A Linux LiveCD is a CD which carries a full operating system that can be run from the disk. There are many versions of Linux, most of which are free, but for you I would recommend Ubuntu. Look here for a full guide: http://www.ehow.com/how_2254579_use-ubuntu-linux-live-cd.html

 

I am afraid you have confused me even more. I want to recover my PC from the blue screen of death. I cannot get it to start and I cannot do previous suggestions of running chkdsk. I do not how suggesting something called Ubuntu is going to resolve my problem.

 

Ubuntu is an operating system. What is being recommended to you here is for you to download the operating system (it is totally free) and burn it to a CD. Then put the CD in the affected computer and see if it will boot from it. That is all we are trying to do at this stage.

 

OK, thanks for that explanation. Now a couple more questions:

1. If that solves the problem will I be able to repair Windows XP?
2. What will actually happen if this other OS works?
3. Will my files be lost because there's some stuff I want to use. (Please, please don't tell me about backing-up, I know and I couldn't be any more annoyed with myself.)

Thanks!

 

Hi

I am quite stuck now. As per your recommendation I have downloaded the ISO image of Ubuntu on to my laptop. I have then followed the instructions on the Ubuntu website to download and install ISO Recorder because it is said to be better for burning ISO images to a CD rather than using CD burning software normally installed on a computer. I have downloaded ISO Recorder. I have installed ISO Recorder.

I have then looked for the software programme ISO Recorder. It is not listed on my start menu. I have then gone to the software's folder in C:\Program Files but there is no application there.

The ISO instructions say: "Open Windows Explorer, browse to your ISO file, right-click and choose "Next"."

I do not know how to open Windows Explorer. I have asked on how to do this in Help and Support but it does not help.

I have attached two images. Image 1 is a screen print of the ISO Recorder instructions. Image two in the contents of the Folder "ISO Recorder" which is in a folder called "Alex Feinman" which is on my computer at C:\Program Files.

Thanks!

 

This last post is redundant. I have worked it all out. The CD is ready. Just not sure what to do next. Do I put it in my desktop PC's CD drive and see if I get to the stage where it will install? Or, am I going to be installing Ubuntu? If I do what happens to Windows XP?

 

I ran the CD and chose the option to run Ubuntu but NOT to install it. t worked, Ubuntu ran. What is the next thing I need to do?

 

I would like to thank plodr and studiot for all their patience and help with this problem. My desktop PC is now fixed and working again. Thanks guys!:-D

 

Well done mate, that's a real feather for achievement.