XP Reboots When Trying Safe Mode

[chris18]

Wonder if anyone can help with the following problem raised with me by my daughter over the phone with her Windows XP Pro.

She used her PC this morning and everything was fine. Came back this afternoon and she got the Sorry For Any Inconvenience Windows Didn't load properly last time, at which point she phoned me.

Went through the process of Safe Mode but it goes through the scrolling text but instead of entering SAFE MODE the system, reboots and goes through the same POST and Windows error message routine. Even tried by pressing F8 during POST but no joy.

She had installed AOL Broadband within the last couple of days but that seemed to be working fine. The only other thing is that because she had had to leave the desktop in the lounge until she sorts out a wireless adaptor so it came be moved back upstairs (her main telephone point is in the lounge) it is within easy reach of her 18 month daughter and when she got home the keyboard was on the floor and her daughter looked at her and said "oops".

Don't know if she did anything but it seems quite likely.

Have gone through all the options I can think off but wondered if I had missed something to try. Have said to my daughter that the only thing I can think of if she can't get into SAFE MODE is for her to come over so I can do a full reinstall.

As I said our conversation is being conducted over the phone which doesn't make things any easier.

If anyone can think of something I can try before the reinstall I'd be really grateful.

Thanks in hope!!! .

 

[g-paw]

Have you tried a Repair off the CD but likely will need to clean Install? When you did Safe Mode did you have her log in as Administrator?

 

[chris18]

Thanks for the reply. No I didn't think about Administrator rights. How do I do that if XP won't boot. As for a repair I was wondering about trying Recovery Consule but it's not something I've tried before so I will need some guidance or at least some links as to where I can read/print some info.

I assume it means having to boot from the XP CD to access Recovery or is there another way?

 

[g-paw]

Sorry, missed that you could boot into Safe Mode. Doing the Repair off the CD is booting off the CD and at some point it will ask you if you want to Repair or Install, do the Repair. She'll have to reinstall the drivers but her data should be safe. While it's a long shot she could try clearing the CMOS. There is a good chance your granddaughter was playing with the keyboard before she knocked it on the floor so likely you'll have to do a clean install. This is why you get kids their own computer but 10 months old might be a bit young. On the other hand, my wife never had a problem with me building a new PC if I was giving the old one to a grandkid so maybe 18 months isn't too young.

 

[chris18]

Thanks, will see what happens tomorrow when she brings the PC over. She didn't think the PC was actually turned on so couldn't think why the keyboard should have been a problem but then one nevers knows just what an eighteen month is able to achieve when they set their mind.

 

[g-paw]

Thanks, will see what happens tomorrow when she brings the PC over. She didn't think the PC was actually turned on so couldn't think why the keyboard should have been a problem but then one nevers knows just what an eighteen month is able to achieve when they set their mind.

Be sure to have her bring over the driver disk(s) If the machine wasn't on, don't see how knocking the keyboard off would affect the machine. Could have damaged the keyboard. Did you have her try a different one?

 

[chris18]

Pleased to say the repair went off like clockwork. Never tried a Repair Installation before, think I might have got confused with Recovery Consule in the past which is why it never worked.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[g-paw]

Glad to hear it worked. As your granddaughter gets older, you will many more technical challenges

 

[CompTIA_Rep]

You can also use Winternals, or another similar program that can run a System restore without Windows.

 

[chris18]

Thanks.

CompTIA_Rep. Browsing through I see MS has bought Sysinternals.

I found the suite on the MS site but not clear if it's still FREEWARE or what they all do.

What other alternatives can you suggest, could be usful to have "just in case".

 

[CompTIA_Rep]

I am not sure. I have done quick searches for another program out there, but did not see any conclusive results.

I know for sure there are other boot disks for system restore, but they may be commercial only.

Anyway, there are a few other PC-Tech boot disks, some legit, some not. They are all pretty helpful.

 

[g-paw]

If you want a back up on her system, could get Acronis True Image 11 and create an image. While you can schedule back ups of the image, Acronis saves all previous back ups so you have to go in and delete some of these every so often or she'll eventually run out of space