My Windows XP is a pain!!

Guys,
I'm about to go crazy, so HELP!

I have a Windows XP professional OS with Service Pack 2 installed. But getting it started is a pain in the #$%!

When I switch on, it starts booting normally with the default bootscreen. And then...it's hell. It goes into the disk consistency check mode (the light blue screen which says, "your disk needs to be checked for consistency....It is strongly recommended that you continue...etc...etc).

Then after the self check, it switches off the computer and then on again. This goes on endlessly until I cancel the damn 'disk check'. Then at last it displays the desktop in all its glory only to be interrupted by a window that says 'The system has recovered from a serious error'!

So what's happening here? Can't I ever get a normal boot up?
(There are no viruses. That's checked).

[edit on 1-4-2006 by mikesingh]

I am not computer savy, but perhaps you have a registry issue?
Moreover, your hard-drive may be corrupt.

Just speculating, but you might have to do a reformat to solve the issue, if not a registry issue.




seekerof

Usually when ur system runs Hard Drive checks on a regular basis, you have bad sectors on your hard drive and it is moving the Data and marking the spots on the drive as bad so no data gets written there. I would suggest taking it to your local computer store, purchase a new hard drive, and have them Ghost your drive to the new one. Its a Cheap Fix in a box full of semi expensive parts. Hard drives are cheap now adays. Most places shouldnt charge more than 100 bux for the ghosting. it takes no time at all.

I highly recommend system mechanic 6 pro

you can try it for free

it fixes lots of problems

kinda like having a geek inside your pc

www.iolo.com...

I regularly run disk optimizing....xps' DEFRAG

helps to keep your ducks in a row

No program in the world can repair a dying hard drive. I see this multiple times a day. Get a new one and ghost it ASAP before u lose ur pics, emails, and anything else on that drive when it dies. Most drives have a 2-3 yr warranty. you can RMA it back to the manufacturer and they will send you a new one or remanufactured one. then u can keep it in case that one dies. I replace hard drives as much as i replace power supplies at the shop. and thats Alot. 10-20 a week depending on the time of the year. And thats in a small town of 50000.

So dont take my word for it, take it to your local computer store. Call around and ask people who they recommend for a local place. ive seen alot of scheisty places come and go. you will know the place cuz they would have been open more than a yr or so and local people will have more good things to say about them than bad. Check with the Better Biz Bureau also. Couldnt hurt.

silver has a good point

however , we don't know

the age and or usage



definitely a safe bet to back-up ASAP

good advice

i can tell you from experience age and usage is never a factor. there are certain drives or even certain runs of(build sessions) of drives that are bad. Maxtor slimlines are notorius for failure rates and dell uses alot of those. Quantum bigfoot, single platter drives a few yrs ago had a very hi failure rate also. Western Digital 36gig raptors(15000 rpm Sata drive) are semi hi. Mainly due to the drive being a SCSI conversion to Sata. The 74gigs are true Sata so that failure rate dropped Dramatically. now they have a 150 gig version that is smokin fast. Sorry for trailing off subject. Back to the problem at hand.

Peanut butter Jelly Time

Ok NOW back to the problem at hand....hehe sorry feelin nutty 2nite. heh

Thanx guys,
I'm gonna heed the good advice of junking my present drive. It's probably on its last legs. Almost two years old!

And of course, I've tried System Mechanic and all sorts of fancy stuff, but to no avail.

Crap. So more downtime at the workshop, what? :bnghd:

Anyway, thanx to all you guys once again!!

Your welcome mike, glad i could offer some assistance. 2yrs is probably within the drives RMA window. Make sure u get the guys at the local shop to give it back to so u can send it back for a replacement. Goto the website of the prospective manufacturer of the hard drive, click on technical support and usually will be a RMA Link or Check for Warranty Link. Hope that helps too.

One thing I would try first, is to chech that the hard drive connection cable is in good condition, and is fully seated.

I once had a problem, where my computer reported that my hard drive could not be found!!

It turned out that the connection cable was not pushed in all the way, and after hours, and hours of use, came out enough to disconnect some of the pins.

Once I firmly seated it, on the motherboard side, and drive side, everything was okay...

Issues with your Microsoft Windows can be resolved with phone support at, 1-800-936-5700.

It deffinately would not be virus or spyware related if your running into the problem so early in the bootup process. Could be something imbedded into the bios, which could have you looking to discuss this with the OEM.

If you have a validated version of windows and have never dealt with the Microsoft phone support, you have 2 free calls. So I would recommending giving them a call to see what they have to say.

FIX: Checkdisk always starts when you restart your computer problem. Microsoft Support Article.

I would try Method 3 as listed in the article, but you can try all three methods.

[edit for better clarity]

Best of Luck


[edit on 4/2/06 by makeitso]

Originally posted by Mechanic 32
One thing I would try first, is to chech that the hard drive connection cable is in good condition, and is fully seated.

Mech, I've done that. All connections are properly seated.

Chissler, I could've rung phone support, but darn, I don't know their support number in India!

Makeitso, thanx for the link. I'm gonna study this and see if any of this works.

If this doesn't work then i'm gonna first have a beer and then replace my disk as S1LV3R4DO has suggested!





[edit on 2-4-2006 by mikesingh]

Originally posted by mikesingh
If this doesn't work then i'm gonna first have a beer and then replace my disk as S1LV3R4DO has suggested!

Keep us informed of your progress.


Mechanic 32.

Originally posted by S1LV3R4D0
No program in the world can repair a dying hard drive.

I have had my computer shop for over 15 years now and while using a program called Hirens Boot CD I found one of the best programs to fix bad sectors (Minor ones) on that cd. Its called HDD Regenerator. I liked it so much I went and bought it. Works great. Best 59 bucks I ever spent for a piece of software. Even at 1000 or more sectors being bad it marks the sectors off as bad and moves the data to a good sector. If its unable to move the data it marks it as unrecoverable.

Do not try to Ghost (Clone) a Hard Disk with Bad sectors. Try to repair them first or you may not get a good copy and you will lose data.
You can also try Maxtor Powermax to try to repair some bad sectors as well. Its free but its not always reliable.

PieMan is spot on.

I have used HDD Regenerator many times. It is the best I have ever seen.