WinXP home hangs on startup, Windows Explorer Entry Point not found

Hello fatcharlie =)

virtualjay has a good explaination and solution for this problem :)
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP/Q_21169927.html

and if this doesn't work, then u will have to repair the installation in order to sort out this problem !!

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=315341

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install:
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Click here on How To Run a Repair Install:
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm

Good Luck :)

Roger,

When the machine boots does it give you an option to boot the last known good configuration?  If it does then try to boot using that option!

pjcrooks2000

Hi SheharyaarSaahil,

tahnks for the info. I have found the file spuninst.txt in "c:\windows\$ntservicepackuninstall$\spuninst"
but whne i type "batch spuninst.txt" it tells me there is no such command as 'batch'.

I am assuming the command "batch" is meant to tell the machine to run the txt file as a bat file. Could i rename "spuninst.txt" to "spuninst.bat" and then run it? I am thinking this would run all the commands in the .txt file.

Is the correct syntax for this "run spuninst.bat"?

Many thanks,

Roger (fatcharlie!)

Hi PJCrooks

no "last know good configuration" option available - the system does not respond to pressing the "F8" key on bootup

Regards,

Roger

hmmmmmmm u can try, but this is the only command which MS describes for uninstalling SP2 thru Recovery Console >> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=875350

Ah,

perhaps I'm not in recovery console - how should I have got there?

Thanks,

Roger.

Sorry, forgot to add\ that I was wrong about not responding to F8 key - it did respond and that's how i got to safe mode and the cmd prompt - obviously I am not in recovery console...

Roger.

You need to use the XP cd rom and boot from it to get to recovery console.

Chnage your BIOS to boot from CD rom and stick the cd in the drive and reboot the machine, print off the instructions from the  MS website so that you can follow the guide.  It's fairly straight forward just follow your nose.

:)

lol :)

yeah u shud be in Recover Console and if u need a detailed description, go here and click on How to Access Recover Console :)
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm

:)

In that folder, you should find a file called spuninst.exe  This is the file you should be executing to uninstall SP2....

OK everyone, now I have serious trouble!

I uninstalled SP2 by running uninst.txt as a batch file. It did what virtualjay said it would do , running around copying files etc.

When it finished I rebooted and I didn't get th initial message from the OS, but subsequent error messages were still present. Okay, an improvement...

So I tried using uninst.exe from the %ntservicepackuninstall% folder but that made things worse. The uninstaller said 'file not found, SP2 was not uninstalled'. Now lots of error messages started appearing on boot-up.

Today I went to my Brother's place and I finally found my restore disk, came back home, and put that in. When I got to the restore console it asked me for the Administrator's password - I don't know it. I decided to fully reinstall WinXp over again. Hell, at least I'd get the machine running... but guess what - it gets to the end of the install and then gives me the Blue Screen Of Death!

What can I do? Reinstalling Windows has not been successful - in fact, it's made things worse - I can't get Windows to boot-up at all. At least before I could see some of my files and stuff, now it gives me the BSOD whatever - I can't start up in Safe Mode even.

Oh God I need help so bad!!!!!!!!

Yours in desperation, depression and brain-numbed apathy,

Fatcharlie.

OK I'll try that - no I didn't back up as I couldn't get the machine to work - I could view my files but not copy them to anything, cd or floppy!

Out of interest, the stop message I am getting on the BSOD is:


*** STOP: 0x0000007B (0xF9678640, 0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)

Just in case that means anything to someone...

Thanks for all the help!

Fatcharlie.

>> STOP: 0x0000007B

means INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE >> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324103
ur system has lost the ability to access the boot information from ur hard drive to start windows !!

we troubleshoot this STOP error by reinstalling XP,,,, and u are getting it after the repair....
You can guess that why i asked to format and fresh install !! =\

First thing to do here is to detach anything that you don't need on your system..  including any USB devices, PCI cards, etc...  Then try reinstalling the OS..  

Also, there are log files created when you do an install.  I have outlined these on my site at:

www.doverproductions.com

in the Clean Install link of XP..  look at the bottom section regarding Troubleshooting the Installation.

OK,

I took a slightly different route and went out to buy a new HD. The idea was to use the slave idea but just do it on my PC. I made the new drive the master. I have installed this and installed WinXP on it. So far so good.

Then I started transferring data from the corrupted drive to the new one. It worked fine, up to a point - everything transfers _except_ my own 'My Documents' folder!!!!! I keep getting 'access denied' messages. These messages appear wherever I am - WinXP, cmd prompt or in Safe Mode.

I think it may have something to do with a program I installed called '1st Security Center Pro'. I used this to keep my daughters from wrecking my files - kids are more destructive than Tornados in my experience! I hid my own User File and the My Documents file before the crash. I have tried uninstalling the security software but the files are still inaccessible - at least, the My Documents file is - the rest of the stuff I hid is ok.

I have heard you can recover data from a disk even if it's locked - but I don't know if it's easy or hard.

Also, it may have nothing at all to do with the security software and could be a totally different problem.

Any ideas how I can get into my files?

Thanks again for all the help so far.

Cheers,

Fatcharlie.

not a big problem, just take the ownership of ur profile folder and u will get access to it :)

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421

HOW TO: Set, View, Change, or Remove File and Folder Permissions in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308418

Note: If you cannot see the Security tab, then you will have to goto Explorer>Tools>Folder Options>View and untick Simple File Sharing, apply and now u shud get that tab in XP PRO !!
For XP Home edition, you will have to boot into safemode and have to login as Administrator to access the Security tab, coz in xp home this tab cannot be visible to standard users !!

Well that seems to have cured it!!!

You guys are utter heroes!!!

Thanks you from the bottom of my relieved and thankful heart.

Excuse me while I go and back-up all my files!!

Roger

Good job good job guys!  :)

lol :D

:)

Noooo I mean good work well done :)

Finally,

I have retrieved all my data from the old Hard Drive and intend now to format the drive. I have saved all the data to the new Hard Drive.

It seems I can delete the partitions on the old HD in Windows from Control Panel/Administrative Tools etc. but I have 2 questions:

1) Is there a better or neater way to completely wipe the drive?
2) On the old 80Gb HD, which I intend to wipe, there is 35Mb of FAT files system - what is this? It isn't there on the new HD...

What i plan on doing is:

1) Disconnect the new HD and set the old HD jumper to Master
2) Wipe the old HD (if I haven't done it before in Windows)
3) Partition the old HD into 4 x 20Gb, C:, D:, E:, F:.
4) Reinstall WinXP on the old HD on partition C:.
5) Reconnect the new HD as the slave
6) Reorganise my files into teh three remaining partitons on the old HD
7) Format the new HD
8) Partition the new HD into 4 x 20Gb, G:, H:, I: and J:.
9) Install WinXP onto the new HD in G: so if I ever get another crach I can run it from there
10) Be better organised in future on how my files are distributed etc. (Any pointers to a good tutorial on partitioning and organisation would be greatly appreciated).

Any final comments, guys, before I go ahead and Format the old HD? Especially on the method for this and that 35Mb of FAT files.

Cheers

Fatcharlie.

Well charlie in theory you have actually closed this question nd you should be asking another question somewhere else!  But never mind I will try and help.

1) Well if your going to install a new OS e.g. XP then you can partition and format whilst you install.  You will be given the options to do that.  Just set your BIOS to boot from CD rom and then pop your XP CD in the slot and reboot the machine.

2) That will be your boot partition, you can actually wipe the boot partition if your like with a standard boot disk but really I wouldn't bother unless your getting boot problems.  Do a google search for fdisk /mbr or Format Master Boot record.

Now ask another question :)

pjcrooks2000

hmmmmm how abt doing like this,

1. Disconnect ur new hard drive(which has xp right now)
2. Connect the old drive and boot with the XP CD
3. Format and Partition the hard drive in four pieces
3. Install XP on C: drive
4. Reconnect the new hard drive as slave and copy ur data the the old one
5. Restart and boot with the XP CD
6. Format and Partition ur New drive in four pieces
7. Install XP on G: drive
8. And now u have Two Drives with Two XPs on it, means a Parallel Installation :)

How was that :-?

>> Any pointers to a good tutorial on partitioning and organisation would be greatly appreciated

In the First Phase u have to do a format, partition and clean install of XP, here is the step to step tutorial with pics :)
How To Do A Clean Install Of XP:
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

In the second phase, u will do a Parallel Installation, and here are the instructions for that :)
How do I perform a parallel install of Windows XP?
http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBM/tip6300/rh6326.htm

hmmmm anything else.... ?? :)

I'm so sorry guys, I understand pjcrooks2000's comment about a new question.

You have been great, and I appreciate your help hugely.

The only thing outstanding in my inventory of queries is the nature and purpose of the 35Mb of FAT files which are on the old HD - if you want me to ask a separate question about this I will be happy to oblige.

Frankly I thought all of you deserved the 500 points for helping me out - they went to Sheharyaarsaarhil because that was the answer which approximated most closely to my final actions!

I am relatively new to EE and am not sure of the subtleties of protocol here, so please feel free to help me stay in your good books!! ;-)

Many thanks again - be sure I am recommending EE to everyone I know who has a computer!

Regards,

Fatcharlie.

Fatcharlie

35Mb of FAT - I already told you what that was in my last comment :)

HERE:> 2) That will be your boot partition, you can actually wipe the boot partition if your like with a standard boot disk but really I wouldn't bother unless your getting boot problems.  Do a google search for fdisk /mbr or Format Master Boot record.

Well it's either that or someone has created another partition on your machine at 35MB for a swap space or basically cocked up when they were partitioning the machine.