Hi All,

I went to she my friend today and I started the PC today with the boot
floppy, result was it start and showed me the A:-prompt...
And due to lacking what to do next I tried to go to the C:\-drive and got a
message that it was an invalid drive.

So next step was trying to access the cmos/bios as described in below
message, with no results. No beep on holding the DEL or F2-key.

Therefore I inserted the CD-Rom given to us and started the PC, then
selected
the option "Recovery" and followed the process.
Result was after 45 minutes that we were able to start Windows again.

Next I entered the command CHKDSK /R, restarted the PC
and the checkdisk process started and completed after the expected 30-40
minutes.

And it seems we are back in the air, but I what I do not get is why I had to
run the "Recovery" option and not the "Restore" since the result seem to be
the same; all data and settings are gone.

I will to go back on Wednesday-evening to adjust her wallpaper, install
Windows Works, etc... and make things look the way she is used too...

It wasn't really my week this week and I had a few things on my mind, which
made me not ask all kind of questions, I should have, I guess...
like if I would use "recovery" mode if I would loose data or not...

Anyways, we seem to be up in the air again, so *THANK* you all for your help
and advice!

Ellen

"Ellen" <e.denan@hone.xp> wrote in message news:...
> Okay, my current laptop no longer has a floppy-drive, but luckily my old
> one
> does, so lets see...
> And I know her PC has a floppy-drive too.
>
> I found me an old floppy and indeed it seems to work. So all I need to do
> is insert this floppy in her PC now and start it, right?
>
> Thanks by the way Andrew!
>
>
> "Andrew E." <eckrichco@msn.com> wrote in message
> news:008D0F57-7F0E-4CFB-B0E4-E1686FF5FE15@microsoft.com...
>> Thier is no "format" cd service on a cd,the only format would be on a
>> floppy
>> disk which are "raw" from the mfg,or one wants to erase.Some (very few)
>> cdrw
>> devices can erase a cd,if the option is there,youre cdrw can,if not,it
>> isnt
>> possible.
>>
>> "Ellen" wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Db,
>>>
>>> first problem is, when I insert an rewritable CD in my laptop, go to
>>> windows explorer and click on the D:-drive, select FORMAT, there there
>>> is
>>> only one option and well "Full".
>>> There is no option named "make startup disk" (see printscreen).
>>>
>>> I do have a "Create an MS-Dos startup disk" option when I select the
>>> C:-drive as described, however it is not hightlighted.
>>>
>>> Ellen
>>>
>>> "db" <databaseben.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>> news:eDyyWoXSHHA.4028@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> hello Ellen,
>>>
>>> yes, you can make an emergency boot
>>> cd from your system, regardless of
>>> any updates.
>>>
>>> I'll keep this posting flagged so you
>>> can take whatever time you need to
>>> provide a status for me.
>>>
>>> stay warm...
>>>
>>> - db
>>> "Ellen" <e.denan@hone.xp> wrote in message
>>> news:uLJ6$PXSHHA.4672@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> Hi Db,
>>>
>>> since it is late here (Netherlands) I will read your steps
>>> tomorrow, when I have more time.
>>> I think it should be no problem at all to make that emergency boot
>>> CD from my system... but will it matter that my laptop is from a
>>> different brand?
>>>
>>> And secondly my windows XP will be more up-to-date then hers,
>>> since
>>> she has NO internet access and therefore never ran Windows updates.
>>>
>>> As I recall from making a boot disk once for W98, this all should
>>> not matter, but just double-checking!
>>>
>>> Appreciate your help and talk to you tomorrow... some of the
>>> steps
>>> (like working on her PC) I will not be able to do so tomorrow, but only
>>> later this week, due to other appointments I already made.
>>>
>>> Best regards for now!!
>>>
>>> "db" <databaseben.discussions.Microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>> news:eAwKpAXSHHA.4404@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> Hello Ellen,
>>>
>>> Ok, I can understand the situation. So
>>> lets try to take it step by step. Here
>>> we will first get a boot cd made from your
>>> computer. Then we will try looking into
>>> the cmos settings:
>>>
>>> Firstly, do you have the ability to make
>>> cd's from your laptop? If so, then
>>> make an emergency boot cd from your
>>> system.
>>>
>>> To make an emergency boot cd, insert
>>> a blank writable cd into your drive.
>>>
>>> Then go into your file explorer, right click
>>> on your cd drive and the format command
>>> should be indicated.
>>>
>>> Select it and ensure that the make startup
>>> disk is selected. Afterwards eject it and keep
>>> it handy.
>>>
>>> Secondly, Lets focus on the dysfunctional pc's
>>> cmos/bios settings.
>>>
>>> Briefly, inside the cmos/bios there are a number of
>>> settings that enable the motherboard to
>>> see the physical hardware connected to it.
>>>
>>> Most all of the motherboard cmos settings
>>> can be manually entered or there will be
>>> options to have it automatically search for
>>> the correct settings.
>>>
>>> If the harddrive settings have been wiped
>>> out due to the powerfailure, then this would
>>> be a cause for the hd not being recognized.
>>> So this is what you will focus on when inside
>>> the cmos/bios menu.
>>>
>>> To access the cmos/bios you will need to
>>> press and hold down a key like the del key
>>> or f2 key and then press the power on
>>> button to the pc. Depending on the
>>> motherboard it would be either the del key
>>> or the f2 key. So try the del key first.
>>>
>>> Press and hold down the del key and push your
>>> power button on. If it beeps then you
>>> can release the key and you should see a cmos screen.
>>>
>>> If the del key was not the right one, then
>>> you will likely be taken to the screen with
>>> the error message. So, you need to retry
>>> and reboot using the F2 key instead. (The
>>> motherboard manual will notate which key
>>> is required to access the cmos, if the two
>>> above do not work)
>>>
>>> When you get into the cmos, briefly browse through
>>> all the settings to get a feel for it. You should
>>> find a tab or a subscreen dedicated to the harddrives.
>>>
>>> Here is where the harddrives, master and slave,
>>> should be listed and sizes indicated. If there
>>> is no harddrive listed, then is a cause for loosing
>>> recognition of the hd.
>>>
>>> As a convenience, there could be listed on the screen
>>> as well a key to push for automatic search
>>> of the harddrives. Be using this option the specs
>>> for the connected harddrives will populate those blank
>>> fields automatically.
>>>
>>> If the harddrive(s) settings do not populate
>>> the fields then we need to take some more steps.
>>>
>>> If the specs do or are populating the subscreen then save
>>> and exit the cmos.
>>>
>>> Then we will go to the next step depending on your
>>> discovery..
>>>
>>> - db
>>> then they will have to be manually entered.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "Ellen" <e.denan@hone.xp> wrote in message
>>> news:%23mKRHsWSHHA.480@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>> Hello DB,
>>>
>>> thanks for your reply.
>>>
>>> Yes, I am pretty sure her PC was turned off, in that sence she
>>> listens well to me (She has Down Syndrom and was home with her parents
>>> on
>>> the weekend).
>>> Unless somebody in her house used her PC, but I hope not,
>>> since
>>> it is her private room.
>>> The Error message however also mentioned something about a
>>> power failure.. so it is kind of confusing to me, what really happend.
>>>
>>> Bear with me, please, but how can I check if the cmos didn't
>>> loose it's settings... I never heard of CMOS to be honest, so...
>>> ~worried look~
>>>
>>> Further they re-installed her hard disk last August (since it
>>> crashed somehow) and the store gave CD's as well for system restore.
>>> Now if I use them how can I prevent using these CD's, which
>>> are
>>> the only ones I (she) have, that a system restore is done...
>>> I did a few system restores in the past on my own laptop, but
>>> it has been too long ago for remembering all the options it offers to
>>> choose from...
>>>
>>> Thanks for your patience!
>>> Ellen
>>>
>>> "db" <databaseben.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>>> message
>>> news:uWECMXWSHHA.1180@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>> hello ellen,
>>>
>>> well unless the pc was on during a power
>>> failure, then there should have been no
>>> problem.
>>>
>>> but if the pc was in use and there was
>>> a power failure, then generally a chkdsk
>>> could fix a problem occurring with the
>>> master file table.
>>>
>>> first make sure that the cmos
>>> didn't loose it settings in particular
>>> with the harddrive(s).
>>>
>>> secondly i suggest to boot up with the
>>> win cd and go into recovery console.
>>>
>>> at the c prompt you can run the following
>>>
>>> chkdsk /r
>>>
>>> then run a regular chkdsk again just
>>> to double check the state of the file system
>>>
>>> afterwards type exit and try
>>> to boot normally again.
>>>
>>> - db
>>>
>>>
>>> "Ellen" <e.denan@hone.xp> wrote in message
>>> news:eProEkVSHHA.1600@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>>
>>> Hi All,
>>>
>>> a friend called me yesterday if I could come over, since
>>> her PC wouldn't
>>> start.
>>> She was away for the weekend but she understood from her
>>> room-mates that
>>> there was a power failure (There was no power for a while,
>>> due to whatever
>>> reason).
>>>
>>> I just visited her a little bit ago and the problem is,
>>> that if you turn on
>>> her PC, it
>>> will not start windows at all and comes up with a screen
>>> suggesting
>>> to start in normal mode or go back to the last working
>>> configuration,
>>> but both options have as result you return to this same
>>> "error' screen.
>>>
>>> Safe Mode doesn't work either, since if I try this option
>>> I
>>> also return to
>>> the "error' screen.
>>> I tried to do a Safe Mode with Restore function (Since the
>>> Restore Function
>>> on this machine (HP Pavilion F1723) is hidden under F10
>>> and
>>> not on Cd's) and
>>> when I tried this, I received an UNMOUTABLE-BOOT-VOLUME
>>> Error.
>>>
>>> The only restore I know is a System Restore and I was
>>> hoping I do not
>>> have to go that way, since of course she didn't make any
>>> back-ups.
>>>
>>> Thanks for any advice!
>>>
>>> Ellen
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>
>

"Ellen" <e.denan@hone.xp> wrote

> Hi All,
>
> I went to she my friend today and I started the PC today with the boot
> floppy, result was it start and showed me the A:-prompt...
> And due to lacking what to do next I tried to go to the C:\-drive and got
> a
> message that it was an invalid drive.
>
> So next step was trying to access the cmos/bios as described in below
> message, with no results. No beep on holding the DEL or F2-key.
>
> Therefore I inserted the CD-Rom given to us and started the PC, then
> selected
> the option "Recovery" and followed the process.
> Result was after 45 minutes that we were able to start Windows again.
>
> Next I entered the command CHKDSK /R, restarted the PC
> and the checkdisk process started and completed after the expected 30-40
> minutes.
>
> And it seems we are back in the air, but I what I do not get is why I had
> to
> run the "Recovery" option and not the "Restore" since the result seem to
> be
> the same; all data and settings are gone.
>
> I will to go back on Wednesday-evening to adjust her wallpaper, install
> Windows Works, etc... and make things look the way she is used too...
>
> It wasn't really my week this week and I had a few things on my mind,
> which
> made me not ask all kind of questions, I should have, I guess...
> like if I would use "recovery" mode if I would loose data or not...
>
> Anyways, we seem to be up in the air again, so *THANK* you all for your
> help
> and advice!


<snip>

I'm glad you are back running again. Take this time now to set up a regular
backup of important data so when problems arise again, you'll not loose
anything. Data loss is an issue of when not if. If you need info on how to
do this just search the posts in this newsgroup. It's covered frequently,
and ask questions if you have them.

--
Rock [MVP - User/Shell]

Hi Rock,

thanks for the advice re. backups, I told her this in the past and I told
her again yesterday.
I also told her I will come over and do it for her, since otherwise we end
up with the same result and I have a feeling it will happen again.

However this does not answer my main question:
why I had to run the "Recovery" option and not the "Restore" since the
result seem to be the same; all data and settings are gone.

Thanks,
Ellen


"Rock" <rock@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:%232yVSuJTHHA.600@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> "Ellen" <e.denan@hone.xp> wrote
>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> I went to she my friend today and I started the PC today with the boot
>> floppy, result was it start and showed me the A:-prompt...
>> And due to lacking what to do next I tried to go to the C:\-drive and got
>> a
>> message that it was an invalid drive.
>>
>> So next step was trying to access the cmos/bios as described in below
>> message, with no results. No beep on holding the DEL or F2-key.
>>
>> Therefore I inserted the CD-Rom given to us and started the PC, then
>> selected
>> the option "Recovery" and followed the process.
>> Result was after 45 minutes that we were able to start Windows again.
>>
>> Next I entered the command CHKDSK /R, restarted the PC
>> and the checkdisk process started and completed after the expected 30-40
>> minutes.
>>
>> And it seems we are back in the air, but I what I do not get is why I had
>> to
>> run the "Recovery" option and not the "Restore" since the result seem to
>> be
>> the same; all data and settings are gone.
>>
>> I will to go back on Wednesday-evening to adjust her wallpaper, install
>> Windows Works, etc... and make things look the way she is used too...
>>
>> It wasn't really my week this week and I had a few things on my mind,
>> which
>> made me not ask all kind of questions, I should have, I guess...
>> like if I would use "recovery" mode if I would loose data or not...
>>
>> Anyways, we seem to be up in the air again, so *THANK* you all for your
>> help
>> and advice!
>
>
> <snip>
>
> I'm glad you are back running again. Take this time now to set up a
> regular backup of important data so when problems arise again, you'll not
> loose anything. Data loss is an issue of when not if. If you need info
> on how to do this just search the posts in this newsgroup. It's covered
> frequently, and ask questions if you have them.
>
> --
> Rock [MVP - User/Shell]