Please help all I see is grey box on startup

Kommet99

Junior Member
Jan 12, 2005
17
0
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I have a big problem. Or maybe not. Im not quite sure.

When I startup, it shows the motherboards startup screen. Then, right at the time that windows would be about to start, the screen goes blank. Then about 5 seconds later, what looks like a status bar comes up on the screen. The status bar consists of a horizontal row of rectangles. There is nothing else on the screen at all which is why Im concerned. Just the status bar. About an hour ago I decided to try to wait the status bar out, but after 20 minutes it barely got anywhere (in the first 5 minutes about 3 of the grey rectangles got filled, then nothing else loaded the rest of the time. I turned off my computer then because I dont know whats going on.


Can someone please help me? Is this a virus or a disk check? What is going on?
 

Paperlantern

Platinum Member
Apr 26, 2003
2,239
6
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your windows install appears to be failing, or your hard drive is failing, if nyour seeing the horizontal row of rectangles, it means you have 2000 or XP. take your installation disc and boot to it, choose to repair using the recovery console, run chkdsk /r and see if it helps. if it doesnt there may be damaged files, boot the cd again, this time jus thit enter to go past the first screen, and opt to do a repair installation, it should see your current installation, if not then skip the rest and go to the last step, if it does see your installation, choose to do a repair install, it will rewrite all your system files back to the disk

last step if still not working, get some kind of drive fitness testing software, western digital has some, maxtor... depending on your drive brand you might be able to get some from the manuf website. If you want an all around checker, try looking for Hiren's Boot CD, its filled with hard drive utilities, i usually run all the tests (except for DESTRUCTIVE write test, because your data will be wiped out if you use that one) within PC CHECK on there, usually menu option 5, then option 5 again. good luck
 

dricken

Junior Member
May 10, 2004
17
0
0
i take it you are using windows xp?
have you installed anything recently, hardware or software? maybe a driver was corrupted?
if not and barring any other pretinant information i would say format and reinstall windows.
 

Kommet99

Junior Member
Jan 12, 2005
17
0
0
I started the recovery console and it says:

Which windows installation would you like to log onto?



Could someone please tell me the exact thing I should type And how would I go about doin a repair installation like paperlanternsuggest I dont see it anywhere


BTW im runnning xp home edition
 

Kommet99

Junior Member
Jan 12, 2005
17
0
0
wait I get the "Which windows installation would you like to log onto?" nvm that but still could someone please help me there is an online tournament tonight I need my computer for
 

Paperlantern

Platinum Member
Apr 26, 2003
2,239
6
81
i'm sorry i didnt reply sooner, didnt see your replies. That might get ugly, try the second step first and repairing the installation, instead of using the recovery console. GO past the first option to hit r, and go to the second area where it asks if you want to repair a current installation (like i said, IF it sees it)

let me know