Why does my system hang when I choose "safe mode" at start up.

[jaffa]

I can't start windows normally. When I try to start my computer I always end up at the advanced startup screen where I can choose safe mode, last known good configuration start windows normally etc. I can go up and down in the list by using the arrows on the keyboard but when I press enter to choose one of the alterantives the screen just freezes (nothing more happens). The computer just sits there. This happens no matter what alternative I choose. I can't use ctrl+alt+del to get out of it but have to use the power button instead, just to end up at the same menu again when the computer restarts.

I have tried a known good psu, memory and video card. I have not tried to reinstall Windows since I have not taken any back up of the hdd. I have reset cmos and bios settings.

This means that I have not tried to boot from the windows cd or use the recovery console (yet).

What do you think is my best option?

Is my problem a sign of completely failed hard drive that needs to be reinstalled/reformatted, a defect motherboard or maybe a malfunctioning cpu?

 

[maluckey]

If you formatted all your HDD/HDD's with NTFS and left NO portion as either RAW, or FAT 32, then safe mode likely won't work with XP. That at least has been my experience. I always leave a couple of Gigs free so that I can use safe mode.

 

[porcorosso]

Originally posted by: maluckey
If you formatted all your HDD/HDD's with NTFS and left NO portion as either RAW, or FAT 32, then safe mode likely won't work with XP. That at least has been my experience. I always leave a couple of Gigs free so that I can use safe mode.

No. I can conceive of dual boot (WinXP with other operating systems) scenarios where you might run into such a situation, but a WinXP only system is certainly not going to have trouble booting to safe mode just because all available partitions have been (properly) formatted as NTFS.

As for trying to fix jaffa's boot problem, it seems as though the boot process is muffed quite early on. You can boot to recovery console on the CD and try FIXMBR or you could boot from the CD and try performing a repair or fresh installation of the OS. You should try reading about the options and all of the provisos concerning them because choosing the wrong alternative can make a big difference in your outcome. We don't know the history of this system or how it is configured. If someone just gives you a blanket statement as advice we might be closing a door you need to keep open.

Also, how tentatively or how aggressively you approach this should be predicated primarily upon whether or not you have a current backup (external to that system) of all of your important data, and it depends upon how heavily you rely upon the system and how long you can stand to have it down.

 

[Jiggz]

You can do a repair installation. Boot with the XP Cd and follow all prompts until given the option to do a Repair Installation or a new installation. Repair Installation is different from Recovery, so don't confuse the two. You will not loose anything except your activation and XP updates.