Will a WIndows XP Start Up disk solve this problem (stuck on automatic restart)?

Question

Laptop is prompting me to enter safe mode, last known good configuration or normal start. Doesn't matter which I pick, as soon as the windows logo shows up to load - it flashes blue and restarts, bringing me back to the aforementioned screen.

I got a quote for $95 to "easily fix this" but can I do it myself if I find a windows XP start up disk?

Will it still have all my files and data?

Answer 1

You can attempt to do a windows repair installation that will retain all your settings and Data. To do this if you can find an XP disk (make sure you have the key for that disk as well) enter the BIOS and change the bootup order so the CD boots up first, then upon the Windows installation menus, choose install (not recovery or repair). Windows will show you your partitions with windows on it, then ask you where you want to install windows, and if you choose the current windows installation, it will ask you if you wish to do a repair installation. Select that option. More information here.



http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx



Bottom line is, yes, you can solve that issue with a XP disc, but it is not always successful

Answer 2

If your lap top does not have XP installed then the disc will not work and also if the disc are for another computers OS then they will not work. Order a set of recovery disc for your lap top and use the disc to do a system repair then you should not loose your files etc. but if you do a system install every thing on the hard drive is written over and lost. Most times when the lap top will not boot into safe mode with networking or last known good configuration then the hard drive has failed and not just a crashed operating system.

Answer 3

You have the BSOD (Blue screen of death). Your computer is set to reboot after a crash, which is why it flashed blue then restarts. This could be caused a a number of issues, namley drivers, hardware failure to name but a few.



Put your XP disk into your machine that matches the version of windows you have installed i.e Home or Professional. Boot from CD/DVD and do a repair install. The only issue you may have is that if you use a retail version your license code may not work. Try to find an OEM disk to do the repair, unless your PC is a white box PC with no known manufacturer. Check the license sticker to see it it says OEM on it.



Be careful though, if you have a system restore disk from the manufacturer, it may wipe your hdd and restore your machine to factory settings causing you to loose you data.

Answer 4

Well... that happend to me one time.. and i do not have my windows xp disk.. so i had to do a total restore... try putting the CD and see if it will start a reconfig or something. putting the cd in, and having that fix the problem will not loose your files.. however doing a total restore would loose your files. if you have a backup hard drive, like i got after that hapened, and have all your stuff, your good to go. if you dont, i recommend trying the cd, and then the restore if that doesnt work. and getting an external hard drive. then get a program called Seagate Disk Wizard. what that does is it will create an EXACT copy of your C: hard drive incase this even happens again, so all you have to do is re-store, then you have all your files there. good luck!

Answer 5

if u have system restore activated if you go into safe mode maybe that will help u out instead of having to reformat. but to answer your question if what you mean is to completely start over with a clean install the answer is yes it will fix it but you will have to reload all the programs you had back manually.