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Help! cannot repair or install windows XP home Edition

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by space_zhong

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Recently my Compaq Laptop got crashed. I tried to recover the operation system (Windows XP home Edition) many times. First I tried to repair the OS with the OEM OS CDROM, but the computer shuts down by itself when I try to copy any of the 5 files (system, software, security, sam, default) from the repair console. The I bought a new Hard Drive and tried to install the OS. The computer shuts off by itself as soon as it starts to load the OS. It seems there is something preventing the computer from writing anything related to the OS. Is there anybody had the same problem before? Can anyone give me some help? Thanks!

14 replies

by older mycroft

Make and model of computer?
System spec: RAM, Mobo, Optical Drive(s), Hard Drive(s), version of Windows + oem disc.

by space_zhong

Thanks for your help! Here is the information I can find:

Make and Model: Compaq Presario M2000
service package: M2105US
RAM: 1G
Motherboard: don't know
Optical Drive: DVD/CDRW combo
Hard Drive: 60G
Windows XP Home Edition Sevice Pack 2

by older mycroft

Help! cannot repair or install windows XP home Edition
[i]Recently my Compaq Laptop got crashed.[/i]

How exactly did it crash?

[i]I tried to recover the operation system (Windows XP home Edition) many times. First I tried to repair the OS with the OEM OS CDROM, but the computer shuts down by itself when I try to copy any of the 5 files (system, software, security, sam, default) from the repair console.[/i]

How were you using the Repair Console? What did you mean by "[i]copy any of the 5 files[/i]"?

[i]"The I bought a new Hard Drive and tried to install the OS. The computer shuts off by itself as soon as it starts to load the OS. It seems there is something preventing the computer from writing anything related to the OS."[/i]

So - you can't install onto a new harddrive?

Have you tried using another installation disc?
Do you get an error message?

by space_zhong

1. How exactly did it crash?

I don't know how it got crashed. Some day I tried to turn on the computer, it said something like "Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SOFTWARE". I tried in both safe mode and normal mode, the error message is the same. So I tried to repair it. Please see below.

2. How were you using the Repair Console? What did you mean by "copy any of the 5 files"?
I followed instructions from
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;307545
to repair it. As soon as I start step 5 of part 1, the machine shuts off immediately.

3. So - you can't install onto a new harddrive?
No, I cannot. I installed a new hard drive and tried to install OS, but it still shuts off before I can do anything.

4. Have you tried using another installation disc?
No, I have only one installation disk.

5. Do you get an error message?
Maybe before it shuts down. If it appears, since it shuts down so fast, I cannot read it.

by space_zhong

I tried UBCD, but the machine keeps shutting down as soon as I start doing any test, such as CPU test or Memory test.

I know a dump created every time the computer crashes, but normally I stopped the dump by push the power button for some time to shut off it brutally.

by older mycroft

How far do you get before the computer shuts down?

Do you get to see the 'UBCD Windows' page?
If so, which test(s) result in a shutdown?

Try the 'Repair' option from UBCD.

To be honest, it all hangs on whether your disc is doing a FULL install.

Since that's all you've NOT achieved, you've got nothing to lose by trying again. Do a full format and start from scratch THEN use the UBCD to check what's on the HDD.

by csheppard

Have u tried holding down the F11 key so it'll restore everything back to default?

Hold it down upon rebooting and see if that does anything for you.

by space_zhong

The only effect by holding down the F11 key upon rebooting is continuous beeps.

by older mycroft

UBCD is not using your Presario's OS at all - everything (sic) stems from the UBCD OS. If the Presario shuts down before you can run any tests suggests a major heat problem with the laptop.

This machine is fairly long in the tooth by now, so may have accumulated a good amount of dust and grime. Have you given it any compressed air treatment yet? You could give all the exhaust ports a good blast and carefully clean the intake fan(s).

That might allow you to use the UBCD to greater effect.

by space_zhong

I did think the heat sink might be a problem. I disassembled the machine and cleaned everything, but the problem persists. I did repair the OS installed in the original hard drive with another computer, and the "bad" computer can boot normally with the repaired OS without shutting down. The problem is that no snapshot before the system crashing is available. Since there is some important data stored in the old hard drive which I don't want to be overwritten, I bought a new HD and installed it. I thought I can install the OS in the new HD, but failed because of the problem mentioned in this thread. Do you have any idea about what happened? Thanks!

by older mycroft

Or have you been trying to install onto the new hard-drive with a 'repair' disc.

If so, then [b]THAT[/b] is your problem!

You have a new hard-drive but you are attempting to repair something that doesn't exist!

by space_zhong

I got your point. I never thought that the OEM Microsoft XP home Edition SP2 disc is not a "full install" disc, but why the computer shuts off when run UBCD?

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