oh boy

okay, i enabled the boot logging, tried to started in normal mode once (same as always) and then started the Mini XP. i tried the search function for "ntbtlog" and looked manually in c:\windows, but that file does not exist. i expanded the search to the whole of C: but to no avail. i found the ntoskrnl.exe file - quite a few actually - the sizes vary between 2,132 kb and 2,141 kb same for ntkrnlpa.exe - sizes vary between 2,011 kb and 2,021 kb Hard drive - SATA or IDE? i don't know, how can i find out?

yes it has the sticker with the serial number, it's "Windows XP Home Edition" (don't know what SP though, will figure that out soon). The computer is a "L & S Electronic" - yeah it's kinda old and i don't think it was too expensive when they bought it. But for their needs (Internet, Email, some office-programs and Free-Cell for my father) it's sufficient... i doubt they need more GB i'm beginning to think that a new HDD might be the best solution...

oh, i think i just realized my mistake (i only entered "chkdsk.exe C:" and left out "/r"... i'll try again

okay, i tried to run "CHKDSK C:" from X:\ but that didn't had an impact either. but it might have something to do with the warning message and it running "read only"?!? here's a screenshot:

alright... it's late again, so maybe you'll only read this tomorrow. i'll try to answer all posts since yesterday evening. so first, i run that check, everything is "ok" and everything is green - a sign oh hope i guess...

alright, i'll check that tomorrow (it's late already over here). thanks!!!

that didn't work. same as always. btw, i saved screenshots of the copied files if that's important. it seemed to have stopped somewhere in the middle, then it said "Access denied" and then "101 files copied". quite frankly you had me confused with this post and i wasn't really sure if you were talking to me or to Richard/Redhawk. Kernel? NTLDR? that's already over MY head

apologies for the interruption. if you're still there - i have entered these commands, confirmed with "All" and it now says it has copied 101 files. What shall i do next? exit and restart? ... oh well maybe it's better to continue tomorrow... ?!

alright, i'll do this.

ah, no i don't know which SP was running. concerning the copying... i'm afraid i need some more specific instruction on how to copy these files - i'm not nearly as experienced and knowledgeable as you guys

Richard, Dennis, so, should i better try the rescue cd now? or copying sys32 folder first?

here's the folder and (again with the mac-camera 'cause i don't have these computers connected)

yes, i can acces that folder - you want a screenshot?

oh no... i just discovered that there's a tool for making screenshots in the Mini XP... argh

when i click on "SIW" nothing happens, i don't even get an error message.

btw, yes i tried to start in the safe mode as well - same result as always

i'll try that as well

alright, so i got: *** STOP: 0x0000006F (0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)

oh, sorry i'm too slow... redhawk, i'll try that right now

yeah well... i broke it, so i guess i have to fix it besides - i find it kinda educational... i mean i won't get an expert through this, but some knowledge will stick. so, yes i restarted the computer with the cd and without it, it won't boot in the regular XP either way. When i click on Speccy i only get this: is this of some help?

okay, after i clicked these two messages away i went to Start->Run->CMD->C: i got this: i said no to force dismount and then on the next question i said yes to a check with the next start However, that didn't happen. After i exited and rebooted again into Mini-Windows, it was exactly the same as the first time. So i went ahead and tried "chkdsk /f" (instead of "/r") as suggested by redhawk in post #30. with the same result: so i thought i'd try the forced dismount thing: the result was this: BUT (the regular) Windows XP still won't boot. Sooo... i happen to have a few hours time right now... any immediate suggestions (aside from buying a new PC ) Would any other screenshots be useful? - Just tell me what to post!

Hi everyone, first, sorry for the delayed reply. After my last post i went ahead and burned the Hirens .iso file on a CD. Unfortunately i choose not to read the repeated advise from Dennis so that CD turned out to be useless. And it also turned out to be my last empty CDR, so that was that for the day. Yesterday i was away for the whole day, but managed to buy new CDR's and had access to a Windows computer, where i got to burn the Hirens CD properly with the included BurnCDCC (and Dennis' Rescue CD as well, just in case). So, today i was able to boot into Mini Windows XP and follow Login's instructions. So far it doesn't seem to work out, but i encountered some unforseen error-messages and i might not have done what i should have been doing. I'll show you some screenshots (that i took by manouvering my mac in front of the other monitor, so sorry for the bad picture quality). Maybe you'll see right away what's wrong here. Right after the start of Mini Windows XP i got these two messages where i just said OK and didn't do anything else: i'll better make a new post for the rest - TBC in a few minutes

I tell you what - i'll just try and find out. If it won't work i'll get a few more empty CDR's tomorrow, that's not a problem.

thanks guys! i'm working on it and will keep you updated (most likely tomorrow).

yes, like i said - my parents don't seem to have the original Windows CD anymore, so before i came here i tried to install Linux Mint 11 and 10, the latest Ubuntu, the latest Fedora. Some from CD, some from USB or both. You know, just to be able to get the machine working again, if it runs on Windows or anything else is not really of major importance. But nothing worked, i never got any further then an initial installing screen and then it went black or froze. That's why i thought that all these switched-off autostart entries prevent the computer from booting anything at all. I tried to find something on the web about it as well... thought that maybe there is a possibility to switch some autostart-things back on in the BIOS. But to be honest that already goes beyond my usual IT-capability, so i came here. The Puppy Linux that login123 suggested at post #5 works fine. This i have started from a USB flash-drive without installing it on the computers hard-drive. I now have access to the hard-drive and am able to open and copy files from there. Which is already more than i initially hoped for, i thought it'd all be lost. I am also able to get online with that computer now, no problem at all (only the browser included in the puppy linux is not the most advanced). I haven't done anything beyond that - no further installations or anything. Just downloaded the Hirens CD (as suggested in post #13), but am waiting for further instructions.