finding fail-safe default for XP laptop

  • Thread starter Thread starter meggst
  • Start date Start date
M

meggst

In attempting to sort out umountable_boot_volume error, the faqs suggest to
reload fail-safe default settings. Would this be in the BIOS settings when
hitting F12?
 
thanks. another question if you can help - so where it says load defaults I
accept and contimue? Is it reasonably straight forward from there? Should
this do the trick to get the laptop working again?
 
First off, did you try fixing this by using the Recovery Console
(Chkdsk)? That would be usual first thing to try.

I don't know if returning the laptop to fail safe settings will fix this
all I can tell you is to try it and find out. If all else failed its
worth a try. If your computer worked well for a good while odds are
that it won't fix anything, but you might have a lucky strike!

If you want more help with your BIOS options and settings you should
give us the make and model number of your computer and maybe someone
reading here will be familiar with your computer be able to offer more
help. The BIOS options are more or less the same for all computers but
unless we know more about your computer and the BIOS manufacturer we can
only offer general guidance.

John
 
Okay well to answer your first question - if this is when you load your
windows disk and try to repair yes? Well I have tried that and no programs
appeared to select a repair; only the 3 partitions. I have just attempted
again and it cannot setup on partition 3(FAT32), or the other large partition
because it says it is full or has incompatible programs. It suggests to
delete partition and it will create a partition for windows. What would be
the best option?

Also:-

I tried the reload default in bios settings; I am not sure if the computer
accepted the continue to load defaults as it seemed to bounce straight back
to cancel tab. Regardless of this I exited and saved changes. I tried to
reboot after getting back to the startup options screen; safe mode, safe mode
with command prompt, last known configuration, normal windows etc;, I
selected last known configuration, but it didnt work. The blue error screen
appeared.

The machine is a dell inspiron 640m.

thanks
 
Sorry I should have asked also in my last post - what will a repair do in
recovery console? If say it works then does the computer go back to how it
was before the 'hiccup'; original data and settings etc., without losing
anything?
 
Hi John

Thanks for your replies. I have not been able to get back onto the computer
until last night to try your suggestion. I feel I need to tell you though
that I am definitely no computer expert by any means. I am just a VERY basic
computer user trying to fix a laptop that doesnt seem to want to work along
with anything I have tried so far.
So . . .

I am currently at the screen where I have 3 options fozen with fear about
what to do next!:
.. To set up Windows XP - to repair Windows XP - or to quit Setup.

My question is : what happens when I select recovery console? What does this
do to the computer? Will this make the system lose important settings and
data? Or will it, llke I am thinking, jand hoping, just check and tell me
stuff?

Also, I checked out the link that you included in your last reply about
recovery console - I basically get the drift but do not have the skills or
the confidence to do what it suggests, and in some of the instructions I
would have absolutely no idea of what I was doing or what it would achieve.

I have used this type of forum support before to revivve an old system doing
all the various searching to find and create files, pathways, deleting and
creating partitions etc., eventuating in a very old system working again. It
was indeed a surprise, and it was a great sense of achievement that with the
tech info. I managed to understand and get an old system working well; one
that had-had many computer repair experts advise that it would never work
again, and that I should throw it away. Two years later its stil going. But
this time, its not a reinstall - its a restore - and I am worried! I have no
idea what harm I may do to the existing files and system.

Any help would once again be definitely appreciated.
 
First and foremost, if you have important files that are not backed up
and that you want to retrieve your first plan of action should be to
undertake a file recovery operation instead of an operating system
rescue operation. You should only attempt to repair the disk or file
system or operating system *after* you have salvaged your important
files! To salvage your files you will have to remove the disk from the
laptop and then mount it to another computer. You could put the disk in
a USB enclosure or use a 2.5" to 3.5" adapter and mount the disk in a
desktop computer and then use the other computer to clone the disk and
examine it to see if your files can be recovered.

We don't know exactly what is wrong with the laptop, all you can do
(after salvaging your files) is try the recommended fixes and see what
happens. *Anything* can happen when you try to fix these kinds of
problems, if all goes well the computer may boot as if nothing ever
happened and if it doesn't go so well everything on the disk might be
lost... if it isn't already. Hardware glitches, software glitches or
user errors can lead to complete data loss, it's the kind of thing that
you have to be aware of and accept as you proceed with the attempted
repairs.

Using the Recovery Console is usually quite safe, you won't be
installing it on the drive, you will only be booting to it with the
Windows XP CD. The Recovery Console looks like a DOS environment (but
it isn't DOS). You enter your commands as you would in DOS and when
you're done you exit and try to boot the computer and keep your fingers
crossed and see if your attempts are successful. By and large using the
Recovery Console doesn't cause any more problems than the already
existing ones but as I said earlier, anything can happen!

Keep in mind that there is *always* a risk of data loss when you run
chkdsk, this is true even if you have no perceived problems with the
Windows installation. If the disk is a bit "iffy" the risk of data loss
might be a bit greater. Usually, or most of the time, all goes fairly
well and there is no data loss at all, but there is always a risk that
things might not go so well. I always cringe a bit when I run chkdsk on
a bad disk, I kind of close my eyes when I hit the <Enter> key and hope
for the best! You're at the point where you have few other choices, if
you want to try to fix things you have to make decisions and accept the
consequences.

As I said earlier, you don't need to install the Recovery Console and
you wouldn't want to even try to install it on a bad disk or while
attempting to repair a broken Windows installation, you just want to run
it from the Windows XP CD. To start the Console select the repair or
recover option by pressing R, this is explained in
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

John
 
Hi again John

I have hit the dreaded chkdsk and have the following screen up: CHKDSK found
one or more errors on the volume. 55392116 kilobytes total disk space.
38535492 kilobytes are available. 4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
13848029 total allocation units on disk. 9633873 allocation units available
on disk.
C:\>

I am not sure where to go from here. I noticed in the link you gave me it
suggested to select r or p additionally to the chkdsk command that is
obviuosly more directly selective to the drive in question but, and here my
ignorance is displayed, I have no idea of what I am to select here. If you
have not tired of my obvious computer ignorance could you please give me some
idea to go from here.

Thanks John.

P.S. Obviously we are from different time zones because the time of exchange
of info and putting it into action has made this a bit of a 'war and peace'
type effort.
 
Hi John

I have very good news - I thought a little more carefully realsed that maybe
the extra command was not necessary, at this particular instance because the
computer was not really asking me to do anything, so . . . I just typed exit
and the computer restarted back to its original state(before the meltdown)
well it looks like it anyway at this stage - all the various network
settings, usual desktop etc. Fingers crossed your advice has had the ultimate
outcome. Thank you John for all your help and patience.
 
You're welcome, I'm glad to see that you got things fixed. Now would be
a good time to invest in an external drive and backup your important files.

John
 
Well I just pushed that buttons that everybody suggested to - eventhough I
was absolutely terrified as I typed in chkdsk! Pretty much a coward - so that
was a big move for me! Will definitely be saving-up for an extenal drive.
 
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