Ran Requested Update - Now won't Boot!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Adam Bruss
  • Start date Start date
A

Adam Bruss

My Windows XP automatic updates icon has been asking me to do an update for
a few days, so I finally ran it today, and when I tried to restart, as
requested, my computer just hangs at the windows logo screen. After a few
minutes, it tries to start again with the same result. I turned it off for
an hour and tried again, but same thing.

Unfortunately, I did not do the customized update, just accepted whatever,
so I have no idea what the updates were. I think there were 17 of them.

I'd sure appreciate some help. Any ideas of what to do next?

Thanks,

Jack
 
Adam said:
My Windows XP automatic updates icon has been asking me to do an update for
a few days, so I finally ran it today, and when I tried to restart, as
requested, my computer just hangs at the windows logo screen. After a few
minutes, it tries to start again with the same result. I turned it off for
an hour and tried again, but same thing.

Unfortunately, I did not do the customized update, just accepted whatever,
so I have no idea what the updates were. I think there were 17 of them.

I'd sure appreciate some help. Any ideas of what to do next?

Thanks,

Jack
Click to expand...
Hi,
hit F8 every few seconds after you turn it on, then select last known
working configuration. If that doesn't work then restart and from the
same menu select safe mode. If that boots choose the option to rollback
the system to a previous time.
 
I've tried both of those. Still won't boot. When I try safe mode, I get a
screen full of file names before it tries to restart again.

Any other ideas?

Thanks
 
Adam Bruss said:
My Windows XP automatic updates icon has been asking me to do an update
for a few days, so I finally ran it today, and when I tried to restart, as
requested, my computer just hangs at the windows logo screen. After a few
minutes, it tries to start again with the same result. I turned it off
for an hour and tried again, but same thing.

Unfortunately, I did not do the customized update, just accepted whatever,
so I have no idea what the updates were. I think there were 17 of them.

I'd sure appreciate some help. Any ideas of what to do next?

Thanks,

Jack
Click to expand...

Have you tried doing a System Restore and going back before the updates were
installed?
Attempt to start XP in safe mode by hitting the F8 key and then choose the
safe mode option.
 
Jan Alter said:
Have you tried doing a System Restore and going back before the updates
were installed?
Attempt to start XP in safe mode by hitting the F8 key and then choose the
safe mode option.
--
Jan Alter
(e-mail address removed)
or
(e-mail address removed)12.pa.us
Click to expand...

Sounds like the PC downloaded the somewhat dodgy VIA ide driver update that
people have been complaining about.

SteveH
 
I've tried, but I can't get booted up in safe mode or any other mode.

Any other ideas?

Thanks
 
Sounds like the PC downloaded the somewhat dodgy VIA ide driver update that
people have been complaining about.

SteveH- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

Hardware and Optional Updates *should* never come through on an
Express update, only Critical ones.
 
I've tried, but I can't get booted up in safe mode or any other mode.

Any other ideas?

Thanks







- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

Sounds like one of two options at this point.

1. Boot from the original CD (hoping you have an OS CD, not a System
Restore one) and run Repair, then reapply Windows Updates using
CUSTOM, not express. The list of updates that are pre-checked *should*
be the only ones that Express would ever apply. Hunt the ones from
last Tuesday down on the web to see if any of them show similar
problems and deselect the ones you find that have problems.

2. Reinstall everything.

Good Luck! I REALLY HATE IT when that happens and it has here on at
least one occasion. It isn't always the windows updates alone that
are to blame. They can't test every single piece of software and
driver combination out there prior to release or they'd NEVER get
released. Since hardware updates *shouldn't* ever get applied via
Express, my guess is a 3rd-party software conflict somewhere.

Do you have any kind of a bootable CD that would let you read the XP
Safe mode boot logs? You might want to try that before doing anything
else.

I've never used this, but it was near the top on Google search for
rescue cd.
http://www.911cd.net/
 
Infinicat said:
Sounds like one of two options at this point.

1. Boot from the original CD (hoping you have an OS CD, not a System
Restore one) and run Repair, then reapply Windows Updates using
CUSTOM, not express. The list of updates that are pre-checked *should*
be the only ones that Express would ever apply. Hunt the ones from
last Tuesday down on the web to see if any of them show similar
problems and deselect the ones you find that have problems.

2. Reinstall everything.

Good Luck! I REALLY HATE IT when that happens and it has here on at
least one occasion. It isn't always the windows updates alone that
are to blame. They can't test every single piece of software and
driver combination out there prior to release or they'd NEVER get
released. Since hardware updates *shouldn't* ever get applied via
Express, my guess is a 3rd-party software conflict somewhere.

Do you have any kind of a bootable CD that would let you read the XP
Safe mode boot logs? You might want to try that before doing anything
else.

I've never used this, but it was near the top on Google search for
rescue cd.
http://www.911cd.net/
Click to expand...
I'm not sure I understand this. If I do a repair from the OS CD (which I
have), can I do so without reformatting?
 
Jillian Bruss said:
I'm not sure I understand this. If I do a repair from the OS CD (which I
have), can I do so without reformatting?
Click to expand...
Ok, I booted from the OS CD and eventually got to a C:\Windows> prompt. Now
what?
 
Jillian Bruss said:
Ok, I booted from the OS CD and eventually got to a C:\Windows> prompt.
Now what?
Click to expand...
I'm in agreement that you'll be needing to do a reinstall of Windows. I hope
you've backed up your data. If not, you could remove the drive and attach it
to another XP computer and save your stuff, then stick it back into your
machine and get ready for the repair install. Most of the time it will work
but it's not 100%, so that's why the backup is a necessity here.

There are a lot of sites out there to give you a step by step for a repair
install.
Read through carefully before beginnining and you're most likely to get good
results.


http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341
 
Jillian said:
Ok, I booted from the OS CD and eventually got to a C:\Windows> prompt. Now
what?
Click to expand...
To do a repair installation of xp boot from the CD, don't take the
option to repair but continue as if you were going to reinstall the OS
from scratch. You'll then get to a point where it sees the existing
windows installation, at this point you will see the option to repair
this. It basically puts windows back on but keeps all your data programs
and settings.
simon
 
Simon said:
To do a repair installation of xp boot from the CD, don't take the option
to repair but continue as if you were going to reinstall the OS from
scratch. You'll then get to a point where it sees the existing windows
installation, at this point you will see the option to repair this. It
basically puts windows back on but keeps all your data programs and
settings.
simon
Click to expand...

Thanks for that about geting an option to repair after install option. I
tried the first repair option yesteday, but ended up at a dos prompt, which
didn't help. I'll try this way today. I backed up my data Sat morning, so
I'm not too worried about losing stuff.

Jack
 
Thanks for that about geting an option to repair after install option. I
tried the first repair option yesteday, but ended up at a dos prompt, which
didn't help. I'll try this way today. I backed up my data Sat morning, so
I'm not too worried about losing stuff.

Jack
Click to expand...

What you might try first is hitting F8 to get to the boot
menu as previously, but instead of safe mode, choose
"Last Known Good Configuration"
 
kony said:
What you might try first is hitting F8 to get to the boot
menu as previously, but instead of safe mode, choose
"Last Known Good Configuration"
Click to expand...

Well, I was able to go thru a windows repair this morning, using the XP CD,
and now I can boot, and all my files appear to be present, but none of my
programs are working. None of my Office apps work for example. I
uninstalled them and then reinstalled from my Office CD, but they still
won't open. I get an error message saying "operating system is not
configured to run this application".

I can get on the internet thru Explorer, and OE Express seems to work,
probably because they are part of the windows install, but nothing else is
working.

I guess my next step is to do a complete reinstall of windows, unless
someone has a better idea? Maybe it's a good time to buy Vista, al though I
hate to give Microsoft money after all the trouble they've caused me here.

I'll appreciate any ideas here,

thanks,

Jack
 
Adam Bruss said:
Well, I was able to go thru a windows repair this morning, using the XP CD, and now I
can boot, and all my files appear to be present, but none of my programs are working.
None of my Office apps work for example. I uninstalled them and then reinstalled from
my Office CD, but they still won't open. I get an error message saying "operating
system is not configured to run this application".

I can get on the internet thru Explorer, and OE Express seems to work, probably because
they are part of the windows install, but nothing else is working.

I guess my next step is to do a complete reinstall of windows, unless someone has a
better idea? Maybe it's a good time to buy Vista, al though I hate to give Microsoft
money after all the trouble they've caused me here.

I'll appreciate any ideas here,

thanks,

Jack
Click to expand...

If money is a worry(when isnt it?) then VISTA is the wrong way to go. Reinstall XP. If
your copy is legit (not hatin just askin). I can't see the updates causing this. Well
maybe one, famework. Which seeing how your office programs are bunk, it would point to
that update.
 
JAD said:
If money is a worry(when isnt it?) then VISTA is the wrong way to go.
Reinstall XP. If your copy is legit (not hatin just askin). I can't see
the updates causing this. Well maybe one, famework. Which seeing how your
office programs are bunk, it would point to that update.
Click to expand...
Do the reinstall from the ground up of XP and reinstall the spps. As far as
VISTA goes, remember the adage not to buy the first version of anything. And
keep backing up. It's by far the best thing you can do when the system gets
into trouble as you had.
 
JAD said:
If money is a worry(when isnt it?) then VISTA is the wrong way to go. Reinstall XP. If
your copy is legit (not hatin just askin). I can't see the updates causing this. Well
maybe one, famework. Which seeing how your office programs are bunk, it would point to
that update.
Click to expand...
Sounds like you may have reinstalled over the existing windows rather
than repaired it.
I'd run the file and settings wizard, then also another backup then
format and reinstall.
 
Adam said:
Well, I was able to go thru a windows repair this morning, using the
XP CD, and now I can boot, and all my files appear to be present, but
none of my programs are working. None of my Office apps work for
example. I uninstalled them and then reinstalled from my Office CD,
but they still won't open. I get an error message saying "operating
system is not configured to run this application".
Click to expand...

You did a re-install, not a Repair. You will have to reinstall all your
application programs that depend on a Registry entry to run. Office,
Firewalls, Anti-virus, etc.
 
relic said:
You did a re-install, not a Repair. You will have to reinstall all your
application programs that depend on a Registry entry to run. Office,
Firewalls, Anti-virus, etc.
Click to expand...

Well, I figured if I was going to do a complete reinstall anyway, I might as
well get Vista now instead of waiting, like I was planning, so that's what I
did today. It installed ok with some minor problems, and I've got most of
my apps up and running. (Not OE News yet - that's why this comes from my
wifes computer). I hope to have everything squared away tomorrow. I
retired 6 months ago, so I feel fortunate to have the time to diddle with
this stuff.

Thanks for the help,

Jack
 
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