>WHICH WAY DO I GO< ????

  • Thread starter Thread starter Wayne B.
  • Start date Start date
W

Wayne B.

I have an XP Home Presario that does not start at all. The
only thing that pops up is >Master Boot Record Error
Press a key< When I press any key, I get >PRESS A KEY TO
REBOOT<

The last thing done to it before this happened was
attempting to use system restore to go back to a date
within the month of Jan 2004. (Don't ask me, I didn't do
it.)
I have tried using F8 to get to 'Last Known Good
Configuration' but no go. The only thing it does is go
thru the cycle of trying to reboot without anything
showing up on the screen. As soon as I stop hitting F8, it
goes to the same screen as I forementioned. I've tried
hitting other keys as well to no avail.
(Esc,F2,F10,Delete, my teenage son, etc, nothing worked) <-
-<-JOKE

Is this the correct way of trying to get this thing up and
running again or does this have something to do with
Boot.ini file and therefore I should be trying recovery
console (which I have no experience with yet) OR am I
just totally off altogether with my troubleshooting??

Some kind of KicK in the right direction would be MuCh
AppReciaTed here.

THANX N ADVANCE The Rookie/Wayne B.
 
Hi Wayne,

If you can invoke the Recovery Console, that's probably the way to go. Since
you stated that you have an "XP Home Presario ", I'm assuming that you
probably don't have an install CD from which you can invoke the Recovery
Console after booting from CD (my understanding is that most, if not all, of
the OEM computers come with a Recovery/Restore CD or Recovery/Restore
partition that only serves to format the drive and reinstall the operating
system). If Recovery Console was preinstalled on your computer, you could
invoke it from the boot options menu. If you don't have a CD that will allow
you to invoke Recovery Console and if Recovery Console was not preinstalled
on your computer, you could try d/loading the file to create the set of six
setup floppy disks. Choose the one that is appropriate for the version of XP
Home that was originally installed:

Home Original version
http://tinyurl.com/3azo

Home with SP1
http://tinyurl.com/8vpb

After creating the set of six setup disks, boot from the first disk and
insert each successive disk when prompted. When you get to the blue Welcome
to Setup screen, press R for Repair, which will invoke the Recovery Console.
The command that you're probably going to have to execute is the FIXMBR
command.

For a further description of the Recovery Console, have a look at this MSKB
article:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=314058


Regards,
 
Compaq Presario Desktop PCs - How to Perform a System Recovery
http://h20015.www2.hp.com/en/docume...cat=&prodId=compaqpres89327&docName=c00007689

Repair the master boot record of the boot disk.
The "fixmbr" command is only available when you are using the Recovery Console.

HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307654&Product=winxp

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Wayne B." (e-mail address removed) wrote in message:

|I have an XP Home Presario that does not start at all. The
| only thing that pops up is >Master Boot Record Error
| Press a key< When I press any key, I get >PRESS A KEY TO
| REBOOT<
|
| The last thing done to it before this happened was
| attempting to use system restore to go back to a date
| within the month of Jan 2004. (Don't ask me, I didn't do
| it.)
| I have tried using F8 to get to 'Last Known Good
| Configuration' but no go. The only thing it does is go
| thru the cycle of trying to reboot without anything
| showing up on the screen. As soon as I stop hitting F8, it
| goes to the same screen as I forementioned. I've tried
| hitting other keys as well to no avail.
| (Esc,F2,F10,Delete, my teenage son, etc, nothing worked) <-
| -<-JOKE
|
| Is this the correct way of trying to get this thing up and
| running again or does this have something to do with
| Boot.ini file and therefore I should be trying recovery
| console (which I have no experience with yet) OR am I
| just totally off altogether with my troubleshooting??
|
| Some kind of KicK in the right direction would be MuCh
| AppReciaTed here.
|
| THANX N ADVANCE The Rookie/Wayne B.
 
Hi Patti, question. Would an XP (Pro) cd hold the files
that are needed to accomplish recovering this system or
since it's not a (Home) cd, it wouldn't work? I have a
Pro, but not a Home. Thanks Again. Wayne B.
 
I'd sure give it a try, Wayne, as I don't see why it wouldn't work using the
Pro CD.


Regards,
 
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