Windows pro crash - Help!!

[Aspire]

Hi

My name's Andy. My laptop is an acer aspire 5040 (i think my details are down in the "my computer" bit). I have been using my laptop for about 8 months and it has been rolling along fine ... until now that is. I picked up a completely legit and valid copy of xp pro to reap the benefits so to speak. After a few hours of use (everything running fine) i was cycling through youtube and boom, the screen completely froze. I held down the power button to switch off then turned it back on again only to be greeted by a black screen. I get the acer welcome screen then an OS selection screen (consisting of xp pro and xp pro tuneup backup) both of which give me the same thing .. a black screen.

I tried installing xp again but i get up to the primary blue installation screen and as soon as it says "starting windows" the computer will just hang at that point. I have tried to install a home edition disk that i borrowed of a friend for comparison but that wouldn't install either so i can safely say its not the pro disk causing the problem.

I guess there is not much more to tell. Oh, actually it has been misbehaving lately whilst playing flash. I can usually get through a few mins of flash without error but then it will lock up and i will have to restart windows (Note: this is one of the reasons i decided to upgrade the OS). Also, every now and again when i left it for a while, i would come back to a blank screen which again caused me to re-boot - but only rarely. It's not really a bad machine, i don't get many crashes etc. but it has really thrown a wobbler this time.

Any help would be largely appreciated folks! If there is no way to get back into windows then can i please get some advice on how to format the HD so i can do a fresh install (if that would make any difference?).

Cheers!!!!!!

Ps. If you need any more info to make a diagnosis then please do ask away.

 

[Karanislove]

If you have nothing important stored in your Notebook then i would suggest you to reinstall the operating system again because it might take a lil bit to reach the solution.
To install windows first you have to set the first boot to CD ROM and then read [link=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316941]this[/link].

 

[Aspire]

hi karan

I have actually already tried that with two different versions of xp (home and pro). When i try to reinstall windows i get a blue screen with several messages running along the bottom like "setting up sata raid drivers" etc and then 3-4 mins in it will come to "starting up windows" and then hang there until i reboot. I'm not sure why it says "starting up windows" when i am trying to re-install but i'm sure there is a huge brain out there with the conclusion.

Thanks again..

 

[Ghostman 1]

How are you reinstalling XP ? Try to get a windows 98se Boot Disk,but made for Cd ... Then install the win 98 cd boot disk and wipe the old version of XP.
Delete XP partiton and create a new one, Then try to reinstall XP using your setup disk.

 

[Karanislove]

When i try to reinstall windows i get a blue screen with several messages running along the bottom like "setting up sata raid drivers" etc and then 3-4 mins

This is the first usual step which windows need to do before installing OS on ur PC so no need to worry about this step.

it will come to "starting up windows"

how much time do u wait n see if it pass throught that screen or not???
Also, try only with the CD you have got as a recovery CD with your Notebook.

I'm not sure why it says "starting up windows" when i am trying to re-install

Ahh! Now i got it, you have never installed windows before thats y u dont know y its coming. Next time when that screen comes then dont restart your coputer. There are some steps you have to go through when you install OS but its not very hard. I have provided you a link in the previous post, that link might give you some help as well.... Make sure you make partitions of ur HDD, C as around 20GB and then partition in the way you want...like D as 40 and E as the rest...(you have to delete your current partitions to create new ones, also you will understand when and where you have to make the partitions when u will be installing windows)........Go through it and tell us if u face any problem..


Also, which HDD u have in your Laptop? SATA or IDE?

 

[allendehl]

Hi,

I would suggest just try to boot with the last good known configuration.
To do this you just need to press F8 just before the system boot screen. Press it repeatedly until you get a black screen with multiple choices. Try first the one that says "Load the last known configuration that worked"...or something like that. If this doesnt solves the problem run the setup from your bootable cd. As Karanislove told you, just wait until the installation program loads completely, do not reboot your notebook. Follow the instructions: First "Enter", then F8, then you gonna have an screen asking if you wan to install a fresh copy or Repair XP...here I suggest first to try to repair it...so press "R". Sometimes the installation program only allows to use the recovery console, if its the case follow the instructions until you get the command prompt. Once here type "chkdsk /p"...this command is gonna try to check and repair your HDD.
I have had good results doing this without having to get rid of all my data and apps.
Sometimes it works...sometimes not

good luck