PC won't LOAD PLEASE HELP!!!!

[BloodGunner]

After updating Norton Internet Security. After the update I was advised to restart computer. Now the computer just goes to a black screen that says run windows normally, safe mode, etc. when I click Normal mode it shows the Windows XP start up loading screen with the green bars below going back and forth then it just restarts again, right back to the same screen. I can go to safe mode fine. I tried a system restore and it says its turned off and can only be turned on in normal mode. I removed Norton completely and it still happens. Restart from last point computer worked doesn't work either. Any suggestions?? Please Help???

[pjhutch]

Is there anything reported in the Event Log to indicate where the problem is?

Is there any issues in Device Manager - eg bad drivers?

[BloodGunner]

Im not sure how would I check that?

[pjhutch]

To load up Event Viewer goto start, Run, Eventvwr.msc and check errors in the logs.

For Device Manager, use Start, Run devmgmt.msc and look for any yellow exclaimation marks next to some devices.

[BloodGunner]

I have a bunch of errors in the Event Viewer under the source of DCOM, Service Control Manager, Dhcp and ati2mtag. In the Device Manager theres one "!" under PSC 1600 Series which falls under the category of IEEE 1284.4 devices.

[Bob_180_Bob]

I would try uninstalling it again andf then running CCleaner to get rid of all bits in your registry, then try reinstalling it to a different location like "C" My docs"...

If that fails I would then do a windows repair...

To Repair Windows XP from your XP CD…..

1. Re-start PC with XP CD in drive (Have your serial number handy)
2. As your PC starts press “F12” for boot menu (Or what your PC may ask for)
3. Scroll to and select “boot from CD.”
4. At prompt “Press any key to boot from CD” Press “Any key”
5. In the Windows XP Setup window, Press “Enter” to set up windows XP, (Don’t worry, this is a repair only, not a fresh install.)
6. At next window, Press “F8” to accept license agreement
7. Wait until windows displays your current version of XP and asks “To repair the selected windows XP installation press R”
8. Press “R”
9. Enter serial number when prompted.
10. Wait for files to be copied (PC will indicate 39 mins, it will take a lot less.)
11. When asked to adjust Regional language options, click “Next” as it is still set.
12. PC will re-boot.
13. If you have AVG Free, copy serial number to a file as you will lose it on repair. After repair a window will pop up asking how you want to treat AVG, Click repair and when prompted enter serial number.

[caperjack]

Bob,you sure like that xp repair install ,i think its good ,but maybe overkill for a lot of problems , i would try chkdsk /f, and or a sfc /scannow before a repair install .

[Bob_180_Bob]

Bob,you sure like that xp repair install ,i think its good ,but maybe overkill for a lot of problems , i would try chkdsk /f, and or a sfc /scannow before a repair install .

I don't know if we should be using this forum as a place to discuss the best way to do things, but.....

His PC starts in safe mode and works to some degree, which indicates to me that it is a windows problem therefore sfc /scannow would be a very good idea and one that I regularly forget about. I would think that a problem fixed by diskchk/f would be present in both safe and normal mode. (But it is windows and what you would expect to be fact, rarely is.) He has tried many other things and I offered him another one to try first.
Windows repair is now only a problem for your PC if you have installed service packs over your original install, and then you only have to reinstall them after repair. It could even be a SP3 problem!
But you are correct, it never hurts to try all ways to restore a PC before trying anything major (If you consider, "Windows repair" major, I don't)

[caperjack]

I don't know if we should be using this forum as a place to discuss the best way to do things, but.....

yeah ,you are right sorry !