'Puter help

[Firestorm]

Just a quickie before I pack the thing into the car and put it into PC world for an eternity (under the extebded warranty)

On bootup, I get the "did not close down properly" message with the Safe Mode; safe Mode + network; Safemode + command prompt; last Safe config and Normally options.
What ever one you choose as soon as the windows loding screen appears it instantly reboots.

We have had a problem with the screen shutting down in the past (its one of those inegrated all in one Advents) but I put that down to the powerpack getting hot and the reduces voltage invoking the power save. but this latest problem is different.

It seems to have happened just after the latest Norton AV updates were installed, is this a coincidence or is it another Norton f***up ?

Also Any ideas how I can fix it, I can't seem to get into bios to do a stage by stage boot, or to get into the C Prompt without opening windows ?

Thanks

 

[BrettieAngell]

Erm sounds you like need to format and re-install windows to me.

 

[Mr. Benedict]

The trouble with the last few iterations of windows is that they don't run from a command prompt, but instead incorporate one - which is why you can't start up in a DOS Prompt.

As Brettie says it sounds very much like corrupted Windows files, I don't think there's an awful lot you can do (outside of reformat / reloading) save take it into PC World and get them to fix it.

 

[BrettieAngell]

The trouble with the last few iterations of windows is that they don't run from a command prompt, but instead incorporate one - which is why you can't start up in a DOS Prompt.

As Brettie says it sounds very much like corrupted Windows files, I don't think there's an awful lot you can do (outside of reformat / reloading) save take it into PC World and get them to fix it.

and they will probably just format and re-install windows and charge £40 for the pleasure!!

 

[Holtspur Shrimper]

It will be more than £40!

 

[jstallan]

Could be a hardware issue.... I have a Bootable CD for such problems. It allows you to boot up the PC and runs a cut down version of Windows from the CD, thus leaving the version of Windows on the hard drive untouched (it's called Windows PE). You are welcome to a copy (post or collect it).

Alternatively, download a version of 'Knoppix' (http://www.knoppix.org/) . It's a Linux distro that runs from the CD only... Again it will at least prove whether its hardware or software related.

 

[londonblue]

Could be a hardware issue.... I have a Bootable CD for such problems. It allows you to boot up the PC and runs a cut down version of Windows from the CD, thus leaving the version of Windows on the hard drive untouched (it's called Windows PE). You are welcome to a copy (post or collect it).

Alternatively, download a version of 'Knoppix' (http://www.knoppix.org/) . It's a Linux distro that runs from the CD only... Again it will at least prove whether its hardware or software related.

I had a similar problem, and was recommended knoppix aswell. The problem was that my PC was already being repaired at the time so I didn't get to try it out.

At the time I was seriously thinking of changing my PC to run Linux instead of windows, but gave up when I found out that you can't run iTunes on Linux. The argument was that iTunes expects you to pay to download music and Linux is supposed to be free.

 

[Napster]

when I found out that you can't run iTunes on Linux. The argument was that iTunes expects you to pay to download music and Linux is supposed to be free.

Not true!

http://wine-review.blogspot.com/2007/10/itunes-73-on-linux-with-wine.html