Board logo

PC won't start after an initial printer problem
trifield - 20/3/08 at 01:37 PM

I'm running XP pro SP2 and all been fine until this morning ....
I downloaded some pictures from my camera and when I went to print them all I got was line after line of letters/numbers/rubbish numerals instead of the picture.

Using the 'printer options' I deleted all current documents, switched the printer off and on, and tried to print them again. Same thing happened so deleted all current documents again and switched off the printer and rebooted the PC.

PC then wouldn't start up beyond the XP logo with scrolling blue bar.

So...started it in safe mode thinking I'd print from there but it got the message 'no printer installed'.
Thought OK, I'll switch off in safe mode and try rebooting normally hoping thr fault would have cleared, but once again it sticks at the XP logo?

Disconnected printer completely and rebooted still no good, selected to reboot from XP-CD and same result.

Then tried using 'repair' from the XP-CD and program runs OK until it says 'in order to complete it needs to restart PC'. PC beigins restart and once again sticks at the XP logo with the scrolling blue bar.

I'm starting to flap now ...so tried to back track and boot it in safe mode thinking I'll try 'system restore'. Message comes up saying that it can't get into safe mode as windows set up is not complete? S**t...!

Made a floppy bootup disk from another PC and when I try this it still hangs up at the same place.

Can't believe all this from a printer fault.!!!

Any ideas what to try next would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Neil


mookaloid - 20/3/08 at 01:42 PM

eeek sounds nasty that does


RazMan - 20/3/08 at 01:44 PM

The first thing to do (although a bit late now) is to delete the printer and reload the drivers, possibly checking for later versions on the manufacturer's website.

Looks like a full reinstall is your best bet now as Windoze is corrupted in some way Make sure you back up your data first though.

[Edited on 20-3-08 by RazMan]


fatfranky - 20/3/08 at 01:46 PM

i had something similar recently and the cause of the problem was that I had left a memory card in the card reader and it was causing some sort of conflict.

We've also had similar problems at work with external usb drives.

I would suggest that all external drives/MP3 players/ memory sticks etc. are removed prior to booting


viatron - 20/3/08 at 01:49 PM

F8 then "last known good configuration"
HTH


trifield - 20/3/08 at 02:08 PM

quote:
Originally posted by viatron
F8 then "last known good configuration"
HTH


Viatron... I have tried that and it still hangs up at the same point... same result as when trying to get it to boot into safe mode.

I think 'Windows Repair is not complete and is affecting it somehow and stopping me accessing safe mode..


McLannahan - 20/3/08 at 02:22 PM

Tri - I'd say the quickest and easiest way out is to remove your hard drive and put it into another PC. Take all your data off it and then put the drive back into your PC to re-install Windows.

You can recover from the situation you describe - It's just time spent on it. Quicker to reinstall for the non-techy user.

You can put the drive physically into another PC or use a caddy.

If your hard drive is IDE (wide ribbon cable with 40 pins and about 40mm wide) then this...

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/120659

If your hard drive is SATA (narrow colour coded cable about 12mm across) then this...

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/126890


I hate recommending a re-install, I like to know how to fix Windows - whatever the issue but you could waste hours on this and also make things worse for an already flakey system!

[Edited on 20/3/08 by McLannahan]

[Edited on 20/3/08 by McLannahan]


tks - 20/3/08 at 02:23 PM

if the blue bar doesn't stop moving it doesn't hang.....

anyway it looks like some hardware problem.

Is your printer a LPT one???
Then try disabaling the LPT port in de bios

if its USB try to disable the USB ports...

something like that should do the trick.

Tks


trifield - 20/3/08 at 02:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by McLannahan
Tri - I'd say the quickest and easiest way out is to remove your hard drive and put it into another PC. Take all your data off it and then put the drive back into your PC to re-install Windows.

You can recover from the situation you describe - It's just time spent on it. Quicker to reinstall for the non-techy user.

You can put the drive physically into another PC or use a caddy.

If your hard drive is IDE (wide ribbon cable with 40 pins and about 40mm wide) then this...

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/120659

If your hard drive is SATA (narrow colour coded cable about 12mm across) then this...

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/126890


I hate recommending a re-install, I like to know how to fix Windows - whatever the issue but you could waste hours on this and also make things worse for an already flakey system!

[Edited on 20/3/08 by McLannahan]

[Edited on 20/3/08 by McLannahan]



Many thanks for the information. I'll follow your advice and try the hard drive in my other PC.
Rgds Neil