XP failed to start

[Rose]

hi,
i have a normal dell home desktop with windows xp home
installed. today i just left the computer on for a few
hours, came back, and the for some reason windows has
rebooted itself and is stuck at a screen. it says that
windows cannot be started normally and gives me several
options such as safe mode, safe mode with command
prompt...etc. i tried everyone of them, none of them
worked. they all lead me back to the same option screen.
windows fails to start every time. i don't know what do
to. i need to retrieve some of my files, so i don't want
to reformat my drive. is there any way to start windows or
go to command prompt so i can save my files? PLEASE HELP!!
thanks!
rose

[Ed Sproull [MSFT]]

I'm sorry I won't be able to give you a concrete answer but here are a few
things you can try.
1.) Is this a new computer or do you have Dell Support? You might want to
give them a call, they are very good.
2.) If there is any chance the main drive isn't for matted with NTFS you
might try booting from a floppy to get you files off the computer.

Not sure what else to try. Ed.


"Rose" > wrote in message
...
> hi,
> i have a normal dell home desktop with windows xp home
> installed. today i just left the computer on for a few
> hours, came back, and the for some reason windows has
> rebooted itself and is stuck at a screen. it says that
> windows cannot be started normally and gives me several
> options such as safe mode, safe mode with command
> prompt...etc. i tried everyone of them, none of them
> worked. they all lead me back to the same option screen.
> windows fails to start every time. i don't know what do
> to. i need to retrieve some of my files, so i don't want
> to reformat my drive. is there any way to start windows or
> go to command prompt so i can save my files? PLEASE HELP!!
> thanks!
> rose

[Peter Hutchison]

On Sat, 1 Nov 2003 21:31:07 -0800, "Rose"
> wrote:

>hi,
>i have a normal dell home desktop with windows xp home
>installed. today i just left the computer on for a few
>hours, came back, and the for some reason windows has
>rebooted itself and is stuck at a screen. it says that
>windows cannot be started normally and gives me several
>options such as safe mode, safe mode with command
>prompt...etc. i tried everyone of them, none of them
>worked. they all lead me back to the same option screen.
>windows fails to start every time. i don't know what do
>to. i need to retrieve some of my files, so i don't want
>to reformat my drive. is there any way to start windows or
>go to command prompt so i can save my files? PLEASE HELP!!
>thanks!
>rose

Insert the XP CD and do a REapair install to fix the system files.
See
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341&Product=winxp
on how to do this.

Peter Hutchison
Windows FAQ
http://www.pcguru.plus.com/