Windows XP Boot Problem

[Steyr]

Built a new system over the weekend (specs on the left), but I've run into a problem. Everything was going smoothly, XP w/SP2 OEM installed fine, I installed the drivers for my sound and graphics cards, setup my internet connection and whatnot. Installed AVG 7 and Call of Duty 2, did full system virus scan (all clean) , played a bit of cod2 and activated my copy of windows over the net. Automatic updates came up saying theres 50-60 or so updates available, I went through the list and checked the important looking ones, security patches, hotfixes etc, downloaded/installed those fine. Rebooted, everything still running fine, then went to shut down the pc for the night and under the shutdown button it said something like shutdown and install available updates, and under that it said click here to shut down w/o installing updates. So I chose to shut down w/o installing them, as they were updates I had no need for (Outlook updates etc).

Now, when I tried to startup the system this morning I can't get into normal Windows. The system loads up to the Windows XP loading screen with the bar scrolling at the bottom. The bar makes 2 passes, then on the 3rd pass it just freezes and the whole system locks up. Tried resetting same prob. Load WIndows Normally/Last known good config has the same pproblem, but I'm able to get into Safe Mode ok. Ran a full sys scan with AVG, still all clean, used system config util and gone through the windows help solutions, selective startup, disabling each *.ini etc one by one, but still the same outcome. Not sure if this is related, but I've noticed the lockup tends to occur simultaneously with the moment the Num/Caps/Scroll Lock lights on the k/b all come on together.


Any help would be welcome, as I know very little about XP, and I'd rather not resort to reinstalling the OS as I've about 50GB of data stored, and don't wana have to mess about re-activating windows.

TIA

[danroyle]

firstly updates are a pain but you should always get them all

just because you don't use a program doesn't mean some 12yr old won't hack into your system using a backdoor in that program

have you tried using windows recovery system from the win cd and creating a new boot config file and autoexec also try getting master boot restorer on floppy disc in case your master boot file is corrupted

can't remember were you get it from but one of the other hexus guys will probably know

[Steyr]

Fixed it.

All I did was disable USB in the bios, rebooted XP loaded fine. Went back into the bios, enabled USB and Windows still works fine