Repairing windows install?

[kasavien]

Hi all

I'm attempting to fix a friends computer, and i've got as far as getting it to turn on, the old power supply is broken so i've replaced it. The next problem is getting windows to boot. I think before the power supply went, there were plenty of viruses on it, so i think the install may be borked and a format c is needed. The only problem is i don't have a copy of windows i could put on, well i do but it's the copy i own for my machine, i'm back home now and it wouldn't be easy to get the proper copy of windows from my friend.

Currently when the computer boots, it asks whether to load safe mode or not, but when you select load safe mode it gets as far as loading mup.sys then does nothing else, but i haven't tried leaving it for more than 5 mins.

So i'm left wondering what my options are? any ideas would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

Andy

[d3fiant]

try the XP recovery console and run chkdsk, may be that there are some hard drive errors which need to be fixed, I have seen these cause the mup.sys hang before. If not then try a repair with your CD, u will most likely need to reinstall software once the repair is complete as well as run windows update, good luck

[Splash]

I have seen this in the past - try leaving it for 30 mins or so and see if it gets past MUP.sys. Alternatively try disabling bootsector virus protection (or similar) in the BIOS and see if that makes any difference - it will sometimes allow you to get into safe mode.

[ikonia]

or take it to PC world.

you've not really done much and already your asking for help.

Take it to a PC repair shop.

Apologies if that doesn't seem to helpful, but if you search for threads in the last two weeks there have been quite a few

"i'm repairing my mates PC....."

style threads and quite a few of them have lines like

"where to I start"

a.) its not fair on the person fixing it - if they are stuck at this point.
b.) its not fair on the mate if you do damage or lose data

[d3fiant]

In all fairness ikonia, this is the help forum, surely if too many help requests are coming through then either

a.) ignore them
b.) go to the Hexus.no help required room

Yes yes there is a search button, but seriously fella, all forums of this type will have posts like this

[ikonia]

I wasn't calling him for requiring help,

Everyone needs help.

But failing at the first hurdle when fixing someone elses machine seems a bit common at the moment.

I'm just trying to highlight that dabling with your own machine maybe fine, but when its your mates it can cause pronblems such as if you break it or lose data,

If you feel really comfortalbe then doing a mate a favour is fine as the likleyhood of anything bad is less, but if you're falling at the first hurdle your likley to do damage and mess up a machine for a mate rather than fix it.

Many people seem to want to do it themselves which is great, but also there is no shame in going to professionals and getting the job done properly with warrenty and backups etc.

Its just an option which is never mentioned on here "go to the professionals"

I'm just highlighting it is an option, and one thats never advised.

If he had come on saying

I've done X, Y, Z, re-done X, backed up, checked G, can't do F but I am thinking of doing T then yes, your probably ok, but

a.) no media
b.) not really tried anything
c.) asking for help

Sounds like your on the back foot straight away, so taking it to a repair shop with the media and tools on hand maybe the better and eaier bet.

[UKMuFFiN]

or take it to PC world...

Many people seem to want to do it themselves which is great, but also there is no shame in going to professionals and getting the job done properly with warrenty and backups etc.

Its just an option which is never mentioned on here "go to the professionals"

I'm just highlighting it is an option, and one thats never advised.

I agree but sending him to PCworld isn't going to help anyone!

[ikonia]

bad choice of shop, agreed.

[d3fiant]

I agree but sending him to PCworld isn't going to help anyone!

hey, someone has to talk to the 'tard in the purple shirt

[kidzer]

...snip...

very good post

*echoise ikonia's comments*

[kasavien]

bah thanks for the help guys To be honest i made the fatal error of not using google first, it seems so much easier to ask here first in the hope of a quick reply, than trawling google for an answer that worked.

I'd tried disabling the bootsector virus protection, which didn't work, but thanks for the suggestion. What did in fact work was removing the mouse and booting up without it in, booted fine to logon, insert usb mouse and jobs a good un, everything working now

All i need to do now is sort out the software installed and update everything, which should be fun on dial up

Thanks

Andy

p.s. have a little more faith in the technical expertise of the person asking for help next

[kasavien]

Sorry i didn't mention that the pc i am fixing has been out of action for at least 18months, they can't afford to take it to a pc repair shop. My friend wasn't expecting i could fix it so there is no problem if i break it even more, but by no means do i _intend_ to break it, i want to fix it because hopefully i will learn something in the process. I should have initially given more information about what i had already attempted, but like i said above i was looking for a quick answer, so thanks to Splash and d3fiant for actually answering my question, it's much appreciated.

Anyway all that remains to do with it now is to install and update software, which won't be a problem.

Andy