Help - Windows will not Boot up

DennisP · #1 01-06-07

Can anyone help - I am running Windows XP Home and about 6 weeks ago I installed Acronis Disk Director Suite which allow the install of a Boot manager,
which I foolishly did. Until this morning it has always worked OK when on to start up I got the message "Starting Acronis Loader.....
No commands for booting operating system. Press <Enter> to restart...."

On pressing Enter the message just repeats. Can anyone suggest what is going on and maybe a cure which will allow me to get into Windows. ? I think it is perhaps in the Master Boot Record but I do not know how to rectify it.
I can boot from the Windows Installation CD and have selected the Recover Console but do not know what to do when I get in there. Anyone any ideas apart from re-installing Windows. ?

Patrick · #2 01-06-07

Quote:

Originally Posted by DennisP

Can anyone help - I am running Windows XP Home and about 6 weeks ago I installed Acronis Disk Director Suite which allow the install of a Boot manager,
which I foolishly did. Until this morning it has always worked OK when on to start up I got the message "Starting Acronis Loader.....
No commands for booting operating system. Press <Enter> to restart...."

On pressing Enter the message just repeats. Can anyone suggest what is going on and maybe a cure which will allow me to get into Windows. ? I think it is perhaps in the Master Boot Record but I do not know how to rectify it.
I can boot from the Windows Installation CD and have selected the Recover Console but do not know what to do when I get in there. Anyone any ideas apart from re-installing Windows. ?

My suggestion would be to start your machine in safe mode and un-install the offending program.

Patrick

bigbob · #3 01-06-07

Dennis can you load windows in safe mode (repeatedly press F8 while loading) and uninstall Acronis from there.

B..

Patrick and me both answered at the same time

rogleale · #4 02-06-07

Hi Dennis,
I am not sure that removing the DD suite will cure the problem, because I don't think it will restore the boot sector.

If it doesn't, and you want to try the Recovery Console you will be asked for a password - if you didn't set one up just hit 'Enter'.

The commands to use for a repair are 'fixmbr' or 'fixboot' . If 'fixmbr' doesn't work work you can try 'fixboot c'

As it seems to be an Acronis problem rather than a hardware problem, a friend with a working computer and an internet connection would be welcome - their product support is first class in my experience.

Roger

Josh Bear · #5 02-06-07

hi

be careful when using recoivery disks as soemtimes they have options to reformat your hard drive leading to you losing all your stuff.

Here is a link to a dedicated windows help forum.

http://www.pcbanter.net/

best reagrds

Josh

rogleale · #6 02-06-07

Hi again Dennis,
I just re-read your message, and saw the last sentence about re-installing XP.
There is no need to re-install, that would wipe out all your data in the 'C' partition, but a repair install is easy to do, especially if you are on broadband. That keeps all your data, and just repairs the XP installation, but would mean that you have to re-download all the XP updates again.
If this proves to be necessary:

Boot from the XP install disc.
Your hardware will be investigated.
1st screen - Windows loads files.
2nd screen - Welcome to Setup
Press 'Enter' to setup XP (NOT 'R' to repair)
3rd screen - Licence conditions - press F8.
4th screen - Select 'R' to repair the installed XP.

It will appear that XP is being re-installed and there may be several black screens, but don't worry!
Setup will boot up after the repair, ignore the 'Press any key to boot from CD' message, and a clean, repaired XP will boot.

All your settings and programmes will be as before, only better! Now to install SP2 if necessary and download all the updates.

I hope that one of these helps a bit.

Roger

DennisP · #7 02-06-07

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions. To Patrick and Bob - I have tried to get into Safe mode by pressing the F8 key as it powers up but I never manage to get in. I have been holding down the F8 key? Is this incorrect, should one repeatedly keep pressing the key fast so that the keypress is captured at the correct moment.? To Roger - I have not tried the 'fixmbr' method, should I try this before your later idea of a safe e-install of Windows XP. I would only like to try that method as a last resort as it would be a long winded job to download and re-install service pack 2 and all the updates.

Thanks again to all - I will let you know how I get on.

Patrick · #8 02-06-07

Quote:

Originally Posted by DennisP

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions. To Patrick and Bob - I have tried to get into Safe mode by pressing the F8 key as it powers up but I never manage to get in. I have been holding down the F8 key? Is this incorrect, should one repeatedly keep pressing the key fast so that the keypress is captured at the correct moment.? To Roger - I have not tried the 'fixmbr' method, should I try this before your later idea of a safe e-install of Windows XP. I would only like to try that method as a last resort as it would be a long winded job to download and re-install service pack 2 and all the updates.

Thanks again to all - I will let you know how I get on.

Another way you can get into safe mode if you are desperate is to switch off the computer part through the bootup and then restart, it goes into safe mode automaticaly.
I know many hands will now go up in horrer, but it works.

Patrick

rogleale · #9 02-06-07

I don't think that the F8 will actually work Dennis because it is a command to the system during the system boot, and your XP system is not booting. Tapping F8 repeatedly when the BIOS screens are finished usually does the trick, but Windows has to be actually booting. Unfortunately Patrick's idea about aborting the boot suffers from the same drawback, XP has to be booting at the time.

If all else fails try the 'fixboot' then the 'fixmbr' commands because you will have nothing to lose! You are right about the long downloads involved in a repair or re-install because I have just done it for a friend. Fortunately I had an SP2 CD to hand which saved a lot of time but the updates still took 40 minutes of download time. Don't you know someone who has the CD?

Roger

coupekid · #10 02-06-07

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogleale

I don't think that the F8 will actually work Dennis because it is a command to the system during the system boot, and your XP system is not booting. Tapping F8 repeatedly when the BIOS screens are finished usually does the trick, but Windows has to be actually booting. Unfortunately Patrick's idea about aborting the boot suffers from the same drawback, XP has to be booting at the time.

If all else fails try the 'fixboot' then the 'fixmbr' commands because you will have nothing to lose! You are right about the long downloads involved in a repair or re-install because I have just done it for a friend. Fortunately I had an SP2 CD to hand which saved a lot of time but the updates still took 40 minutes of download time. Don't you know someone who has the CD?

Roger

I have a Service Pack 2 Disc at work Patrick. If you want to private message me your address, I will happily pop it in the post to you on Monday.

I believe Boot Manager creates a kind of partition, and i wonder whether it is attempting to boot from a different partition, and thus is not seeing your installed Operating System?.....just a thought from a non techie!

Autumn · #11 02-06-07

From "She who knows noooothing!"

What would happen if you did a System Restore to a time before you installed Acronis Disk Director Suite - say 7 weeks ago!

Could it work?

DennisP · #12 02-06-07

Sorry Autumn but if you read my original post you will see that I cannot get into Windows and therefore cannot do a system restore. Roger has made the best suggestions so far so I am inclined to follow those. I will post the outcome when I am up and running again on the desktop computer which is the problem one.

Autumn · #13 02-06-07

Yes I did read it. It just didn't register. I thought it was too easy. I think it's time for bed!

DennisP · #14 04-06-07

Yipee !! I am back up and running again with all intact as far as I can see.
Thanks everyone for all your suggestions but I think the credit must go to Roger who's sugestion of using the Windows CD to boot - selecting 'R' to repair and then typing 'fixmbr' did the trick. Within seconds I was back into Windows with the Master Boot Record repaired . Thanks Roger , you deserve a medal

Autumn · #15 04-06-07

Quote:

Originally Posted by DennisP

Yipee !! I am back up and running again with all intact as far as I can see.
Thanks everyone for all your suggestions but I think the credit must go to Roger who's sugestion of using the Windows CD to boot - selecting 'R' to repair and then typing 'fixmbr' did the trick. Within seconds I was back into Windows with the Master Boot Record repaired . Thanks Roger , you deserve a medal

Glad you are back on line Dennis. When someone helps you to achieve success it's so rewarding. I had a couple of issues this week and both were solved with the help of members.