Error loading operating system - please help?
Question:
I havent installed anything new software wise onto my pc but my son was downloading free music from a share ware type site and its just after this we got the problem.
When you start the pc you see a message saying
"select 'tab' to show post screen, [del] to enter setup
then it goes to another screen that is black and that has something called a PCI device listing and at the bottom of the screen it says Error loading operating system_
Ive been advised to use the mesh recovery disc but im rather embarassed to say i dont know how or what to do.
Ive called a local guy that does a mobile repair servce but he cant fit me in for weeks and who knows what he will charge so id be really grateful for some advice and maybe i can have a go myself
Thanks in adance!!
Answer:
Try pressing F8 as system is booting until you see an a screen with a few options, including safe mode, safe mode with networking, and a few others. What you want to select is "Last Known Good Configuration" , If this will boot the OS, you should immediately run a full virus/ spywear scan. If it still wont boot, You will need to locate your recovery disk, Just place it in the CD/DVD drive and follow the onscreen instructions.
I need the name and model of your computer to assist you better
Gary
Ok, you are in a big pickle here. You need a recovery disc or a windows disc. Your operating system is windows, windows is unhappy because the programs that make it work are corrupted. I don't know if your computer is a brand name like Dell, or if it is a generic type. The best bet is to pull out the CD's that came with it and find one that says Recovery disc, or a windows disc. If it is a windows disc you need to boot from the windows disc. Most computers are setup to check the floppy drive, then the CD-rom, then the hard drive. Put the windows or recovery disc in when you turn the PC on and wait and see if it asks if you want to bood from the CD. Once you boot from the disc, you will have an option to repair or to reinstall. Try repairing it first, windows is kind and makes it simple, just follow the instructions and it should turn out ok. Just remember if you do a reinstall, and it asks to format your hard drive that means you will lose all of you personal files.
looks to me like you windows MBR has been curopted. the best thing to do would be thy booting for Win XP CD. and do a repair.or just reformat and install.
Could be you have a virus from downloading from the shareware site. Any of these music sites where you get free music has potential to send harmful virus's. I suggest you have one anti-virus program on your computer at all times. Do not have two though as that will cause conflicts. You will lose all unsaved files such as pictures, music and whatever is on your computer unless you back them up before you run the recovery disk.
restart the computer and hit F8 at the top, when that comes up go to safe mode and see if you can run your anti-virus. See if this resolves the issue.
Make sure also that you have all drivers if they are not included on the disk if you decide to go this route instead. I am thinking that as you are a novice it may be wise to wait for someone who knows more. There is so many things that can be changed and missed.
Before you do any of the above, re boot your computer, press delete, to get into the BIOS, look for restore defaults, click it, save and exit.
It might be that the BIOS has lost track, might work, might not, but worth a try!
Its possible that the CMOS battery [looks like a big 'watch' battery on the Motherboard] is low and you have lost your settings. Boot up and press delete, just keep tapping the key until the Setup menu appears. If you have a menu item 'Auto Detect HD' then select it, otherwise look to see if your HD is present. Setup programmes differ according to the Motherboard but if the HD isn't present scroll to that item and select 'Auto' if that selection is there. If you can't resolve the problem there then, somewhere on that screen you should have instructions to load the 'Default Setup', select it, save the changes and the computer will re-boot, hopefully!
reinstall your operatng system if your pc can't start
You people make me sick no wonder people dont like computers, I've never had to reinstall windows.
Here is what you do
1) Make sure you turn your screen on before your pc because need to read how to enter the bios, sometime you will miss this because the screen takes a sec to "warm up"
2) Restart and press the button it said. In the bios you need to go through the menus till you find boot device or boot order, make sure CD-ROM is before HDD, at the bottom it should tell you what button to press to save and & exit
3) Restart again keep pressing f8 from the begining ignore any beeps till you see a menu, chose safe mode from menu. If windows starts do the following. Click start button>find RUN and click it> Type msconfig in the box press enter> In the new window select the last tab "startup" untick all the boxes (unless its obvious what they are like mouse32)> Press apply and ok. Dont restart when it gives you the option, choose restart later.
4) Do the same again find run and this time type %temp% press enter this will open a new window click on 1 of the files once (dont open just select it) then press ctrl+A they should all turn blue, now press and hold shift then press delete and confirm the delete box
5) Restart let it boot normally, if it does go back through the list of now unticked boxes and tick the ones for programs like norton/macfee etc programs you know, if your not sure google the name.
6) If it didnt boot in safe mode, put in the recovery disc restart pc and follow on screen instructions for a Repair or Fix if that fails your going to have to reinstall the recovery disc will walk you through it.
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