Windows XP Home SP3 Cant boot into safe mode from a crash Sony laptop VGN-A790

Anonymous

I get to the window that shows safe mode safe mode with networking, and last good configuration none of which works. If I choose safe mode, I get a black screen with a long list, such as multi(0) disk(0) rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS\system32\DRIVERS\compbatt.sys and about 50 others.

I am not sure if this happened because I updated java plug in later reading with xp it should be uninstalled, since there is no longer support for xp. The only recovery disc I have is for xp pro sp 2, but I need to get one that is xp home with sp3. XP home came installed on the laptop at purchase, and has since been updated to sp3. Is there a way to create a bootable disc using sp3 from a computer using windows 7, I have borrowed from a friend for 48 hours.

The only other disc I have is the one that sets it back to factory settings supplied by Sony, but can't do that, since I will loose files. The disc wont do it anyway since I have ie7 or 8 and SP3 is installed. I have tried F8 multiple times with no luck, however I am using a wireless keyboard, although the arrow keys work to choose safe mode, after that, I can't get past the long list (example above), and leaving it idle at the screen with the list sends it back into a recycle of reboot. Choosing anything else in the list does nothing including last good config. I have no known way of seeing a blue screen.

I have no backup of files and can't loose 10 years of work, etc. I had a similar issue once before when my hard drive died about 3 years ago, but since have replaced the hard drive, and files were transferred using Ubuntu. I could download ubuntu to a USB drive that is bootable and try that I just don't recall from the last time if I left that option available in the bios for future issues in case I needed it but I think I did, if there is a way that I can fix it using Ubuntu? I won't be replacing this computer until November, so I need to get it back working again, any help or suggestions will be much appreciated as I was in the middle of a job.

Kindly,

Stacey

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Anonymous

2014-07-29T12:56:01+00:00

I am the one that suggested Hiren's when you first posted:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-system/windows-xp-home-sp3-cant-boot-into-safe-mode-from/a469d388-6110-4646-bf99-33e25b792799

I have never made a Hiren's using the Windows 7 burner (only ImgBurn) and when I did try it on 7/20 I could not get the Hiren's to unzip all the way and quit trying (sine you did not report that issue).

I did download Hiren's again today and using the Windows 7 burner and the Hiren's CD I made worked fine for me so I don't know if there was something wrong with my download (and maybe your download) from 7/20 or not... but I downloaded again this morning and used the Windows 7 burner and it worked for me this morning. I usually suggest ImgBurn but the Windows 7 burner seemed to be okay (surprised me).

I still think that you just need to run a chkdsk with error correction either from Hiren's or the XP Recovery Console but you may need to tinker with your BIOS to get the Recovery Console to behave since your system has SATA drives but that is not uncommon. Hiren's doesn't have that issue so that is why I go for that first - no adjustments needed.

If your file system is corrupted a bit (which I think it is), it might not do you any good to work on any other stuff like XP Repairs until that is fixed first.

If you want I can tell you how to make a bootable XP Recovery Console CD (no XP media required) or if your system can boot on a USB flash drive, I can tell you how to make a bootable Hiren's USB flash drive so you can run the chkdsk with error correction. The Sony forum reads that your system should be able to boot from a USB thumb drive (good for systems that don't have a CD/DVD drive).

From your original symptoms, I would still suggested starting with the chkdsk with error correction.
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Anonymous

2014-07-29T08:12:50+00:00

I tried hirens, it's alot like barts, it didn't work, I could only see an image of the sky & the grass, but no icons, and no start button, now I know it's because I used windows 7 to make it for xp home., I don't think I want to wipe the cd, I can reinstalll windows from my disk, the one that came with the comp, I just am not willing to loose everything on my computer. I have no back up, it's over 8 years of important files. I'll take a look at that ultimate boot cd, and see if there is anyway for me to use it, before I buy the windows xp sp3 cd from ebay. Thank you for being so helpfull, and responding, I really appreciate all you have done and taken the time to do! I'll let you know if I find anything that will work other than the xp +sp3 on ebay or wvm installed on win 7.
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Anonymous

2014-07-29T08:04:14+00:00

Found an xp home with sp3 on it on ebay, will use it plus some drivers, to boot, and replace the bad file, don't have any other ideas, except windows vm for the windows 7 laptop, but don't really want to do that to my friends machine.
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Anonymous

2014-07-29T04:42:57+00:00

And your next step?
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Anonymous

2014-07-29T04:26:21+00:00

Well, I just found out from nLite forums, you can't use a windows 7 machine to make a windows xp disk, Slipstreaming a service pack with nLite in Windows Vista\7 is a no go. If you do the key will not be recognizable. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950722 (Boils down to pidgen.dll file differences)
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