Laptop Troubles

[GeforcebOY1]

Alright Guys And Gals,
I need your help , i am just trying to install windows service pack 2 on my laptop for the added wireless network connection features but after the restart it freezes on the loading screen or it just keeps going for like hours around and around ??? Please Please Help Guys!!!!

Laptop Specs:
AMD 64 3000+
512Mb Ram
40GB Harddrive
Radeon 9600 Video Chip Thingy
Windows XP Home

Cheers!!!!

 

[Kage]

Hmm, you should have no problems. How are you getting the update? Cd, or download?

As long as you have Windows XP, Service pack 1, you should have no issues what so ever going to service pack 2.

Luckily though, it would have saved the old one I think. Try pressing F8 at bootup and going to 'Last Working Configeration' and if that doesn't work, try pressing F8 and going to Safemode.

If this works, it should ask 'Do you want to run system restore, or continue?'. Select to run system restore. Go back a day or so with this by selecting an earlier time. It should have made one.

If it doesn't automatically come up, you'll have to go to Start, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore.

Hopefully then, Windows XP Service Pack 1 will be re-loaded with no issues.

If this doesn't work either, you'll have to re-inert the Windows CD rom and try to re-install windows on top of the old one.
If Safe Mode works, I would back up at this time, just incase you have to re-format the drive, or you lose data, or place a hard drive as a master with windows already on to save data.

Its very weird though. Definitley no reason why it should have gone wrong. Many people have downloaded SP2 with no issues, though maybe a connection fault or something caused a problem?

I hope this helps

 

[rdcmmnst]

If it freezes at his windows loading screen how is he going to get anywhere...? not to be discouraging buddy just a thought tho....because even in safe mode doesnt windows still have to load.

 

[Kage]

Yeah, I was thinking that, but I know that windows stores a backup of Service Pack 1 before going on with 2, so there must be a way of going back to it. System Restore was what popped into my head.

It might work to tell the truth actually, since it won't open any of the new programs for Service Pack 2. You never know.

The only option if this doesn't work I'm afraid, would be to use another harddrive to store data if you could with windows on it, and then trying for a re-install
(I don't know much about the repair function...is this where it is stored...anyone?) Or just do a re-install of everything

I'm sure threres a way of going back to Service Pack 2 though, and I'm sure someone will be able to help you.

 

[rdcmmnst]

hm..do you mean hook up like an external hd and back up his data. Can you do that with his computer being kinda funky like that?

 

[Kage]

No, I mean attaching a harddrive with windows (maybe be borrowed) as a Master, and the drive that won't boot as a Slave. When the Master then boots, the Slave will appear as Drive D or something, allowing you to take neccessary files off you want to keep to the Master, before trying a re-install of the drive that won't boot with SP1

EDIT: Oh heck...its a laptop isn't it... I don't know if an external drive could be told to boot it in that case

 

[rdcmmnst]

true very true...you might look for programs that might set the defaults on the internet you know what buddy i've got time i might look.

 

[rdcmmnst]

well...not finding anything i know you can set the hard drives as master slave in your computer could you set the harddrive in the computer to slave and not have a master so it might detect the external as master. I've never really tinkered with master slave so i don't know how it's done.

 

[rdcmmnst]

you could go to msconfig in run on your start menu and you know how you can choose where to boot from...that might work

EDIT:i forgot that he can't get to msconfig so i'm not sure what to do..

 

[Kage]

Hmm... I'm not sure if a removable hard drive like I said can be configured in the same way as a hard drive plugged into IDE.

One way of checking though. Press DEL at bootup to bring up the BIOS menu. Depending on the bios version you have, this will be in a different place, but it is usually the first menu you come to.

Find something with this:

First Boot
Second Boot
Third Boot
etc

Try plugging up a external drive and try to select the first boot as this. I honestly don't think this will work though since if its USB, it might not even be accessable at this point

If it does though, follow through, and select Save & Exit.

Its a bit stupid this you know. I heard alot of problems with SP2 when it was first released, though I thought this was improved and fixed. Where did you get it from? Cd? Or from Windows Update?

I know you'll have some valuable data on there, so I can't really ask you to try and re-installing windows since it'll probably wipe the drive.

I know you can do it using the repair function in the Windows Setup, but I don't know how.

Anyone who does?...

I hope someone can help you