[RESOLVED] [XP] Should've left well enough alone!

[stevejr]

On my daughter's computer I had replaced the A7A133 with an NF7-S...did a format & clean install of xp pro and it was running like a top..

Then...I took off the stock cpu hsf...cleaned cpu...and put on an all copper one that I had( with new Artic Silver) and added an 80mm fan. I turned 'puter on...got to desktop where I checked temps with PC Wizard...nice cool temps and much quieter...great!

Then... ...since I have a fan on the side panel that is run from a fan controller ( so is the cpu fan ),...and with the system still running ( I think this is where I goofed ), I had to carefully pull the lead from the fan controller out to where I could plug in the fan. Now as I was carefully "fishing" the lead past the other cables I thought that I heard a couple of clicks...and I just figured that it was the plastic connector clicking against the case ( I'm now thinking that what I was hearing was a static discharge ?).

The monitor went blank....but everything else remained running inside the case. I shut the 'puter off...turned it back on and the first couple of screens comes up where you can acces Bios and then the next couple of screens....but that's as far as it goes...Windows does not start to load...nothing...

I have re-set the cmos....several times.
I can get into Bios where I re-set my settings...all looks fine there. I save & exit...but still no Windows start-up.

I changed vid cards...no go

I ran diagnostic on the hdd...all is good

I ran diagnostic on memory...all is good

I triple checked all connections...all good

I hope that I haven't somehow messed up this nice board...

Do I need to pop in the xp cd and do a repair..?

I'm thinking that it's something minor....sure hope so...

[eddds40]

I don't think it would hurt to do a xp repair, At this time I see nothing to lose.
Or place the hard drive into another pc as slave to see if you can access any of your files and get them backed up to removable media, Guess it depends on how much data you stand to lose in what I would do first

[SuperSparks]

First of all, boot up with the WinXP CD in the drive, and go to the Recovery Console. At the command prompt, type "chkdsk /R", then type "Fixmbr", then "fixboot", then "bootcfg /rebuild" all without the quotes.

[stevejr]

Okay...I'm up and awake...

edds40....yea, I figured that I would have to do something like that.

SS...That's what I was trying to remember...now...do I type all of those commands on the one line or do I do them separately?

[stevejr]

Well...maybe I'm not as awake as I thought...

I use each command separately...I'm not a DOS expert, but I realized that when I got to the command prompt....

Success.... !

Back to normal...

I had to use "CHKDSK" ( without the /R)

Then FIXMBR...then FIXBOOT....but there was no "BOOTCFG/REBUILD" option.

So....what do you think might have caused the corruption...a static discharge?

I learned something....from now on...I will NEVER try and hook anything up while the 'puter is running....not even a simple fan.... !

Thanks a million...!!

[SuperSparks]

It's very hard to say whatever causes these things. But a wrist strap is always a good investment. And it's always wise to power down the PC unless you absolutely must have it running.

Bootcfg /rebuild is only available in WinXP, and you have to leave a space before the forward slash.

[stevejr]

SS....xp pro is the o/s.
At the command prompt I could type "help" and it showed all of the commands that were available but the "bootcfg /rebuild" was not listed. What does that command fix that wasn't fixed by the other commands?

I have made a note of those commands and have it in my rolodeck...

[SuperSparks]

It searches for NT-based OS's and rebuilds the boot.ini file. In this case it isn't important, as you can boot into Windows, so your boot.ini must be OK.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291980

[stevejr]

Ahh...living & learning.. as usual.. from this excellent forum!

[eddds40]

With electricity you never know what may or may not happen, I recently had a Dell (which I don't like to work on anyhow)Known to had a power line problem that wouldn't do none of the restores operations so on a new install it lost files This is the reason I recommend getting important files off first As you never know what is damaged software or Hardware