Only boots to Safe Mode

[screen317]

The entry isn't enabled so it shouldn't matter. Right-click the graphics driver in Device Manager and click Disable. Reboot and see if you can get into Normal Mode.

[wrench]

I have done what you asked me to do with poor result. The machine still only starts in Safe Mode. Any more tricks? I await your reply, thanks! Bill

[screen317]

Hi,

Uninstall all of your security software and see if that permits booting into Normal Mode.

Also unplug any connected external devices and see if that permits booting into Normal Mode.

[wrench]

Hello again and thank you for the suggestion. I did remove my security software as asked and some other old unused software with Revo. I rebooted and have the same result of only having Safe Mode available to me.

I then disconnected all external devices as you said, I again had no luck with booting to a normal screen.

I am getting disheartened by this long journey. Any more things you can think of to alleviate my problem will be appreciated!

I have two PCI cards installed for many years; a TV card and a FAX card which have never before caused a problem, just for information purposes.

[screen317]

I am consulting with my colleagues and will be back with you as soon as possible.

In the meantime, click Start --> Run, enter cmd.exe, and press Enter

In the black box that appears, enter this command exactly as shown:

chkdsk>"%userprofile%\desktop\chkdsk.txt"

Press Enter.

When it finishes, open chkdsk.txt on your Desktop and post its contents here.

-screen317

[wrench]

Thanks once again for your efforts to restore my ailing computer. I have completed the chkdsk and these are the results:

The type of the file system is NTFS.

WARNING! F parameter not specified.

Running CHKDSK in read-only mode.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)...

0 percent completed.

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File verification completed.

CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)...

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Index verification completed.

CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors (stage 3 of 3)...

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Security descriptor verification completed.

CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...

Usn Journal verification completed.

CHKDSK discovered free space marked as allocated in the volume bitmap.

Windows found problems with the file system.

Run CHKDSK with the /F (fix) option to correct these.

58605088 KB total disk space.

17821380 KB in 61557 files.

20452 KB in 12445 indexes.

0 KB in bad sectors.

165708 KB in use by the system.

65536 KB occupied by the log file.

40597548 KB available on disk.

4096 bytes in each allocation unit.

14651272 total allocation units on disk.

10149387 allocation units available on disk.

[screen317]

Hi,

Run this command now instead:

chkdsk /f>"%userprofile%\desktop\chkdsk2.txt"

[wrench]

Hi, I'm sorry to report that the chkdsk2.txt would not run. I have tried it several times. As the screen print shows, it claimed that it was "in use". So I sent the first, read only chkdsk.txt, to the recycle bin and tried again. The next window I saw after allowing the chkdsk2 to run all night and ticking the X to close the C Prompt screen was that it had not finished running. Yet the result of all that time still yielded zilch. I then tried as the window illustrated to enter a (y) and restart the machine, did that twice, with the same result. Please see the screen prints maybe you can see something that can help. chkdsk.bmpchkdsk2.bmp

[screen317]

In the command prompt window, you have to press Y then Enter. Then reboot....

[wrench]

I am sorry to report that after following your instruction the chkdsk2.txt will not run. What to try next? Thanks for your continued efforts!

[screen317]

Just do this:

chkdsk /f

When it prompts you, press Y then enter. Reboot and it should start automatically. When it finishes, reboot and see if you can get into Windows.

[wrench]

It appears as though chkdsk/f ran after following these last instructions, it took a much longer time to boot. Problem is it is still does not start in Normal Mode, only allows me access to Safe Mode. Tried two times to start but it went to Safe Mode each time. It would seem there is still something amiss. I appreciate your working this problem with me.

[screen317]

Hi,

If you press F8 continuously during bootup, and use Start Windows Normally, what happens?

[wrench]

I have tried your suggestion to no avail. The system fails to boot normally, then restarts and offers the Safe Mode option as has been the case. Thanks, I would like to continue if you have some other options.

[screen317]

Hi,

My apologies for the delay; I was having difficulty accessing the forum. Let me consult with my colleagues and I'll be back with you as soon as possible.

[screen317]

Do you have your Windows XP CD?

[wrench]

Yes I do.

[screen317]

Boot from your CD. Access the Recovery Console (press R at the setup menu), and run this command:

fixboot

Press Enter. Reboot and see if you can boot to Safe Mode now.

[wrench]

Hello, and thanks for your help with this. I did as you requested. and the fixboot did install as indicated by the last line that confirmed same. Upon reboot, computer failed to start and said "NTLDR" is compressed enter CTL,ALT,DEL to restart. Did this several times to attempt to get to anything I could work with. After some fumbling, I did get to SAFEBOOT. What next, I had great expectations on this one!

[screen317]

Go back into the Recovery Console from your CD.

Enter these commands, one line at at time:

cd \

attrib -c C:\ntldr

exit

See if Windows boots now.

[wrench]

Hello, I followed your instructions to the letter, yet no results. I then went back in and did your three lines again. No positive result. I still would like to continue. Thanks!

[screen317]

Hi,

Are you still receiving the same "NTLDR is compressed"?

What happened after you entered each command, specifically? Any messages?

[wrench]

Hello, I am not seeing the NTLDR is compressed.

After typing "cd \" and entering it, the next line went to C:\ at which I entered "attrib -c C:\ntldr" and entered it, a few spaces down it said something to the effect of NTLDR is not compressed and that it was successful. Not exactly what it said but similar. That was all, then I exited and rebooted as directed.

The unit still boots, goes through the option of Recovery Console or Windows then reboots and offers Recovery Console or Windows, times out and goes to Safe Mode Options.

[screen317]

Run fixboot again as outlined in Post #43.

Reboot and see if anything changes.

[wrench]

Hello and thank you for your help. I ran fixboot in Recovery Console as requested fixboot did run and wrote a new boot sector as was confirmed by the last line stating that boot sector was written successfully. Windows will still not start normally. Sorry this must be taxing but I'm sure you have an answer somewhere!