Tatheg,

From my current XP trials and tribs' I have these useful links.

Firstly after any new hardware update (though not always) you need to set BIOS back to its default, basic or fool proof settings not 'optimised'..

http://www.bootdisk.com/
------------------------
To test the basic CPU & System get any win98 type bootdisk and startup with CD enabled. Do a test directory list of all drives.

If you still can't get into XP enough to use the CD (which is expected given no real DOS..) then whilst still booted of the win9 floppy:

Put a CD in your machine. Do a directory list (dir) This will tell you if the CD is functional on a basic level.

http://www.memtest86.com/
------------------------
Useful floppy as it will not only test your memory but indicate if the system is working in the first place. (Ignore any memory errors unless you are sure the system itself is fully functional..)

http://www.bootdisk.com/readntfs.htm
-------------------------------------
Will show you files on your NTFS drives. If it can't then your NTFS file system is damaged (though may be repairable.)

XP Floppy Start
---------------
If you need the XP floppy boot disks get them here: WinXP_EN_PRO_BF.EXE

If these do not enable reading from the CD then there is a problem with hardware or its configuration.

Other stuff that has helped me with problematic boots:

+ Remove or move network cards.
+ Remove or move some of the memory.
+ Change or move video cards.

(All these can be put back when the machine is booting into windows OK.)

I'm still sorting out my problem (different problem to yours) but these basic tools have enabled me to have a clear ground on which to work from..

cRunchy

> Just a side note on the service packs ...
>
> I just did a rebuild of one machine with a CD that did have SP1, so,
> reasonably enough I wanted to FIRST install SP2, THEN the other patches.
> Sorry about that, you have to install whatever patches found first before SP2
> shows up.
>
> This is a change from the past where the latest SP showed up the first time
> you asked for updates.
>
> Last, don't forget to run updates until there are no remaining updates ...
>

I dont quite follow what you said so forgive me if I misunderstand BUT:

You dont EVER, on a rebuild, install the next SP then try and install the current one unless you are testing for possible problems because you WILL get them. You always follow the numerical order. Eg, if it is an XP 2002 (which is a streamlined XP with SP1) then you do the repair using that and when finished THEN introduce SP2.

Anyway, if I misunderstood what you said, my apologies.

Greg.

> Tatheg,
>
> From my current XP trials and tribs' I have these useful links.
>
> Firstly after any new hardware update (though not always) you need to set BIOS
> back to its default, basic or fool proof settings not 'optimised'..
>
> http://www.bootdisk.com/
> ------------------------
> To test the basic CPU & System get any win98 type bootdisk and startup
> with CD enabled. Do a test directory list of all drives.
>
> If you still can't get into XP enough to use the CD (which is expected given
> no real DOS..) then whilst still booted of the win9 floppy:
>
> Put a CD in your machine. Do a directory list (dir) This will tell you if the
> CD is functional on a basic level.
>
> http://www.memtest86.com/
> ------------------------
> Useful floppy as it will not only test your memory but indicate if the system
> is working in the first place. (Ignore any memory errors unless you are sure
> the system itself is fully functional..)
>
> http://www.bootdisk.com/readntfs.htm
> -------------------------------------
> Will show you files on your NTFS drives. If it can't then your NTFS file
> system is damaged (though may be repairable.)
>
> XP Floppy Start
> ---------------
> If you need the XP floppy boot disks get them here: <a> href="http://download.microsoft.com/download/whistler/Install/310994/WIN98MeXP/EN-US/WinXP_EN_PRO_BF.EXE">
> WinXP_EN_PRO_BF.EXE[/url]
>
> If these do not enable reading from the CD then there is a problem with
> hardware or its configuration.
>
> Other stuff that has helped me with problematic boots:
>
> + Remove or move network cards.
> + Remove or move some of the memory.
> + Change or move video cards.
>
> (All these can be put back when the machine is booting into windows OK.)
>
> I'm still sorting out my problem (different problem to yours) but these basic
> tools have enabled me to have a clear ground on which to work from..
>
> cRunchy
>
>
>


One thing you might want to have in your stable to be able to chuck a few of the above that you mentioned out as booting off a floppy that reads NTFS has proven all but useless as you can READ but not ADJUST anything is Partition Magic, now owned by Symantec unfortunately. Helps to check out your HD.

Another thing that makes a heck of a difference is the program "clearhdd" which you can run from a floppy after booting into DOS no matter how your HD is formatted. You use it to erase and "zero" your boot blocks so you can set up the partition then format it all over again. Using this prog means you lost everything but occasionally a crash can stuff the boot blocks and data to the point that the HD is locked out and this prog, which fits on a Win 98 startup disk, clears that for you. Also, there was a virus around (now old) that locked the boot sectors from change and made it impossible for a simple format or for fdisk to work. This prog also cleared that.

Greg.