Computer help please(kids arghhh!!)

[AllWoman]

Ok my two little angels have just confessed that they have fcked up their computer.

It won't start up, I have tried starting it up in safe mode but to no avail just keep getting a blue screen with loads of techno blurb that I don't understand. To compaund matters they have lost the Xp discs that came with PC.

Anyone have any ideas??

The blue screen has the wording.............

A problem has been detected and wondows has been shutdown to prevent damage to your computer.

UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

If this is the first time you've seen this error screen restart your computer. If this screen appears again follow these steps:

CHeck to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed. If this is a new installation ask you hardware or software manufacturer for any windows updates you might need.

If problems continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or software. Disbale BIOS options such as caching or shadowing. If you need to use safe mode to remove or disable components restart your computer, press F8 to select advanced start up options, and then select safe mode.

Technical information

***STOP: 0x000000ED (0x86DF0c08, 0xC0000006, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)

 

[auchtermuchty]

Set fire to it and claim on the house insurance!!DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[Sospan]

There is some info on here that could be helpfull. Good luck, but without your XP discs I am not hopefull DT_Xtremez_42:

 

[Cooheed]

You can get boot disks here, may take up to 6 floppies though

http://techtips4u.com/downloads/

 

[monobrow]

hmmmmmm.....

I'd be looking into the possibility of "borrowing" an XP home disk from a friend. As long as you have a valid key (usually on a sticker on the side/bottom of the PC case) Then you format using the CD, install using the borrowed CD but enter your genuine key when prompted.

That way, you can sort it oooot nicely with a re-format, and everything is genuine and above board.

Sticker looks a bit like this one ->

 

[Cooheed]

I would go the same way Mono but I suspect if the disc is lost, so is the key used to install it..

 

[AllWoman]

Thank you will try and borrow a disk

 

[monobrow]

I would go the same way Mono but I suspect if the disc is lost, so is the key used to install it..

Not usually!! Even the most pap of companies who build PC's affix the OEM sticker to the side of the case!!

 

[Cooheed]

Not usually!! Even the most pap of companies who build PC's affix the OEM sticker to the side of the case!!

I'll take your word for it. I build my own so wouldn't know DT_Xtremez_35:

 

[AllWoman]

I do have the key for it just not the discs

 

[Cooheed]

Then a 'borrowed disc' is the way to go AW. Just make sure the comp is set to boot from the CD drive as the first bootable disc in the BIOS. Even if the registry is fnucked, keep hitting the delete button on start up to get you into the BIOS options

 

[monobrow]

(thats usually default to matey............. 1st bootable = Floppy, 2nd = CD Drive, 3rd = Hard drive)

Unless of course your pooter was built by PS..... Tell tale feature.... tool marks on the side of the case as he was trying to gain access to the "files" inside the pooter.

 

[Cooheed]

Usually, but not always my geeker friend!!

 

[propersplitbrainme]

AW,

Whilst its usually a good idea to blame the kids by default, I don't think they are to blame this time. Last time I had this message appear the hard disk was bust-icated. I managed to re-install windows but it failed again soon after.
Was the PC bought from a 'superstore', i.e. is it a branded name like Compaq or Hewlett Packard? If so, then you probably won't have had any Windows installation disks in the first place as these manufacturers tend to scrimp and place an image of the installation CD on a partition on your hard drive. If you need to re-install it there will be some routine you have to go through to access it.

 

[Kernow]

As Mono has suggested if you can get hold of another system disk then you may be ok. However Dell and some others do code their disks to only work on their machines (have had this happen to me).

What I would suggest if the system disk will work, is to select the option to repair the drive rather than format. This way you can try and save any files you have saved on the machine. Format really is a last resort.

 

[monobrow]

Yeah, had an old Compaq do that to me. the restore disks not only installed windows, but works, some photo demo, a traffic route thing (that was ****), shortcuts to 5 internet providers, and all the bumpf that I spent an age trying to get rid of before, partitioned the drive and made it really $hite to use, so got me a disk, destroyed the partition and all the info, formatted as one drive and put the operating system on using the key on the case.

It was worth it in the end (in my opinion) as I got a clean fresh windows on my pooter without all the additional crap these companies decide is "essential" to have on my system

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR DT_Xtremez_25: DT_Xtremez_25: DT_Xtremez_25:

 

[R_Squared]

All the suggestions so far have been good, you won't go far wrong with any of these, but before you start re-installing XP do you have any files you need to try and recover?
If so try and get a hold of Knoppix, It will allow you to boot your PC, and look for your files and burn them to a cd or USB drive.
Its an operating system that runs from the CD so should work anyway. It can be found here.
If you do manage to get hold of an XP disc you can try to repair your installation before going for a reinstall, you can try using the recovery console to fix whatever problems have occured. Have a look here for some help and descriptions.
If the drive turns out to be faulty, as long as you haven't lost any data, its not the end of the world. New Hard drives are cheap and huge these days (especially if bought online and not from PC world), with a borrowed copy of XP you could end up with a nice clean installation, a faster system and bags loads more space than you had before. DT_Xtremez_31:
Good luck.

 

[billyWhizz]

I have just recovered a machine that had the same fault as described - you need to get an XP disk and let it start the installation. It will ask you to install a new copy or launch the recovery console. Use the recovery console and run CHKDSK as it sounds like the Master Boot Record (MBR) is corrupt. This usually occurs because the machine has just been switched off at the socket and caused the heads to crash on the platter and corrupting the MBR.

If however your darling kids have hit the case or dropped it from a couple of inches this will have killed the drive and no amount of recovery will get this back but going from your description it is a corrupt MBR