I killed my computer.......It's curled up in a little ball, dead

[Katymac]

This is DH's & it's old & sad

The windows XP screen just keeps cycling - & a system restore won't

Help???

What do you mean by 'cycling'?

Do you mean the Windows page is continuoulsy scrooling up the screen or do you mean the computer will not boot properly and just hangs in the startup process?

Hnags with the windows XP logo and the line going underneath

So I started in safe mode & tried a system restore twice - both failed the computer restarted & hung again

Sorry I can't be much help with the XP thing, but if you have valuable files you want to save on there, it is possible to copy them off before you do anything risky. This can be done with a "live CD". This provides an operating system that boots directly from CD, without having to install itself to your hard disk. There are various live CDs out there. The one I use in emergencies is Knoppix.

There's more information here and the offical site is here.

You can download the CD here (700MB download).

Normally people say:

Try starting in 'Safe Mode'. If sucessful then shut down and start normally.

If that does not work try and start the computer with the XP CD Rom in the drive.

If that does not work then reinstall XP.

Oo thanks that looks good - however I backed up Monday & keep most files on a memory stick with a copy on my external hard drive

Safe mode died

Now I have to find the XP disc.....hmm where could I have put it

Thanks for the idea

While you are here what do people think about windows 7......is it better than vista? (just in case I have to buy a new laptop)

Can't find my disc I'll look in the attic tomorrow

It has let me run AVG in safe mode - i wonder if it will finish

windows 7 is supposed to be superior to vista. Actually windows 7 is what vista is supposed to have been but they rushed vista out rather then delaying it until it was ready.

Reported to run faster, be more interactive and the IT guys i have spoken to who have tested it say nice things and that it would restore faith in microsoft for those of us who are fed up with normal windows/microsoft nonsense and thinking about going mac.

Oooo sounds nice (even tho' I am thinking about going Mac)

This one has only lasted 22 months which is crap imo

imo too! this laptop is nearly 10 years now and i love it as it runs the versions of software i can get to work. Dont like how they hide everything in new office but expect i will adjust now have to use more often.

Oh no - Office is fine

Vista scares me

But i am pissed off with my (newish) one atm as it died

Do I have to watch it doing AVG I'm tired & I want to go to bed

Yes you can go to bed. It will be fine. My laptop has AVG. Just leave it plugged in.

Thanks, night all

vista annoys a lot of people you are the first to say its scarey

some places are letting people have a play on display models with windows seven so it might be worth while have a try if you are not sure.

I'm just odd

Aha

It is now working apart from outlook

I cannot access any email addresses & it won't even open offline - I am in trouble

No it curled up & died again

Bugger

Sounds like you need to start in Safe Mode again and copy all the files off it, then Format the hard disk and reload everything.

Sometmes computers just really need a good clear out and start again in my experience.

Is that the same as restore factory settings?

& how do I get my emails/email addresses off?

That is all I really need on the HD

You need to find them on the hard drive.

They are stored in folders like INBOX.dbx, OUTBOX.dbx. Use Search to find all the files on our hard drive with a a .dbx extension then copy them to a CD. Copy them back to he right location once you have the Windows XP and Outlook reinstalled.

This link tells you hw to format the C drive and reinstall Windows XP.

The instructions you need are half way down the page under the heading:

"Formatting and Installing from the Windows XP CD"

Disclaimer: If the emails are really valuable you may want a computer shop to do it.

It's not the emails - it's the addresses - Oh I wish I had used my address book

What I can do is copy them (If I ever fin them) the put them onto DH's Laptop & check they are there

Ah I see. Yes if you had them in the address book then that could be copied.

Yes you can copy the .dbx files to your laptop.

The other thing is you may find that your internet service provider has your recent emails still stored on its server so long as you did not tick the box in Outlook that instructs emails to be deleted once they are dowloaded to your computer.

You can usually look at your mail account at the ISP (i.e BT, Orange, Virgin, whoever your provider is) by logging on over the internet. That may be quicker and safer than fiddling with .dbx files.

If you do not now how to log on to to your ISP account just contact them and they will tell you. Usually you need a password.