Help. Maybe dead; only boots into safe mode menu

minmn · 01-04-2007, 08:12 PM

Somebody please give me ideas.
Yesterday it was fine, today I can't get into it. Hubby thinks it is a hard drive issue.
The Dell logo comes up and then the Win XP logo. Next, it changes to the screen/menu for Safe mode options. I tried to open it by all 5 options, but it only reboots and returns to the same screen.

Hubby tried to repair it from the original Win XP office installation disc and that didn't work. He used it to get a DOS prompt. But he doesn't know the DOS name for documents and settings, or program files. IF he did, he said he could copy and paste them to the 2nd hard drive that is in the machine. Anyone know the DOS names for docs and setting and program files??

I've got stuff on there that should have been backed up, but wasn't.

Hubby can do certain things with the computer: reformat, etc. IF we had good directions, he can work on it. ANY IDEAS??

My friend took her computer to the Geek Squad and wasn't pleased with the results. If we have to take it somewhere, after trying things at home, who is skilled enough to retrieve those docs and programs??
Thanks, MRS. H.

Dell Dimension 4100,
Intel Pentium 3
Windows XP prof
30 Gb hard drive plus a 2nd one in there
Norton Internet security, Spybot & Lavasoft run weekly

WebKing · 01-05-2007, 02:41 AM

Welcome to the Forums...

Are you able to go into the safe mode? Actually you said it... it changes to the screen/menu for Safe mode options... but can you go into safe mode?

minmn · 01-05-2007, 05:37 AM

No. There are 2 safe mode options on that screen: safe mode and safe mode with networking. Upon choosing them, the machine just registers about 30 lines of what looks like web addresses and then reboots, only to return to the same black page.

Any ideas how to get the stuff off the computer? DOS names for locating stuff listed above??

minmn · 01-05-2007, 08:36 AM

Hubby tried to repair it from the original Win XP Prof. installation disc and that didn't work. He used it to get a DOS prompt, used the DIR command and got a list of directories. He can't locate the files, as DOS truncates the names. He knows the names in Windows, but doesn't recognize the truncated version in DOS. He's looking for documents and settings, and program files. He wants to copy and paste them to the 2nd hard drive that is in the machine.
Anyone know the DOS names for docs and setting and program files??

**koala** · 01-05-2007, 10:08 AM

At the command prompt, type cd\ to get to the root, then cd foldername, where the foldername is truncated to 8 characters. You can also use cd.. to move up one level in the folder tree.

eg. 'Program Files' is progra~1 and 'Documents and Settings' is docume~1

You might find it easier to use the xcopy command, which allows you to copy whole folders instead of just files.

See these links for the differences between copy and xcopy.

01-04-2007, 08:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
minmn Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3 OS: WinXP prof	Help. Maybe dead; only boots into safe mode menu Somebody please give me ideas. Yesterday it was fine, today I can't get into it. Hubby thinks it is a hard drive issue. The Dell logo comes up and then the Win XP logo. Next, it changes to the screen/menu for Safe mode options. I tried to open it by all 5 options, but it only reboots and returns to the same screen. Hubby tried to repair it from the original Win XP office installation disc and that didn't work. He used it to get a DOS prompt. But he doesn't know the DOS name for documents and settings, or program files. IF he did, he said he could copy and paste them to the 2nd hard drive that is in the machine. Anyone know the DOS names for docs and setting and program files?? I've got stuff on there that should have been backed up, but wasn't. Hubby can do certain things with the computer: reformat, etc. IF we had good directions, he can work on it. ANY IDEAS?? My friend took her computer to the Geek Squad and wasn't pleased with the results. If we have to take it somewhere, after trying things at home, who is skilled enough to retrieve those docs and programs?? Thanks, MRS. H. Dell Dimension 4100, Intel Pentium 3 Windows XP prof 30 Gb hard drive plus a 2nd one in there Norton Internet security, Spybot & Lavasoft run weekly

01-05-2007, 02:41 AM	#2 (permalink)
WebKing Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 33 OS: XP and 2003	Welcome to the Forums... Are you able to go into the safe mode? Actually you said it... it changes to the screen/menu for Safe mode options... but can you go into safe mode? __________________ Worry is like a rocking chair; it keeps you busy, but gets you nowhere. So...

01-05-2007, 05:37 AM	#3 (permalink)
minmn Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3 OS: WinXP prof	reply to previous post No. There are 2 safe mode options on that screen: safe mode and safe mode with networking. Upon choosing them, the machine just registers about 30 lines of what looks like web addresses and then reboots, only to return to the same black page. Any ideas how to get the stuff off the computer? DOS names for locating stuff listed above??

01-05-2007, 08:36 AM	#4 (permalink)
minmn Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3 OS: WinXP prof	I need my stuff- how to retrieve it? Hubby tried to repair it from the original Win XP Prof. installation disc and that didn't work. He used it to get a DOS prompt, used the DIR command and got a list of directories. He can't locate the files, as DOS truncates the names. He knows the names in Windows, but doesn't recognize the truncated version in DOS. He's looking for documents and settings, and program files. He wants to copy and paste them to the 2nd hard drive that is in the machine. Anyone know the DOS names for docs and setting and program files??

01-05-2007, 10:08 AM	#5 (permalink)
koala Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK Posts: 12,373 OS: XP/7/Ubuntu My System	At the command prompt, type cd\ to get to the root, then cd foldername, where the foldername is truncated to 8 characters. You can also use cd.. to move up one level in the folder tree. eg. 'Program Files' is progra~1 and 'Documents and Settings' is docume~1 You might find it easier to use the xcopy command, which allows you to copy whole folders instead of just files. See these links for the differences between copy and xcopy. __________________ New members: Subscribe to your thread (Thread Tools) to receive an instant email notification when you get a reply. TSF Folding@Home Team 85015 - details here Last edited by koala; 01-05-2007 at 10:13 AM.