Computer trouble

[Setzer]

I'm typing htis on a library computer, because something is wrong with my home PC.

I boot it up, the screen shows:

C:\

Press any key to continue.

I do that, and It goes to the Hewlett Packard screen, then back to "press any key to continue."

I can press F1 to enter the setup, but I don't know what to change. SHould I use the system recovery disc instead?

[NecronLord]

Assuming this is an MS dos windoze computer.

Type

Code: Select all

dir C:\

You may have uninstalled windoze. If "C:\windows" exists then see what's in it. You should probably just re-install an OS.

[TrailerParkJawa]

Some how your Windows is jacked. Could be a virus, corrupt files, etc.
Have you made any recent changes?
Are you comfortable with a command prompt? ie) Could you move around the directories to find out if your files are still there ?

[Setzer]

Some how your Windows is jacked. Could be a virus, corrupt files, etc.
Have you made any recent changes?
Are you comfortable with a command prompt? ie) Could you move around the directories to find out if your files are still there ?

I can't do anything except press F1 and enter the setup, and I have to do that before the "press any key to continue" screen pops up.

[Faram]

Okay.

1. Make sure you don't have any disk in the disk drive. (oldie goldie)

Now for some questions.

What OS are you using? Win3.11, Win9x, NT, W2k, XP, Linux?

Do the computer make some strange noices when starting?

Do the "dir c:" that NecronLord suggested. and inform us of the result. is it somthing like this?:

C:\>dir c:
Volume in drive C is WinXP
Volume Serial Number is 9C5A-A5C3

Directory of C:\

2002-03-28 21:43 0 AUTOEXEC.BAT
2002-03-28 21:43 0 CONFIG.SYS
2003-01-15 21:33 <DIR> DELL
2002-11-08 08:23 <DIR> Documents and Settings
2003-03-23 22:06 <DIR> Program Files
2002-11-04 23:02 <DIR> Temp
2003-03-24 17:29 <DIR> WINDOWS
2 File(s) 0 bytes
5 Dir(s) 21 619 351 552 bytes free

C:\>

Or do you get some error message, if so what?

[Soulman]

I usually kick and/or swear at my PC when it goes wrong, it usually works...

[Sektor31]

Check your autoexec.bat.

Somehow it got altered, tell what you see if you get that far. Maybe borrow a boot disk from someone?

[Setzer]

Okay.

1. Make sure you don't have any disk in the disk drive. (oldie goldie)

Now for some questions.

What OS are you using? Win3.11, Win9x, NT, W2k, XP, Linux?

Do the computer make some strange noices when starting?

Do the "dir c:" that NecronLord suggested. and inform us of the result. is it somthing like this?:

C:\>dir c:
Volume in drive C is WinXP
Volume Serial Number is 9C5A-A5C3

Directory of C:\

2002-03-28 21:43 0 AUTOEXEC.BAT
2002-03-28 21:43 0 CONFIG.SYS
2003-01-15 21:33 <DIR> DELL
2002-11-08 08:23 <DIR> Documents and Settings
2003-03-23 22:06 <DIR> Program Files
2002-11-04 23:02 <DIR> Temp
2003-03-24 17:29 <DIR> WINDOWS
2 File(s) 0 bytes
5 Dir(s) 21 619 351 552 bytes free

C:\>

Or do you get some error message, if so what?

no, it looks more like:

C:\>

Press any key to continue.

[Captain Jack]

Try to boot from a bootable floppy then type "dir c:". If that works you should see somthing like this:

C:\>dir c:
Volume in drive C is WinXP
Volume Serial Number is 9C5A-A5C3

Directory of C:\

2002-03-28 21:43 0 AUTOEXEC.BAT
2002-03-28 21:43 0 CONFIG.SYS
2003-01-15 21:33 <DIR> DELL
2002-11-08 08:23 <DIR> Documents and Settings
2003-03-23 22:06 <DIR> Program Files
2002-11-04 23:02 <DIR> Temp
2003-03-24 17:29 <DIR> WINDOWS
2 File(s) 0 bytes
5 Dir(s) 21 619 351 552 bytes free

C:\>

You may need to reinstall you OS.

[Mad]

I'm typing htis on a library computer, because something is wrong with my home PC.

I boot it up, the screen shows:

C:\

Press any key to continue.

I do that, and It goes to the Hewlett Packard screen, then back to "press any key to continue."

I can press F1 to enter the setup, but I don't know what to change. SHould I use the system recovery disc instead?

What version of Windows are you running? If you see something like "Starting Windows 98," then there may be hope. If not, I dunno. Anyway, try hitting F8 when the message pops up. If it doesn't pop up, try hitting it throughout the boot sequence until something happens.

If you get to a boot menu, choose Start MS-DOS in Safe Mode or something similar to that.

Type "type autoexec.bat" (without quotes, of course) and give us that. Or you can "copy autoexec.bat a:" to put it on a floppy disk and view it on another computer. Also, try the "dir" command others have pointed out.

If you can't get to the boot menu, you'll need a boot disk.

It sounds like something inserted a line in your autoexec.bat to call a program to reboot the computer.

[Crayz9000]

See, kids, this is why they say you need to make an emergency boot disk when you install Windows...

[Captain Jack]

See, kids, this is why they say you need to make an emergency boot disk when you install Windows...

I have 2, sometimes floppies die.