Win2k Problem

valor

DSL stopped working on Sat so havin exhausted all other options i installed a 2nd windows ( eircom told me it wasnt their problem when it turned out it was)

now my dsl is back but my old windows install wont load...it just goes black once it gets past the 2000 loading screen. im in safe mode atm..

any ideas?

thanks

val

tk123

Check device manager to see if there is any alerts?

Frank Grimes

What OS was there originally? Was the 2nd OS Windows 2000?

valor

yeah i now have 2x windows 2000 on my machine

whats device manager and how do i check it ? ( pretty much a technology noob here)

ando

when you reinstalled windows, it gives an option to decide what folder to install into. By default its \winnt

Did you install the 2nd OS into that folder or did you rename winnt to winnt2 for instance?

Frank Grimes

So, you can't get into the 1st installation of Windows but the 2nd one is ok?
You installed the 2nd one on a different partition I take it?
Have you tried running a repair from the Windows 2000 cd?

valor

ando, thats exactly what i did. winnt2

valor

i cant get into my old good installation - atm im on the new one but i cant find my drivers etc and i really dont want to have to search the net for everything - id prefer just get back into my old install with my programs etc ready installed.

its all on one, unpartitioned harddrive

ando

so I suspect you get the option on boot up (just after the self test) which asks you what operating system to select. And if I read you right, when you select the older system it starts loading Windows but then crashes after the initial windows2000 load...? Is it a total black screen or a blue screen with white writing? At what exact stage does it crash

you could try starting 'safe mode' in steps (press F8 on startup and look for that selection) and write down at what driver the system crashes

valor

total black screen. it happens when it would usually load windows to login - after the original loading screen.

safe mode works grand

ando

If its fine in safe mode then something is conflicting with windows, possibly a video display driver. In device manager I'd uninstall the video card and restart the machine in normal mode. You get device manager from within safe mode by right clicking on 'My computer', properties and I think 'hardware'.

You should also stop any programs from startin with windows, and disable any services you do not need, in Start, Programs, Administrative tools, Services.

ando

also, since you cant install any startup managers in Safe mode, you can run 'regedit' from Start, Run

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Thats the registry key you will have to navigate to, all the programs in that key are the 3rd party programs that start with windows

for example this is what is in my registry:



If I deleted Zone Labs Client, my firewall would not startup automatically

ando

last but not least , if your pc is still f*cked, see what the event viewer says. Start, Programs, Adminstative Tools, Event viewer. It keeps a record on the pc's actions.

The problem could be your profile aswell,. Even though you reinstalled windows into a different winnt folder, the OS will still use the same Documents and Settings folder on your C: drive. IE, your old profile's locations. If you are loggin in as the same username as before, it could be conflicting with the old profile

Simple, eh

Stephen

If you used the same username, it won't overwrite your old documents and settings folder, it'll rename it to something like valor.computername

valor

thanks for all the helpful suggestions Ando but I figure if I try any of them I'd be liable to break my computer even more - therefore format the whole thing it is !

val

ColmOT [MSFT]

Did you apply a service pack to the new installation that you didn't have in the old installation?
This may be the cause of your 'black screen' when u try to boot into the old installation after installing a second instance.
Update your second instance of W2K to the same SP & QFE level, and then try it. You cannot boot a newer OS version with older bootloader files.