Windows XP not loading GUI but plays sound?
 

Hi all,

No idea what my gf has done to her laptop but the Windows GUI doesn't load any more. It shows the start up screen then goes to a black screen. You can hear windows start and the machine connects to the home network. You also hear a couple of error sounds as well.
It also won't boot into safe mode and VGA mode and Last Known Good Config don't make any difference.
I can use a boot disc to get into Recovery Console and ran chkdsk /r and it repaired a few problems.

She mentioned that she tried to update her graphics card drivers so may have somehow disabled her graphics adapter...

Has anyone got any ideas on how to sort this apart from a reinstall of XP?

Re: Windows XP not loading GUI but plays sound?
 

it not booting to safe mode means its not drivers. How long did you give it to boot to safe mode?

Re: Windows XP not loading GUI but plays sound?
 

About 10 minutes

Re: Windows XP not loading GUI but plays sound?
 

Try this from recovery

cd \
cd Cd system~1\_resto~1
dir (should get a list of recovery points)
cd rp* ( choose a restore point a few in so if there is 9 choose 7)
cd snapshot
you should now see c:\system~1\_resto~1\rp*\snapshot (*) figure you chose
copy _registry_machine_system c:\windows\system32\config\system
copy _registry_machine_software c:\windows\system32\config\software

follow above commands in order but not the should see line

this should have copied your registry from a working restore point. It may not work and its at your risk but it may work

Failing that if you have the correct media just try a repair install

Re: Windows XP not loading GUI but plays sound?
 

Hi Zing,
I'm not sure if I'm doing it right, do you mean to go to \system32\restore?
I tried the first couple of lines but no luck...
If I do a dir in the restore folder it listed 4 files, filelist.xml etc.?

Re: Windows XP not loading GUI but plays sound?
 

do you get an acces denied warning? if so

cd windows\system32\config
ren system system.bak
exit
reboot to recovery console and try the first commands again

I think if you have the media you would be better trying a repair install

---------- Post added at 22:24 ---------- Previous post was at 22:21 ----------

can you start safe mode with command prompt?

Re: Windows XP not loading GUI but plays sound?
 

Sorted, went through the procedure of overwriting system,sam, config etc out of the repair folder.

Re: Windows XP not loading GUI but plays sound?
 

cool

Re: Windows XP not loading GUI but plays sound?
 

spoke too soon I think...I got Windows loading to the desktop again but it seems there are viruses/trojans blocking AV/anti spyware apps. I've managed to update Spybot but one of the viruses is added to userinit in the winlogon part of the registry.I manage to remove some of the problems in safe mode and have a boot disc that allowed me to delete the file affecting userinit but it came back...I had to add basic TCPIP back to get a network connection but although I can access websites I can't access anything like mcafee etc. I downloaded a few apps off download.com fine.I can't run combifix or stinger as they both keep saying they have been comprimised. Even downloading or trying to run in safe mode.This is quite a nuisance to sort out. I can access the C drive of the laptop from my laptop but my AV won't scan network drives although does keep popping up with virus alerts when I access the share on the affected laptop...
Also annoying is that it's XP SP2 on the laptop but all AV apps are seeing it as SP1 or earlier and won't install...tried Panda cloud, AVG and Avira...

Re: Windows XP not loading GUI but plays sound?
 

you really need to reinstall windows... if it's that bad, that your scans won't run.

Re: Windows XP not loading GUI but plays sound?
 

I'm starting to think that too...At least it's possible to get into Windows to back stuff up first.

Re: Windows XP not loading GUI but plays sound?
 

Just be aware of the files you backup as the files may be infected :)