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Question

XP only starts in safe mode

Jan 30, 2014 9:35AM PST

I have windows xp on a dell dimension e521. Yesterday it went black (except multiple cursors were visible) and froze on me so I hit ctrl-alt-del a few times with no visible result so I turned machine off with on/off button.

Then turned it back on but it hung on the starting windows splash screen with the horizontal dots just continuing to go forever. I finally (after 30 minutes) turned it off with button again and then back on. This time it went into a black screen where it asked me to choose which safe mode I wanted or restore to when it last worked.

I tried restoring but no difference. I tried safe modes and they work (that's what I'm using right now) but I don't know what to do in safe mode. I tried system restore to a few different dates before I had the problem but they all failed except yesterday so I went with yesterday but when I reboot it still hangs on start screen.

Am lost, am clueless, need help, thanks.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
This is where your backup comes in.
Jan 30, 2014 9:24PM PST

There are a lot of bad things that can happen to any Windows so this is why everyone keeps a backup of a working system. You have reached the end of what you can do so now you make sure any new files are safe then restore your system from your last full backup.

Everyone backups today. Right?
Bob

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Backup...what's that?
Jan 31, 2014 12:15AM PST

Apparently everyone except me. Sort of like changing the timing belt on my car...I've heard it's important but it was never clear how to do it.

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Then save what you can now. Here's my old advice.
Jan 31, 2014 12:26AM PST

Read http://tips.oncomputers.info/archives2004/0401/2004-Jan-11.htm and it's been a decade and longer I've handed out this advice to get our files out and safe.

After you saved your files or decided on other solutions, you can follow your machine maker's instructions on how to start over to restore to factory conditions.
Bob

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First know that XP is losing MS support in April
Jan 31, 2014 12:27AM PST

Since XP is about to lose the last remnants of support in April, it's time to make plans for upgrading to Windows 7 or 8.
Now regarding backup, I suggest get yourself a good commercial backup program. I've seen forums fraught with problem reports for the Windows one. Two I'm familiar with and like are Easeus Todo Backup Free, and Memeo which has a 30 day free trial and you can buy it for $29.99.
The March 2012 issue of PC World was very high on the FREE program from Easeus and so is CNET. In my experience with a variety of configurations I have to say I'm very impressed. Like Ghost (which unfortunately is no longer on the market) it will back up to a networked drive, and it will create a boot CD for when your PC won't boot. See CNET's review of it at
http://download.cnet.com/Easeus-Todo-Backup-Free/3000-2242_4-10964460.html?tag=mncol;1#editorsreview .
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CNET has a lot of backup program reviews at
http://download.cnet.com/windows/backup-software/?tag=contentBody;sideBar .

Some of these are free (last time I checked there were over 300), some have free trials (over 1000), and some are purchase only (over 200).
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External hard drives are best for backup. You can get a 500 GB one for around $50 and a 1 TB one for around $60. You can also buy a 32 GB flash drive for under $20. It's the best insurance you can ever buy!

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I hope this helps. Good luck

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Be sure those don't include Conduit. Why?
Jan 31, 2014 12:30AM PST
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Answer
Bought a new computer
Feb 2, 2014 1:02PM PST

Thank you everyone for your help. I was able to back up important data before trying to reinstall the xp from scratch which was a complete fail. After the install the machine booted properly but was then unable to connect to the internet and had no sound. No doubt I screwed up somewhere but after wasting 48 hrs of my life trying to do something I am not qualified to do I decided to buy a new cheap laptop instead of paying somebody the same amount of money to come over and fix my 7 year old xp machine. Looking good!