Unable to boot up

Please help. I own the computer from hell! Several days
ago I attempted to add new software, and now I can only
start my computer in safe mode. I tried to uninstall the
new software, but it doesn't show up in the add/remove
programs window. The computer refuses to do a system
restore. I checked the registry, there are supposedly no
errors, but it will not reload from the registry. I have
scanned for viruses and found none. Tech support at
Staples (where I purchased the computer and an extended
warranty on it) tells me that my registry is corrupted
and to do a factory restore using the CD that came with
the computer. I will lose everything on my hard drive if
I do so, and Staples will charge me a fortune to extract
things from it. They claim I invalidated the warranty
when I installed additional memory purchased from their
store! I would like to transfer the contents of some
folders to a CD, but although my computer will read from
a disk, it will not write to it. It spins it's wheels, so
to speak, and acts as if it is doing so, but nothing
actually is burnt onto the disk. Does anyone know if my
computer will recognize and transfer to a memory card
while in safe mode? I don't want to go out and spend $50
for a memory card, and then find out it won't work. Any
suggestions on how to force my computer to actually burn
a CD in safe mode? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
My computer is a Compaq Presario 5000US. Thank you.

Mart
Thu Sep 02 02:59:22 CDT 2004

Firstly, it's unlikely that your computer will recognise either the CD-ROM
(including the burner) or a memory stick whilst in Safe Mode as their
respective drivers won't have been loaded.

Second, System Restore - well, you'll have to 'worry' about that later if
you can't get it to run in Safe Mode (What was the error report when you
tried to run it?)

Thirdly, you *should* be able to restore a 'Good' Registry (with a couple
of other important files) using scanreg /restore. Although you can do this
in Safe Mode, my preference is to do it in Real Mode DOS:-

BTW - This assumes that you hadn't picked up a virus - you may need to check
using
a DOS virus checker from www.f-prot.com

Boot using the Windows Startup (floppy) Disk and choose 4) Minimal Boot.
At the A:\> prompt, type "scanreg /restore" (no quotes and note the space
between the g and /) then press Enter.
Follow the screen prompts and when asked, select the last 'good' date BEFORE
you attempted to add your new software and the PC ran OK, continuing with
the instructions.

Don't forget to remove the floppy disk BEFORE you tell the machine to
reboot.

Hopefully, this method may get your pc running again.

Mart


"Mary" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:487801c490a5$100a71a0$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> Please help. I own the computer from hell! Several days
> ago I attempted to add new software, and now I can only
> start my computer in safe mode. I tried to uninstall the
> new software, but it doesn't show up in the add/remove
> programs window. The computer refuses to do a system
> restore. I checked the registry, there are supposedly no
> errors, but it will not reload from the registry. I have
> scanned for viruses and found none. Tech support at
> Staples (where I purchased the computer and an extended
> warranty on it) tells me that my registry is corrupted
> and to do a factory restore using the CD that came with
> the computer. I will lose everything on my hard drive if
> I do so, and Staples will charge me a fortune to extract
> things from it. They claim I invalidated the warranty
> when I installed additional memory purchased from their
> store! I would like to transfer the contents of some
> folders to a CD, but although my computer will read from
> a disk, it will not write to it. It spins it's wheels, so
> to speak, and acts as if it is doing so, but nothing
> actually is burnt onto the disk. Does anyone know if my
> computer will recognize and transfer to a memory card
> while in safe mode? I don't want to go out and spend $50
> for a memory card, and then find out it won't work. Any
> suggestions on how to force my computer to actually burn
> a CD in safe mode? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
> My computer is a Compaq Presario 5000US. Thank you.